I woke up and saw the same white ceiling, I looked around to see the same white walls, lying in the same bed that I see every day, walking on the same wooden floor. “ANASTASIA, 10,” it says in the space above my bed. Life in an orphanage is boring.

“Good morning, Anastasia,” they greeted me clearly, “do you want some cereal?”

I nodded and ate my cereal. The other children were there too, eating cereal. The ceiling was white. The walls were white. Everything was normal, the usual things I see every day. And then someone knocked on the door; she was a tall lady with her hair tied up in an elegant bun, who looked very elegant and carried a cane with her. She pointed at me. They called me. After that, my life changed.

Lady Tremaine had adopted me. She no longer woke me up seeing a plain white ceiling, white walls, and a white bed that said “ANASTASIA, 10”about it. I woke up to a white ceiling with stars scattered everywhere, pink walls with portraits, a big pink bed, and a carpeted floor. I became Anastasia Tremaine.

Now, I am nineteen years old. My stepsisters, Cinderella and Drizella, have their future set; Cinderella is to marry a prince and Drizella is studying hard to become a successful businesswoman. I, however, do not know what to do with my life. Lady Tremaine talks to me about my future sometimes, but I never thought much about it. She scares me when I think about the future.

One day during biology class, I was looking out the window and I saw Philip. Felipe was a simple baker. We talked and talked every day after class and finally fell in love. After a long time, we decided to get married, secretly. Oh, I almost forgot to mention William, my fiancé. Lady Tremaine and her mother arranged for us to marry. The problem is that he “loved me, but I didn’t love him.

When Philip and I got married, Drizella somehow found out and told Lady Tremaine. She was furious, as was William. They yelled and yelled. One day, I came home and saw my things packed. They forced me to leave the house. So, I tried to run to Philip, but when I got to his house, his body was on the floor and William’s knife, stained with Philip’s blood, was on his chest. I cried a lot.

So I walked to forget about it and I saw a woman crying.

“Why are you crying?” I asked her.

“I-I said the chant in the mirror and and I saw…the devil!” she replied, showing Anastasia her cut on her hand, “I was so scared; I hit the mirror and cut my hand!”

“Oh my God,” Anastasia said, “Let me take you to the hospital!”

I walked the girl to the hospital, and while she was being treated, she talked about what happened to her, but in more detail. I didn’t believe him though. I remembered Philip in her place. So I said I would go. A few inches before reaching the door, I collided with someone; a woman probably in her twenties with a little girl, maybe three years old, holding her hand.

“Oh, I’m sorry, ma’am,” I said, “and I’m sorry for you too, little one.”

The girl smiled and let go of her mother’s hand, taking my index finger instead. She looked at my bags, then at me and slowly asked, “Where are you going?”

“I’m going to find a home,” I smiled warmly at her, and she smiled back.

“Oh really?” his mother asked, “Would you like to stay with us? Are you employed?”

I shook my head and replied, “No ma’am, I’m not.”

“Well, would you be interested in being our babysitter? Maria seems to like you a lot,” he smiled.

“Oh-I, um, sure,” I stuttered.

And so, I walked with Maria and her mother, for whom I now work, to their house, where I now live as well. I take care of and feed Maria every time her mother or her father go to work. She is a very sweet girl. After I was hired to be the housekeeper, I lived my life well, as if nothing bad had ever happened. I am happy.