Once Upon An Enchanted Ball ( A Rise of Red/Glassheart Fanfic)

Chapter 3: Baby Steps In Glass Slippers

"Your full name isn't actually 'Thee Red Tagger,' right?"

Red walked briskly, unsure of her exact destination but desperate to escape the situation and everything associated with it, including Chloe. It wasn't personal; the whirlwind of recent events left her no choice but to find another way out. If there even was one at this point.

"When Bridget mentioned you two were cousins it really did catch me by surprise. Who knew Wonderland could produce such differing personalities" Chloe chuckles to herself, a bit saddened by the lack of response from Red. But it seemed her words were enough for Red to slow down in her tracks, placing the two girls somewhere in the West dormitory, a place synonymous with where most first-year students resided.

Red turns to face Chloe and those impeccably bright teeth of hers. "Listen, Princess."

"It's Chloe."

"Yeah, noted." Red scoffs, "I know it's ingrained in you Auradon kids to act as nice as possible before stabbing someone in the back so I'm just letting you know from now this isn't exactly how I'd like to spend my Tuesday afternoon either."

Chloe can't find many words to say, simply nodding her head slowly with a tightly closed mouth. Red reaches her hand out vigilantly, "So, I'm not going to waste your time. You can just hand me the list and I'll get things in order. You can take the majority of the credit, blah, blah, blah, Fairy GodMother will probably give you a pat on the back and you can go back to whatever castle Bridget sent you from." Red finishes wavering in hand in search of the list that was planted in Chloe's grasp. The blue-haired girl was a bit too taken aback to truly process what she had just heard. It had all gone by so fast.

"Hello? Anyone in there" Red moves her hand to wave in Chloe's view, removing the girl from whatever trance she placed herself in. "Oh, my apologies, I do that sometimes. Uhm...I think you're a bit mistaken...this is a duo project."

"Yeah, yeah sure it is. I know you're just itching to do this aren't you?" Red's tone is sarcastic.

Red's demeaning nature takes Chloe aback. Not like she hadn't gotten a taste of it already but more daunting one-on-one."I am actually." Chloe stands her ground.

Red refuses to believe whatever she's hearing, attempting to reach for the to-do list forcefully but is thwarted by Chloe's fast reflexes. "Some of us have to do this for a reason. I'm not here to play games with you, Princess." Red grunts, reaching for the list again but is chased away by Chloe's reflexes once more, this time placing the list on the opposite hand.

"I'm here for a reason too. And again, it's Chloe," she insisted, her voice firm.

Red, indifferent to the plea, reached for the opposite hand. Chloe, refusing to give up, raised her arm above her head. Though the blue-haired girl only had an inch on her, Red was determined not to jump like a stray dog in front of any princess.

"Look, I don't have time for this," Red snapped, her frustration evident. "If you have something to say, say it now. Otherwise, I'll be needing that list."

"This ball is one of the only ways I can make a true name for myself. Unlike you, I'd actually like something positive attached to my name." The good girl persona was gone. Well, not really. As Chloe stood strong with her words, she slowly began to cower when Red moved closer. Their bodies were inches apart as Red gazed menacingly into her orbs. Chloe could feel the sweat perspiring on her palms but her stance was clear, she kept the list above her head with all of her might.

"What more of a name for yourself would you need exactly? You're a princess." Red questions, voice low and sombre.

"That's exactly the point! I am way more than just Princess Charming and I need others to know that too. I just, well, haven't figured that part out yet" Chloe huffs, hard enough to wisp some of the other girls' hair out of her face.