CHAPTER 1.1 - Cinderella left her Rubber Shoes

“Insecure people are masked by loud rantings and false logic.”

-Sia, Color Them Yellow

A / N: Hi guys! This had been labeled as Chapter 1.1 because supposedly it should be included in the first chapter but obviously, the author was not able to do so. Mianhaeyo! (sorry). However, to compensate for this, aside from uploading this chapter I will also update Chapter 2 today! Yey! (pat my head please, I did great right? lol just kidding!)

Enjoy reading!

CHAPTER 1.1- Cinderella left her rubber shoes

On my way to the mall, there ... I was caught off guard, one of my greatest enemies occurs!

Pit ... pat ... pit ... pat ...

Yes, it began to rain. I hurriedly run towards an empty alley and get under the roof of a stationery store that I haven't noticed even after passing by this street for four years already. I secured myself earnestly and zipped my newly worn gray hoodie and stretched downward my worn-out tattered jeans. I made sure that the laces of my rubber shoes had been tightened accordingly.

"What the heck is wrong with you Sunny! We are so good a while ago! And you? Yeah, you, forecaster your face! You are more than a scammer in * Knockturn Alley!"

In my head, I'm screaming at the top of my lungs scolding the weather forecaster as well as this mischievous sun.

In the vast of people, I am the only one seeking refuge under the store's roof. I have reacted fast than the raindrops falling on the busy road.

I had opened my bright yellow backpack with the face of a duck on its surface. I pulled out my yellow over-all raincoat and put it on while people are giving me the strange stares that I have been enduring for five years now.

They must be asking themselves what is wrong with me. It is not actually a heavy rain but there are already small trickles of raindrops but here I am- with my red umbrella opened above my head, a heavy waterproof hoodie long-sleeved raincoat with my below the knee boots both as the same color as my bag - I am a living armored ducky thoroughly ready to face my opponent named-- the light drops of the rain.

Oh! It sounds exaggerated, right? Ah! My bad. I have not told you right?! I am ALLERGIC to WATER.

Yeah, it's not a big deal, right? I am a twenty-year-old girl named Alicia, Sia for short. Nothing out of ordinary. For five years now, I am just a girl enjoying myself and guarding myself against a scary gigantic monster called H2O!

No to sweat. No to tears. No to swimming. The biggest regret, I can't be a mermaid anymore!!! (* insert sarcasm here).

Kidding aside, only my family knows about my condition. I tried telling it to one of the closest friends I had but her initial reaction is a thunderous laugh that as if I am the biggest joke ever.

Since then, I have kept it inside. Well, actually, along with my condition, I kept myself away from other people as well. I wanted to be a secret to be kept as tightly as possible as well.

Luckily, I met another beautiful soul, my best friend Lev! Aside from my family, she knows my condition and has supported me ever since.

Yeah! Now that I thought of it, I wonder what that talkative fellow is doing right now? She had been staying in Germany for too long now. I better call her later or she will probably kill me.

Sensing that the rain will not likely to occur again, I continue walking towards the mall, in the middle of the journey, there you go Mr. Sun. It shone above me triumphantly as he ruined my day again by hiding for a minute.

I took off everything hurriedly; coat, hoodie, and kept only my shirt and pants on. It is cool this way. I can't sweat. It will become a disaster. I reminded myself to check the humidity once I packed all my stuff on my ever-reliable duckie bag.

A few minutes after keeping everything inside my backpack, I arrived at the mall entrance. Finally, I can be at ease. Cool air from the AC had been my greatest relief to this stressful day.

After several minutes of circling the grocery, I had boxes of milk and diet sodas. Well, I have been drinking water normally, if using straw all the time is normal, but just recently I had to cut it off a bit because I can sometimes feel some irritation in my throat. My doctor said it can get worse, wow, lucky me, right?

