Page 48 of The Ugly Stepsister Strikes Back

"Ella?" he sounded confused.

"No, it's Mattie."

He paused for a long time. "You sound weird."

"I'm getting a cold."

"You sound like that chick in that one old movie you made me watch with the jewel."

This is how well I knew him. "You meanRomancing the Stone?"

"I have to get off the phone now because you are weirding me out. Tell Ella I got her text and I'll see her at the dance."

He hung up before I could say anything back. I turned toward Ella. "How did you get Trent to go to a dance?" In our four years of high school, he had never once gone to a dance.

She gave a secretive half-smile. "I have my ways."

We got home, and she hustled me into my room, making sure to whisk me past the mirrors. She made me put my dress and everything on, except for the mask. She had bought the lipstick they used at the salon and was using a little brush to put it on my lips.

She stepped back to look at her work. "Great. Now I have one more thing to be jealous of you for."

"Jealous of me? Why?"

"I never see you doing your homework and you still ace all your classes. I have to work so hard for everything and you're just smart. You stand up for yourself and you go after things even when you're scared to. You're so talented and gifted with your art. And now, you're definitely prettier than me."

In no known universe was that even possible. "But I've always been jealous of you," I confessed. No need to list the reasons why I was jealous—they were pretty obvious.

She smiled at me before giving me a hug. My hair was so long, it tugged at my head when she hugged me.

"No more jealousy. I know it's normal for sisters, but I love you and I'm excited for you and for tonight. So come here, Cinderella. You need to see this."

"I think you're confused which one of us is which girl in that story."

"I don't think I am," she said as she pushed me in front of the mirror.

I knew it was me. Because I could see Ella standing there in the reflection. I knew it, but my brain couldn't accept it.

Because the girl looking back at me was not Matilda Lowe.

She was some tall, fiery haired goddess. With my makeup I looked soft and fierce at the same time. I didn't know I could look like that. I leaned in. My skin looked flawless and my eyes were bright and green. It was amazing what makeup could do. I always wore my hair down, but Andre had put half of it up and left the back down, and had filled all of it with tousled waves.

It was like the after had taken the before out into the back alley and beat the crap out of her.

It was a Masquerade Ball Miracle.

Maybe I was the one who had been confused about what character I was supposed to be. Maybe instead of the ugly stepsister, I had actually been the ugly duckling all along.

I gave in to the urge to twirl around, like a little girl trying on her first party dress.

"I can't believe it."

"Believe it," Ella said. "Now the outside just matches the inside." She smiled at my stunned reflection. "No more hiding, Tilly. Just be you. And now I have to go get ready."

She was nearly out the door when I called out, "Ella?" She stopped to look at me. "I love you too."

She grinned at me then. "I know. Don't mess anything up before we leave."

I decided to sit on my bed and wait. My dad was going to drive us there and meet Mrs. Putnam. He apparently had volunteered as a chaperone. Which was, of course, totally embarrassing. Thank heavens I'd be wearing a mask.

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