The Cinderella Moment by Jennifer Kloester

had made a mental note to ring Sunnydale from the airport.
    She moved towards the Air France counter and saw Lily standing at the first-class check-in. Angel frowned—was Lily wearing Prada? She moved nearer. Yes, it was definitely a cream Prada two-piece—gorgeous, but totally out of character for Lily, who always wore jeans and a sweatshirt when she travelled.
    Angel was about to call out when the words died in her throat. Standing next to Lily, looking superb in a burnt-orange Tommy Hilfiger shirt and black trousers, was Margot.
    Angel looked around wildly for somewhere to hide. She saw Lily catch sight of her and Margot turning to see what she was looking at. She ducked down behind the crowd waiting in the economy class line and almost tripped over a honeymoon couple with confetti in their hair.
    “Hey, watch it,” cried the man.
    “Sorry.” Crouching low, Angel made a beeline for the bathroom. Risking a quick glance over her shoulder she saw Lily grab Margot’s arm and point to the luggage.
    Angel burst into the bathroom and made for the last stall. She closed the door and waited.
    It seemed like hours before she heard Lily’s piercing whisper.
    “Angel.”
    “Here.”
    “It’s okay, she’s gone.”
    Angel opened the door. “Are you sure?”
    “Yes, she’s dining with friends, so she had to go.”
    “Thank goodness.” Angel slumped down onto the toilet seat. “What was she doing here? I thought she was sending you with Roberts in the Rolls.”
    “She was.” Lily looked embarrassed. “It was my fault. I got distracted and I’d only just started unpacking the first suitcase when she came home and saw what I was doing. She went all icy and polite in that scary way—you know—when you sit there like a total doofus and can’t think of what to say.”
    Angel nodded: she knew exactly.
    “She asked if I thought I could do a better job of packing than the maid.” Lily looked guiltily at Angel. “But the worst part was that I couldn’t swap any of our clothes and now the suitcases are checked in and that means—”
    “I’ll have only your clothes to wear in Paris,” cried Angel. “But I’m three inches taller than you and a different size and shape!”
    “I know, but I did manage to bring you these.” Lily handed Angel a plastic carrier bag. “It’s a pair of your jeans and a T-shirt. I grabbed them out of the dirty laundry.”
    “What!” Angel was incensed.
    “I couldn’t go down to your room, Angel. Margot stayed with me practically the whole time. She even made me wear this disgusting outfit and make-up. It was the worst.” She grimaced. “And there’s something else.”
    “Oh, no.”
    “It may not be so bad,” said Lily. “It’s just that with Margot there I couldn’t pack your Teen Couture outfits either. I’m sorry, Angel. I know I messed up.”
    Angel sighed. “I don’t suppose it’ll matter. I wasn’t sure about swapping the clothes anyway. The most important thing was always to swap the designs and the entry form because they’ll have Clarissa’s name on them, and I’ve got my designs here.” She patted her backpack.
    “Okay then,” Lily grabbed Angel’s hand, “Ready?”
    Angel swallowed hard, “I think so.”
    “It's crazy and totally out there, but we can do this,” said Lily firmly.
    “We have to,” replied Angel, lifting her chin.
    “Okay, let’s go and check you in for my flight to London.”
     
    ***
     
    Two hours later Angel was sitting in the gate-lounge waiting to board her flight to Paris and wondering how she’d ever let Lily talk her into such a crazy scheme.
    Except she hadn’t—it was all her own doing. Maybe it wasn’t too late to change her mind. Angel glanced at her watch. Nope, Lily had already boarded her flight to London.
    Angel suppressed the whirling butterflies in her stomach. She was going to Paris to take a stand. That’s what Papa would have told her to do—Papa who had fought right to the end and who had never