"You knew that was about you the whole time." Chad accused, waiting until Ezekiel had vanished into the night.
"Yeah." Scarlett shrugged.
"Why didn't you say anything? We could have-"
"Could have what?" Scarlett turned to Ben. "Kept me locked up in the castle? He got into the castle, so that's not safe." She threw her hands up in frustration. "Ezekiel James has been a thorn in my side since I was twelve years old. I refuse to live my entire life in fear of him and his problems."
"He wrote a note to you in blood, that's more than a thorn in the side." Audrey pointed out.
"It was chicken blood. That barely counts." Scarlett sighed.
"Chickens are people too." Jane muttered.
"Wait- what?" Everyone stopped and looked at her. Jane blushed and shrugged.
"Well now we know the threat, I'll make sure the royal guard keeps an eye out for him. You'll be safe." Ben insisted.
"Right." Scarlett nodded. "I think I'm just going to head back to the school. You guys… have fun." Audrey started to follow but Scarlett turned back to her. "Alone." She added. Audrey slowed to a stop, frowning as Scarlett walked off.
"Hey!" Chad ran after her, Scarlett kept walking, doing her best to ignore him but, turned out the prince was surprisingly fast. He caught up with her, grabbing her arm. She stopped, looking back at him.
"What?" Scarlett asked, her perfect night had been ruined, by the same person who had been ruining her life for as long as she could remember.
"Why didn't you tell us about this? About any of this? Especially after the threat in the school?"
"Ezekiel already scared off my childhood friends. I didn't want him to run you guys off too." Scarlett admitted, looking up at him. "You and Audrey… He has taken so much from me, I wasn't about to let him take you guys too." Chad frowned, looking at her a moment before stepping forward, wrapping his arms around her. He held her tight, pressing his lips to the top of her head.
"Audrey and I aren't going anywhere." He promised her. Scarlett finally relaxed, wrapping her arms around his waist.
"He is the worst." She whispered.
"Ben will keep him away." Chad insisted. Scarlett stepped back and shrugged.
"We'll see about that. No one has ever, to my knowledge been able to stop Ezekiel James when he wants something." She shook her head,
"We will." He started towards the school, Scarlett walked alongside him, not even a little bit convinced of that. "Scarlett?"
"Yeah?"
"This Friday… wanna go on a date?"
"Okay, time to spill the beans."
"What?" Scarlett looked up after Audrey burst into the room.
"Spill the beans, all of them. Tell me about tall dark and creepy, tell me about you and Chad, I need details." Audrey jumped up on the bed where Scarlett had been reading.
"I- Okay it's a long story so let's start with Chad." She didn't really know what to tell Audrey about Ezekiel just yet.
"Fine." Audrey agreed, leaning in, excited.
"He asked me on a date." Scarlett had changed out of her clothes and was in a pair of silky red pajamas, she toyed with the end of her PJ shirt, running her fingers over the smooth fabric.
"Wait- really?" Audrey gasped, "And you said yes."
"I said-"
"Please tell me you said yes, Scarlett you and Chad are so cute together, I mean, I see the way you look at him and the way he talks about you and please-"
"The way he talks about me?"
"Yes, When he talks about you he smiles, not that stupid prince smile either but a big, honest, genuine smile that just lights up the room. The kind of smile he only gets when talking about you and his full length mirror."
"I told him yes, I'd go on a date with him." Scarlett finally confirmed. Audrey screeched.
"I knew it! And that kiss, I saw that kiss."
"He's a pretty great kisser." Scarlett confirmed, blushing and looking down.
"Ugh, you two are just adorable. Promise me I'll be your maid of honor."
"My maid of what now?" Scarlett asked.
"At the wedding, when you become Scarlett Charming, promise me that I will be your maid of honor."
"I am not marrying Chad. Doesn't he have to marry a princess anyway?"
"No, Scarlett, that's such dated thinking. Belle wasn't a princess and she married King Adam." Audrey pointed out. "I mean, both my parents were royalty, but they didn't know that when they met. Chad's mother, Cinderella wasn't royalty. It's been… decades since it was required for Royalty to marry royalty."
"Oh… Well just… trust me, The Charming family wouldn't approve of me and my Countryside ways." Scarlett shook her head, closing the book and tossing it to the side. It was the play they were reading for class. "Anyway, tell me about you and Jay. You guys looked pretty cozy on that ride."
"I… might have told him I hate heights just so he'd hold me close."
"I don't think you'd need to lie to him to get him to hold you. Just say 'Jay, darling Jay, hold me'." Scarlett gasped dramatically and flopped down on the bed next to Audrey, who laughed and shoved her.
"You're being ridiculous," Audrey grinned.
"Yeah, but I'm okay with that." Scarlett poked Audrey's leg.
"Jay is into Lonnie anyway. I don't think he'd want to go out with me."
"Then he's going to be missing out on the best princess in the school." Scarlett rested her chil on Audrey's leg. Audrey smiled and stroked Scarlett's dark hair.
"Lonnie's really pretty."
"She is." Scarlett agreed. "But if he misses out on a chance for something with you, then it's his loss, you're amazing, Auds."
"Thanks, Scar." Audrey smiled softly. "Okay, now, tell me all about Ezekiel."
A/N - After all the drama I needed some cute moments. You know? And Scarlett and Audrey being the best Besties. Reviews, favorites and follows are always appreciated! I'm also thinking about changing my username. So if you see this same story with a new author on it, that would be why!