Raven woke up at 5pm, the sun hadn't even risen yet, this was the first day at Ever After High that she hadn't been woken up by Apple's voice. She wanted to get a head start on their project. She brushed her teeth, took a shower, and dressed up in casual Thursday clothes (at least for her). A black tank top that had the words BOYS NEED TRAINING written on it in silver, a plaid, lavender miniskirt, and fake dragon scale boots with plastic dragon skull bows on it. She straitened her hair and tied ribbons into her ebony locks and pulled them into a long braid. She placed a blue, white headband with a dragon skull bow on it on her head and put on a black leather jacket that had the words girls rule the world highlighted in white on the back. She grabbed her guitar, unlocked Cedar's drawer drew out the mirror pad with all the videos and pics and left a note explaining why she took it, she took her songbook and sketchbook, she grabbed the magical photo album, put it all in her silver satchel, and darted down the halls of Ever After High. Although curfew wasn't up yet Raven was drawn to the beauty in the moon, in her personal opinion inspiration was a reason to break the rules.

Raven spent the early morning jotting down song ideas and drawing fashion sketches inside her notebooks. In record time she had finished two whole fashion lines, and had five melodies that were a bit edgy but with a little work could be turned into perfection. This was the real Raven, the Raven she wanted people to see her as, the Raven her friends were trying to get people to see, the girl that loved to paint her BFFA's toenails and braid her cousins' hair, the girl who wouldn't fight without talking, the girl who's voice made her who she was, the princess with an weird passion for edgy fashion. She wasn't asking people to see her as perfect, because she wasn't perfect, but nor was she evil, she just wanted people to see her for who she truly was. Raven was a sweet, kind, beautiful, girl, she was blessed with many gifts and few knew her for who she was. The only people who treated her normally were her BFFA's and her family. Raven missed her family, her father, her mother, and her cousins especially, they made Raven feel different, yet normal too. Her cousins played with her when the other kids shunned her, they made her laugh when she felt like crying, they listened to her sing and what she had to say. They were her best friends in the whole wide world and there were lots of them. Raven opened up the magical photo album. It was filled with pictures of her and her family. Her cousin, Antandra teaching her how to hula hoop while jump roping and blowing bubbles with gum, her first music video, a cover of rude by Magic, with her big cousin Gracie's best friend MattyS, the time during Halloween when her and her cousins Madison, Gracie, and Olivia, dressed up as Egyptian princesses calling themselves the Rejection girls to become boy repellent (which was a total wipeout fail and they ended up staying in for Halloween watching cartoons), her graduating from the eighth grade, her winning the professional basketball game for the Ever After fairytales when she was nine. Raven remembered her first competition as a professional grimmnast when she was two, the time Daring tried to prove that Raven did have a crush on him by dating her cousin Olivia to make her jealous when they were in the 3rd grade (which BTW totally backfired on him). She looked through the album filled with her childhood, she even got to see her mother's only sincere smile, the day that she was born. The picture of her mother's face when she held her newborn baby girl made Raven cry, it's was what set the trigger of happiness and sadness at the same time. Raven missed her mom so much, but she also knew she would be getting to talk to her for the first time since she was six years old.

Raven drew out her guitar and began to play a song, one of her personal songs that she wouldn't share with anyone, not even Maddie. Dexter walked around the school grounds, he knew that breaking the curfew was a big risk, not only was he risking dungeon detention but if his father found out he might as say well say goodbye to his head. Dexter although felt as though he had a good reason to break the rules. He was thinking about his destiny, what he be going through with if he signed the book next year. He was also thinking about how if he did sign the book he could possibly be letting his dream girl slip through his fingertips. Raven Queen was the most gorgeous girl he had ever met and she seemed so smart, courageous, edgy, sweet, kind, she had inner and outer beauty which is what made his heart skip a beat. He wished she wasn't destined to be evil though, he could tell that she wasn't really looking forward to poisoning Apple and he wished he had enough courage to tell her how amazing he thought she was. For weeks he had been trying to summon the courage to talk to her but he was way too nervous, soon he just decided to give up. He was walking around the enchanted forest's story tree when he heard singing. It was definitely a girl, and she had a wonderful voice even if it kept cracking, like she was holding back tears. Dexter followed the melody, he was about to confront the girl, but when he saw who it was he chickened out. Raven Queen was singing beautifully, and no he wasn't scared she was going to curse him, he was just scared he would screw up his chance of becoming friends with her, and possibly something more. No, he couldn't take a chance he just hid in a bush, listening and watching.

