Cinderfella Page 3

  I return to my task, wanting to get out of here as soon as possible. Pulling out a pair of jeans, a simple blue v-neck sweater and even a pair of socks. My eyes catch her old purple Doc Marten boots in the bottom corner of the chest. She loved those boots. They look about Ellie’s size. Mum was small too. She’d wear them whenever she helped on the farm, which wasn’t very often as she was mostly at the hospital with her real job. Just as I’m about to close the lid, I spot the silk blue scarf, which she always wore in her hair. I grab that too. It feels wrong for this piece of her to be shut away in darkness.

  I take the stuff back to the bathroom. Ellie’s singing. She has a sweet, calming voice. Leaning against the doorframe, just listening for a few verses before knocking. No answer. I open the door and cover my eyes, dumping the clothes and boots on the floor before leaving. I wanted to look, but I made her a promise. I always keep my word, no matter how tempting it is to break it. The shower stops running.

  “You okay?” I shout through the door.

  “Great, thanks!”

  “I left some clothes, they look about your size. Hope they’re okay? Couldn’t find anything fancy.”

  “They seem fine,” she shouts back. A few minutes pass. I hear the shuffling of fabrics and Ellie cutely chuntering to herself. “Ash?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Would you come in here for a moment please?”

  “Err, sure…hope you’re decent?” I laugh. Opening the door, she’s sat on the side of the bath with one boot on and the other in her hand, looking sorry for herself.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “I can’t get this one on. I’ve tried but it hurts. Will you help me?”

  “Sure.” I kneel at her feet; pull her sock down to give her foot the once over. “It’s still pretty swollen. We just need to loosen the laces.” I go to work on them. Carefully taking her ankle, I help to glide her foot into the boot. “There it fits!” I chuckle, as she throws her arms around my neck and embraces me.

  “What was that for?” I ask, when she pulls her warm cheek away from mine.

  “Because I felt like it.” She beams, and that gap between her front teeth makes her smile ten times more enticing.

  “It’s just a shoe.” I shrug, getting to my feet.

  “Well, to me it’s so much more.” She stands.

  “You look great.” I take in her casual jeans and jumper look. Like this, she doesn’t look above me; in fact, we look like we fit. She could easily pass as a country girl.

  “Whose clothes are these?”

  “They were my mothers.”

  “Oh, Ash, you didn’t have to.”

  “It’s fine, really. She’d have loved to see you wearing them.”

  “Okay.”

  “What shall we do with your dress?”

  “Bin it. It’s ruined.”

  “You can’t bin something like this. I’ll take it up to the children’s ward. Maybe they’ll play dress up with it.”

  “Do you go there a lot?”

  “I’m a volunteer. Have been for a few years. I go when I can, between the farm and studying that is.” Flinging her dress over my shoulder, I usher her out of the bathroom and help her down the stairs.

  “What do you do there?”

  “Well sometimes…” I lock the back door behind us and place the key back under the plant pot. “Sometimes I just read stories and stuff. Some days I visit the old folks and take them sweets and magazines. They’re always giving me lists and money. Those guys love their Humbugs. Often, I just sit and chat; some of them are just lonely. Occasionally, I’ll get lucky and one of the docs will let me shadow them on their rounds. You can learn a lot by just watching.” Putting my arm out, she takes it as we head back to the barn.

  “Wow, Ash, you’re amazing. You love being there, your entire face lights up when you talk about it.”

  “I do love it. I’m due to go tomorrow if I get the farm work finished in time. Want to tag along?” I stop walking and face her.

  “I’d love to, but what if people recognise me? I’m not ready to be that girl again, not yet.”

  “Okay. Another time maybe?” Yeah right, like she’s gonna come back and visit.

  “Sure.” We start walking again.

  “If you’re sticking around, you may as well muck in.” I smile expecting her to laugh in my face.

  “Muck in? You mean clean out pigs and sheep and stuff?” She raises a brow.

