If Raven Signed

A Twisted Thronecoming: A Brand New Hook

"I am so royally excited for thronecoming this year!" Apple exclaimed as she touched up her lipstick in the mirror. "The glittering ballgowns, the royal decor, everything is going to be absolutely spellbinding!"

Raven laughed as she watched Apple from her bed. Most days, she found herself mesmerized by how Apple buzzed about in the mornings. She truly was the fairest in the land.

"Plus, this is the year you can run for thronecoming queen," Raven said. "And you've already got one vote."

"Oh no Raven," Apple said, putting aside her makeup and rushing over to Raven's bed. "I'm not running."

"Wait, what?" Raven asked, astonished. "But you're the future queen of the fairy tale world! You're destined to win!"

"Exactly," Apple said. "I'm destined to win, so it just wouldn't be fairest. I'd rather give the other royal girls a chance to win. Besides, there are more important things in my life than winning or losing." She touched Raven's hand. "Like you."

Raven flushed. Ever since True Heart's Day, Apple had been saying more and more things that sounded, well, romantic. But Raven must have been imagining it. Apple had her prince charming, and she and Raven were destined to be fairy tale enemies. Raven had made sure of that when she signed the book.

"Well, that's a shame," Raven said. "I'm sure everyone would have loved to see you in a crown."

Apple giggled. "They will one day. But I don't mind waiting. Thanks to you, it will happen eventually." She squeezed Raven's hand and then got up to stand in front of her mirror again. "Now, which tiara should I wear to crownculus class?"

...

"Oh Brooke! It's teariffic that you're back! I was beginning to worry," Madeline Hatter said from her bedroom. Inside was also Kitty and Lizzie.

"The narrator's back," Kitty said with a yawn. She had to explain things to Lizzie when Maddie started talking to someone that wasn't there, since Lizzie couldn't hear the beautiful narrator like Kitty and Maddie could.

"Is something big going to happen?" Maddie asked. "Are we going to see Cedar and the others team up with Blondie Lockes?"

I was about to get to that, if you hadn't interrupted.

"Oh, sorry!" Maddie said. "Please, continue!"

...

One floor below, sitting inside the royal study ball, Blondie Lockes was fixated on her mirrorpad. She was trying to get her royal thronecoming announcement just right. Much to her annoyance, her editing tool was having trouble connecting, and she couldn't upload the perfect clip she had gotten yesterday. She sighed, turning the mirrorpad off. Oh well, there was always tomorrow. Surely, she was the only candidate prepared this early.

"Hey Blondie," Holly O'Hair said, sitting beside Blondie on the couch. She winced as she sat on her own hair, and had to readjust to move it out of the way.

"Oh hey Holly," Blondie said, moving her bag out of the way so Holly had space. "What's up?"

"Well, I was just thinking about Cupid," Holly said. She took a strand of hair in between her fingers and started to braid it as she talked. "Oh, but maybe you know, since you're roommates. Do you know what exactly Cupid's destiny is? It always confuses me a little bit." She giggled, and Blondie smiled at her friend.

"Sure, Cupid's destiny is to make sure that everyone finds their prince or princess charming." Blondie sighed a little. "Isn't that romantic!"

"Oh totally," Holly said. "It's like something out of a romance novel! But I do wonder, oh, nevermind."