IMPORTANT: Okay, guys, Amy and I ran into a little issue and she is no longer able to help me write this story. The issue might get solved in a few weeks it might take months. I just don't know.
Anyway, my question to all our readers is: should I try to keep writing without her? Or should I leave the story unfinished?
If I continue to write the story I with have to take over writing her parts and her characters. given that, so far, we've written almost everything together the writing style will likely change without her input. I'll let you guys decide. Please, leave a comment on what you think.
Amy sat on the window sill going over plans for a party. They were in need of celebration and Amy was in need of dancing. Zach had left in his griffin form to do a few laps around the castle and Helena left for a moment to retrieve someone, specifically Dylan. Who had shown up a few days previously to Amy and Helena's dismay, or at least Amy's, Helena was neutral. He spent most of his time around Helena and they would rant excitedly over all of the weapons that lay scattered about. This meant Dylan had spent little to no time meeting anyone else. Which was fine for Amy, it meant she got peace and quiet.
As for everyone else, Mrs. Potts had been in the kitchen preparing the feast for the past week and after everyone's suffering, except Zach's, from Lumiere and Cogsworth arguing, she forced them to help her so she could keep an eye on them. Neal spent what time he could with Amy, as did John when he wasn't busy sketching or reading. Elizabeth and Loki, however, refused to leave their beloved library. Elizabeth spent her time reading all the lore from the land, while Loki was trying to figure out how to overthrow King Midas' kingdom for his gold and power.
I have so much I've got to organize, the table decor has to be decided on, which I'm not leaving that to Lumiere and Cogsworth again. That was a mistake. I need to figure out the music for the dances and what dances we're doing, as well as, the theme for the party. Which I can't decide, outside of a griffin. Maybe, I'll ask Zach. It's partially for him anyway. I also need to find a way to get Helena in a dress… yeah, no never mind, that won't happen. Amy sighed in her misery, "I'll probably never see her in a dress."
Helena entered the room with Dylan, "Who are you not going to see in a dress?" Helena raised her eyebrow at her.
"Who do you think?" Amy replied sarcastically.
"Me?" Helena asked, then seeing Amy's face confirmed her guess, "No, get that out of your head now."
Amy gave up, "Fine. Have it your way. I'm sorry for your future husband, who will have his bride walk down in a pantsuit."
"He'll live." Helena said sitting down, "Anyhow, I don't think I'll get that far with my mother unless we elope, which is always a feasible option."
"NO!" Amy reacted, "Please, please, have a wedding!"
"Why is it so important to you that I have a wedding? Anyhow, don't you have a party to plan?"
"Yes… fine, you win." Amy relented then turned her focus to Dylan who hadn't left the doorway and was glaring, "Seriously, Dylan? What's wrong now?"
He turned his attention to Amy and coughed, nodding to John, "What's he doing here?"
"Helping." Amy told him, then looked at Helena rolling her eyes, "Would you like to help as well?" Not this again… we broke up and he's still overprotective or really controlling, of me. I seriously don't get it. And honestly, I probably have Disney to thank for that.
Amy glared at Dylan hoping to get him to move on from the subject. Dylan restrained himself some and sat next to Helena, "You stay over there and away from her got it? Or you'll have to deal with me." He tried to become intimidating to which John just raised an eyebrow. Helena and Amy both glared at Dylan and Helena smacked him upside the head.
"For the millionth time! He wasn't the problem, you idiot!" Amy yelled at him, pinching her nose. "Back down. You're my ex, stop acting like my older brother please."
Zach flew in with someone on his back and with a bouquet of roses in his beak. Amy cocked her head to the side trying to figure out who the man was. He hopped off the griffin, who transformed into his human self, flowers in hand. The man turned to Amy and she recognized him immediately, "HUGO!" Amy jumped off the window sill to Helena and Dylan's horror and ran into her big brother's arms.
"Hey, sis! How's it going?" Hugo smiled.
"Great! Old man." Amy teased him, "We're planning a party!"
"Yes, I know. I'm old. I'm aged and weak! Please, if you would be so kind as to help this elderly man make it to the couch!" He groaned pretending to hunch over like an old man and reached out for Amy's arm.
Amy rolled her eyes at him, "You're not that old. Only a decade older than me. Tell me what it feels like to enter a new decade."
"Old. My bones ache." Hugo joked and shook his head. Amy had always teased him about his age, but he knew how to tease back. If Amy was being honest he started the teasing in his teens, when he used to tell Amy when she was messing with him to 'respect your elders' meaning him. Now, it was her turn to rub in her youth, but honestly, neither of them cared. It was a game for the two siblings. Hugo looked at Zach then smirked at Amy, "I think you have a gentleman caller. Excuse me." He passed Amy to sit next to John, the only person out of her friends that he had met.
"Helena, is this really happening?" Amy heard Dylan whisper to Helena, who Amy assumed rolled her eyes at him, not making a sound.
