So, I'm sure I have officially confused everyone with the name of this part and an author's note at the beginning. I have a good reason for both. I went back and read the original version of Him and I hated it. So, I am being selfish and confusing everyone by rewriting it. I'll leave the original version up for anyone who wants to read it, but I recommend reading this version.

Also, just had to leave the infamous fruit cup with me. It took me forever to discover it. I've already taken my revenge for that. Let's just say that it may have ended up in her bag, again. Thanks for reading. Vote and comment. Ignore the first version, unless you want to suffer through it.

P.S. The pandas did not protect me from the return of the fruit cup

The day had been uneventful, aside from when I nearly passed out due to my lack of sleep. I had already been given my impossibly long list of chores and had completed most of it. Throughout the day, my stepsisters had been kind and they had even helped me. There was a time when my stepmother showed up and they went back to acting as though they hated me. I understood why they did it. Even if she was cruel, she was still their mother and what child wants their parent to hate them?

I knew the midnight was approaching quickly and I would have to leave to meet Anthony soon. I still had work to finish and I had no idea how much time I would have when I got back to the house to finish it. I already knew that seeing him again would be worth the tight time frame.

I stopped working and left my apron and the list in the kitchen. I doubted anyone would go into the kitchen so late. They probably wouldn't even know that I had left the house at all. I slipped outside and slowly began to walk through the woods and towards the waterfall.

With each step I took, I began to doubt that he would show up. I wanted to believe that he would come, but if I begun to hope that he came and he didn't, I would be crushed. If I lost all hope again, I wouldn't be able to survive it. The dreamer inside me would die and with her would go my will to continue to live in a world that hated me.

I shook my head to chase away such depressing thoughts. If he didn't come, the dreamer in me may be killed, but I wouldn't give up. I now had family to live for. I had something that made my life enjoyable once more. However, if the dreamer was crushed, I doubted she would ever return.

I eventually reached the waterfall and closed my eyes before I walked towards the lake. I didn't want to open my eyes. If I opened my eyes and he wasn't there, I'd lose a part of myself forever. What if he hadn't come? What if he didn't care? What if I'm as worthless as my stepmother says I am? With each second I stood there, I began to doubt myself more and more. I was considering running away. It was the only way to ensure that the dreamer in me stayed alive.

I still stood with my eyes shut tight and I faintly heard the clock signal midnight. Keeping my eyes closed was safe. Opening them was risky. I didn't want to open them and find that he hadn't come once again. There was no way to be disappointed if my eyes were closed.

"Cinderella, I'm here. Please open your eyes" a voice that sounded like Anthony's coaxed.

"How do I know you're really here? What if I have simply imagined you due to how much I want you to be here?" I asked the voice.

"You want me to be here?" He asked. I gave a small nod.

"You'll just have to trust me" he said. I finally made my decision. After all, what's life without a little risk?

I opened my eyes and stared at his eyes. He stood directly in front of me. I din't know how I hadn't felt how close he was before I had opened my eyes.

"Hello" I whispered.

"Hello" he replied. I stepped back and sat down. Anthony followed suit.

"How has your day been?" He asked.

"Tiring. For some reason, I was up all night and I didn't get any sleep" I said.

"Now what could have been so important that you stayed up all night?" He questioned his eyes sparkling with mischief.

"I'm not sure it was all that important" I teased.

"If you waited all night then he must have been" he said his eyes softening.

"I think he was worth it. Even if he didn't come, I still believe in him" I quietly said. We sat there, staring at each other. I never wanted to stop looking into his eyes. The only sound to be heard was the rushing water.

The moment was broken, when my stomach started growling. It was so loud that the sound overpowered the waterfall. I started blushing and I was sure I resembled a rose.

"Did you not eat either?" He asked.

"No" I bluntly stated.

"Why not?" He asked.

"Well, I kept dropping trays and so there wasn't any food left for me. I also didn't have enough time to stop working and eat" I quickly explained.

"Why do you stay there?" He asked.

"I have my own reasons for staying. They are personal and I do not wish to share them" I said.

"Don't you trust me?" He asked.

"I don't trust anyone with this. I can't. It's too important to me" I said.

"If you tell me, I can help you" he offered.

"Let's move on to other subjects" I said. He sighed in defeat.

"Do you have any family?" He asked.

"My mother died when I was young and my father is also gone. I have a stepmother and stepsisters. I consider my stepsisters to be like sisters to me" I answered.

"And you?" I asked.

"My mother is gone and my father's health is bad. I have no siblings, but Alexander is like a brother to me" he replied.

"I'm sorry about your father. Does he have long?" I asked.

"The doctors say that he has three months left at most" Anthony admitted.

"So he'll live to see you take the throne and chose your future queen" I observed.

"The only problem is even I don't know who she'll be" Anthony said.

"You'll find her" I said.

"Have you found your special someone yet?" He asked.

"I'm not sure. I have met a man who I believe to be the one for me, but he doesn't see me that way. I doubt he'll ever see me that way" I said. The man sitting next to me could not be more oblivious. I didn't know what I felt for him. The only love I had ever experienced was of my parents and sisters. I didn't know if it was love or merely friendship.

Either way, the small amount of time we had spent together meant the world to me. I wouldn't trade our time for anything. If this was what falling in love was like, then I never wanted to stop.

"Did anything interesting happen to you today?" I asked attempting to change the subject. I didn't need him to learn how I felt before I knew the answer.

"Actually, there was an attempted robbery" he said, thankfully letting the topic drop.

"Of a bank?" I asked. I don't know why I asked. The only sensible place that a robbery could have occurred at was a bank.

"No, of the bakery" he corrected. I guess I had been right to ask about where it had taken place.

"Why would someone rob a bakery?" I asked. What would one even need from a bakery? A loaf of bread?

"I heard that their bread is delicious" he said. I nearly laughed.

"That's no reason to steal from a bakery" I argued even though I had been thinking the same thing.

"Who was the culprit?" I asked.

"A crazy man who kept mumbling about bread" Anthony said.

"Which bakery was this?" I asked.

"Sugar, Flour, Butter, and Salt. It's a small bakery owned by a young woman" Anthony replied.

"Oh no. That's Martha's bakery. I hope she's okay" I exclaimed.

"You know her?" Anthony asked.

"Oh yes. She used to work here. She was the one who taught me how to make bread" I told him.

"You can make the infamous bread?" Anthony asked. I gave a small laugh.

"I suppose I can. She shared her recipe with me long ago and I've used it ever since" I said with a fond smile.

We continued to talk about many things. No matter what the topic was, I found that I didn't want to stop talking. I wanted this moment to last forever. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end and I soon noticed that it was getting lighter around us. I remembered that I still had chores to finish before my stepfamily awoke.

"Anthony" I said interrupting him in the middle of a story about a pig chasing him.

"Yes?" He asked.

"It's almost morning. I must head back now" I said. He looked around finally noticing the morning light.

"I must get back too. Until midnight" he said.

"Until midnight" I replied. I ran off and quickly reached the house.

Luckily, my stepmother was still asleep. I finished my chores, cooked breakfast, and realized that another night had passed where I hadn't slept at all. Yet somehow, I couldn't bring myself to care.