The day was Saturday, the day of the Yearly Ball with the theme ‘Fairy Tale’. Prince said yesterday that I should only worry about sneaking out of my house. But despite that, I couldn’t help but get anxious throughout the day.

After I finished all my chores for the day, Rizelle and I ate dinner and watched a movie after. It was a movie about a masked guy that killed the protagonist’s group one by one until no one survived. It was one genre in Rizelle’s interests. Then, after almost two hours, we finished it and went back to our own rooms. The movie ended at 10 pm. So I still waited for half an hour to make sure that everyone in the house was sound asleep. And when the time arrived, I sneaked out of the house in my school uniform.

“What do I do now?” I anxiously whispered to myself after I exited the gate. I looked around the dark surroundings but couldn’t find Prince anywhere. “I guess I should call him.”

But before I grab my phone in my skirt’s pocket, a glowing silhouette descended from the night sky.

“A... fairy?” I whispered in n astonished expression.

Then, the girl-like figure, as tall as a hand, stopped before my face.

“Good evening, Cindy,” the cute fairy greeted with a smile. She was wearing a blue-green dress and had glittery butterfly-like wings behind her back.

“G-good evening too,” I greeted, still stunned.

“So are you ready now?”

“Uhmm... ready? Can I ask who you are?”

“Sorry for the late introduction. Maybe it’s best to call me your ‘Fairy Godmother’,” she followed with a cheerful smile.

“Fairy... Godmother?” I repeated, confused.

“In short, I’m the one who’ll grant your wish to attend the Ball.”

“R-really?” I asked with an astounded expression.

“Correct. But ‘Fairy Godmother’ sounds a little old, so how about you call me ‘Fairy God–Pixie’ instead?”

“Uhmm... I’m pretty sure the ‘god’ is part of ‘mother’, not the ‘fairy’.”

“Don’t think about it too much. You can call me ‘Pixie’,” she followed, still with a cheerful smirk.

“So Pixie, what do I need to do?” I asked with a suddenly serious look.

“Well... please stand there as I do the magic,” she responded and swung her wand around. Then lots of colorful lights appeared around me.

“How beautiful...” I whispered with a smile as I looked around the beautiful display of lights as it circled me.

“It will be a disgrace to all fairies if I can’t do this like the original so I’ll make this as grand as possible!” she muttered and when she pointed her wand on my clothes, it transformed into a beautiful light blue gown. Also, white long gloves appeared on my arms and my black shoes turned into glass-like shoes. My hair also got groomed, and a tiara appeared on top of my head.

“What do you think?” Pixie asked with a wink and formed a big mirror out of thin air. Because of that, I saw my new image from head to toe.

“I look... beautiful...” I whispered, amazed.

“Glad to hear that, princess,” Pixie responded and pointed her wand on top of her head. She then made circular motions using its tip and glitters rained down on her. After a second, she glowed and transformed into human-size. Her wings disappeared, and she was in butler-like clothes now.

“Amazing...” I mumbled in awestruck.

“And everything is not complete without a carriage. But let’s make it into a modern one,” Pixie continued and pointed her wand towards the road. Then, a limousine appeared with a poof.

“I can’t believe this. Everything seems so unreal...” I reacted with a doubt that everything was a dream all along.

“Don’t you want to attend the Ball?” Pixie asked and opened the passenger door of the car.

When I heard that, I made a serious expression and answered, “I do.”

“Then, get on. I’ll take you there, princess,” Pixie said with a smile.

I’m like Cinderella right now.

After that, I rode the car, and Pixie drove towards the school. Soon enough, we arrived at the gate. I immediately opened the car door and got off the vehicle. Pixie also did the same from the driver’s seat.

“Cindy. I regret to say this, but there’s a countdown in the effect of my magic,” Pixie explained in sadness. “If I made everything real, I won’t be able to maintain my consciousness after I produced it. That is why the extent of what I can do is to maintain my magic by setting a time limit. In short, everything will disappear once the allotted time finishes.”

“Uhmm... I don’t quite understand, but I only have to return before a certain time arrives, right? Do I need to come back to you before midnight or something?” I asked out of curiosity.

“No. I made it 1 am so you can leave the party without rushing,” she followed with a bright grin. “Also, those shoes won’t disappear even if the allotted time finishes. You want something to keep as a remembrance, right?”

“Really? Thank you very much!” I reacted happily. “But... can I ask the reason you’re doing this?”

“Well, I’m only doing my part as a fairy,” she answered with a wink.

“I see. Then, thank you for everything, Pixie. I won’t forget this favor,” I thanked with a beam and ran towards the gymnasium where the event was being held.

The program already started several hours ago, so I have to at least arrive before the dance starts. Prince... please wait for me.

──◈─▣─♕─▣─◈──

When I arrived at the open door of the gymnasium, I heard the Master of Ceremonies speech.

“And now’s that time you’ve all been waiting for… the Yearly Dance of today’s Ball!”

After that announcement, everyone cheered and applauded.

“It looks like I made it in time,” I whispered with a sigh of relief and entered the venue.

“So you can now invite the person you want to dance with. Have a good night to everyone,” the Master of Ceremonies added with a smile and left the stage. Then, slow music got played. With that, different students around paired for the dance.

