Reviews:

RavenQueenFan2605 - I agree completely, they both do need hugs! XD I'm not very sure of what the pairings are in the story. It seems to me, they're all trying to focus on the issues at hand, hahaha. However, there's been droppings of 'Dizzie' and maybe some future 'Dapple' or something of the like, it's more so exploring possibilities. I never ever have a story planned out before writing it, so I'm just as entertained as you readers! XD Kameron the God of Fairytales - Right and right again, but you'll just have to read on to find out that part ;D

Thank you everyone for the continuous support,

it's always appreciated.

I hope you guys never forget that, :)

~ CreativeWritingSoul

~ Chapter Nine: Accurate Acquaintance ~

"Daring please, it's been a few days. . ."

I groaned softly, who was bothering me now? At first it was my father, then my mother, Clara tried to pick my lock, someone else tried and now who was bothering me? "Leave me alone." I told whoever it was. It didn't matter, just that my request had been fulfilled.

"It's me, Darling. You need to come out, maybe have something to eat? I can't imagine you're feeling very well without any nutrition."

She did have that right, I felt nothing but burning and nauseousness in my stomach – but I couldn't bring myself to do something as simple as eat. I felt like mourning. Mourning what, I'm not sure. Dexter was still alive, I knew he was because even he tried my door earlier. At least I think he did.

The thought felt even more nauseating. I wanted to grab a pair of scissors and just stab at myself. I couldn't get over how blind I had been.

"Daring? Answer me please."

I wasn't going to answer – not to grasp all and any attention I was being given, just because I didn't want to. Couldn't they see that I wanted nothing to do with any of it?

"Do you know what day it is today?" She asked from the other side of the door, I opened the drawer of my nightstand, grabbing my hand-held device and turned on the cellular phone. A few moments later I was going through the calendar – I hadn't missed anyone's birthday, it wasn't a holiday – what was she getting at? "Today marks the day before we start school again, isn't that hexciting? You get to see all your friends at school soon. Dexter is certainly looking forward. I wouldn't mind grabbing myself a new pair of shoes tomorrow. After I rock the ones Dex gave me a couple weeks ago."

I'm glad she's looking forward to everything, despite not sharing her enthusiasm I let her carry on talking about whatever after. I wasn't going to crush her dreams, sometimes it was better to let a girl dream.

Now I had to deal with the burden of going back to campus – who would I be roomed with this year? I sighed, rubbing my throbbing temples. Was it bad that I wanted this year to be over before it even began?

"Welcome one, welcome all to a brand new year at Ever After High! You may see some new faces about, you may recognize some faces – please don't hesitate to reach out and make a new friend this year!" Baba Yaga told the entire school of us students brightly, what I know of her - she would never advise against not making a friend – something about how the students could learn many things about each other by befriending. She was all for fairytale sturdiness but at the same time, her biggest happiness was seeing the whole lot of us happy, whichever after the outcome was.

Maybe I needed to pay her a visit, feeling so insecure about nearly everything – I wasn't in any shape to be here right now, but who missed the very first day of school since having the summer off?

"Now students, if you head over to the registration table you can find your roommates, get your schedules and settle down before the first day of school tomorrow! May all your dreams come true and all the best for the new school year!"

I shouldn't have to do much finding, Hopper has been my roommate thus far, I can't see it being anyone else. Besides, I'd feel a bit more comfortable around here if I did see him. Looking out amongst the crowd, I didn't see him right off.

"Hi Daring!" I nearly jumped out of my skin, he looked at me momentarily. "Didn't mean to scare you, are you alright?"

That wasn't even something I could answer myself. "Uh, sure. For the most part, yeah. Uh, do you know where our room is?"

Hopper nodded, good – at least our dorm rooms didn't change. "It's a different room, but we're still roommates, only those who applied for different roommates, might have gotten the chance. But as far as I know, we're still roomies." He awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck. "I thought you might've applied for a different roommate though."

I raised a brow, "You thought I'd apply for a different roommate? Why on earth would I do that?" I asked him, watching how he seemed quite unsure of himself. To spare him more awkward gestures and spare parts of sentences, such as 'Erm', 'Um', 'Ah' – I decided to carry on. "I wouldn't ask for another roommate, you're just fine my friend." I told him truthfully, Hopper had never participated in anything that hurt me, or angered me in any manner.