Zach smiled timidly handing her the bouquet, "Um… Amy, these are for you." Amy took them outwardly shy, internally squealing.
She giggled, biting her lip nervously, "Thank you."
He spoke hesitantly and slowly, "I was wondering if you would like to dance the first few dances with me and be my date to this party of yours."
"YES!" Amy yelled, then composed herself, "Yeah, sure that would be great."
"FINALLY!" Dylan yelled, "It took you two forever! I thought it would never happen!"
Both Zach and Amy turned to glare at him which only encouraged him. Amy lowered her voice to a threatening growl at Dylan, "I will throw you across the room with my magic."
"Nah, he's right. Zach, what took you so long?" Helena agreed with Dylan.
"Zach?" Dylan looked at Helena in shock, as he shifted the blame, "I told Amy to tell him months ago."
"No, you didn't!" Amy exclaimed, "Months ago you and I were passive-aggressively attacking each other."
"You were passive-aggressive. I was setting my boundaries." Dylan stated.
Says the one acting passive-aggressive and generally initiating it! Amy huffed, glaring.
"Are we going to get to planning now?" Helena asked, breaking up the two.
"Yes!" Amy answered, happy for any distraction. They spent two hours planning. Twenty percent of the time was spent planning, while the other eighty percent was taken up by bickering over the plans. Finally, the meeting dispersed and Amy went outside to spend some overdue quality time with her brother.
"That was a mess." Amy told Hugo as they sat under the shade of the only tree present.
"It was long. Ridiculously so…" Hugo sighed, "Anyhow, how are you doing? We haven't chatted in a while."
"Good for the most part I think." Amy replied, "Just feeling a little lonely for whatever reason. It's funny, you'd think with so many friends, I wouldn't feel this way." She let out a laugh.
"No, I get it." Hugo chuckled, "It's hard when everything seems uncertain and you don't know what you want. Career or otherwise." He nudged her teasingly.
Amy laughed, rolling her eyes, "Yeah, yeah."
"So do you like him?" Hugo pushed.
Amy blushed then shook her head, "Zach? I guess."
"That blush you gave shows otherwise." Hugo raised his eyebrow.
"Well, it's just… I guess it never felt like my decision. In a way, yes. I think I like him from what I've observed but, I don't know him. I like his family a lot! They're awesome! But, I don't want that to be the driving force. I'd be marrying him, not the family. And there seems to be so much riding on it. Helena, thankfully, seems okay with it and is playing neutral except to mess with Zach occasionally. But that's siblings for you. Sam is pushing it hard, sometimes I feel like I can't breathe. His parents seem to want me and are pushing a little and I don't want to know what would happen if Agnes found out. Plus Dylan seems enthusiastic and supportive about it and that makes me wary. He's my ex-boyfriend, why does he care so freaking much! He shouldn't right?"
"Sorry, who's Agnes?" Hugo asked for clarification. I just ranted about my ex getting involved in my love life and he wants to know who Agnes is? Ok… fine by me.
"It's his adorable little sister who adores me. She's seven and I don't want to break her heart. It feels like so much. It quickly went from being an interest to if this doesn't happen, how many people will be disappointed. I almost feel obliged to date him. I kind of want to, but I don't know which feelings or thoughts are mine anymore." Amy sighed letting all her pent-up problems out to her brother. Amy picked at the grass, pulling up blades and tying them in knots as she let herself daze, "I do like him though. He's funny. He's intelligent. He's good with his family and is respectful to them. He's great with the younger ones. He can be playfully violent but, at this point, I think that's just a Blake trait. Although, I have no idea where they got it from, neither of their parents are that way. And it's funny how flustered he'll get trying to talk to me. I try to help him out when I can. I just don't know how to make him feel comfortable."
"Well, he just gave you flowers and asked you to be his date. I don't think he's uncomfortable." Hugo reassured her.
"Yeah, but that seems out of character for him. Yes, I wanted him to do that but, I never thought he would. Not like that. In front of everyone. I don't know. He's more private than that. It doesn't make sense."
"Well, he asked you and you said yes. I think you're making progress. Now, before he gets to dance with you…" Hugo stood up and offered his hand, "Would you like to dance with me?"
"Love to! Do you remember the steps?" Amy asked.
"Are you kidding? Didn't I teach you the waltz?" Hugo asked as he brought her into a closed position.
"Yes, technically. But, I was on your feet most of the time, as I recall." Amy laughed at the memory of five or seven-year-old her on teenage Hugo's feet as they danced in the kitchen.
"Well, you're too big for that now." Hugo said and began leading.
"No kidding." Amy replied and he spun her. They danced for a while which then turned into sibling banter and they chased each other around the castle trying to put flowers and random greenery in each other's hair. Hugo finally won, tackling Amy to the ground and they lay there laughing.