“Prince, where are you?” I mumbled and looked around the venue. Because the party was dim with only the colorful spotlights to illuminate the area, it became hard to find him.

As I walked around, some students stared at me. Because of them, I suddenly felt anxious about my looks.

“I wonder if I look weird...” I whispered while I looked down and stopped my walk.

“No. You look beautiful...” someone said from behind.

That familiar voice...

When I turned around, I immediately saw a guy in his usual crown, but without glasses this time. The guy wore a long, unbuttoned coat that passed his knees. There was also a red scarf around his neck, partnered with light brown slacks and boots. It was no other than Prince.

“Uhmm...” I mumbled out of shyness after I perceived his compliment. “Thank you. You look handsome too.”

Why is my heart beating so fast right now? Am I getting nervous because of the mood?

He then drew out his hand and asked, “May I have this dance?”

After I heard that, my face became red in an instant. Even though dancing with him was the only reason I attended the Ball, the thought of doing it with him for real made me nervous.

What am I doing? I have to accept his invite.

To ready myself, I made a serious face as hard as I could. But Prince only chuckled out of the blue.

“Uhmm... did I do something funny?” I asked, confused.

“Well, it’s because you’re trying to be very serious now,” he said as he tried to hold his laughter.

I then pouted and replied, “I’ll refuse then. Please dance with another girl instead.”

“Sorry, sorry. I only want to dance with you so please reconsider it,” he pleaded with a smile and drew out his left hand once again. “So... can you please dance with me?”

“Jeez,” I l reacted and let out a deep sigh.

“Sure,” I responded with a smile and placed my right hand on top of his drawn-out left hand. With that, we grasped each other’s hands. Then, he placed his other hand on my hip and I placed my other hand on his shoulder. After that, we started our dance, with him in the lead as I followed his steps.

“Uhmm...” I murmured, hesitant to ask my question.

“What is it?” Prince asked with a gentle smile.

“Do you know Pixie?”

He became surprised after hearing that. But he immediately smiled and answered, “Something like that.”

“I see...” I whispered with a smile. “Then, thank you... for making this possible.”

“I didn’t do a thing, you know. You don’t have to thank me.”

I shook my head and followed, “I want to. I will never forget this wonderful night in my entire life.”

He got silent for a few seconds and smiled right after.

“I’m glad to hear that.”

We continued our dance until the music stopped. And that was the end of the Ball.

──◈─▣─♕─▣─◈──

“I didn’t see the girl you like...” I whispered as we watched the students left the gymnasium while we were seated on the bleachers.

“Huh?” Prince reacted in a confused face.

“You said that you will invite her to dance tonight, right? Did she agree to dance with you?” I asked in curiosity as I look at him.

“Well...” he whispered with a sudden embarrassed look and looked away from me. “She did.”

“I... see...” I muttered and made a sad expression. “I wish I could’ve seen it.”

“That’s your reason for being sad?” he asked, somewhat flabbergasted.

“Because I want to know who the girl is,” I followed with a serious look.

When he heard that, he became silent for a few seconds and made a serious expression after.

“Then, I will tell you who it is now,” he said as he looked straight into my eyes.

Suddenly, my heartbeat became faster.

Huh? Why am I being nervous now?

“Wait... let me at least prepare for it...” I said and averted my gaze away from him.

This is strange. Earlier, I want to know who it is. But now... I don’t know anymore. Why am I feeling like this now?

“Why do you need to prepare?” he asked without a change in expression.

“That’s...” I whispered, confused on how to reply as my gaze couldn’t get fixed in a specific location anymore.

“Why?”

“I... I don’t know too!” I responded, flustered. Then, I looked back at him and his serious gaze caught my eyes.

“Then I’ll say it now,” he continued, with his eyes locked to mine. I couldn’t get away anymore. So instead of looking away, I waited for his words.

“Her name is...”

“...”

“Cin—”

“Stop!” I shouted and covered his mouth with my two hands.

“What?” he reacted, dumbfounded.

“Sorry, but I need to go to the ladies’ room,” I said in a panic and ran away.

Soon enough, I found myself inside the place. I was in front of the mirror.

“Why did I even run away?” I asked myself in sadness.

Then, I remembered the fact that Prince already said the first syllable of the girl’s name.

“Sin?” I repeated with a puzzled expression. “Is it Sina? Or Sinclaire? Or is it Cin rather than Sin?”

That was when I realized it and became shocked.

“Cindy?” I whispered, confused about how to react.

Cindy. Does that mean that...

“We share the same name?”

I will only know if I ask him. This time, I won’t run away anymore.

But when I was about to exit the door, a girl appeared before me. She was in her school uniform.

“Rizelle...” I whispered, startled.

“It’s now exactly midnight, Cinderella. Your time is up,” Rizelle said to me in an evil smile, an expression that I didn’t know she could make.

Then, Rizelle’s bodyguard appeared behind me and grabbed both my wrists using one hand. Then, he covered my mouth with a handkerchief to prevent my scream.

Help me... Prince...

As I struggled to escape, my left shoe got loose and fell on the floor. The bodyguard then carried me and Rizelle followed him.