The Evers pour out. One by one, each with at least a little blood on themselves.
"OVER HERE!" Hunter scrambles to his feet and is waving his arms frantically.
They all come over. Everything seems to be all right except for one thing. Where's Ivy?
The confusion on my face must be pretty clear because Joy comes and hugs me. "Ivy died in battle," Joy said with tears in her eyes.
I feel tears sliding down my face but I don't register that they're there. Rain starts pouring down, though. Soaking us all within seconds. Perfect. I also don't register that Caeda is standing beside me the whole time until she speaks.
"I'm really sorry," she says.
"What have you done?!" I shout at her.
"I'm sorry. I didn't realize I was hurting this many people."
"Well what did you expect out of a war?!"
"I didn't know what I was doing when I let Laureen talk me into this. I swear!"
"I can't right now, okay, I just can't."
"Poppy, please."
"No."
"Can I explain myself?"
"No."
"Please?"
"Fine. Two minutes."
"So, before the field trip, Laureen talked me into sneaking into the Ever castle."
"Yes. And?"
"And I went with it. When I told you that 'you would find out when time came' it went for me too. I didn't know what Laureen had planned, she just told me to trust her."
"Okay?"
"But as the time went by, I warmed up to the Evers. So when I killed Ivy-"
"YOU WHAT!"
"I killed Ivy but I didn't mean it. I didn't know what I was doing. I'm so so sorry."
"Well, I guess the good forgive so... We're okay."
"Really, you mean it?"
"One hundred percent."
"Thank you so so much!" Caeda comes to hug me.
Everything is as it's supposed to be. everything is good. Then I retreat to my family.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
FIVE YEARS IN THE FUTURE
"Caeda," I say sweetly.
"Yes, Poppy?" Caeda comes rushing to my side.
"Could I have some company for a while? Do you want to go for a walk?"
"Yes, of course!"
Over the years, I accomplished my fairytale with Hunter and Caeda by my side. I finished my three years with the School for Good and Evil. Caeda officially switched to the School for Good. She became a Lady at my castle. I became princess. We have been best friends ever since the school. We lived Happily Ever After.
THE END