Like a small boat

On the ocean

Sending big waves into motion

Like how a single word

Can make a heart open

I might only have one match

But I can make an explosion

And all those things I didn't say

The wrecking balls inside my brain

I will scream them loud tonight

Can you hear my voice this time

This is my fight song

Take back my life song

Prove I'm alright song

My powers turned on

Starting right now I'll be strong

I'll play my fight song

And I don't really care if nobody else believes

Cause I've still got a lot of fight left in me

Losing friend and I'm chasing sleep

Everybody's worried bought

In too deep

Say I'm in too deep

It's been eight years

I miss my mom

But there's a fire burning in my bones

I still believe

Yeah I still believe

And all those things I didn't say

The wrecking balls inside my brain

I will scream them loud tonight

Can you hear my voice this time

This is my fight song

Take back my life song

Prove I'm alright song'

My power's turned on

Starting right now I'll be strong

I'll play my fight song

And I don't really care if nobody else believes

Cause I've still got a lot of fight left in me

A lot of fight left in me

Like a small boat

On the ocean

Sending big waves into motion

Like how a single word

Can make a heart open

I might only have one match

But I can make an explosion

This is my fight song

Take back my life song

Prove I'm alright song

My power's turned on

Starting right now I'll be strong

I'll play my fight song

And I don't really care if nobody else believes

Cause I've still got a lot of fight left in me

No, I've still got a lot of fight left in me

Dexter felt like mush. Falling in love was the worst and best thing that has ever happened to him. For a second he just stared at her, her beautiful violet eyes, her perfectly placed braid with two curls standing in front of her ears, her berry colored lips, how even though tears were streaming down her face she still looked perfect in every way. His thought were interrupted by a bubbly Hatter. "Hi Dexter whatya doin'?" Maddie voice nearly made him jump right out of his pants. "Maddie? What are you doing here?!" he whisper shouted. "Oh, I was just looking for Raven and what are you doing here my delightful fri..." "Shh!" he said pulling her into the bush. "What are you doing here?" Maddie whispered, but Dexter once again got lost in the sparkle of Raven's eyes. "What are you looking... Oh, I see, you like her." Those words certainly got Dexter's attention. "What! No I don't!" he nearly screamed. "Don't try to hide it from me, I can tell when someone has a mega, mega, giant teacup sized crush, and you definitely have one," she said. Dexter blushed bright red. "Don't worry I won't tell anyone," Maddie said. "Hello, is there anyone there?" Raven called out. Maddie and Dexter froze, they both knew Raven was a curious girl, and she asked a lot of questions, if she found them she would crack it out of them somehow even if it meant literally cracking them, there was no way they could hide Dexter's crush on her for long if she found them. "Anyone there? Hello!" she called one more time. "Huh, must've been the wind," she told herself as she packed her stuff. She looked around one more time and went back to Ever After High to help Hagatha make breakfast. Dexter and Maddie exhaled, that was a close call. "Well, see you later Dexter and I'll try to get Raven to notice you," Maddie said. "Thanks but no thanks, I think I might a pass out if she actually talked to me," Dexter said. "Ok, suit yourself silly," she waved and skipped back to school. Dexter took another lap around the enchanted forest, he needed time to clear his thoughts.

Raven, Briar, Darling, Cedar and Maddie met up at breakfast. "Hey guys," Raven said, "I have some ideas for our outfits on the music videos. The girls looked at each other and Raven looked at her down at her toes. It suddenly occurred to Briar that they had probably hurt Raven's feelings. "If you guys don't wanna see them it's o..." Raven started but Briar cut her off. "No, no, no, we wanna see them, who knows, they could be the most incredible designs we've ever seen," she said. All the girls nodded and fake smiled hexcept for Cedar. "I don't know, they could be a little dark don't you think?" Cedar said. Darling elbowed her. "Sorry, but I cannot tell a lie." "C'mon let's just take a look at them, who knows they could give us ideas," Maddie said and the other girls nodded. Raven timidly opened her sketchbook and the girls gasped in awe. "These dresses are amazing Raven! Take that from the honest puppet," Cedar said and the other girls nodded. "Now that my friend is talent," Briar added.

