Melinda, ever confident in her new skater dress, leather vest and usual biker cap strode into chemistry class. Sliding into her spot next to Dalton she looked to the chalkboard only to internally kick herself.

Test Today!

Lucky for her she had a way out of the mess. Just after the test packets were passed out she went digging through her purse but her crystal ball was gone.

"Looking for something?" the teacher asked sternly, holding up her crystal ball, "Thank you Red it's gratifying to see someone still respects the honor code"

Red smirked at her.

"It'll be my recommendation that you are expelled"

"But-" she stood prepared to argue her way out.

"That isn't fair!" Dalton interrupted, "She clearly wasn't cheating since she didn't have that whatever it was"

"It's called a crystal-"

"You're not helping"

"Maybe she just needed a pencil?"

"Actually-"

"Seriously, don't help, please give her a chance, please"

"Well, if you can pass this test I'll return your property and let the matter drop"

…...


It appears I've been accepted as Shaggy's girlfriend. Or at least, his sister approves of me. The rest of the school seems to have settled into a quiet shock. Classes were dismissed after lunch so students could prepare for Family Day next week.

I miss my family. I wonder how they're doing? I hope they're okay. Someone might wonder how I could be homesick for the isle when I'm in Auradon but let me tell you it's very easy when your entire childhood consists of play-dates and storytime.

I miss them so much.

"Christina?"

The hybrid nearly jumped out of her skin at the hand on her shoulder. Turning she found Shaggy.

"Yes?"

"You're crying"

"Am not," she denied it even as a tear slid down her cheek.

"Yes, you are"

"I don't want to talk about it"

"That's okay, we don't have to" Shaggy sat beside her.

"Shouldn't you be helping in the courtyard?" Christina questioned.

"Like, I snuck away to see you"

The smile he gave her made her heart do funny things in her chest. He was only being so sweet because he was under a spell but that didn't stop the flips and flutters.

"How were your classes today?"

"Fine," she refused to focus on him, instead, turning her attention toward feeding the raven settled on her lap.

"I've like, seen some of your art, you should sign up for art classes, I think you'd like it"

"Really?"

"Yeah"

Not likely, but, she kept the thought to herself, feeding Shade the last of her sunflower seeds from lunch.

"Christina, will you go on a date with me tonight?"

Quickly schooling her features to hide surprise she nodded with a smile.

"Great," Shaggy smiled clearly over the moon, "I'll pick you up from your dorm in two hours"

"Shaggy you're needed!" Fred called.

"See you later, Christina, I love you"

As soon Shaggy was gone, Christina bolted to find Clawdeen and Melinda.

…...


When Melinda got her test packet back, her jaw dropped with surprise. She rushed to find Dalton.

Finding him outside eating a late lunch, she slid the test in front of him with a grin.

"You passed"

"I passed," Melinda grinned at the B written on the top.

"Maybe you'll get an A on the next test?"

"Maybe, if I remember to study"

"You wanna get together later and study for English?"

"Sure," Melinda slid onto the bench.

"THERE YOU ARE!" Christina stormed up, "I've been looking everywhere"

"Christy, what's the matter?"

"Shaggy asked me on a date"

"Don't worry we can handle this," Melinda stood, "See you later, Dalton"

"Later Melinda"

"C'mon," Melinda took Christina by the wrist, "We'll get Clawdeen to make you a dress and we'll do your makeup"

"What did I get myself into?"

…...


"Whoa," Christina put her hands up, "Enough with the makeup!" she pleaded.

"We've barely gotten started," Melinda protested, "I promise you'll look great"

"Swear it!"

"I swear on Ozma's crown that you'll look great"

Despite being unsure, Christina allowed Melinda to proceed, watching Clawdeen from the corner of her eye. The werewolf and her sewing supplies had taken over the desk. How someone could sew a dress in under two hours was lost on Christina who just chalked it up to practice.

Christina resigned herself to sitting perfectly still while Melinda did her best work. The minutes ticked by slow and silent.

"Nervous, Christina?" Melinda asked.

"No," Christina lied, her face masking the truth.

Whether Melinda believed her or not she didn't press the issue instead finishing up her work, gathering the makeup back into its case with a satisfied grin.

"Done!" Clawdeen lifted the newly completed dress, "What do you think?"

The dress was a deep purple made of a shimmery fabric that caught the light when it moved.

"Very nice," Christina gave the thumbs up, "I see the dragons you hid"

"I thought you'd like that"

"Go put it on!" Melinda pushed her toward the bathroom.

Christina obliged and stepped out with a spin so they could see.

"Take your hair down," Clawdeen suggested.

"Why?"

"Trust us"

With an eye-roll, Christina pulled her hair from its ponytail, "Better?"

"Much," Melinda guided her to the mirror, "Ta-Da!"

"Wow, I look..."

"Say it"

"Not hideous"

"Not even close"

There was a knock at the door. For a brief moment, Christina froze. She was officially stepping into strange, uncharted, maybe dangerous territory. With a deep breath, she steeled herself and pulled open the door to find Shaggy breathlessly waiting, his eyes widened when he saw her making her wonder if she looked okay before scolding herself. What did she care what he thought?

