Chapter 8

Hatred

Here's another chap! Didn't want to make Emma8916 & princeness mh impatient!

Briar let Cerise lean into her as she sobbed. She was hysterical. Everyone was. Briar squeezed her eyes tightly shut. She couldn't believe the stress that was piled on to Cerise. Seeing Daring cheat on her. Breaking up with him. Her best friend passing away. It was all too much…

"Briar?"

"Hopper, go away."

"I need to talk to you."

Briar opened one eye, and then the other.

"I'm in mourning," she answered.

"Please? For a few minutes."

Briar looked at her friend unsurely. Madeline gave an encouraging nod. Briar sighed and stood up, wiping away her tears. She followed Hopper out of the hospital corridors and into a small courtyard. She folded her arms defiantly as Hopper stood facing her.

"Briar…I heard…about the divorce," he began.

"Mm-hm," she replied.

"And…I don't want to go through with it."

Briar paused. She was definetely surprised, but her hate at Hopper and Ginger bit into her again. "Well, too bad, because I do."

"Briar, you know I still love you," Hopper pleaded.

"Oh, you do? Surprise, surprise," Briar responded coldly. "Terrific to know you express your love by kissing up to Ginger."

"About that…" Hopper awkwardly rubbed the back of his head. "Um, I broke off bonds with her."

"You did what?!" his wife yelled. "Seriously?! Why?!"

"Because…I love you," Hopper answered sincerely.

Briar sighed and stared at her black stilettos. "I need to think about this."

"You…you don't love me?"

Briar sighed again. "Do you want to know the truth?"

Hopper nodded a little.

"Hopper, you are a disgustingly infuriating little swine who ran away with Ginger because you felt like it. And for that, I really really hate you."

"I can understand that."

"And for hating you, I really, really love you." Hopper blinked. "Okay! It's complicated! But from now, I just don't know, alright? You just broke the connection between us and now you're trying to re-mend it! How do I know whether you're going to rip it apart again, huh?" Briar shouted.

They stood staring at each other, Briar furious, Hopper confused.

"Fine. I'll call off the divorce. But if you happen to do anything remotely like this again, we're through."

Hopper couldn't even help smiling.

—

Ashlynn walked hand in hand with her husband down their neighbourhood. The birds were singing chirpily, which made the mood seem a little lighter, but not much. The couple felt still upset about the entire baby incident. But they had each other, and that was more than enough. Ashlynn couldn't imagine life without her husband, and Hunter likewise.

Suddenly, their mood was changed when a loud scream, followed by a yell of "WHAT THE FUCK?!" rang across the street.

"That sounded like Hopper!" Hunter realised. "Come on, we gotta see what's wrong." Ashlynn picked up her pace and followed him into Hopper and Briar's house, just a few blocks away.

"Briar may have screamed," she told Hunter as they searched for the two. They eventually found Hopper and Briar upstairs. By then, it was apparant that it wasn't Briar who screamed, it was…

"Ginger?!" Hunter and Ashlynn asked simultaneously. It wasn't so much the fact that Ginger had gotten into the Beauty-Croakington household without anyone at home (although that was disturbing). It was the fact that Ginger's pockets and fists were chock-full of Briar's gold.

Briar was holding both of Ginger's wrists tightly with one hand. With the other, she had Ginger pinned to the wall by holding her shoulder. One knee was pushing against Ginger's stomach.

They stared. And stared. And stared.

Hopper's mouth hung open as he stared at Ginger's pockets and hands.

He slowly made his way towards her. She was still in a state of shock. He reached into Ginger's right pocket and took out Briar's silver bangles, diamond earrings, rose-gold necklace and many gold rings, as well as a large silver wristwatch.

"So that's where it went…" he muttered angrily. He then reached into Ginger's left pocket. Inside were wads of one hundred dollar notes, a rose-quatrz chain, and Briar's silver bejewelled barette.

"I knew someone took that," she spat as Hopper put the jewellery on the bed. He then attempted to loosen her fists' hold over whatever other treasures she had stolen. "Let go," he grunted as he pulled at her fingers. Hunter went over and tried to pull a necklace from Ginger's grasp, but the petite girl was stronger then expected.

Briar removed one hand from Ginger's shoulder to try and pry Ginger's fingers apart. The thief took this as a chance. Whipping out her leg, she whacked Briar in the stomach, taking the tall brunette by surprise.

"Ow!" Briar shouted, falling onto the floor. "You bitch!"