Raven, Briar, Darling were about to go and talk about their project when Blondie and Apple pulled them aside. "Guys, do you wanna see our routine for our parents day project?" Apple asked. "Yeah, it's about good princesses," Blondie said pulling an emphasis on good and for a split second glaring at Raven. "Sure," Darling and Briar said trying to sound excited. "Not really," Raven said giving them a blank expression. Briar stepped on her foot and Darling jabbed her in the ribs. "Ouch!" "How fairest, it's about the battle between good and evil, Raven you're going to just love the evil character!" Apple exclaimed. "Do I really have to watch this?" Raven asked. Darling stepped on Raven's other foot and Briar jabbed the other side of her ribs. "Would you cut that out!" Raven shouted. "So Apple who exactly is the main antagonist?" Darling asked. "I'd rather not find out," Raven sang. "Who's the protagonist?" Briar questioned. "Well here's a hint, it's from Apple's favorite story," Blondie said. "Am I even in this conversation?" Raven asked. "It's the fairytale that I come from," Apple said. "Apparently not," Raven grumped. "We're gonna do a Snow White play!" Apple squealed. "So, since I have no part in this what- so-ever I'm just gonna, go talk to that guy even though I have no idea who he is," Raven was about to march over to Dexter, start up a conversation with him to try and drop the subject of Snow White even if he was probably as stuck up as Daring. "What! You are not stepping out of here! Your going to play the Evil Queen, remember?" Blondie sneered. "Say what now?" Briar said. "Your suppose to be doing a project with us!" Darling glared. "Hey, don't get mad at me! I didn't know about this either. When did I agree to this?" she turned to Blondie. Blondie gave her a 'duh' type look. "We don't need to ask, witches are suppose submit to authority, which in your case is me along with all the other princesses," she said. Darling, Apple and Briar's jaws dropped, Raven's fury rose, Blondie glared, now this is what you call drama. They weren't the only ones listening in, the whole class turned to watch how this story unfolded including the teachers. Daring started to film, "This will be great for my mychapter page," he snickered. "Hexcuse me?" Raven fumed, "What did you just say?!" Everyone took a step back, nobody wanted to be hit with a lightning bolt. "Are you kidding me? First of all I'm not a witch. Second of all your not a princess. Who exactly do you think you are?" she yelled. "I am a princess and you are a witch, you are actually trying to poison my best friend, your wearing a shirt that says boys need training but both of us no that you need it more than they do," she said. The crowd oohed, this was going south real fast. Raven was fighting back tears, why couldn't people treat her like she was actually a person. "Whoa, Blondie that's a little mean, don't you think?" Briar said. Darling joined in, "Yeah, that's not true first of all, why would you say that." Blondie simply ignored them, "why would you poison such an awesome person just because you want to be the fairest of them all, you can't be the fairest of them all! You are way too awful, you deserve to be treated like an animal!" Raven was now full blown crying. "I haven't poisoned anyone, if anything I've been trying my best to show you who I truly am but that's not good enough is it? You Royals are always saying 'follow your story! Follow your story' and when somebody follows their destiny you jump all over them! Your not treating me like a wild animal, in fact I'd rather be treated like an animal than what I'm suffering from now! Do you know what it's like to lose your mother when your six and then have to live with the truth that she's never ever after coming back? That everyone will hate you no matter how nice you try to be? That how much you love people they will never love you back! Apple wants me to poison her, but I didn't want to feel all the pain I've been feeling since I stepped out of my castle for the first time! My parents and family has always been telling me to stay strong, but it's really, really hard, especially when your in the fairytale world. You read the books and think 'oh it's all just hearts and kisses and true love' but it isn't, it's the real world and the real world is horrible. My life is worse than you can ever imagine and you know what, it's not going to get any better. My mom followed her path and look where she is now, if I follow my path I'm probably going to end up right next to her, six feet deep. I don't want to be the fairest of them all, but I don't want to be the unfairest of them all either. You of course wouldn't know about what I'm talking about through, right? Your one of those people aren't you? You have a perfect life, you get to break into a person's house, destroy everything and you still get a happily ever after, yet all Ramona wants is pastries and she has to suffer for it!" Raven buried her hands in her face, this is probably the most miserable Raven's felt since her mother was captured. Raven always tried her best to ignore the nasty comments but they still got to her, Raven had finally cracked and it was for everyone who on fairytube to see. People's mirrorphones were out filming Raven's epic meltdown and everyone knew that it was going to go viral. Briar and Darling were trying to calm Raven down and it was starting to work, hexcept Apple spoke up. "Raven, you didn't have to say that you know, it's not Blondie's fault that you don't get a happily ever after." "Oh, and it's mine, this is always how the story goes, Raven sticks up for herself one time and suddenly she's the bad guy!" Raven yelled. "Raven, I'm not saying that at all, sure Blondie may have been a little... blunt but..." "Blunt, are you kidding? You actually believe all that dragon spit she was saying. You think that I'm just a wild animal with an attitude, a witch. Apple I want you to get your happily ever after but sometimes you and your friends act like the least fairest of them all I've ever met, including my mother." The whole room gasped. "Open your eyes for once, while your living the good life there are people that will be suffering because of destiny. Why is it that you act like I don't have feelings, I have a heart too and my heart is telling me that destiny is out to destroy me, the true me. I hate rats, I'm terrified of spiders, I can't read the boogeyman without shrieking and having nightmares for days. You are the prettiest princess I've ever met, and I admire that, but I wish I could admire the way you treat people, thank you so much for standing up for me when we were little, but I feel like you've changed. I'm not sure if you care about what happens to the other fairytales, and I'm sorry to say this if you do, my mother talked about how selfish I was... I have feelings to and they are so beat up right now that I just can't bear to look at a picture of my mother, to be honest I haven't had a good night's sleep since I got here. Maybe it's just me, but I think that the Storybook of Legends does more harm than good." Raven sniffled and wiped her eyes. She grabbed a red rose from the plant next to her, Raven placed the rose in Apple's hair. "No matter what anyone says, your like a red rose, starts out edgy, but is beautiful and amazing, don't let anyone tell you otherwise. And for poisoning you in the future, I'm sorry, the reason my mother poisoned your mother, is because she didn't want to face the fact that she was as incredible as she is, and everyone knows that you two are replicas and perfect and no matter what anybody tells you are amazing. Do not, I repeat, do not let anyone tell you that your less than perfect cause your not, and if I tell you that you are, please forgive me. I have to go." Raven grabbed her guitar and bag and ran, but she was too melancholy to notice that the photo album slipped out of her bag.

