Cinderella

• Aarna Thakour, Grade 6
• Short Story
• 2022

Her maroon velvet dress was as soft as her smooth tanned skin. Her coal-black heels were as dark as the night sky. Her sleeveless, slender arms elegantly grasped a glass of champagne.

“1500 miles per hour,” shocked faces appeared abundantly throughout the crowd, “yes, that’s right, ladies and gentlemen, 1500 miles an hour. The engineers have perfected the vehicle in every way. So tomorrow, my son, Tarek, will take the 'albarq alsarie' on its first official run for the public as the fastest car in the universe!” Ahmad al Abbas ended. The audience clapped, utterly surprised. Tarek waved at the crowd with his usual devilish grin.

“Daddy’s boy,” Five whispered sourly.
“Destination Arrived,” Five spoke into his hidden mouthpiece.
“HQ has received information that the thief has arrived as a partygoer.” The earpiece spoke robotically.
“Rocket and Diamondback are outside. Hunter and Bucket are stationed at the party with me.”
“Your team carries our greatest hopes, Five.”
“I know,”
“Which is why I don’t want your rivalry mixing with the mission,” the earpiece stated sternly.
“…yes sir, understood.” Five responded with gritted teeth.

“Welcome to the opening of the fastest car on Earth, Miss…” Tarek began to the first beautiful woman he saw at the party.
“Beatrice,” she replied simply.
“Beatrice, if you like, I could give you a sneak peek of what you’re considering buying.” Tarek offered mischievously.
“Yes… I’d quite like that,”
“Come through the emergency exit in ten minutes, I’ll be waiting,”

Five shifted his gaze towards Tarek, talking with a young woman near the beverage table. She doesn’t know who he really is, Five thought to himself.

Twelve Minutes Later

The Swift Lightning stood motionless in the garage. Tarek stood next to it, leaning on the window, “Wanna ride?” he asked, expecting the obvious answer.
“Yes, but first, let’s get rid of you,” Beatrice replied, ripping off her heels. She threw them on the stairs at the emergency exit. Tarek's casual look turned into terror.
“You remember me, Claire from high school?” there was a blank look on Tarek’s face.
“Your father blackmailed my parents for Whitlock Industries,”
“Oh! Claire!” Tarek remembered, “I’m sorry about that, now let’s get back to the party,”
Claire pointed a gun at his face. “Instead, let me get your fingerprints.”
Reluctantly, Tarek pressed his thumb on the window. The door fell open.
Claire punched Tarek in the face. Right on his nose, letting go of decades of anger. “Owww” Tarek squeaked, holding his nose tightly.

“CODE RED CODE RED CODE RED” were the words repeated in Five’s earpiece.
“Hunter, Bucket take the emergency exit, fast” Five spoke rapidly into his mouthpiece.
Five ran toward the emergency exit. He saw Hunter and Bucket following behind. Near the end of the staircase, a pair of coal-black heels lay motionlessly. Disregarding their importance, Five ran to the garage.

A woman sat in the Swift Lightning with a malevolent gaze at the crowd surrounding her. “Claire?!” Five exclaimed.
The clues clicked in Five’s mind.
Charming the prince.
The shoes on the stairs.