Chapter 7: Sleepless Night

A frustrated groan escaped Isabella as her eyes opened wide for the umpteenth time that night. She was tired, but for some reason couldn't fall asleep. Her mind kept going back to the first conversation she and her best friend had shared in a while. And it hadn't gone like it she'd been hoping it would. In fact, it'd made things worse between her and her friend. Just thinking about it made her want to puke, yet her mind refused to just let it pass.

'Maybe I'll feel better if I talked to someone about it…' Isabella thought.

Sitting up in bed, she glanced over at Cerise's side of the dorm. As usual, her side was almost pitch-black, Cerise having put special curtains over her window that prevented any light from shining on her side. The only light that was allowed in the room came in from Isabella's window, which allowed her to see Cerise's silhouette lying still in her bed with the covers up way over her head, back facing Isabella. For the longest time, Isabella debated on whether or not she wanted to wake Cerise up so as to talk to her, but eventually decided to just let her sleep.

Isabella let out a slow, heavy-hearted sigh. Throwing the blankets off of her, she got up out of bed and went over to her window. She drew back the curtains, unhooked the hatch, and pushed against the window glass.

Cool night air kissed Isabella's cheeks, as if it were trying to comfort her in its own way. She leaned against the window pane, sighing once again. She wished she was allowed to go and talk to her friend in person, but school rules said that no students were permitted to go anywhere on their own unless it was into the forest near the school or the Village of Book End. So in other words, there was no way she was ever going to talk to the only friend she'd had since childhood.

Tears threatened to fall. Isabella fought them back knowing from experience that Cerise was easier to wake up than she was and knew even the slightest sob from her would result in that.

Raising her head, she looked up at the starry night sky decorated with a beautiful full moon. She closed her eyes as memory after memory of flying through the air flashed through her head. She remembered when she would race her best friend or they would join hand-in-hand as they flew toward the sky. Toward a land where adventure never slept and magic never stopped flowing.

Isabella opened her eyes. Her wonderful memories of much happier and innocent times instantly faded away as though it were a mist travelling from one valley to another upon hearing her best friend's angry voice shouting the worst thing imaginable to her.

"I don't want to hear it, Ms. I Obey My Parents! I don't want to hear or see you for 'never after!"

Those words struck a fatal blow to Isabella's heart. Even now, she could feel it breaking even more than it had been. Had her worst fears finally come true? Were she and her childhood friend actually beginning to drift apart after promising each other to be together forever after?

'No! I refuse to believe it!' Isabella mentally scolded herself, shaking her head violently. There was no way that was going to happen … still, her friend had never been angry at her this long before…

Wind blew past her, almost beckoning her to turn around – which she did. Isabella's eyes fell upon one of the two photos resting upon the top of her bookshelf. She walked over, grabbing and staring it over intently.

The photo didn't contain just one picture within the frame she had it in, but several pictures put together. Photos that showed her and her friend through the years, from the time they met up to now. And in one corner, there was a little message in a heart that read "Best Friends Forever After – No Matter What".

Isabella's mental dam broke right then and there. She didn't understand why her friend was so angry with her so as not to hear her out on the whole rebellion at Ever After High and how she was a part of it.

'Why is this happening?'

Feeling weak in her knees, Isabella collapsed onto the floor.

'What's going to happen now?'

Her arms hugged the picture to her chest tightly.

'Are we really drifting apart?'

Isabella gasped for air, a helpless wail coming from her.

That very wail startled her roommate awake. Cerise quickly sat up in bed. When she saw Isabella on the floor sobbing and gasping for air, she grabbed her hood and put in on as fast as she could, dashing over to Isabella's side.

"Isabella? Isabella, what's wrong?" She asked worriedly.

Isabella continued to take in short breaths.

"Isabella, answer me!"

No answer. Cerise's heart pounded against her chest. Not knowing of what else to do, she stood up and ran out of the dorm to go get the only person she knew of that could possibly help at the late hour.

Almost as soon as she left, Isabella's whole body went limp.

Had to switch to Cerise's point of view near the end since I thought it would make things seem a bit more dramatic. Nobody judge. That's just how my logic works.