"Alright well, did you grab your schedule yet?" He asked me.

I searched around, "No."

"Good, because I grabbed it for you."

He handed me my schedule and I took it graciously, "Good fellow, thank you. I appreciate it."

Whilst we avoided the crowds, he tried to figure out where hexactly our room was located with a map of the entire campus. "I'm pretty sure it's either upstairs or in one of the off-buildings altogether."

I scrunched my nose, "I hope it's not here, I'd rather not have student body noise interrupt my beauty sleep."

Hopper laughed, "You need that?"

I smirked and blushed. "I suppose not."

After what seemed to take forever, we were standing outside the all-familiar male dormitory. I received my wish of our room not being in the center of the bustle of school – that was perfect in itself. "So. . . I notice that you didn't arrive with Apple. Last year you did." He does seem like the observing type.

I shrugged it off, "No, I didn't."

Hopper received the hint that I didn't want to talk about it, but then I couldn't help myself after we'd gotten to the dorm room, I felt the urge to spill everything.

"I've had the strangest summer Hopper, I don't even know where to begin."

He didn't run, or even act awkwardly. He just sat down on the bed adjacent from mine and seemed intrigued. He didn't push, he just sat – listening.

"I've been texting a girl all summer, we finally met up a few nights ago and I can't stop thinking about her. But that's the least of my worries," much to my confusion, this was a lot easier than I thought it would be. "Dexter, he's had days where he felt so sad that he didn't know what to do with himself. Apparently this was unknown to us for awhile and it was okay until all these emotions that he was holding inside just exploded and he destroyed the mirror in the bathroom. He had cuts on his right hand, deep cuts. It scared me, I'm still scared. I can't even talk to him without feeling so angry, how could I have been so ignorant to my own brother? An-"

"Whoa, whoa. . . you have had an eventful summer indeed." He shifted, crossing one leg over the other just so. "Let's start with the first issue. I guess this girl you've been contacting all summer, isn't Apple then?"

I shook my head heavily, "No, she's not."

He took a moment to think, I was elated to hear his thoughts but also a tiny bit frightened at the same time. What if he came up with a conclusion that I already reached on my own? "Have you seen Apple over the entire summer?"

"No."

"Have you talked to her all summer?"

"No."

He thought yet again, "Do you have any wonder as to how she's really been?"

I didn't take long to answer him, that's when anyone could tell I was telling the truth. If I don't give you a straight up, confident answer – than it's not legit. "Of course, just general inquiry though."

Hopper nodded, his crown sliding to the side – which he fixed immediately. His freckles more than apparent and his burgundy hair nearly the exact same since I saw him before the summer. "How do you feel about being married to Apple?"

I shrugged my shoulders, "I don't feel anxiety stricken. I feel that it might work. I mean, it'll have to work regardless, won't it?"

Hopper gave a single nod, "Do you know how the Rebels work? Do you know what they stand for?"

The thought honestly scared me, I knew I was Royalty before coming here. That's just the way it's always been. What's he getting at? "Well, they want nothing to do with their own fairytale."

"Not hexactly my friend," he had hexcellent posture for a male. "the Rebels stand for everyone having the chance to choose their own destiny. That can mean many things. It can mean being with that one person that you love deeply, whom isn't part of your original fairytale, or it can mean going from villain, to good-guy. It can even mean not wanting to be rescued and wishing to do the rescuing. It's not a bad cause and it's simple – if you adore everything about your future – you're a Royal. But, if you have any doubts in your mind somewhere, you may be a Rebel. My advice is not to hide from it. You won't be happy and ultimately, if Apple has a single doubt – she might not be happy. Now, why should two people be unhappy together? What sense does that make?"

I hadn't thought of any of this, but it seemed to me Hopper was right. Mind you, I also didn't know he held so much wisdom either. Nor did I know precisely what being a 'Rebel' meant before today. He gave me much to think about.

He gave a smile, "So, what's next on your list of worries?"

"Dexter."

His smile faded quickly, maybe he felt as bad as I did. "That seems deeper than I usually discuss, but I can try. You start."

