Echoes of Wonderland

She feels like home

Chloe's POV

This girl is crazy, what does she mean by 'we're going back'? We risked it all once by just being there and messing with some stupid cookbook, and we both know how that turned out. The timeline is all kinds of screwed up, Chad not existing is proof of that, and now she wants to go and do it again?

- Red, you're not thinking this through. - I need to get this crazy idea out of her head.

- There's no other way Chloe, we need to go back. We'll make sure your parents meet at castlecoming. - She says, getting clothes out of my closet and into a bag, which make sense, last time we spent two days with the same outfit.

- I'm not gonna let you do this. What if we go back and screw up again and your mom becomes evil? - I hope I sound convincing.

- Then I'll never come to Auradon, or I'll steal my mom's deck of cards before we come, or I'll make sure to come alone.

- That's not fair, you can't throw away what you've acomplished just so I can get what I want. - I do want to exist, but if that means Red's gonna be unhappy... She's better off without me.

- I rather have a mother who's a lunatic, killer Queen of mean than to lose you. - She says looking directly into my eyes. God she's cute when she's determined. Wait, what?

Red pulls me out of my thoughts as she takes the pocketwatch out of her jacket. She looks at me for reassurance. I can see it in her eyes, she's nervous, so am I. Good thing we're doing this together.

- We're really doing this again? - I say unsure if it's the right decision.

- We've gotta try. - She says offering me her hand. - Now don't overthink it and grabby grab your way into this again.

I take Red's hand and nod with an awkward smile, she does the same.

- We'll get it right this time. - Red assures and before I know it she's pressing the pocketwatch button.

Everything goes backwards, our life rewinds in front of our eyes. Red and I look for confort in eachother's gaze, trying to gather our thoughts and plan of action while we're about to change history again.

The time stops for a sec, everything goes quite and then we find ourselves in a room, my room, but many years in the past.

- Crap, I forgot about that. - Says Red, looking around her.

- We should've done this outside. - I respond, realizing that we now need to scape from the Charming's castle without being seen. That's gonna be a challenge.

- Out the window it is. - Red says while ondoing the bed and starts to tie the bedsheets and pillow cases together to create some type of rope.

- Okay, "Rapunzel". - I blurt out with hard sarcasm. - We're never going to make it, they'll catch us when we reach the floor.

- What's your plan then, Princess? Or are you just scared of going on the ledge? - Red crosses her arms, awaiting for my answer.

- Act like you belong.

I'm not too sure this will work, but I guess is better than jumping out the window. Red looks at me confused and I make my back straight, head held high and walk out the door. Red follows behind doing the same. As we make it down stairs, about to open the big main door, a voice startles us.

- Who are you? - Asks my dad, Prince Charming, with a very confused expression.

- Heyyy, dude! What's up? I'm Red, this is my, friend, Chloe - Red pauses before saying "friend", which is very awkward, if I may emphasize. - We, uhm, we're are the new girls, at Merlin Academy and we just wanted to...

- We wanted to come say hello, to our new classmate - I cut red off. - Everyone says you're so nice, we just couldn't wait to meet you!

- Oh, okay? I'm Prince Charming, though I don't like to push the royal angle. - He's very respectful, considering that two strangers just broke into his home because they couldn't wait to meet him.

- Alright then, nice to meet you! But we're on a hurry - Red says while dragging me out the door. - Thank you for having us, see ya at school!

- Jeez, that was close. - I say, already out of the castle and almost through the gate. - Let's not do that again.

Red's POV

We make our way to Merlin Academy and talk to Head Master Merlin. He gives us keys to our new dorm, which is the same as last time we were here.
We wonder around Merlin Academy, trying to figure out how to make Chloe's parents meet at castlecoming, without turning my mother into an evil bitch. We haven't seen Bridget or Ella, which make sense considering is sunday and there's no school today.
There's five days left to castlecoming, that explains why Charming didn't recognise us, he hadn't met us yet.
Smurfette and I decide on going to our dorm room after taking some food from the cafeteria, as is getting late. It's a good thing I packed a bag, I don't know what we would've done using the same shirt for almost a week. Once we're in our room, we eat quietly, both of us trying to acknowledge that we're once again, living in the past.

Chloe breaks the silence.

- Hey, Red? - She says, turning her body on her right side so she's facing me from her bed.

- Yeah? - I respond, also turning to her on my bed.

- Why did you pause? When you said I was your friend to my dad, you paused. Why was that? - She asks, but I can't figure her tone out. Is a mix of worry, sadness, but also hope.

- Oh, uhm, I don't know. - I respond honestly, looking down at my hands while fiddling my fingers.

I can't quite explain why I did it; in that moment, it just didn't feel right. We've shared so much in such a short time that it's hard to believe that three weeks ago, Chloe Charming was a complete stranger to me. Now, I can't imagine my life without her. She understands me on a level that no one else does, always there to calm me down when things get tough. She respects my boundaries and knows her limits, and being with her just feels like home.
Friendship is supposed to be about being there for each other when no one else is, even when family isn't. Families love each other because they're bound by blood, sharing everyday moments. But friends are different; they choose to love and accept you for who you are. Yet, with Chloe, it feels like something more. It's as if life itself has chosen her to be a part of my journey, and I can't help but feel that our connection is something truly special.

- But we are... friends, right? - She asks with and uncertain tone.

- Yeah, we are friends. - I smile softly looking at her glowing eyes and she does too.

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I hate rushing into things, so that happened. Friendzoneee
Just for a bit...
Y'all think I'm not explaining their feelings enough? or is it just enough so I don't make it happen fast?
Let me know in the comments :)