The End is Only the Beginning

(x: Old Version) 3: I Just Wanted To Go Shopping

{Hey, above are two drawings I did of Aria Charming (left) and Taylor Queen (right). Aria is 1000% based on actress Lucy Hale's appearance, by the way... I like PLL a lot.}

Aria Charming- September 8th

Immediately after the assembly, I'd gone to Principal Queen Darling Charming (aka my mom) to demand she change my roommate.

"Why don't you want to room with Taylor? She's lovely," my mom said, taking notes into her notebook still about the behavior of the students that stuck out during the assembly. She has to take note of these things because it could have a hand in what their destiny will end up being. The notes were kind of last minute though, since she's been watching us all since we were just nursery rhymes and knows practically everything about us already.

"Because she doesn't ever speak to me," I complained, glancing over my shoulder to look at the students that were still there and the ones that were leaving. Taylor still sat in the same seat on the end of the third row as she had been sitting the entire assembly, and still didn't look up from that MirrorPad or remove her earphones.

"Talk to her first. Maybe she has something interesting to say that she's been holding back and has wanted to tell someone for a long time. That could be why she's so quiet," mom reasoned, but I knew she just didn't want to deal with me and wanted to come up with a logical, professional sounding reason to get me to shut up.

My mom pointed over at my brother Adam, who was talking to the blond boy Cheyenne had thought was cute before. "Can't you just learn to get along with her? Adam didn't even know his roommate, and now it seems they're best friends." Adam and the blond kid were talking and would laugh at each other every so often. Knowing Adam, he was probably talking about some interesting (stupid) thing he did with Bryce and Rudy at one of the Charming Family Barbecues (my parents' tradition was to go to their grandparents' house on Sundays for a Charming Family Ball, but we're not all that close with all the Charmings so we skip out a lot and have our own family barbecue at Cherry's castle) that probably ended in them embarrassing me in some way. That's just how Adam rolls.

"I hate when you pretend Adam is the good child," I groaned, turning towards the exit.

"You're both the good children!"

"Yeah, sure, whatever."

I tapped Taylor on the shoulder and she pulled out one earphone.

"Are you coming to the dorm?" I asked.

"K," she simply responded, leaving the earphone out.

We followed the directions on the sheet to find our dorm, number 704. Once we were there, I opened the door using the key that was inside the envelope. Someone previously living in this dorm must have painted it before, because there was a spot of light blue paint on it still.

The dorm was painted the same light blue like the key had been.

"This color has got to go," Taylor said, staring at the walls with a disgusted face.

"What's wrong with it? This is my favorite color! Too light for you?" I said, jokingly for the last statement.

"Yes."

"Oh..." IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A JOKE.

"Sick, this room has a balcony!" Taylor said, running through the room, ignoring everything else about it, to push open the balcony door and look at the view. I followed, 'cause why not.

"Wow." I looked out over the ledge. You could see the river near the school from here, and the Bookball field was in full view. We could probably watch the games from up here.

Taylor stayed outside and marveled at the view for a little while longer while I opened up my suitcases on the floor and began to unpack. By the time she came back in, I had had all my clothes put away.

"I think I need some more clothes. Wanna go shopping in Book End later? Mom said there was a really great mall down there," I offered, trying to be friendly.

"I guess so." Taylor sat on her bed and gently kicked her suitcase with one foot. She looked kinda... Sad.

"Is everything okay?"

"When is Legacy Day?"

"In two weeks. The twenty-second. Why?"

"What if I'm the Evil Queen?"

"What?"

"What if I'm the Evil Queen?"

"What makes you think you'll be the Evil Queen?"

"Someone's got to be... And I haven't always been the nicest."

Taylor could be sort of sarcastic and snappy sometimes, but I'd never thought of her as mean. Rude, maybe, sometimes, but not mean.

"I don't think you're mean, Taylor."

"But is it so awful if I kinda don't not want to be the Evil Queen?"

I didn't know how to respond to that, but it did kinda scare me. I held back a nervous squeak.

"I don't want to hurt anyone but... Don't you think if someone different got ahold of the destiny, the image of the Evil Queen would really change?"

"Didn't your mom do that?"

"Yeah, but one time isn't always enough. Not enough to make a change."

"What are you saying?"

"I want to change the way people see the Evil Queen. Make her... Not so evil. Maybe just a little troubled, and confused..."

Is Taylor trying to tell me she is troubled and confused...? Should I be concerned right now...?

"Well... If you ever need my help with that... I'm here. But like I said before I really need some new clothes so if you'd be so kind to come shopping with me that would be just-"

"Yes, Aria, I'll come," Taylor said, laughing, and already seeming happier.

Maybe mom was right. Maybe Taylor had kept that inside for so long, afraid to tell anyone about it. But now that I knew, what she told me worried me. Is Taylor herself really okay?