Finding Cinderella

“I feel her whole body sigh on top of me. Even though I have no idea who she is or what she looks like, I can feel the sadness in her and it makes me a little sad in return.”

From their first moment of contact, the text illustrates the deep connection between Daniel and Six. Though Daniel does not know Six’s identity, he can feel her sadness seeping through her body and into him. This establishes the strong physical and emotional connection between the duo, whose connection will only deepen throughout the text.

“It’s weird and normal and hot and sad and strange and I don’t really want to let go. It feels kind of euphoric, like we’re in some sort of fairytale. Like she’s Tinkerbell and I’m Peter Pan. No, wait. I don’t want to be Peter Pan. Maybe she can be like Cinderella and I’m Prince Charming.”

This quote introduces the central allusion of the text—the reference to the fairy tale “Cinderella” that will shape the remainder of the narrative. By comparing their connection to a fairy tale, Daniel illustrates the almost magical aspect of their connection, which is so immediately strong and intense that it takes them both by surprise and almost does not feel quite real. Daniel at first compares them to Tinkerbell and Peter Pan, which alludes to two characters from the novel Peter Pan who are friendly but do not share a sexual or romantic connection. By amending his allusion to Cinderella, he finds the comparison that fits. This quote romanticizes their connection as magical and fated, situating their story in a fairy-tale frame and highlighting