"For the first time I understand the difference between pretty and beautiful," he took her hand with a loving smile.

Why was her stomach so full of butterflies all of a sudden? Casting a final smile to her friends, they both waved goodbye with cheery smiles before shutting the door.

They're going to gossip the whole time, aren't they?

Keeping this thought to herself she asked Shaggy where they were headed as she hadn't been off school grounds since the museum that first night. She hadn't gone into town or anywhere crowded.

"Like, it's a surprise," he answered her.

Because that's reassuring.

Christina hated surprises. On the isle surprises were nothing short of trouble. Even though instinct was telling her to put as much distance between herself and the oncoming surprise as possible, she couldn't. One, because she needed the date to solidify that they were officially, secondly something about the way Shaggy looked at her made her legs turn to jello meaning they weren't fit to get her out of the situation. What was with that anyway? Did he have some sort of magic he was unconsciously using on her? A power he couldn't control?

Whatever the case, Christina tried to relax and let Shaggy guide her along, swinging their hands while they walked. They left the school far behind heading into the woods and along a dirt path.

"Tell me something no one else knows," he prompted her after a while.

"Um," Christina bit her cheek in thought, "My name was almost Mallory"

"Mallory?"

"Well, Grammy says so, she could be kidding but Mom doesn't deny it"

"Tell me something else"

"Like what?"

"Anything"

"Mom calls me Butterfly"

"Why?"

"She says I remind her of one"

Silence fell once more until Shaggy told her to close her eyes.

"Why?"

"Please, please, do it"

The things she was doing for this boy! Closing her eyes, Christina allowed him to lead her through the woods but if she fell on her face Shaggy was going to have some burnt fingers.

"Ready?"

She nodded.

"Open"

The scene that met her was breathtaking. White stone steps led to a grassy bank where a beautifully aged pavilion with carved columns, covered in ivy waited with a perfect picnic spread over a blue blanket.

There was so much food and all of it was fresh!

"Do you like it?"

"Yes"

"I'm glad"

Shaggy helped her down the steps and over to the picnic spot. Christina noticed right away how Shaggy who'd previously been so focused on his meals he hardly paid attention while eating was now intently focused on her. Telling her stories of life and school. Just meeting his eyes was getting hard to do with butterflies flitting about her stomach only multiplying every time she dared to meet his gaze. There was also, a less pleasant feeling, tugging on her heart with every minute that passed.

She didn't like it, not one bit.

It was much easier, also fun, to focus on the spread before her. Even the most delicate of bites however couldn't save her.

"Is this your first time?"

"What?"

"Eating a jelly doughnut"

"Is it bad?"

"You've got a little, here," he wiped it from her face.

"Can't take me anywhere I guess," she forced a laugh, getting the rest of it with a napkin.

"Like, I've done all the talking," Shaggy pointed out, "Tell me something"

"I'm an only child, home-schooled and have only lived in one place"

"You were like, homeschooled? Is everyone on the Isle?"

"No, there are at least three schools on the isle, Dragon Hall, Seaside Prep and, Witch academy, and I wasn't always homeschooled"

"What changed?"

"People"

an easy excuse to make.

"I was like, forced to go to private school for most of my life"

"Isn't Ever After High considered private school?"

"It was until Fairy Godmother suggested changing it"

"Ah"

For the first time since they'd sat down, Shaggy looked past her to the glassy water of the Enchanted Lake.

"Let's go for a swim"

"Right now?" Christina asked, squashing the fear that was beginning to creep in.

"Yeah, come on," he reached for her hand.

She kept out of his reach, "I think I'll stay here, Clawdeen will kill me if this gets wet," she fibbed.

"No, it'll be fun"

I'd rather just watch"

"Okay"

Shaggy ran to the far side of the lake, ducking into the foliage before reemerging on one of the large boulders, wearing swim-shorts.

Little crowns, Christina giggled.

Shaggy smiled and waved, she waved back. Then he turned his attention to the water letting out a howl that started out fake before coming eerily close to the real thing.

Odd.

Once Shaggy had splashed into the water, Christina leaned against the nearest column and tried to sort out the jumbled mess of feelings.

A million thoughts in my head

Should I let my heart keep listening?

'Cause up 'til now I've walked the line

Nothing lost but something missing

What was going on with her? Since their arrival, strange feelings had floated around. She was supposed to have a hard shell, walls to keep her safe but it was like they'd been steadily cracking, sliver by sliver. And shaggy, Shaggy was edging his way past.

I can't decide what's wrong, what's right

Which way should I go?

The sick tugging on her heart didn't come from their mission. It was an important one. They weren't doing it because they were evil they were doing it to show Auradon the truth but Christina knew the tugging, the weight on her heart had nothing to do with their mission and everything to do with Shaggy.

If only I knew what my heart was telling me

Don't know what I'm feeling, is this just a dream?