Ginger made a run for the door. Ashlynn, who was standing there, looked panicked. She screamed as Ginger shoved her aside, banging her head on the doorframe. Seeing this, Hunter and Briar gave enraged chase, as Hopper led Ashlynn to the armchair, her head dizzy.

Hunter leapt and gave a tackle that would have made any rugby coach proud. Ginger squirmed under his grip as they rolled about the floor, each attempting to strike out at the other. Ginger shot a gold-filled fist at Hunter's jaw, making him cry out in pain. She took this moment to wiggle out of his grip and run out of the door.

Briar, angered with hatred, in the spur of the moment, grabbed her fold-up fire poker and ran out behind Ginger. She gave a loud cry and slammed the thing on Ginger's ear. Ginger scowled and turned around to make a hit. Luckily for Briar, Ginger's moves were uncoordinated thanks to the strike on the ear.

"I love you," she smirked to the fire poker, and bashed Ginger on the head with it. The small thief cried out and ran towards Briar. She crashed her entire body onto Briar, who struggled under Ginger's grip. Squirming, she felt dread as Ginger grabbed the fire poker from Briar's hand. Briar was furious now. She took off her stiletto and slammed the heel into Ginger's face.

Ginger tumbled off Briar, unconscious. Taking a few deep breaths, Briar loosened Ginger's hand to see a collection of jewellery with a rose-shaped black onyx on each of them. She quickly dialled the police, her breath shaking.

—

Last night was such a mess.

The five-star hotel's lobby was a glistening arrangement of alabaster pillars, marble floor, and glittering, golden, diamond chandeliers. Neatly dressed attendants in crisp monotone uniforms were scattered about, with trays of food and racks of suitcases. A shiny black velvet-lined reception sat in stark contrast to the ivory room. Rows of widely spaced spider ferns in pristine, ornate cream pots flanked each pillar. A mini artificial pond was full of tiny Chinese carp darting between fronds.

Dexter hadn't returned to he and Raven's house that night. It smelled too much of her perfume. A smell that he missed too much.

He had gently tried to push Cupid away, who became excessively clingy. He declined her offer for him to stay at her house.

"What is wrong with me?" he muttered angrily to himself. The second Cupid - flawless, beautiful, talented, gentle Cupid - had come into his life, he had tossed Raven away like an old glove. Raven, who he had fought years to date. Raven, who he had waited ages to marry so she was ready. Raven, who was gone.

"This is all your fault."

"Son of a bitch."

"You're no longer my cousin anymore."

"Dexie is horribly depressed."

All those voices. Cerise, who was furious. Briar, who was ashamed. Reece, whose expression said everything. Cupid, who supported him by telling everyone lies. It all felt fake. So fake.

"I think Raven and I are falling apart."

"Have you tried talking to her?"

"Plenty."

"Try seperating yourselves for a while. See what happens."

"Alright. I'll do that."

Cedar meant seperation. Not chasing after another girl. But when he explained the plan to Raven, she readily agreed. And then beautiful, realistic Cupid came into his life again, as a stand-in secretary when his old one went on a small holiday with her family. Cupid was changed - taller, more mature, prettier. And she was so excited to see him.

And then it branched off from there - he was drawn in by her. But now, knowing that Raven's desperate suicide was because of him, the memories of he and his secretary that would've felt sweet and pretty days back now felt disgusting and foul. It left a taste of bile in his mouth.

Dexter was so mad. His heart filled with hatred. At Cerise. At Cupid.

But most of all, at himself.

—

Sorry again for a short chapter! princess mh, thanks for all your supportive reviews! Feel a little intimidated with all the capitals. XD And about the little orphan…we'll see! *Wink wink* Poor girls, I know. And to bother you even further, out of all the girls, who do you feel sorry for THE MOST? You can't say all of them, sorry! ;)

Big big big thank you to Emma8916, my best friend who suggested to do Dexter's POV, coz he was being an asshole. And also suggesting to begin it with 'last night was such a mess'. Friends are great!

Anyway, deep chapter, huh. Now don't hate Dex now that you've heard his side of the story…hate CUPID! Kidding. But feel free to.

Who's POV would you like to see next? I will NOT be doing Apple nor Duchess and Sparrow in this story. Now that I've planned out my mains I'd like to stick to my plot, Emma…

If u like Ever After High, please check out my new story, House of Twisted Ever Afters. I'm proud of it.

Hope u enjoyed! If you'd like, you can send story ideas that you'd like to see. I will credit!

- Reade :)