Ever After High Diaries

Ashlynn Ella's diary

Head Over Heels

Ever since I was little, no taller than my mother's knee-high suede boots, I heard, "Everyone at Ever After High wishes they had your Happily Ever After."

Still, I never felt special. I'm not like the other princesses at school. I learned from my mom to always imagine my life as if the shoe was on the other foot. At the end of the story, it's all about the shoes my destiny.

But, honestly, I was never thrilled about being swept away by some random "Prince Charming". True love should happen naturally. My soul mate doesn't have to live in a fancy gated-castle community.

But can I have a fairytale romance that was never meant to be? I'm so torn. Maybe if I tell the story from the beginning it will help me see the big story.

Chapter 1

Everyone arrived to Orientation a week before classes started, just like every year. Headmaster Grimm spoke about the importance of tradition, like he always does. Briar Beauty slept through his entire speech, like she usually does. Yet something felt different.

Maybe it was because this year we spellebrated our Legacy Day. We would magically bind ourselves to our storybook destinies. It's a lot of pressure. Once I declare to be the next Cinderella, I have to live the tale for the entire generation.

During our tour, the White Queen announced our lab heroes for Damsel-In-Distressing class, "Ashlynn Ella," she looked down at her list, "and Daring Charming." Wait... Daring is supposed to be the Prince Charming in Apple White's story, not mine! Plus, he's way too into himself! What a fairy-fail! I just wanted to be left alone.

Unfortunately, Duchess Swan didn't feel the same, "The daughter of Cinderella, already taking the best Prince Charming from her step-friends--"

"LADIES, HOCUS FOCUS!" The White Queen... to the rescue. Ugh! Curse me now.

I needed to clear my head. There's only one place I ever felt centered...

Chapter 2

The Enchanted Forest is where magic blossoms, and royally adorable woodland creatures live, play and are oh-so-cute-and-cuddly! Every fairytale princess has a special connection to woodland creatures. But only I can actually understand what they're saying. Sometimes the animals make more sense than people.

I breathed in the spellbinding scent of the charm blossom petals. Their perfume filled my head, which must have been in the clouds, because I didn't hear anyone come up behind me,"Well abracadabra."

I jumped and toppled into the bushes. This day was not turning out to be my best chapter. When I popped up to see who scared the strappy floral glass slippers off me, I was greeted with a smirk from the rebel rocker too wicked for school, "Sparrow Hood! What are you doing?"

"Admiring the beauty of the great outdoors." He kissed my hand, winked, and vanished through the trees. That's Sparrow for you. He charms you, then he leaves you.

Suddenly, an animal shouted, "HELP!"Branches lifted themselves out of my way as I hurried through the clearing. I couldn't believe my eyes! A helpless squirrel stuck to a tree, and Hunter Huntsman lifting his axe.

"NO!" With all my strength, I pushed him face-first into the mud. I couldn't let him hurt that poor squirrel.

"Hey, what's the big idea?" the squirrel chittered. An arrow pinned him to the tree by the satchel around his little squirrel waist.

I scratched my head, "I just saved you from the scary huntsman!"

"Hunter? Scary?" I've never seen a squirrel laugh so hard.