Curse of the Wickeds (The Cinderella Society, Episode 2) by Kay Cassidy Read Free Book Online

you don’t have to?”
    Resourcefulness. Finally, a Cindy trait I shared.
    All that was left was to haul the bags downstairs and put them in SJ’s car to take to the donation center after dinner. Mission accomplished. Except . . .
    “Maybe I should sleep on it,” I said, suddenly feeling unsettled. “Make sure there’s nothing in there I should keep.”
    SJ tapped her lower lip with a frosty peach-colored fingernail and considered me.
    “Donator’s remorse,” she decided. “You’re afraid to let go of the old to make room for the new.”
    I’d learned in middle school, after I’d mostly stopped growing, not to get rid of things because I’d probably be able to use some of it in the next new hometown. And there was always a next new hometown. Until now.
    “If something doesn’t bless your life,” SJ said, “you need to let it go so it can bless someone else’s.”
    Bless someone else’s life . I liked the sound of that.
    But I couldn’t help feeling like my old life was being carted away before I was sure I had a new life to replace it with. What if the rest of my makeover flopped, and my new image came crashing down? What if I failed the Cindys in my ill-conceived position as their new leader? How would I fade into the woodwork without my Invisible Girl clothes?
    My brain was spouting Wicked chatter. Even I could see that. I mean, it was only stuff. It wasn’t like I was giving away pieces of my soul.
    I’m letting it bless other people. I’m letting it bless other people.
    Still felt a quivering in the pit of my stomach. Clearly, I was not as enlightened as Sarah Jane.
    “Look at it this way,” SJ suggested, gesturing to the clothes still piled in their squares. “All that stuff has potential. Everything in here”—the bag crinkled as she patted it—“is stuff you don’t love and doesn’t flatter you. Give me one good reason you should keep it.”
    Because we might not find anything better? Because letting it go means starting to become someone new? Because I’m not sure I know who I want that new someone to be?
    Because I’m a head case?
    “I’ll make you a deal,” she offered. “I had a hard time getting rid of that first load too, so let’s take the first bag you filled and put it in the car. Those should be easiest to get rid of because they don’t fit, right? We’ll come back up after dinner and you can pick one more bag to go. We’ll leave the rest in the garage, and you can see how you feel after your next date with Ryan.”
    The butterflies in my stomach did a little boogie-woogie in anticipation of date number two.
    SJ had already helped me pick out some options to wear for my do-over date with Hunk Boy, so it was a pretty fair deal. Especially since I knew I was just being neurotic about not wanting to commit to the new life I was on the verge of. Even if I thought moving nine times in sixteen years justified a little fear of settling in and getting uprooted again.
    But that was the old days. Before the move to Mom’s old stomping grounds of Mt. Sterling and a promise of finally putting down roots before the twins were born. I needed to get a grip and let myself believe her and Dad that this time would be different.
    I grabbed the first bag—defying my new-wardrobe-equals-new-life nerves—and Sarah Jane held the door open for me.
    “Deal,” I said, in a show of courage I wasn’t quite feeling. “Next stop, Mom’s meatloaf surprise. Brace yourself.”

Chapter Ten

    “Since your signature styles are coming along so well,” Gaby said, kicking off our latest Cinderella Makeover Manual adventure, “we’re going to shift from Appearance to Personality in your Image Plan. Your signature styles will be a work in progress for a while as you fine-tune them, but I think you’re ready to add the next layer.”
    She slid aside the bulletin board to reveal the white board beneath. It still had her makeover ala math equation from our very first Alpha class.

    IMAGE =