A/N: Hey peeps! This is the second part of the story, The True Happily Ever After, or as I like to call it, tTHEA! Hope you like it!
The True Happily Ever After
By AK
In the few seconds before she fell, Rosabella thought she saw- wait, what?
But then she was flying over the balcony rail and right into the arms of Daring who looked just as startled as she was.
"Hello, love," he offered with his signature smile, "Missed me that much?"
She crumpled in his arms, sobbing with relief.
Up on the balcony, all eyes were on Cerise who still had her hand outstretched in shock.
There was another piece of news circulating the School, only this one was more selective.
It was spoken in whispers, even though it was far more salacious.
Cerise had a crush on Daring. Oh, she's the poster-child of too little too late. Still, it's hard not to feel bad for her…
A crush on Daring, huh?
Oh, were they ever so wrong…
"I didn't do it!" said Cerise, denying the accusation furiously.
She was at the headmaster's office along with a few witnesses.
"But everyone saw-"
"She really didn't," put in Bunny, who had been standing next to her, "She rushed forward after Rosabella had lost her balance. Cedar can back me up!"
Cedar nodded, "I can."
"Are you sure you saw right, Cedar?" asked Raven.
"Don't you believe me?" asked Cerise, stung.
"Of course I do! But if Cedar is sure, then no one can blame you anymore," said Raven.
"Well, Cedar?" asked Headmaster Grimm.
"I am sure," said Cedar firmly, "Cerise did not push Rosabella."
"Then who pushed her?" asked Lizzie, worried.
"I think…"
Everyone whipped around to see Rosabella who was clutching her book to her chest.
"I think that I may…" she mumbled, trailing off.
"I do beg your pardon?" asked Grimm.
"I may have just lost my balance," she said, hesitant,
"It's just that the girls were crowding around me and it was a bit overwhelming. So I'm not really sure what happened… But I think that I may have tripped over the little ridge at the base of the balcony… And seeing Cerise's hand trying to catch me, my mind might have jumped to conclusions."
"Are you sure?"asked the Headmaster with a frown.
"Well…" she drew into herself.
She then straightened her shoulders and said, "Yes, I am sure it was just an accident."
Cedar blinked.
Briar noticed.
So did Raven.
But none of them did anything.
Surprisingly, it was Daring who made the next move.
He put an arm around Rosabella's shoulders.
"If she says so, I'm inclined to believe in her," he said without his usual, genial air.
His eyes were solemn, serious.
His lips were set in a cold, hard line.
His image was strikingly similar to that of his father.
For a second, no one dared to breathe.
"…Very well then," said the Headmaster, wiping his glasses with a small piece of cloth, "This matter is settled. Now, if that's all, I'd appreciate it if you would vacate my office. And Ms. Beauty, please be more careful next time."
Rosabella nodded, demure.
"Thank you, Headmaster Grimm."
Cedar opened her mouth but Briar stomped her foot discretely.
"We'll ask her about it later," she whispered, "In private."
One of the so called witnesses sighed with relief.
Thank goodness.
She weren't caught.
But as she followed the mass of chattering girls, she caught the eye of her near-victim.
Rosabella's eyes were purely calculative.
I see you, Rosabella mouthed.
A chill went down her spine.
She stared at Rosabella as if she were a ghost.
But then, she smiled, bittersweet.
Who fell for whose trap, exactly?
"Rosabella?" called Briar softly, trying not to startle her.
But Rosie jumped anyway.
"Oh. Hey Briar, Cedar," she greeted the duo.
"I think you know why we are here," said Cedar.
"Ah… is this about the- about how I... fell?"
"About how you were pushed," said Cedar, firm.
"…Well- It's probably not what you're thinking…"
Briar looked more than a bit worried as she said, "If you don't want to talk about it, it's fine."
"Oh, it's nothing much," Rosabella said, a bit absent-minded, "But you're right. I'd rather not say."
"Okay then," said Briar, backing up to give her space.
Just as she was about to say something, Cedar suddenly stepped up and caught her arm.
"But someone did push you?" she asked Rosabella.
Rosabella hesitated.
She made a few more futile attempts.
Then, she sighed.
She looked Cedar right in the eye.
"Yes," she relented, "but it was not out of malice."
Cedar looked at Rosabella, searching her eyes for something, anything that could explain that wierd feeling she had.
It wasn't a lie, definitely not.
It felt different from doubt.
So what was in that tone that bothered her?
But, if it was not out of malice, then it would probably okay... wouldn't it?
And even if it wasn't, she really couldn't go any further.
She had already overstepped her boundaries by prying into Rosabella's business.
With that in mind, she let go of her hand and broke her stare.
"Then that's enough for me," Cedar concluded.
"Have you heard, Raven?" asked Apple, excitedly.
"What about?" Raven asked with a smile.
The two of them were having a girl's night, sprawling about in their pajamas and doing each other's hair and nails.
Apple beckoned her close and whispered in her ear, "Daring asked Cerise out a few months ago. But Cerise turned him down."
"Really?" asked Raven, shocked.
"Yep," dimpled Apple and continued to whisper, "I think that she regrets that, don't you?"
Raven observed her handiwork with a critical eye.
Ruby red paint was lavished on pointy nails until they shone like drops of blood.
Not bad for an amateur like herself.
Apple seemed pleased with it.
"But she never told me anything about it- I suppose that's an answer by itself," mused Raven aloud.
Apple giggled, her hair in curlers bouncing slightly.
She took Raven's hand in hers, her nails pinpricks against her skin.
"So much of what people mean is caught up in what they don't say, right?" said Apple.
Raven's mind lingered on Cedar's start and successive silence.
"I guess so…" she murmured.
"Hello Raven," greeted Rosabella with a smile.
"Hello Rosie," she greeted back.
Her conversation with Apple weighed heavily on her mind.
Did Cerise really… And did Daring really… Did Rosabella know?
"So, how're things with Daring?" she asked awkwardly.
Rosabella looked surprised.
"I didn't know you had an interest in romance," she said.
Raven was abashed and immediately back-tracked.
"Ah no, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to trouble you-"
"Oh, I'm not troubled," smiled Rosabella, shaking her head, "I was just surprised. Yes, we're doing well, thank you for asking."
"Oh, I see. That's good then."
"Yes, it is."
"So… um, Daring's past- uh, admirers aren't giving you much trouble, are they?"
"Nothing drastic."
"He has a lot of them," Raven observed.
"Well, they do get a bit overwhelming at times," admitted Rosabella.
"Is that so… But is someone in particular-?"
There was a slight change in the air, a budding tension of sorts.
"What do you mean by that, exactly...?" trailed Rosabella.
"What do you think of Cerise?" asked Raven, abrupt.
"What about her?" asked Rosabella, almost as if she had expected the question.
The hair on the back of Raven's neck stood up.
She looked at Rosabella, suddenly suspicious.
Rosabella returned her gaze, calm and composed- a true royal.
"Cerise did not push you that day," Raven said, firm as a rock.
"So she didn't," said Rosabella evenly.
"Then why-?"
She cut herself off after noticing a queer looking light in the royal's eye.
Suddenly, Raven felt that Rosabella Beauty was someone who hid many secrets behind a pretty face.
She felt that she knew very little of her.
And she felt that Rosabella's intentions towards Cerise weren't what they appeared to be.
Rosabella leveled a look at Raven and then there was only one thing on Raven's mind.
I need to get away from her.
A/N: So that's it for now. What do you think? Did you like it?
Now, a question for all you lovely readers...
Who do you think pushed Rosabella, a.k.a. Rosie?
