Violoncello (A Gay Cinderella Story)

The Night of

Cello was run ragged by the time Saturday was upon them. His stepbrothers and stepfather constantly made him wait on them hand and foot, more so than usual. They needed new hems on their clothing, they needed flowers, they needed tea, they needed help shaving, anything that could pull Cello from coming up with an ensemble of his own. He still needed to do all his household chores of cleaning, cooking, laundry and tending to the farm and animals.

He'd stay up a bit later than normal to work on his attire for the ball. While searching through old trunks in the attic he found one of his father's old suits. If he didn't know any better he'd say his father wore it on his wedding day. It was a bit dusty and needed some patching up, but he knew he could make it better. His mother taught him well. He was putting on the finishing touches before his stepfather and stepbrothers were heading out the door.

"Where's Cello?" Adam asked. He was wearing burgundy attire accentuated by a deep black fleur-de-lis pattern. He held a black mask in his hand.

"Why do you care?" Draven asked him curiously. He was wearing a similar style of clothing but in forest green. His mask didn't fit his face properly. He couldn't see clearly out of it.

"I... don't." Adam answered. "I just wanted to see what he could've possibly come up with to wear.

"Nothing," their father answered. "Even I knew this was a task he couldn't complete." Their father wore a combination of blacks, yellows, purples that drew extra attention to his loins. His mask was adorned in brightly colored feathers. He shut the door behind them as they headed towards their carriage. Suddenly the door burst open with Cello calling behind them.

"Wait for me!" Cello pleaded as he rushed towards the carriage. The three men were stunned. How did he find the time? Where did he get such fine clothing? It just wasn't possible.

"Stop right there," his stepfather demanded. Cello immediately stopped rushing to them. "Where did you get that?" Cello looked down at himself. He was wearing a beige colored tunic with a gray waistcoat. The waistcoat held intricate designs that flowed around the front of his torso. His breeches were gray and fit his bottom perfectly and his beige loafers completed the ensemble.

"It was my father's." Cello answered him. He was proud of himself. He didn't need to do much to his attire. It seemed his father shared a similar size as he, except it seemed his father may have been a bit taller. The hardest part was getting the old stains out and hemming it perfectly, but he made it work. Everything fit right and he was happy with his work.

"I... see." His stepfather said. "We did have a deal." Adam and Draven looked at each other while they sat in the carriage waiting for the conversation to be over. They couldn't believe Cello was going with them. Why would their father even suggest such a thing?

"Wait!" Draven called out. "Where's his mask?"

"Mask?" Cello asked confused. "Mask!" How could Cello forget the mask? It was the most important detail. He didn't have time to make one.

"Looks like you're missing a key component, dear boy," his stepfather frowned, as if he was actually upset. "You can't come with us."

"Oh please!" Cello begged. "I'll do anything to go! It's my only chance to be-"

"Normal?" His stepfather continued. "My dear boy you will never be normal. You're hardly even a man." His stepfather laughed at that with his sons chuckling behind him.

"Please." Cello whispered lowering his head. His stepfather thought for a moment.

"Your father's ring." He finally spoke. Cello looked up at him with a questioning look.

"What?" he asked. His voice grew smaller and smaller as the conversation went on.

"Give me your father's ring," his stepfather explained, "and I'll let you go."

"But-" Cello trailed off. He couldn't depart with his father's ring. His mother specifically gave it to him. She told him that his father would have wanted him to have it. It was the only gift he ever received from his father. He was an infant when he died, and he felt it was the only possession he carried that would stay with him always. He held his mother in his heart and in his memories. He couldn't say the same for his father.

"Then I suppose you'll stay here," his stepfather turned his back to enter the carriage.

"Wait..." Cello pleaded once more. He didn't have much time to think, but he felt his father would forgive him. "Okay."

His stepfather turned back to face him and held his right hand out. Cello looked down at his left ring finger before slowly removing the ring, showing the burn mark it covered. He clenched it in his hand before walking up to his stepfather. He placed the ring in his stepfather's hand who only smiled at him.

"Good boy," his stepfather said to him. He lifted the ring in his hand and held it towards the sky. The full moon shined brightly above them. He placed the ring in between his thumb and forefinger looking at the moon through the hole of the ring. He juggled it in the palm of his hand before drawing his arm back and throwing the ring with all of his might. Cello gasped while watching the ring fly from his stepfather's hand and headed towards the nearby pond. The pond was situated in the front of their home towards the west side of the land. It was currently green due to the number of algae that inhabited it. They all heard a plop as the ring landed directly in the middle of the water.

"No." Cello covered his mouth with his hands. Tears began to fill his eyes as he faced the direction of the pond.

"You have two options, boy" his stepfather told him. "You can come with us or go fetch that ring of yours. I'm sure by the time we return it won't be in any condition to be worn. The choice is yours." Cello looked in his stepfather's eyes which showed no remorse, only amusement. He turned towards the pond again and began heading in that direction. He heard his stepfather laugh before getting in the carriage with his sons. Cello heard the sound of horses clopping on the ground as the carriage moved forward and headed towards town.