Raven sprinted she was trying her best to get anywhere but where Ever After High. The bell rung but nobody stepped out the doors until she ran through the front doors. Faybelle Thorn followed her waiting for her to screw up and she got her wish. Raven tripped on a stump and fell into the mud and tumbled into the lake. One of Raven's many blessings that she considered curses, Raven had naturally curly hair, so after ten seconds of her hair getting wet Raven's hair went back to it's original form. Raven's makeup was ruined, she was dirty, and Faybelle caught it all on film. "Yoo-hoo Raven," Faybelle called. "Look, this video is so going on fairytube!" she said showing her the video. "This is going to hit you so hard your grandchildren are going to feel it!" she sneered. Within seconds the video was on fairytube and had already gotten 7,000 views the likes were soon to come. "Guess what queeny, your the laughing stock of Ever After High! Ha ha ha!" Tears were welling in Raven's eyes. She ran back to the school and she was running she saw pointing and laughing. She ran her room slammed and locked the door behind her. She took a shower, changed clothes, and plopped on her bed. She was exhausted, embarrassed, sad, and angry, she didn't want anything to do with Ever After High or the Storybook of Legends or her life, she just wanted to leave, to a place far, far away, a place that people accepted her, but she knew that wouldn't be happening anytime soon. She just laid there thinking and then everything went black.

Raven woke up in a daze, in a cabin small bed. Suddenly little men walked into the room, seven to be precise. "Hello Snow, did you have a good rest?" the sleepy one asked. Raven turned around to see who she was talking only to realize he was talking to her. "Me?" she said. "Yes, you," said the one who was frowning. "Um, Snow are you feeling okay *achoo*!" The silent one hoped on the table next to her, put his hand to her forehead, and whistled to the others. "Your right she may not have a fever but she sure is hot, heh never heard of hot snow before!" laughed the one with the creepily sincere smile. Raven thought, Why do they keep calling me Snow, where am I, where is everyone and who are these dwarves... Dwarves? Dwarves! Of course! I'm in the story of Snow White! Oh no! I'm in the story of Snow White! When Apple finds out she's so gonna kill me! "Snow, we're gonna go get some herbs for medicine. You just lay there and we'll be back soon," Sleepy said. The dwarves left and Raven sat on the bed. She decided she'll just explain she's in the wrong fairytale and they could help her get back to Ever After High.

