Hey there, everyone! Welcome to my first attempt at a multi-chapter story! Please note that this is probably not the greatest piece of prose that has been written, but I (for one) am proud of it. Also, if you decide that you like it and want to see more (which would make me happy), reviews help the inspiration process.

And now, the story!

What do you get when you take a shy heroine, add a rude and deranged young man who says he is a prince come to claim his bride (who just happens to be our heroine), and stir it all up with a sudden and unexpected introduction to magic and a world that resembles a fairy tale?

(Yes, besides mass confusion! Duh!)

Well, you just happen to get my story.

I didn't ask for all this to happen. I wasn't that poor little mousy girl wishing upon a star for a handsome prince to come and take me far, far away from this cold and lonesome life that I was living. Please. Although, to be fair, I am mousy enough. The point is, I was perfectly content with the way things were going. I had two best friends, was getting excellent grades, and I couldn't wait to escape from my small town to hit the campus of any one of the amazing colleges in (or out) of the country. My dreams were filled with ivy-covered brick buildings stuffed to bursting with the beauty that is academia.(Well, most academia. But Math? Science? Shoot me, please.) But the planet must have taken an unexpected twist on its orbit, because instead of the path I thought my life was sure to take, I got….well, this.

Chapter One

It was spring, thank God. Spring! The air was filled with jubilee as my fellow students gathered around in their various cliques in Hampton Lake High School. It was the beginning of the school day, but despite that fact, everyone's spirits were high. Why, you ask?

Spring Break.

It was all that everyone could think about. We could taste it, the shining sun and sweet freedom like an elixir on our tongues. As I walked to my locker, I could hear plans of barbecues, pool parties, vacations to places like California or even Mexico. The fact that most of these people couldn't go anywhere without their parents and weren't likely to be getting out of the state, let alone the country, any time soon didn't bother anyone. This year, anything was possible. It was a heady sensation.

I was grinning for no apparent reason when I finally reached my locker. I spun the combination expertly, dreamily transferring various items from backpack to locker and vice versa. I was lost in daydreams about spending my days alone in that special spot behind my house, lost in the amazing weather and even more amazing books. What would I choose? Persuasion, definitely. At least a couple Robin McKinley books. What else could I choose? Perhaps on Friday, I could spend a few hours in the library, choosing my books with care. Did I want to risk reading a book I had never read before, with the chance that it might suck royale? Or should I stay with the calm and comfortable, and read only those dear favorites that I already know and love? Choices, choices, all of them mine, with a week of freedom to waste! I slammed my locker shut, only to find a face inches from mine.

"GAH!" I shrieked, startled and clutching my heart. A familiar snort-laugh filled my ears, courtesy of my almost-ex-best-friend, Rachell. I glared at her as she snickered, waiting for her to come around. Finally, she did.

"Your face was beyond the most hysterical thing I have ever seen in my life." She said, still trying to stifle her laughter.

"Your soon-to-be-ended life. Grief, do you always have to sneak up on me? One of these days, I'm going to break my neck falling down a flight of steps or something because of you." I scowled.

"Katie, Katie, darling Katie," sang out Rachell. "You worry too much. Besides, what made you look so dreamy before I scared the happy out of you?" She asked mischievously.

"Spring Break." I said simply with a smile. We began walking toward our first class, unconsciously stepping in sync. Rachell squealed and jump-skipped, her green eyes bright and her blonde-tipped pink spiky hair quivering in her joy.

"I know! I can't wait! We are going to have such fun! I can't wait! This semester has been such a drag! OH!" She gasped, startling me again. "Did I tell you that my parents agreed on a vacay destination?"

"No! Where did they decide?" I asked. Rachell's parents were known for their general indecision when it comes to leaving the house for dinner, or vacations, or any type of entertainment.

"You aren't going to believe it." She promised. "They decided… South Hampton Lake!"

"No! Really?" I gasped. South Hampton Lake was located a few hours (guess) south, but it was beyond a doubt a ritzier spot of the area. Celebrities have been known to vacay there. It was an excellent place for anyone to go. "Oh, Rach, you are going to have such a good time!"

