The morning sun spilled into Apple's room. Her little woodland friends and birds sat on her window ledge, but Apple didn't feel like singing today. Apple got out of bed, put on her royal red dressing gown. She went over to the windowsill, rested her elbows on it and placed her cheeks in the palms of her hands. She let out a long sigh.
"I'm sorry," she apologized as she stroked a bluebirds head. "I've just got too much on my mind." She got changed, with the animals help and she made her way down to the Castleteria. She didn't really want to face everyone as she knew that they would want to know exactly what happened in the principal's office. She could always lie but that kinda went against her entire character.
"Hey Apple, over here." Ashlynn called her over to a table where she, Cupid, Briar, Blondie, Cedar and Cerise were sitting. Briar voice startled Apple as she had been lost in thought and hadn't even realised that she had reached the Castleteria so quickly. She nervously make her way towards her friends, not even giving herself time to compose herself. She just wanted the inevitable encounter and questions to be over with.
"Where's Maddie?" Apple asked Ashlynn. She had noticed that the craziest of her friends was absent.
"We tried to get her to come but," Ashlynn started but was interrupted by Cedar.
"She wouldn't leave Raven's side."
"Oh, she wouldn't?" Apple asked cautiously as she slid into the empty seat next to Ashlynn. It troubled her conscientious to hear how desperate and worried Raven's best friend was, knowing that she could stop it.
"Yeah, something about having to protect her. Then a lot in Riddleish." Cerise explained.
"So what happened to you yesterday? Who went to the Headmasters office and then we didn't see you for the rest of the day. You missed the Royal debate and things were just not right without you." Blondie said.
"Yeah! Does the Headmaster know how to save Raven?" Ashlynn asked eagerly. All the friends felt quite anxious for an answer and wanted any solution to solve Raven's condition.
"Well..," Apple said nervously. "Um he said that um there was nothing we could do and I just um ran to my room because I was so sad. That's why you didn't see me for the rest of the day. Yeah." She lied. Her voice trembled and a few beads of sweat formed on her forehead as she tried desperately to convince the girls of her lie. It wasn't very convincing. Her friends look uneasily unconvinced at each other before turning back to Apple. There was a long, very awkward pause between the school students. Cerise was the first to break the silence.
"Apple, I really don't mean to be rude, but that was really unconvincing." Cerise questioned Apple suspiciously and it was clear that Cerise didn't really care about not being rude to Apple. She had never exactly been Apple's biggest fan. Apple had always been so selfish in the past that it was no jump for Cerise to think that she was doing so again. "What's really happening Apple? Do you know how to help Raven?!" Cerise oblivious to how angry she had been getting. She brought her hand down on the table so hard that the food and trays actually jumped into the air and came down with a large clatter. This made Apple and several of the other girls to jump themselves. Apple became even more anxious and started to look wildly around the room, trying to find any means of escape. There was nothing. She had to try really hard to stop the tears forming in her eyes from falling and cascading down her rosy cheeks.
"Apple?" Briar asked, confused. She couldn't believe that her best friend would lie to her after everything they had been through and when so much was wrong and at stake.
"It's just that, oh, I don't know what to do." Apple wailed as she let the tears roll like big, shiny pearls down her face.
"Apple!" Cupid rushed over to comfort her friend. Even if Apple had lied she couldn't just ignore a friend in pain.
"What do you mean you don't know what to do?" Blondie asked as she got out her mirror pad, ready to record for her mirror cast. If something was able to make composed, perfect Apple cry, it must be absolutely newsworthy. Plus all the students at Ever After were all wrapped up in what happened to Raven that they would eat up any news on the matter. Apple didn't notice so she told them what had happened at the Headmaster's office.
"So now I don't know whether to save Raven but doom myself or let Raven sleep forever and I choose my own destiny." Apple concluded. As she said this the whole school stopped, completely shocked and looked at Apple. Blondie's newscast had been running live. Apple took one look at the numerous students staring at her and looked back at her friends who were looking at her with the same confused look. She put her face in her hands and ran out of the Castleteria, trying to avoid everyone's judgmental stares.
"Apple, we need to talk." Briar shouted to Apple through her closed door. Apple had spent the last couple of hours in her room, deciding what she was going to do, while lying on her bed and going through a box of tissues. She really needed some advice from her best friend ever after and she knew that Briar wasn't going to judge her so she let her in.
"I just don't know what to do. If I unlock our book and begin our story I'll be a rebel but the royal thing to do here is to unlock it for my friend. If I don't do that I'll be a rebel. I just can't win!" Apple sobbed. She felt no restraint in telling Briar how she felt about the entire situation. Briar stood up and patted Apple on the back. She might have had a brief fall out with Apple but she was still her best friend forever after and she couldn't imagine how it would feel to be in the same situation. It was a really hard decision, though she knew what the proper Royal decision would be.
