Mess of a Fantasy (Darise Ever After High Fanfiction)

Chapter 7: Messy, Malicious Masterpiece

Once in the garden, we sat on the little two-person swing I'd noticed from the driveway before.

"Look, I have something I have to tell you," Daring and I said at the same time.

I knew what had to happen, it couldn't wait anymore. I don't wanna risk him finding out about the... wolf side of me, before I tell him first. It had to come from me. From anyone else... I could appear to be a monster. It's not easy to admit to people that you're a werewolf. I mean, I'm sorta not, but what if one day I am? My dad can change between wolf and human form, that could eventually happen to me. If it does, it could happen any day now.

"Oh, sorry, you can go first," Daring said, looking absently at the red roses to the right of the swing and not directly at me.

"I've been hiding a secret for a really long time. I think it's time I told you... So you know how you said in the car before that every story has to continue? And then you said there had to be a Big Bad Wolf for my story, and that Mr.Badwolf has to have children? Well..." I reached for my red hood, pulling it off my head, revealing my ears, ending the endless secret that had held me back from being honest with Daring for so long.

Something turned my head, and was now pressed against my soft, red, unsuspecting lips. Eyes closed, I knew exactly what was happening, but shock was taking over my whole body. My feet felt lighter, my head was spinning, my heart and brain scrambling to get a grip.

I could hear Darling's footsteps beating on the paved walkway even before she could see me. I could hear them slow to a stop, and then back away. Then they quickened, getting heavier, coming toward us. She wanted to make her presence known this time.

And then the kiss was over, and I backed away. Although it was only a few seconds long it had changed everything. For worse or for better, I wasn't sure. I'm wrapped up into this mess of a fantasy, smashing two stories together in a messy, malicious masterpiece. There's no turning back around now.

"Hey Cerise, can we talk for a second? About, um, chemythstry?" Darling said, air-quoting "chemythstry". I jumped up, smoothed my dress, and flipped my hood back up, running over to where Darling stood in the grass a few feet away from the garden.

"CERIIIIISEEE!!!" She squealed in a whisper.

My eyes grew wide, and I touched my fingers to my lips. They felt different, harder, less protected and less innocent than they had before. I slowly nodded, my head straightening out a bit.

"I think you made him a Rebel! I mean, you have to have! Prince Charming doesn't have anything to do with Red Riding Hood!" She exclaimed.

"I don't need a reminder," I coughed, standing so still.

"Thank you so much! You don't even realize, we had nothing in common, but now we do!" She put her hands on my shoulder and shook my head around happily. Yup, because I needed to be more disoriented.

"Me," I nodded, stepping unsteadily toward the garden gate.

"I was going to say being a rebel but that works too I guess. Hey, where are you going?" She called quietly after me.

"We're not done here yet," I heard myself say.

She loudened her voice so that Daring could hear from the swing and said "Oh, I totally forgot, mom wanted to talk to me about.... Something! Be right back!" She winked at me and skipped back to the castle.

I took a seat back down at the swing next to Daring. My hands felt shaky and tingly. My heart was full but light.

"So," he started, putting a hand gently on my right arm, "Cerise Badwolf, huh? I like that."

"No, this can't happen," I said, shaking his hand away. "You've still got a girlfriend, and I'm still not Snow White."

"I..." He trailed off, running a hand through his blond hair, thinking.

I rolled a pebble under the toe of my left shoe. "Did you listen to me at all? That secret was really important, I thought I could trust you with it."

"You can, I won't tell anyone. I promise. I heard all of it. I'm sorry... I just... it couldn't wait anymore. I've liked you for so long... Since before Thronecoming, before Legacy Day, before Legacy Year started. I didn't want to scare you away," he explained. His beautiful blue eyes were on me but I wouldn't look at them.

Lizzie, poor Lizzie. She didn't deserve this. I didn't deserve this either, to be dragged onto the Daring's-crazy-emotions Battlefield. "I didn't want to scare you away either. This can't work , though," I breathed.

Daring clenched his fists, looking ready to punch something. "I can break up with Lizzie. I will. Tomorrow, at the party. I promise. But can you promise me something, in return?"

I didn't mean to be snappy, but wolves are sometimes. "I'm not Rumplestiltskin, Daring. That should be enough, shouldn't it?" I kicked the pebble I'd been playing with in frustration.

"I was just going to ask that we try to make this work after. Will you agree to go out with me after I break up with Lizzie?" He looked at me again, not once smiling this whole time. I guess that's his way of showing that this is real and sincere.

I reached for my hood out of habit, making sure it was in place. "I... I'll think about it." I turned away, and that was the last thing that was said.

There was an agonizingly long period of silence when all I wanted was to launch into an 'I'm so sorry, of course, I love you' but I definitely can not do that. He didn't deserve that right now. He's now cheating on Lizzie, with me. I don't want that reputation for either of us. I also don't want Lizzie to hate me.

There were more footsteps on their way over to us, but these were heavier, more masculine.

"Hey, what'd I miss?" Dexter smiled, waving his phone.

Daring glanced from him to me. I couldn't take the pressure anymore. I dashed out of the beautiful garden, the color in a blur behind me. I didn't even care that I was running at a more wolffish than human speed. I just needed to get out of there.