She decided she'll just explain she's in the wrong fairytale and they could help her get back to Ever After High

Raven was sitting there for a couple of minutes when she heard a knock at the door. When she opened it she saw an old lady standing there. "Hello dear, would you like to buy a candy apple?" Ah, the old eat my poison apple well Raven... whoops I mean 'Snow' won't fall for that one. Wait did she just take the poison candy apple? Man I should have paid more attention in History of Tall Tales. "Here's some money, thank you," she said. "Oh don't thank me dearie, your gratitude is thanks enough," she said and laughed with a hint of evil in her voice. Raven shut the door and as soon as the witch was out of earshot she mocked. "Oh please, I'm not that stupid, I've read this story like a gazillion times, bye-bye poison apple," she said and then dumped in the trash. She then heard a voice, a cackling, I don't think so ,Snow it said. A purple smoke surrounded the room and her mother appeared. "Hello, Snow White, or should I say Snow Sleep, c'mon dearie eat the apple," she said. "NO!" Raven said. She threw a pillow at her and ran for about 3 miles. She stopped to take a breathing rest, but as soon as she stopped a purple smoke surrounded her. "Don't try to run, just eat the apple, it's the ticket to your happily ever after," said the Evil Queen. Those words echoed in Raven's head. Even if she didn't like boys in anyway she could still be good, live in this world forever after, be the sweet ruler she wanted, but then she thought about her friends back at Ever After, the people she would be giving up. Cedar, Maddie, Darling, Briar, Kitty, her cousins, the Cook twins, her father, the guards, the only sight of her mother she's seen since she was six, Raven realized how much she would be giving up all to get a happily ever after that wasn't even hers. Raven looked the Evil Queen strait in the eye, "I will never eat that apple," Raven said. The Evil Queen gave her a sly smirk, "Wrong choice," she said. The Evil Queen's hands started to glow and Raven couldn't control her body. She reached for the apple, "No! No! I can't eat it! No! NOOOOOO!" Raven woke up sweating from head to toe, it was worse than when she had nightmares about Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. She looked over to her desk, she was suppose to read the story of Snow White for the history of tall tales. Raven sat down and read the book over and over again, it was a terrible book, Raven wondered how she could Apple could want this, she couldn't comprehend it. Raven read it at least 9 times crying every time.

Raven was reading Snow White for the tenth time when she heard a knock on the door. "Raven, sweetie are you okay?" Ashlynn Ella called. "Yeah, I'm fine," Raven sniffled. "Could you open the door Raven?" Maddie called. "Coming," she said. When she opened the door Kitty, Maddie, Briar, Ashlynn, Holly, Cedar, and Darling were standing there holding a bunch of bags. "Hey, you feeling okay?" Holly asked. "Yeah, I'm fine, just... frustrated," Raven said. "Look, Blondie didn't mean all the stuff she said and she feels really bad about it, here she told us to give you these," Briar said handing her the shopping bags along with the rest of the girls. Raven opened a bag and gave the girls a 'what kind of joke is this?' look. "Dark, dandy shampoo guaranteed to make your minions faint? Sparkle crown, show those princesses what for? The skull is always right conditioner? What is this stuff?" she said. "Oh sorry, that's from Apple," Maddie said taking the bag,"she said that all good sorceresses should have the right hair products." Raven opened the other bags, they had a bunch of muse-ic equipment and gift cards to the Pied Piper's music store. "Tell both of them thanks, and that I really appreciate it. Right now what I need is alone time," said Raven. "Okay, we'll check on you tomorrow, see you round," Holly said. "Don't worry Apple and Blondie really are sorry about what they said, they know that it really isn't true," Ashlynn said and followed Holly out the door. "See you later Ravie, don't worry it's a Hatter's promise to never ever after abandon their BFFAs," Maddie said hopping on her head out the door. "See you later Raven, oh and here's a hocus latte Apple told me to give you with an apology, salted caramel, your favorite," Briar gave a slight wave and headed out the door with the rest of the girls. "Raven your videos went viral, and I cannot tell a lie a lot of the comments weren't very nice, but trust me most of them weren't true, you may not be perfect but you are wicked awesome," Cedar said. "Thanks Cedar." Cedar gave her a hug and left along with the other girls.

That night Raven had several nightmares, coming to school without pants, kissing Daring Charming, sleeping on a bed of spiders, being eaten by a giant bone rat, the boogeyman catching her, nightmare after nightmare, but the one that scared her the most was the one where she followed her destiny and became the Evil Queen, hexactly like her mother, but she was still the same person on the inside.

That night Raven had several nightmares, coming to school without pants, kissing Daring Charming, sleeping on a bed of spiders, being eaten by a giant bone rat, the boogeyman catching her, nightmare after nightmare, but the one ...

I did it, I lost my fight with destiny.

Raven woke up and sobbed. Life as a future evil queen is hard, but then again life as a teenage girl is hard. I guess all life is hard. "Wow," Raven said. "It's a hard knock life.