Crimson Hearts

𝒯𝓌𝑒𝓁𝒻𝓉𝒽 𝒞𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓉𝑒𝓇 ౨ৎ

The day of the dance dawned with excitement and a touch of anxiety. Red, Chloe and Ella gathered in Bridget's dorm room to prepare in the evening, their minds swirling with anticipation and apprehension. The morning had been filled with only two classes, leaving them ample time to focus on getting ready for the event they had been looking forward to and dreading.

Bridget stood in front of the mirror, soothing out the fabric of her gown. Her dress was a deep crimson, off-the shoulder creation with a fitted bodice and ruffled sleeves. The design draped elegantly across her shoulders, creating a structured yet graceful look. The skirt flared lightly from the hips, ending in a small train that whispered against the floor.

"What do you think?" Bridget asked, turning to face her friends.

Ella clapped her hands together, her eyes shining. "You look absolute stunning, Bridget. The red really suits you."

Chloe nodded in agreement. "You're going to turn heads for sure. But I have to ask why red? You usually stick to pink or white."

Bridget glanced down at her dress, a small smile playing on her lips. "I wanted something that matches Hook. He always wears red, and I thought it would be nice to coordinate for once."

Red, who had been adjusting the hem of her simple long red dress looked worried.

Chloe, wearing a blue dress similar in style to Red's, smiled reassuringly at Red. "Let's just focus on having fun. We'll deal with everything else as it comes." Chloe whispered to Red.

༺༻

With their outfits set, Chloe and Red left Bridget's room to finish getting ready in their dorm room to finish getting ready in their own room. As soon as they closed the door, Red turned to Chloe, determination in her eyes. "I can't let Uliana ruin tonight for Bridget. I'm going to destroy those cupcakes she's planning to use against her."

Chloe grabbed Red's arm, concern etched on her face. "Red, you can't interfere. If you do, you'll trigger those pains again. We have to let things play out."

Red shook her head defiantly. "I don't care about the pains. I can't just stand by and watch my mother turn into that ugly green creature. It's better for her to have a broken heart than to become something's she's not. Now with Hook, I'll gauge his eyes out the next time I see him."

༺༻

Hook sat on the edge of his bed, staring at his reflection in the mirror. His thoughts were a tangled mess of guilt and worry. Breaking Bridget's heart was the last thing he wanted to do, but he felt trapped by the promises he had made to Uliana.

A knock on the door broke his reverie. It was Hades, his presence commanding yet comforting. He could tell what was on Hook's mind, "Hook, you have to go through with this. Uliana's not bluffing. If you don't, things will get bad for everyone, especially your sister."

Hook ran a hand through his hair, frustration bubbling to the surface. "I hate this. I never wanted to hurt Bridget, and now I have to betray her in front of everyone."

Hades never comforted anyone besides Maleficent, so comforting Hook would be the last thing he excepted himself to do. "I know it's hard, but you have to think about the bigger picture. Uliana won't hesitate to follow through on her threats."