"I know that this has to be a tough choice for you. Try to make the right decision though because someone's life is at stake." "I know. I can't believe myself. I'm so selfish!" Apple started to sob even harder. She gripped her soft pillow and buried her face. She felt so ashamed to be having a break down in front of someone, even if it was just Briar. "Hey, Apple. It'll all end up okay in the end. I'm sure everything will work itself out. And you've got heaps of friends that will support you." "I'm just so scared Briar. I've never had to make such a big choice before. I mean this could affect this entire life. Hell, it's not like I've ever had to make a big decision in my life, ever!" Apple looked back up at Briar. Her eyes were glassy and clearly trying hard to hold back tears. "That's not really your fault though Apple." "That still doesn't change the fact that I've had no experience." Apple's head flopped back down in her pillow. Briar could clearly see that Apple needed to be left alone so that she could mull things over. "I'll let you rest. See you at dinner tonight." Briar got up from the bed and passed through the room towards the polished wood door. Putting one hand on it's cold brass handle she opened the door. It's hinges squeaked. Briar looked back over her shoulder to her friend. "And don't worry too much Apple."
"Are you telling me that she's only worried about her destiny and reputation? What about Raven? Her life depends on Apple's choice." Cerise yelled at Briar. They were sitting at a Castleteria table with Maddie, Ashlynn and Cedar for dinner. Apple hadn't turned up yet. After much poking and prodding from her curious friends, Briar told her friends of what Apple had said in her room. Some of the girls were less than pleased about her answer and felt that Apple should take a little more action.
"I have to agree with Cerise on this one." Cedar agreed.
"When dragons fly into the sky, will the flower grow up high?" Maddie blurted out in the language that sounded nonsensical to her friends. She made some grand hand movements as she tried to convey her message.
"Um does anyone here speak riddle-ish?" Cupid asked in a pathetically hopeful tone. Everyone shook their heads.
"Come on guys, cut Apple some slack! You have no idea what she's going through and imagine if this happened to you and none of your friends backed you up?." Briar defended her friend. "We may not entirely agree with Apple's method of dealing with this but judging her just feels wrong." A few of the girls nodded as Briar made her little speech and made sheepish, guilty expressions. Others just stared blankly at Briar. Maddie was clearly not impressed or convinced. Just then Apple walked into the Castleteria. She lacked her usual confidence and was clearly trying to avoid everyone, which was hard as she had caught everyone's attention. She quietly slid into a bench next to Ashlynn. Her eyes were glassy and appeared to be absent from the room. It wasn't until Ashlynn addressed her did she come back to reality.
"Apple, how are you feeling?" Ashlynn greeted Apple.
"Um, a little better. I still haven't made up my mind." Apple sighed. "Where's Blondie?"
"She's doing a mirror cast about Raven and your decision." Briar explained.
"Oh, so the whole school knows?" Apple asked hesitantly. Briar nodded. Hunter approached their table.
"Hey Ashlynn." He said as he kissed her on the check. "Just wanted to make sure you were alright, you know with recent events."
"I'm sure Hunter, you don't have to worry so much." Ashlynn reassured him.
"Aww, but I like to worry. It means I care about you." Hunter teased. Dexter came up behind him.
"Hey girls, we're going to visit Raven if you want to join us." I told them.
"I'm in. Raven needs protecting anyway." Maddie stood up.
"Again with the protecting! What does she need protecting from anyway?" Briar asked.
"Her!" Maddie pointed at Apple. "I'm watching you, so don't do anything funny." She threatened Apple.
"Apple? But Apples not a threat." Cedar pointed out.
"Oh you don't know what she's capable of. Cheese and crackers." Maddie attempted to calm herself down.
"Anyway, we should get going." Dexter interrupted.
"I think I'll come to. Might helped me make my mind up." Apple decided. Cerise, Briar and Cupid followed.
Raven was lying on a bed in the infirmary, her eyes were still closed. As soon as Maddie came in, she grasped Raven's hand so tightly it didn't look like she would ever let go. Dexter looked longing at Raven. So was so beautiful while asleep. Cupid sighed as she could see the longing in Dexter's eyes. It was Cerise who finally broke the silence.
"What do you think it's like, being poisoned? I mean is she sleeping or can she hear us but not move?"
"My mum told me that it was like being trapped in her worst nightmare." Apple answered.
"What was your mums worst nightmare?" Dexter asked.
"Not sure, she wouldn't tell me." Apple moved closer to Raven. "Oh Raven, what am I going to do?" She thought to herself. She reached out her hand to touch Raven's when Maddie hit Apple's hand away.
"What was that for!?" Apple demanded as she rubbed her hand.
"I told you, no funny business! You stay away for Raven." Maddie protectively stepped between Raven and Apple. "You're lucky I even let you come." Cerise put her hand on Maddie's shoulder.
"It's okay Maddie, Apple won't hurt Raven. She's a friend, don't forget that." She reasoned with her.
"Apple is no friend of mine." Maddie declared and turned her attention back to Raven. Dexter reached down to Maddie and whispered into her ear.
"What's this all about Maddie? If something's troubling you, you can tell us. We're your friends."
"Apple's troubling me. That's what!" Maddie yelled so that everyone could hear her. Tears had started flowing down her checks. "Someone's life is resting in her hands and she doesn't know what to do?! I just know she's going to make the wrong decision and Raven's going to pay the price!" With that Maddie stormed out of the room. Cupid looked at Apple.
"Don't worry about what Maddie said. She's just worried about her friend. We all are." Cupid comforted Apple.
"No, she's right." Apple sobbed. "I should have known the right decision when I first got the choice. I guess I'm just being selfish." Apple ran in tears to her dorm room.