  “May as well get your hands dirty, Princess. Those manicured nails are no use around here.” I shrug, and she looks annoyed with me. “Did I say something wrong?”

  “No, no it’s fine. I’ll help. But I refuse to clean out any kind of animal excrement.”

  “We just call it plain old poo around here.” I chuckle. “But I’ll go easy on you. Oh, here,” I say, pulling the blue silk scarf from my pocket, “Tie this round your hair to keep it out of your face...if you want. It was my mother’s favourite.”

  “It’s beautiful, Ash.” Taking it, she wraps it around her head, bandana style. “Thank you. I love it.”

  Ellie was true to her word and really got stuck in. Yes, she complained a little along the way, but still I never thought I’d see her shovelling cow shit. She helped feed all the animals, wearily at first, but after an hour or so she looked as if she was made for this life. I wished she were. I can dream, can’t I? I showed her how to milk a cow, which she didn’t seem as fond of. She’d barely touched the udders and almost fell off the stool squirming. I let her watch me do that instead.

  Unable to hold in my amusement when she slid on a cowpat, luckily, I was close enough to catch her. I liked catching her. She saw the funny side, eventually. After a gruelling day, we rode the tractor back up to the barn. She sat behind me, her arms wrapped around my waist. Admittedly; making the journey last twice as long as usual.

  “So how did you like your first day on the farm?” I ask, holding the barn door open for her.

  “I’m exhausted.” She yawns. “But I loved it. I thought I’d hate it, but you sort of made it fun. Maybe I should abandon my ‘fame’ and work here?”

  “Don’t make any rash decisions. A day is fun, but a year? Not so much. And you’d have to get over your udder phobia.” I laugh, and she nudges me with her hip.

  “Right, Gus, time for your milk.” I run his bottle under the hot tap for a few minutes. He has a quick suck then pulls away. “Aww come on, Gussy. If you don’t drink, you’ll never grow big and fat like your brothers and sisters.”

  “So that’s why you keep him in here? He’s the runt?” Ellie goes over to the sink, grabs a jug and fills it with hot water. “You need to warm it for longer.” Passing her the bottle, we wait five minutes for it to heat.

  “See!” She grins smugly when the pig drinks greedily from it. I get a sudden flashback of that old guy, Gerry, telling me that Gus liked his milk warmer. How strange. “I could be a farmer yet.” She grins up at me; the sadness has completely disappeared from her eyes.

  “You could be anything you want to be.” I mutter. I think she hears me but doesn’t turn around. I give Gus a disappointed look for making me look bad. I can’t help but notice how happy Ellie looks. Her shoulders seem lower; her entire being seems looser somehow, like the weight of fame and celebrity were weighing her down. She looks nineteen right now and happy, nineteen and free.

  We tuck Gus in his box when he’s had his fill. Our fingers touch briefly and my stomach flips in excitement. Giving myself a hard-mental slap, I don’t even know if she likes me that way. Why would she when she has men throwing themselves at her? Men proposing. And she’s my friend; don’t really have many of those. I can’t ruin this. Anyway, she’s so far out of my league that she’s the clouds and I’m the pond-life beneath, never meant to touch, never supposed to meet…yet here we are.

  “So, shall I call you a cab?” I ask, desperately hoping she says no. I’ve really enjoyed her company. Having someone real to talk to, someone who doesn’t judge or look d
own on me, is really refreshing. When I talk she really listens, like what I’m saying is important, or at least interesting. I feel special around her, which is not a feeling I’m overly familiar with lately.

  “It’s late. Can I stay one more night?” Her lashes flutter; she knows how to get what she wants. My answer is yes. It will always be yes to pretty much anything she could ask of me. I’ve known this girl about twenty-four hours and she already has an invisible hold over me. Does she know that? My thoughts are jumbled and totally confusing. I believed whole-heartedly that this could never happen to me. That I wouldn’t fall so hard so quickly. But here I am falling, any minute my face will smash into the floor because how could she possibly feel the same? I must be strong and fight this. I can’t feel the way I think I’m feeling, right? She could never be mine. How did I leave myself open like this? We’re on borrowed time right now, so I have to make the most of it.