"When?" a gruff voice asked from behind us. We turned to see the third member of our trio, Cheyenne. She stood, hands on hip, a slight furrow between her eyebrows as she looked up at us. (Cheyenne was tiny. Really. I was only 5'4", and she only came to just below my chin. And Rachell, at 5'7" looked colossal next to Cheyenne.) Cheyenne was dressed in her typical slouchy camo cargoes, which should have looked horrible but managed to look great on her. Rachell was always trying to get Cheyenne in one of the flouncy short skirts that Rachell favored, but Cheyenne would have none of it. Sometimes Rachell took out her skirt-frustration on me, and I ended up looking like I had arrived from Girly-Girl Hell. Thankfully, we hadn't had an episode in a while.

"Cheyenne! Do you ever wash those pants? Or do you just live in them?" Rachell asked in despair.

"When are you going to have a good time?" Cheyenne repeated in her gruff little voice. I thought it just made her seem even cuter than she usually did, but she would kill me if I said that.

"Her parents decided on South Hampton Lake for their Spring Break vacay." I said. Cheyenne looked at me disapprovingly.

"'Vacay'? Must you use the cliquey-hip abbreviation-slang? It is so over-used." I rolled my eyes and stuck out my tongue at her. "And immature."

"Never mind Katie's immaturity!" Rachell said impatiently. "South Hampton Lake, Cheyenne! This is extremely big news! For me, anyway." She added.

"Congratulations." Cheyenne replied in a serious tone. I snorted out a giggle trying not to full-out laugh at her. Her big brown eyes glared at me. I grinned and ruffled her super-short brown hair. She jumped away and tried to smooth her stray locks, still glaring at me.

"Children, behave." Rachell intoned, looking distractedly behind me. We both turned just in time to observe Tucker Hawthorn walk (cough*strut!*cough) by. He flicked back a strand of auburn hair in a practiced 'meant to be natural' gesture. He grinned at a few of his soccer buddies and laughed at a few of their comments before proceeding out of sight. Rachell sighed dreamily after her Mr. Popularity crush. Cheyenne and I rolled our eyes at each other.

"Honestly, Rachell, what you see in him I have no idea." Cheyenne started. Rachell pouted.

"Cheyenne, I know you don't like him…."

"Nor do I." I continued. Cheyenne snorted. ("'Nor do I'? What Granny did you spend the night with?") "He is a total snot. Look at him! He thinks he owns the school! Sure, perhaps he is attractive, but look at how he acts around other people."

"He is perfectly nice…" Rachell interrupted feebly. We had been through this before.

"To his clique, Rachell. Not to those who aren't in the same league as The Populars. It is very elitist behavior." Cheyenne finished. Rachell sighed.

"It is just a crush, people! I am not going to go and jump the guy!" she said a little loudly. A few people running into their classes heard her and looked a little shocked.

"Well, as long as that doesn't happen. Seriously, you deserve so much better than him anyway." I finished, a little wistfully. The five-minute bell rang then, and we had to run to get to our classes on time.

As I walked home from school that day, I thought about Rachell and her crush for Tucker. I really couldn't see what she thought she saw. Was she just seeing his looks? Surely she knew that physical appearances didn't matter. Heck, she should know it by now, being my friend. With my light brown hair and hazel eyes and my constantly shy personality, I was in no way in league with the Tucker Hawthorn's of the world. Not that I would want them. I had read too many books to be satisfied with the muted, shallow appeal of the Populars. Or any of the boys I came in contact with. Relationships at this point in my life were pointless. I wanted to go to a wonderful college, learn all I could, and then go and travel the world a little. Perhaps later, I would meet someone who met the (maybe unrealistic?) expectations I had set for myself, but not before then. No. Not me. Of course not me.

Nothing much happening in this chapter, I know. But I have chapter two already written, and it is much more exciting and should be up soon.

The reviews are the life. Just saying.