But that's near the problem, where could I start? "Dexter hadn't been happy for awhile, I sort of noticed it but I didn't really think it was my business to notice. But one day, I hear a loud breaking sound after an estranged dinner and he's gushing blood and I learn that he felt sad every single day. I can't help but think what an ignorant person I am Hopper."

Hopper smoothed some of his hair back, taking his crown off briefly to think about what he'd been told. "That is pretty heavy Daring, I can see why it spooked you. Is, he okay now? I saw him briefly, he seemed to be okay, but I'm unsure."

I gave a nod, "He seems to be alright, but I think he does that on purpose. What if he's feeling so different on the inside?"

Hopper thought about it for awhile. Several seconds of silence passed us before he spoke again. "Sometimes, those who are depressed," by the way I gave my head a slight tilt, he knew to tone it down to my level at this point. Speaking about it made me spooked all over again, I shouldn't need to be treated with kiddie gloves, but I needed to be right now. "who feel sad a lot of the time, don't know why they feel that way and certainly don't mean to cause an issue. In soft terms, Dexter might not be totally okay today, he might not be completely alright tomorrow – but he will be okay at some point."

I nodded – shifting my position to stretch out on my bed, following his words like a lost puppy. I gathered the important ones though, the 'he will be okay at some point' and 'maybe not today or tomorrow'. I understood, or tried to. I did my best.

"Maybe you should take some time to think about everything, let it sink in and when you have a moment – let Dexter know that you care for him. It may help a lot more than you think and furthermore. . ."

I stretched out upon the bed, only for a moment. But those were the very last of Hopper's words I heard before drifting off to sleep.

"This way," I heard footsteps, and heels. Heels? Hopper doesn't wear heels. "he's been sleeping but - I think he needs some reassuring words. I'll leave you two be."

"Hi," I didn't bother to really react, but I did feel a strange comfort hearing Apple's soft voice. Her ivory hand felt perfectly soft as she placed it on my cheek. I really didn't have the energy to do any socializing what so ever after.

I felt her scoot down, perhaps she'd leave?

My eyes nearly shot open when I felt her entire body frame behind my own. Hugging me as we lay side-by-side. "Hopper mentioned to me that you felt confused about Dexter." Hopefully she couldn't feel my heart rate accelerating, as I thought he may have just given me up to her about seeing Lizzie Hearts. . . "I've seen something like that in our Kingdom once when I was little," she told me. Her words did bring me sincere comfort. "it didn't end very nicely - but if Dexter opened up to your mom and dad, then he's doing much better than you might think. It takes a lot to admit feeling so sad, but he did. It's something to be proud of him for, don't you agree?"

She rubbed my arm, up and down. I didn't dare move.

"I'm sorry that you had a lot to deal with this summer," she shifted and tugged my pillow a little her way, now sharing it. "I understand why you were scarce. It's okay, I'm not mad. I'm just worried about you, I know you Daring. I've known you ever after since we were little, a tiny brave, prince and a small Princess, with 'great potential'." She air quoted a previous person's words.

I had no doubt that Apple would be a great Queen, I knew she would be regardless.

"Remember when you'd play with your guy friends and I was there for the summer? You were such a Royal jerk to me." She snaked her arm through mine, resting on my hip, I could feel her giggling. She had a cute giggle. "I got it as a grew older though, it's a 'boy thing'." She shrugged her shoulders, snuggling in further.

I felt conflicted. Truly conflicted. I enjoyed the closeness I shared with Apple, but I also craved the wondrous hexcitement that was Lizzie Hearts?

"Do you ever wonder about the future?" She asked aloud, though I didn't respond. "Sometimes I try to picture the future, but it's fuzzy. I wonder if it's because so many are trying to re-write their destinies?"

Since last year this time, Apple had grown a lot. She wasn't as quick to try and lead everyone to being a complete 'Royal' as she used to be. For those who don't know Apple, wouldn't realize how huge of a step this is.

She cleared her throat a bit, "This isn't about me now, it's about you." Feeling her move again, she leaned down and kissed my cheek. "If you're not okay, you can talk to me. You should know that Daring, I'll always be here for you."

Soon I was left by myself to do nothing but let everything sink in, but just thinking about it all made me utterly hexhausted. Let's try that sleeping thing again, shall we?