  “I’ll sort the blankets.” I walk over to my lonely, cold patch of floor and lay my blanket down.

  “Err, no you bloody won’t!”

  “Language, me lady!” I gasp in mock pretence.

  “You can’t sleep there again. You can share the mattress.”

  “I don’t think we should. You have a reputation and I …”

  “You are a true gentleman. You said it yourself and I trust you.” She sits down, patting the mattress.

  “I did say that.” Shit, why did I say that?

  “I mean it, Ash. If you insist on sleeping over there, making yourself ill in the process, then I shall leave.” She crosses her arms tightly across her chest.

  “Okay, okay. You win. I’ll share.” Holding my hands up in defeat, secretly excited about getting close to her. My stomach’s in knots as I slide in next to her. “And no funny business, do you hear young lady?” I wiggle my brows.

  “You have my word, good sir.”

  “Well shit.”

  “You’re funny.” She lies down.

  “Wasn’t trying to be,” I mutter, turning the lamp off. Gus grunts making us both jump, and we laugh.

  “Night Gus. Night Ellie.”

  “Night, Ash.”

  I can’t sleep. Every part of me is very aware that she’s only an inch away. My heart is beating like a bongo drum. Her arm touches mine, a rush of pent up nerves and excitement tingles throughout my skin. Then I remember who I am and who she is and close my eyes. I don’t sleep for what feels like hours. Long hours of listening to her breathing, the cute little sighs she makes in her sleep. I could listen to those forever. She turns over and her warm breath hits my cheek. I move in a little closer. My lips tingling, hovering over hers. I wait over her, watching, taking in the contours of her face in the night. Leaning in to kiss her forehead lightly, before slumping back down on my side. This is torture. I should go sleep on the damp floor, but I’m not moving. I’m gonna need a seriously cold shower in the morning. Guilt consumes me. This girl trusts me as a friend. I don’t know if I can just be that. I fight sleep, even though I’m knackered. She’s awoken something inside me that I didn’t know was there. I keep telling myself that these feelings are wrong, that I am wrong. And where do I fit with this other guy? Maybe it’s best for us both that she leaves. I have no right to ask her to stay. How could a swan live with a pig?

  4: Ellie

  Taking a deep breath, my eyes find his. He grins, making his eyes twinkle in a way that makes my heart flutter. I realise my arm is draped across his chest.

  “Oh…I’m so sorry.” I retract it. My face heats up.

  “No worries. It was keeping me warm.” He props himself up on one elbow and looks down at me. He’s so close, my mind races with thoughts that I simply cannot have. It’s not fair to him or me. I’m to be married soon and may never feel the way that I do just being around this guy. Being royal sucks. Sitting up, I angle myself out of his personal space.

  “What time is it?”

  “Just after six. You can sleep a bit longer if you like, or should I call you that cab now?”

  “Will you stop trying to get rid of me? I’ll go when I’m good and ready…or don’t you want me here? Is that it? You’ve had enough of me hanging around?” Is this how rejection feels? I jump up off the mattress. Of course, he wants his space back. He hasn’t let himself feel for me because he’s far too sensible. He hasn’t got time for me with his life already being too full. We’re just friends so why am I trying to complicate it? I should really get over myself, what am I thinking?

  “No, of course I haven’t had enough of you. I love that you’re here. I just figured you would have had enough of sleeping rough and living my life.”

  “Actually, I’m quite enjoying it. So, if it’s still okay, I’d like to stay a little longer?”

  “No problem.” He beams a full-on, white smile complete with cute dimples and added eye twinkles. Wow, this guy is…just wow. Okay, now I’m over-staring and he’s noticed.

  “What’s the plan for today?” I ask, busying myself with petting a very grumpy Gus.

  “I’m volunteering at the hospital today, remember?” He hands me a bread roll from his pocket, which I devour, covering my mouth with my hand the entire time.