Helena came out to usher them in for dinner, "Children! Time for dinner!"
"Great!" Hugo replied.
"Be right there!" Amy called to her, getting herself off the dewy grass and stretching.
Hugo groaned, "A little help please." He reached for her hand for support. Amy clasped both of his forearms and heaved him up. Hugo jumped a bit, "Thank you."
"No problem!" Amy clapped him on the back, "Let's eat!" She ran off to the front door of the castle, Hugo ran after her gaining speed and passing her.
Hugo looked over his shoulder when he passed, "Slowpoke!"
"Come on!" Amy pushed herself but this body was not as fit as the one she had back home. Even then, after months in a library, Amy would have lost some of the muscle and endurance she had built up. She sighed in annoyance and was panting by the time she caught up with Hugo in the dining room. Both of them had their hands above their head, slowing down their heart rate.
"Good race!" Hugo commented once he recovered enough to do so.
They both raised their eyebrows at each other in acknowledgment of the other. Amy breathed heavily and could only say, "Uh huh" in response. Amy placed her forehead on Hugo's shoulder for a moment because of a sudden onslaught of tiredness. She felt light-headed and dizzy. I need to sleep. When was the last time I slept again?
Amy picked her head off of Hugo's shoulder and rubbed her aching temples, her eyes began to strain. She felt a headache come on. "Hey, Helena, I think I'm going to go lay down. I'll have dinner later."
Helena turned to her with her pot of stew in hand, "No, you haven't eaten much today. Eat this small bowl of soup then, you can go to bed."
Amy thought about protesting but saw that Helena was firm in her resolve, so obliged her friend's request, "Okay." Amy took her seat next to Zach and across from Dylan.
Helena gave orders to Dylan before she returned to the kitchen, "I'll be out soon, but make sure she eats her food."
"Yes, Ma'am. You hear that?" Dylan asked Amy, treating her as the child or object he thought she was.
Amy glared at him, annoyed with the parent duo, specifically Dylan's part, happening at that moment. Yes, sir. She rolled her eyes in protest, aggressively, but slowly eating her food.
Dylan was appeased for the time being. Amy felt herself get better and angrier, as she ate but she was still exhausted. She threw her spoon down dramatically, "Great. I'm done. Goodbye!" She got up in a rush but not before Dylan stopped her.
"Excuse me." Dylan gave her a stern glare, "You forgot something." Jackass! I'm not your child! Amy turned to see her dishes on the table. She magicked them to the kitchen. You happy now? Leave me the hell alone. Amy glared at him and pushed past him. He grabbed her by her forearm, "Adjust your attitude, young lady. And stay away from her. Do you understand?"
"Whatever, Dylan. Just leave me alone." Amy sassed at him, "What happens between me and Helena is between me and Helena, just as what happens between me and you stays between me and you. You can't control people and never will. Goodnight." With that, Amy left the dining room not waiting for a response, and transported herself to her bed.
I can't do this anymore. I'm not strong enough. "Helena?" Amy whispered breathlessly, feeling Dylan's hand still gripping her arm and his manipulative tactics threatening to silence her forever. Wanting her friend close by, her only protection from him. Because he was afraid of her, or at least pretended to be for the time being. Thankfully, he was even more terrified of Zach, who was a black belt in a martial art, she couldn't remember which. However, she felt as though she couldn't keep fighting Dylan. Her mental and emotional strength was failing, but she knew if she acted out how she felt, she could and would lose friendships.
Zach knocked on her door, "Hey, so I kicked Dylan out to suffer in the cold. Might have injured him a bit. A little bruising, some blood." He stroked his chin, "Do you think I should have given him a medical kit or something? Eh, he'll live till morning."
Amy laughed knowing he had done none of that. She shook her head, "Very funny. We're not injuring him despite how much we'd like to."
"You're no fun!" Zach teased and pulled out her vanity chair to sit in, "Ooooh! A book." He took her writing off the vanity, "What is Jonathon doing right now? Being tortured. Why is he being tortured? Didn't he marry the Princess, what's her name?"
"Maria." Amy answered.
"Shh… spoilers!" Zach said, "Anyhow, wait she died? How did she die? You never wrote that!"
Amy facepalmed, "Look back a few pages, I explained everything!"
"No too much work." Zach decided, shaking his head at her, and sighed, "You really need to learn how to structure stories better."
"You need to learn to read them in order!" Amy reacted to the teasing, thoroughly enjoying it, "You went from the first book to the third and skipped the second of course you have no context!"
Zach just looked at her and shrugged, clearly enjoying antagonizing her. Amy, mildly annoyed with his teasing, said, "Just shut up and read."
"How can I do that?" He grinned ear to ear, "Shut up and talk. I don't think that works."
"Just read. Smart-aleck." Amy rolled her eyes and nestled in for storytime where Zach jumped around never finishing a scene.
Hope you enjoyed! Leave a comment!