So Cliche

Finally got my story written. It's short and not my best writing. I've been dealing with lots of interruptions today. But there you have it. :)

Cliche

It was vastly unfair. Some princesses pricked fingers on spinning wheels. Others got wicked stepsisters. There were the ones captured by beasts, dragons and ogres. And one couldn’t forget the princesses with unfortunate princes who were turned to frogs. But Cassidy wasn’t one of those princesses. Her curse was far worse, at least she thought so. She would much rather pucker up to an amphibian than deal with her curse.
She scanned the room nervously. If she could avoid speaking to anyone, no one would find out. It had been her mother’s idea to go to the ball in the first place. To her dismay, a handsome prince saw her and walked over.
“Hello.”
Smiling, Cassidy kept her mouth firmly shut.
“I don’t believe we’ve been introduced,” he said with a smile.
Cassidy willed herself not to speak, but the words came out anyway. “I avoid introductions like the plague.”
The prince blinked in surprise. “Really? Why?”
“They’re so cliche,” she replied, emphasizing the last word and hoping the prince would get the hint.
He laughed, “Nonsense. Don’t you like making friends? Meeting new people.”
“If you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all,” Cassidy said, cringing inwardly. Apparently that was the best her cliche-filled brain could come up with.
“Oh.” The prince looked slightly hurt. “I suppose I’ll leave you to your thoughts.”
No, no, no, no! Say something, Cassidy. Anything!” a voice in her head yelled. “A friend in need is a friend indeed!”
Turning and giving her an odd look, the prince said, “I suppose so. Are you in some kind of trouble?”
“I’ve gone from the frying pan into the fire.”
He eyed her suspiciously. “I’m Damon.”
“Cassidy,” she replied, grateful that she could at least say her name withou an extra phrase.
“So what is your problem, exactly?”
“Make no words about it,” she replied.
“Did you want help or not?”
“On the face of it.”
“Why do you keep talking in cliches?”
Cassidy glared at him. Had it seriously taken him that long to notice?
He looked puzzled then gasped, “Oh, you have to talk in cliches, don’t you?”
“And we have a winner!”
“Well, what can I do about it?”
Cassidy shrugged.
They were silent for a while. “Maybe if I could find a topic there aren’t any cliches for,” Damon suggested. “Like, the weather.”
Rolling her eyes, Cassidy said, “It’s raining cats and dogs. If it’s not raining, it's pouring.”
“Oh, I guess that was a bad choice. Well, take heart, I’ll think of something.”
A strange sensation went over Cassidy. “Oh, thank you! I can talk like a normal person!”
“Really? What did I do?”
“You used a cliche. Apparently cliches enjoy their own company.” She smiled. “Why don’t we start that introduction over, now that I’m no longer Cliche Cassidy?”