Ah-oh, yeah

If only I could read the signs in front of me

I could find the way to who I'm meant to be

Ah-oh, if only

If only

If only

The mere thought of him caused butterflies in her stomach, caused her knees to go weak. But why?

Why did he cause such things?

Every step, every word

With every hour I am falling in

To something new, something brave

To someone I, I have never been

Shaggy had a magnetism about him, something she was inexplicably drawn to. He made her feel safe, something she'd only ever felt with her family.

Why? Why did she like it so much?

I can't decide what's wrong, what's right

Which way should I go?

What was she going to do? This was a rare time when she was lost, she didn't have her parents to guide her nor would she ever dream of telling her friends.

If only I knew what my heart was telling me

Don't know what I'm feeling, is this just a dream?

Ah-oh, yeah

If only I could read the signs in front of me

I could find the way to who I'm meant to be

Ah-oh, if only

Yeah

That's when a thought struck her, could this be love?

No, no, she'd never had those feelings and she wasn't having them now.

Am I crazy?

Maybe we could happen, yeah

Will you still be with me when the magic's all run out?

Shaggy was under a spell. He didn't actually love her. He was just a means to accomplishing their goal.

So why did that make her feel sad?

If only I knew what my heart was telling me

Don't know what I'm feeling, is this just a dream?

Ah-oh

If only I could read the signs in front of me

I could find the way to who I'm meant to be

Ah-oh

If only, yeah

If only, yeah

If only, yeah

If only, if only

If only

Coming out of her thoughts, Christina realized Shaggy was nowhere to be seen. The water was still even the birds had gone silent.

"Shaggy?" she yelled but the only response was her own echo.

This was not good.

Seeing only one course of action, Christina descended the smoothly carved steps into the water, wishing that Clawdeen wouldn't chew her out later. All was well until she left the steps behind, the water rose far quicker than she thought. Struggling to stay above water she began to kick and flail, to overcome with shock to fly.

That's when Shaggy reappeared, wrapping his arms around her and carrying her from the water, setting her on the pavilion once more.

"You scared me!" she swatted his arm angrily.

"You can't swim?"

"No"

"You live on an island"

"With a barrier around it, remember?"

"And you still tried to save me"

"Yeah, do you thank me? No, all I get is soaking wet!"

"And, uh, this fancy rock," he handed her something that looked more like a gem than a plain old rock, "It's yours, make a wish and throw it back in the lake"

Christina chucked it into the water before moving back to the picnic.

Shaggy followed, concerned at her shivering. In one swift motion without disturbing anything, he yanked the blanket from under the food and draped it over Christina's shoulders before sitting across from her.

"Christina, I told you I love you, what about you? Do you love me?"

That was a complicated question for Christina who looked away in shame, "I-I don't know what love feels like"

"Maybe I can teach you," Shaggy said, guiding her to look at him.

Christina wasn't so sure.

…...


If there was one perk to being the Princess of Auradon it was having a private dorm. Sugie was sprawled across her bed when the door opened, Shaggy walking in.

"Hey, how was your date?"

"Christina spelled me"

"On the date?"

"No before the date, before the game, she gave me a cookie-"

"Laced with a love spell"

"Yup"

"What are you going to do? Kick her out? Start dating Googie again?"

"No, and no thank you because I like realized that I had those feelings before she gave me the spell, since she like, stepped out of the limo"

"whoa"

"I know, I'll tell her tomorrow-"

"No!"

"No?"

"If you do that you'll scare her off, or something"

"So I'm supposed to pretend I'm under a spell?"

"Yes and no, don't do anything off-putting, just continue seeing her"

"Right"

"So how was your date?" Sugie asked again, "You didn't tell me anything"

"Christina has a good heart, she's not evil"

"What brought you to that conclusion?"

"I went swimming, dove to the bottom of the lake. I like, must have been down there longer than I thought because Christina went in to save me but she can't swim"

"Really?"

"Yes"

"Wow"

"I want to like, do something for her but I like, don't know what"

"Clawdeen said Christina's really close with her family, ever notice that she avoids the family day prep?"

"So you like, want me to talk dad into-"

"No! Set up a video call or something"

"A video call," Shaggy pondered it, "Good idea, sis"

"Naturally"

…...


Christina was relieved to find the dorm room empty, Clawdeen's supplies cleared away, back to her room. A note left on the nightstand explained Melinda had gone to study with Dalton while Clawdeen went on a date. Good, Christina thought changing into her nightclothes before opening the window. The breeze brought the smell of flowers from the garden. Sweet as it was, Christina found herself sick, moving to shut the window. Before she could, however, Shade swooped in.

"Where have you been?" she smiled weakly, "Oh, Shade what am I going to do with myself?"

Shade wasn't blessed with speech but he communicated with her nonetheless, urging her to continue.

"I've made a mess of things, that is, I think I'm falling in love but I don't know I've only ever seen it I haven't felt it myself"

Shade made a nest of blankets while she settled into bed.

"I'm scared"