Ever after high (ApplexDarling)

Walking

Apple White POV

I woke up, yawning and rubbing my eyes. It was still early, around five thirty, but I was used to it. I always woke up early, though I wasn't sure why, and it never really bothered me. I heard a snore, and stifled a laugh when I saw Raven, hair flying everywhere, a bit of drool on her chin. Raven slept through everything, and on weekends could even sleep till the afternoon.

I brushed my hair and teeth, curling my hair to perfection, applying my makeup, and picking out an outfit. I usually wore dresses, but I felt like a change, and pulled out white skinny jeans, ruffled red top, and red flats. I tied my hair up in a high pony tail and laid low on the jewelry, a simple silver chain around my neck. I took a small spin in front of my mirror, and smiled at my reflection. Then I exited my dorm, feeling like a walk.

I was walking around campus, eating an apple and humming softly when I heard a yelp. There ahead of me was Darling, sprawled on the grass and trying to get back up. I jogged up to her, holding out my hand, which she accepted gratefully. She had rough hands, and a strong grip, stronger than I would have imagined for a girl her size. She brushed the dirt off of her dress and smiled at me, white blond hair falling in strands around her face. Her hair was up in a high bun, and she had a pretty pale blue dress on.

"Oh Godmother, I'm so clumsy, thanks for helping me up Apple." She smiled up at me.

"Funny seeing you here Darling, out for a walk as well?" She shook her head, clutching a group of books in her hands.

"No, I'm actually here for some extra credit, Mr. Badwolf is making me collect poisonous plants. Godmother though, why must it be so early? He really is evil." She yawned, and I felt bad that we had stayed up so late night, when she had a project early in the morning.

"I actually know my way around the forest pretty well, do you want some company? Classes don't start for another hour, and I have no problems going on a small scavenger hunt with you."

She looked surprised, yet also happy, like she had won a prize she hadn't realized she could have won. Her face slowly broke into a grin and she nodded yes, before smiling and mentioning me to follow her into the forest. I did and we walked a bit, before I noticed a long scratch down her upper arm.

I put my hand on her arm, trying to get a better view. She turned towards me, confusion creased with pain as I brushed over the cut. "What happened Darling? Is this from when you fell?" I asked, nervous it might scar. Darling widened her eyes and shook her head nervously.

"No, no, not at all! It's a sword cut." Then her eyes widened again, as if she hadn't meant to say that. I was immediately worried, I had a hard time imagining her anywhere near swords. "It was an accident," Darling spoke up once again, "My brother Dexter, being careless." I nodded still a bit concerned, but I understood how clumsy the youngest brother could be.

We kept walking, discussing activities, friends, what we did for fun, and I was surprisingly having a good time. Darling was kind, compassionate and great company; not really as shy as I had first deemed her. She was honest and a bit oblivious (or maybe she just didn't care) about how pretty or funny she was, which was refreshing in a way I had never noticed. She didn't really wear makeup, just lipgloss and eyeshadow, and her hair just did it's own thing. She seemed a bit shy around me at first, and yet, she quickly settled into the mood and her confidence increased. We kept talking, and she ranted about the crazy librarians, and how annoying Headmaster Grimm could be, especially considering how distracting his beard was, it was disgusting, always full of food. I managed to get a few words in through my giggling, and I felt a pang of shame for having judged her so quickly. She was cute, her face a bit flushed, and hair falling out of her bun and in her face, ranting passionately about something that probably didn't matter so much.

We were having a good time, and had already collected more than enough samples for Mr.Badwolf, with thirty minutes to spare.

We turned around, walking again back to school, when I heard a loud series of thumping noises on the ground, and rustling leaves, like an animal was running. I could hear it now, grunting and the pounding noise of hooves. The bushes in front of us were shaking, and a pair of hooves popped out, and I thought for sure we would be trampled. I turned around to Darling, to scream at her that something was coming, but Darling was already in the process of doing something.

She grabbed my hand, flipping her hair in one swift movement, and suddenly, time slowed down. It was amazing, everything was in slow motion, from the mosquito in front of me, to the rustling bushes ahead, where a moose's figure began emerging.

Daring quickly threw me to the ground, jumping on me as time sped up again, and a herd of moose trampled their way through the forest in the spot we had just been in. The bushes were completely stomped where their feet had been, and I shuddered to think about how I would have looked if Darling hadn't saved us.

I suddenly realized we were in another compromising position, on the forest floor, she was on top of me, still holding me hand, face directly in front of mine. Her eyes were closed, and her breathing was heavy, and we were so close, our noses were bumping. Her breath smelled nice, like butterscotch and toothpaste, and I was aware of all the places her body touched mine. Her abdomen against mine, legs  tightly gripped around mine, shoulders pressed together. The only thing not touching was our faces, and I felt my face burn bright red, a strange tug in my stomach, like a brick wedged in my system.

She blinked open her eyes, and I was struck by how pretty they were. Pale blue with bits of grey, like the sky on a cloudy day, her blond hair tickling my cheek. She looked me in the eyes a moment, almost looking conflicted, licking her lips. I could feel her breathing, her heartbeat going faster than ever, how she just looked at me, deep into my eyes. I was aware of everything in that moment, how tightly I was still clutching her hand, I had never done that with anybody, and how comfortable I was with her on top of me, how close we were.

And then the moment was over.

Then she frowned , almost dissatisfied, and got up on her feet, giving me her hand. I took it, and we walked the rest of the way back without saying a single word, hands bumping once in a while. Once we had arrived at the school, she turned to me, almost frightened. The mood was tense, though I didn't really understand why. Nothing happened, she had just saved me, and we had been in a weird position for a few seconds. Right?

I spoke up, determined not to end things on a bad note. "Thank you Darling, for saving me. I didn't know you could do that; you know, with your hair. It's pretty amazing." She smiled shyly, blushing again.

"Thanks, it's just a gift I have. Not sure why I have it, but it's never come in so handy. Usually it lasts longer, the time alteration; I can skip through boring lecture, give myself more time if I need to study, and I guess save princesses in need of help." I smiled, a bit jealous that she had that capability, before nodding.

"Well you did save me, which is both impressive and reality check for Mrs. Bell. Maybe you can be a Princess Charming." I laughed, intending for it to be a joke, but Darling froze like she had been stung, and nodded stiffly, biting her cheek. I noticed the change in atmosphere, but kept going, hoping to continue the conversation. "You know, since you are a Charming. If you're anything like Daring, you'll definitely be a hero." Darling's face suddenly went from uncomfortable to miserable, and I knew I had said something wrong.

"I should really get going Apple, as fun as this was. Thanks for helping me with the samples, Mr. Badwolf probably won't kill me now. I'll see you later." With that she ran off, but before she did, I could have sworn I saw a tear fall down her face.

I continued through my day, her sad face haunting me throughout lessons. She really was an enigma, this Darling Charming.