Then, I went to a stall offering organic products where I get some of the low-water content fruits. After getting a few more supplies, because I was hold up by the sudden light rain, the line at the cashier had been too long that I needed to wait for so long.

The line had been holding up than usual. As I wait for my turn while my shopping cart in front of me, I fully regretted my decision of going out today.

"Willpower, be patient with me! Please give me more patience."

This is what I have been repeatedly saying to myself for about five minutes already.

I have been stopping myself from pulling the ears of this little rascal by my side who cannot stop pulling my dearest duckie keychain on my backpack.

"Hey, kid. You are a good boy, right? Don't touch others' belonging casually. Go back to your mom. Go! Go!"

I have been gritting my teeth tightly as I told the boy in my gentlest voice ever that even Luca will have trouble listening for it’s far different from my real personality.

The little nuisance stared at me intently as if I am a monster ready to throw him outside the mall's window. Then I count to three. One, two, two and a half ... and there he cried as loud as he can.

Finally, his mom comes rushing to aid his precious son which a minute ago had been neglected by her because of some phone call.

"Hey, little pumpkin, what's the matter?"

The mother soothed the crying kid who is now acting as if he is an innocent victim.

Well, that’s not surprising anymore. Like I always say, human beings are indeed funny.

I told this to myself as I rolled my eyes because of how unbelievable things are happening in our surroundings.

The lady with oversized round earrings on her skimpy shorts and crop top had to face me suddenly while pointing fingers and blabbering about so many things that I don't intend to try to understand.

Oh, come on. I need this right now. Insecure people are masked by loud rantings and false logic. I don’t know her much or she came from but one thing is for sure, she is way too noisy!

I just stared at her and I keep reminding myself. 'Ok, let her be. Hold your horses. Just decide now what brand of paint you will look for later. '

My thoughts had finished wandering around also the nagging of the lady in front of me. Maybe she had noticed that I will not give any reaction at all and just swallowed her displeasure and just walked out with his son in tow still trying to reach for my precious little ducky.

Who do you think you are? How can you mess with my baby?

I reach for the rubber keychain and rub my fingers around its surface. Memories flashed inside my head. This very duckling keychain had been my refuge when I don’t want to go on anymore. I can’t lose this little trinket ever.

The matured side of me kicked in and I just stick my tongue while making face to him as if saying, 'My Ducky is mine and mine alone, you nuisance!'

I just continued watching the mother-son tandem. I smirked but deep inside, I sympathized with the child.

Is it a basic characteristic of humans? To act as if they really care even in reality they don't?

Maybe my facial expression annoyed this nagging lady big time. Out of nowhere, because I am not really paying attention to her, I haven't had time dodging the cup of iced coffee which is about to be spilled to my head.

Thanks to the adrenaline rush, I quickly somehow dodge it but it still somehow spills into my shirt and rubber shoes.

"I am doomed!"

I cursed inside my head as I quickly removed my shoes and not paying attention to the mother and son duo or people around me, I also removed my top as my reflexes dictate.

Thankfully, I always wear a tube inner whenever I have to go out. You know, this kind of misfortune might happen.

Here we go again, ignoring all the strange stares, which I think I don't deserve, I pulled out my boots from my bag, put it on, and left my top and shoes as I hurriedly went away from that annoying place leaving everyone dumbfounded.

Third Person POV

Unknowingly to Sia, there had been a soul who witnessed all the things unfolding like a movie in front of this stranger's eyes ever since she had to fight her way towards the mall because of the rain.

'What an interesting situation!'

The stranger thought to himself while picking up the shoes left behind by Sia.

'This doesn't fit you anyway.'

He continued as he put away the shoes inside the trash can nearby. He just walked away, still having that amusing expression in his cold eyes.

(A / N: Thank you for reading this far! If you have like the chapter, I would highly appreciate it if you will vote, like, or comment on this story! Thank you!)

* Knockturn Alley- a shopping area in the book Harry Potter which is full of things related to Dark Arts and sinister things)