  “Oh yeah, right.”

  “It’s okay. I’ll call and say I can’t make it. After all, I don’t relish the thought of leaving you alone here with my brothers and arsehole of a father.”

  “No, you have to go.” I say. “It would be selfish of me to expect you to stay.”

  “But…” A tapping on the door interrupts us. “Quick hide!” He urges, throwing blankets over me. I jump back on the mattress and lay flat. We wait in silence, but no one enters. I hear his feet walking towards the door and the sound of it creaking open.

  “Well that’s weird,” he calls back. “There’s nobody out here, just a bag.”

  Throwing the covers off, I rush to join him. “A bag? What’s in it?” Standing on my tiptoes to peer over his shoulder.

  “It could be a trick from Jack and Bruno…something horrid could jump out.” He carefully pulls open the top of the bag and we both step back.

  “Nothing’s popped out…what could it be?” I push him forward.

  “Could be a bag of maggots, they’ve done that before.”

  “How very childish.”

  “They haven’t pranked me for a while though. They’re only just eighteen, guess they were just acting their age.”

  “You always try to see the best in people. That’s a lovely quality to have. But really, Ash, your brothers are pretty nasty by the sounds of it.” I bend down and carefully prise the bag apart even more. “Oh…”

  “Oh? Oh what? Oh, there’s a cow’s head in there or oh, it’s a warm pile of dog shit?”

  “It’s a box of hair dye and fake glasses…what on earth?” I try them on and I’m confused when the glass is clear. “I can see perfectly fine…”

  Ash takes the bag and forages to the bottom. “There’s a card.” He reads it, ‘To my good friend, Ash. This may hide your problem. Love Gerry.’

  “Who’s Gerry?” I ask.

  “I think he’s my guardian angel or something…you can use this as a temporary disguise. You can come with me and can leave the farm!” He grabs my shoulders and shakes me until we’re both laughing like idiots.

  “Guardian angel huh? Let’s do it.” I say.

  “Yeah?”

  “I don’t know why I didn’t think of it before.” I run over to his first aid kit and pull a pair of scissors out. “Cut it first.”

  “No way, your hair’s so long. It must have taken years to grow.” He frowns, his eyebrows knitting together.

  “It did but it’ll grow back. Cut it here.” I point to my shoulders. “I don’t want it too drastic.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Sure as I’ll ever be.” I sit on a hay bale. “Come on, I trust you.”

  He moves behind me, taking the scissors. “Okay, but I’m warning you I’ve only ever cut my own…unless you count
the sheep shearing.”

  “Do it,” I urge. He marks an invisible line across the top of my shoulders with his finger, which tickles, then he starts to cut.

  “This feels wrong.” He moans. Clumps of beautiful hair lands at my feet.

  “It’ll look great, I know it.”

  “There. All done.” He steps back to view his handy work. Then offers me a tiny mirror from the first aid box.

  “Oh my gosh, I love it!” I run my fingers over it a few times. “Let’s dye it now.” I grab the box and drag him over to the sink.

  “You want me to do it?” He squirms. “What if I do it wrong and you hate it?”

  “It’s just a shop dye, it’ll wash out within a few weeks. Relax. I don’t think you can do it wrong.” I read the instructions. “Okay, so you mix it together and rub it all over my hair. Wait for thirty minutes then wash it out. Simple enough.” Perching on a stool beside the sink and mix the two bottles and pass him the larger one.

  “You’re serious?”

  “Yes.” I nod. “I want to be someone else for a while. I want to see your world with you.” Feeling my cheeks heat to probably the ‘Crimson Berry’ shade on the box.

  “I’d like that.” He whispers against my ear and I giggle. God, could I be any more obvious? He begins the process, gently pushing the dye through to the ends of my hair. This feels so intimate. I can feel the roughness of his fingertips as they graze over my scalp. This is the most relaxed I’ve felt in months. Every now and then I catch his glance and it’s so intense that I close my eyes.