Badwolf

Cerise (3)

Other than the short episode that had taken place during first period, my day was going pretty well.

During grimmnastics, I raced Daring around the track and won. This wasn't unusual but it still gave me a small burst of extra confidence every time. I still needed that confidence. The castleteria served meatloaf that was actually good for lunch today, and Darling and I had a grand time talking about a new Royal Little Liars episode that had premiered last night.

I headed to my shared dorm with Darling whistling happily with a spring in my step. I'd been in my room not even five minutes before I heard a knock on the door. It was my father.

"Dad? I thought you would've went home by now," I said when I answered. I opened the door more, allowing him to come in, but he seemed urgent and stressed.

"Your sister called me," he responded, quietly, just after I'd shut the door.

"My sister? Why?" I asked. My voice came out much more annoyed than I'd hoped it would.

"She told me she is coming back tomorrow..."

"What? Here? To the school?"

My dad entered my dorm but only paced near the doorway upon entry. I had not seen my sister in years. Ramona was sent to a different boarding school much further away starting when she was young. As a child, Ramona was wild and rebellious. She enjoyed getting into trouble as much as most kids enjoy when their parents give them money to get an ice cream cone from the ice cream truck on a hot summer day. She was probably well enough off her beaten path by the end of middle school but she wanted to stay where she was. My dad didn't object because she had a destiny that didn't really need preparing for. Plus it was able to hide our secret much easier and much longer.

"How is that even going to work? There's only a month of school left!" I protested, but it was of no use. If Ramona's school move was any subject up for debate, I wouldn't be part of the decision making anyway.

"She'll use this month to get used to the school. I'll have the finals she is supposed to take sent here so she can finish off the courses she's been taking while here with you. You don't need to worry. Ramona has made much progress. At this point in the year they probably won't assign her a new dorm, so I hope it's alright that she will most likely be staying with you," Cerise's father explained.

I wasn't sure that was a great idea, with the wolf girl looming around and Ramona's absence of intel about my life at this current moment. I barely knew Ramona anymore. I didn't ever really know Ramona, but our relationship was worse off than it had ever been. Letting all the years pass when you only see your sister a couple times each year without speaking to each other much will do that to you. I audibly swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat. "I have a feeling anything I say at this point will not change your minds," I said quietly. I understood the distance between my sister and I more than they did.

"I'm sorry, Cerise, but the decision is made. Ramona will be here in the morning." My dad wrapped me in a hug before heading to the exit. "I love you, sweetie. Don't worry about it to much. Ramona is better."

I hated that my parents talked about Ramona's nature like it was a sickness.

***

"I didn't know you had a sister," Darling said, keeping my pace as I rushed to meet my dad and Ramona at the set meeting place at the set meeting time. I had overslept by roughly a half hour. My hair was unbrushed under my hood and I had swiftly rushed through my makeup, only applying about a quarter of what I usually would. Darling, who also got up late because we share the alarm I forgot to set, looked flawless effortlessly as Charmings always do. I wish it were that easy for me.

"I really never told you? Huh," I responded, pretending to be surprised. I hadn't told Darling because there wasn't really anything to tell. Of course, Daring knew I had a sister, and that she went to a "different kind of private school", as he liked to call it. He never dwelled on the subject, which I was thankful for as I didn't want to either.

I was glad Darling was coming with me. I didn't know how this was going to go down. I didn't know who Ramona was anymore but I did know Darling, who was willing to get to know my sister as well. I used that to help convince myself that I wanted to get to know Ramona again too, though I didn't let Darling know that.

Darling continued talking. "So your sister, her name is Ramona, you said? And her destiny is the-"

"Yes, that destiny," I snapped, not letting her finish the sentence.

Darling stopped, and recoiled. "Are you okay? You seem a little... On-edge."

"I'm okay. I just don't know what I'm going to talk to her about. It's been a long time," I admitted.

"Well, it's okay. You've got me. I don't know if you'll believe it but I'm actually the most talkative of the Charmings. Daring is quieter out of this school than he is while he's here." Trust me, I believed it. Darling began walking again and I walked with her, speeding up our pace with her quickening to keep up.

We skidded to a stop right as my dad lead Ramona into the spot we were set to meet at.

"I'm sorry girls, but I'm in a hurry. I've got a meeting I've got to get to. I love you both," our dad said before scuttling off down the hall.

"Hi," Ramona said. Her voice was deeper and more gruff than I remembered it.

"Hey Ramona... This is my friend and roommate, Darling Charming," I offered. Darling stuck out her hand for Ramona to shake, which she glanced at me cautiously and waited for me to nod before doing so. Of course, if I had brought Darling here, she had every reason to trust her. With Darling here, also, it made things less suspicious. Any passerby would just assume the pair of us were greeting the new girl.

"Darling Charming, princess knight. Nice to meet you," Darling said, smiling wide.

And with that, a conversation easily sparked about Darling's choice of "hobby", breaking the ice. Within moments, the three of us were walking, talking, laughing, and presenting the school tour-guide style. I never imagined it would be this easy to reconnect with the sister I'd lost touch with.

Though I couldn't shake the feeling that we were being watched.