Picking up the last piece of dress, I thrust it into a big cloth bag and tie the mouth with the attached ropes sewn above, one on each side and quickly slide it down underneath my makeshift bed.

My heart was beating loudly in my ears and my hands were shaking slightly.

What if someone figures out my plan before I am even able to act on it?

I pace around my small room with my overwhelming thoughts weighing on my mind.

I didn't give away anything, did I?

"CINDERELLA!!!"

I almost jump up from the ground and stick to the ceiling when I hear the oh-so-polite call of my lovely stepmother.

Too much sarcasm in one statement, right?

"Coming mother!" I respond while rolling my eyes and heading outside my room before shutting the door behind.

"Didn't you hear the door?! Your father didn't leave me a maid to attend to the door before he died!" She spoke harshly as she sat on the comfortable sofa while brushing her snotty cat's hair.

"What father left me, you also took that away from me. Isn't that enough?" I mumble under my breath but her long ears seem to catch on something for her to glance in my way a bit despondently.

But… Isn't she always looking at me like that?

"Did you say something?" She inquires.

"Of course not mother. I'll see to the door." With a courteous reply, I head towards the door, ignoring her seething glares.

"Oh is it Rupert!?" My step-sister, Jane echoes while pulling her head out from her room and at the same time I push the door open, proving her words right.

"Oh, brother…" I sigh and Jane jumps up and down at his sight.

He stood by the door and his face brightens up as soon as his eyes find me at the threshold.

Rupert is a merchant by profession and is famous in the town for his exceptional business trades. He is my supposed betrothed but I don't consider him one since the engagement that took place never had my say in it.

Although Rupert is a fine young man, with his tall height and remarkable features that every girl could die for… but just not me.

He earns good and seems like a guy who could provide a promising future for any girl. Nothing's wrong with Rupert but it's just a vibe that tells me I am better off without him. The thought of marriage alone has never appeased me.

Although I am thankful to Rupert for showing interest in me or else my mother would have married me to even a drunkard if he was the first person to show up on my door with a marriage proposal. She just wants to get rid of me as soon as possible just so she would have one less mouth to feed.

Unlike my stepsister, Jane, I don't really get any marriage proposals as she does. Well, being beautiful has its benefits and for that, I am really thankful to the Almighty that he didn't make me pretty enough to have guys rolling around me.

Even Jane gets so many proposals from the elite class yet the mother is waiting for an even grander aristocratic proposal who would empty all his wealth for both of this mother and daughter in exchange for her hand.

"Oh, mother! It's Rupert! I'll see if he needs anything!" Jane bounces excitedly towards the door before she pushes me away and slides on my place instead.

I almost fell to a side, before catching myself up I saw Rupert's concerned eyes following me. He seemed like he just wanted to push Jane away and help me up.

Blrghh! The feeling just made me nauseous.

"Hey, Rupert! How can I help you? I am sorry but Cinderella's a bit busy with the chores." Jane turns around and eyes me with her head bobbing back.

Let me add another thing. My stepsister is a beauty but unfortunately with no brains. Whenever Rupert shows up on our door, she is always jumping around, giggling unnecessarily and blushing from head to toe, at least she could pretend but no, she had to make it obvious yet Rupert never pays her a glance which at times even infuriates me.

I tried to direct this man's attention at my innocent-looking yet cunning sister but no! That man had to be a gentleman for some reason. All the more why I feel bad for him because soon, I'll be leaving him behind with my family of steps.

"Well, I was passing through the town so I thought of paying a visit to meet Cind-" Rupert was abruptly cut off.

"Oh, Rupert! How thoughtful of you for wanting to visit me!" Jane sings in a super adorable fake voice while blinking her eyes more than once that I was afraid if they'd fall out now any minute.

"No, I am sorry for the confusion but I insist Miss Cind-"

"Oh, Rupert! Stop standing by the door already!" Jane entangles her hand around Rupert's arm and pulls her inside the house. "We could sit on the sofa and talk over a cup of tea!"

"When you make it this obvious maybe you should just marry him instead," I mumbled as I shook my head and move past them.

"Oh how much I wish that happens!" I roll my eyes at Jane's confession.

Another fact about Jane; She's not like that in front of only Rupert but wants to marry every pretty guy insight which includes the poor farmer's boy next door, the butcher's son from the meat market, the dressmaker of the town, the fisherman and the list goes on.

For Jane, falling in love is much easier than making a hard-boiled egg or maybe it's that time of age when her desires are at a peak and she really needs a partner to calm her hormones down. Either way, it's up to mother to decide to wait for another few years for a rich aristocrat to knock on our door or if we are really lucky then maybe the Prince Charming himself will end up asking for her hand in marriage but sadly, by the time it happens, I will be long gone.

I rush back to my room and close my door shut. Turning behind I walk towards the opposite wall and push the curtains to a side and open the window.

The sky was clear of murkiness, revealing a blue path with hints of white clouds tracing along and the sun peeking and shining through its trails.

The wind blows were soft against my face. Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath as cool air refreshes me to the core.

"What a great day to run away from home." I smile to myself opening my eyes and taking in the view from my window. "I am going to miss this view just a little… But all hail for good!"

Clapping my hand once, I move back towards my makeshift bed and bend down to retrieve my bag that has all the items I'll be needing when I move out tomorrow night.

I do a double-check of my bag to make sure it has everything that I'll need and with a satisfied grin I close the bag again. "Perfect! I am all set to elope tomorrow night!"

"You are eloping?!?"

"SHOOT!"