Here goes Chapter 3~
Taking a step out of the car, she shut her eyes before inhaling a deep breath of air. When she opened them, they no longer represent the Chocolat that was cheery and loud, instead what met those eyes were dark and calculating. Those who met her gaze looked away right the instance.
Chocolat can see from the corner of her eyes that Pierre was enjoying the subtle way she took into preparing for her return. He took his time in getting out of the car, taking note of the stares and whispers they receive at Chocolat's appearance. The Members greeted him almost immediately, though it was obvious that they were waiting for the arrival of the Prince.
Loud noises broke the peace in the fine morning as Vanilla, the twins and even Robin were walking alongside each other, Saule yelling about something while Houx tried to calm him down. Upon noticing Pierre and Chocolat, their noise ceased.
For a while, no one from each side spoke of anything, the chattering from the school compound remains, growing loudly in each moment, until Chocolat broke her eye contact with them and proceeded to enter the school. Pierre spared them no further glance, as he too –with the Members- followed behind Pierre and Chocolat closely.
Vanilla peered at Chocolat, until her shadow disappeared. She hadn't noticed herself looking at Chocolat the whole time until Robin shook her shoulder. She jumped in fright, just to realised that it was Robin.
Taking note of her small smile she gave him and the others, he began walking back, waving his hand aimlessly. "See you guys later."
Vanilla nodded, before turning to the twins. "Let's get going, Houx, Saule!"
The day went by quicker than she realised. Vanilla had entered and saw several boys and even girls surrounding Chocolat, bombarding her with questions about her absence. When Chocolat saw Vanilla, she dropped her smile. "Nothing to worry about. I feel so much better than before."
With that, all conversations were halted, and everyone returned to their seats just in time for the lesson to start.
Over the breaks, Vanilla had tried to talk to Chocolat the first chance she gets. Unfortunately, this doesn't happen as easy as she thought it would be. For example, Chocolat were surrounded by students each time the bell rings, faster than Vanilla can even utter a word. During lunch breaks, Pierre and his Members were already outside of the classroom waiting for Chocolat. Even worse, the teacher asks Chocolat for help in carrying some books after every class of hers, which Chocolat agreed immediately.
Resolving to talk to Chocolat, Vanilla decides to confront Chocolat the second the final bell rings. She didn't care if the teacher needed help or other friends are around her. She needs to talk to Chocolat, no matter what, and that's final. She hadn't got an explanation for her actions before. Even though Pierre had did that part, she still wanted to get the answer from Chocolat directly.
In her heart, she still believed in Chocolat. No matter what the others said, Chocolat is her first friend, a friend who could care less on status and wealth. A friend who is her best friend, the one she knew best since childhood, sometimes even better than Houx or Saule. A friend who had sneaked her out when she was supposed to be having her afternoon sleep. A friend who had introduced her to more friends so that she wouldn't be lonely. A friend who always cheers her up with her loud and cheerful personality.
A friend Vanilla trusted.
That's why, for whatever reason, she wouldn't believe Pierre's words until then. The moment that Chocolat would admits the truth herself. Even if she really did that, there must be a reason behind it. Vanilla knew her better than Chocolat herself sometimes. Chocolat wasn't someone who would do something that serious without a solid reason.
Until then...Vanilla won't stop believing in her.
Chocolat knew about Vanilla. She had noticed her attempts to talk to her. Chocolat still wasn't ready to answer her questions. So she was really fortunate that there were always someone who indirectly lured her away from Vanilla.
When the last bell rang, Chocolat packed up her things in an instant, before heading towards the entrance. She promised to meet up with Pierre at the school entrance, so both of them can head back together.
She wasn't surprised when Vanilla came out of a sudden and blocked her exit.
"Stop, Chocolat-chan! " she shouted, extending both her arms out to act as a barrier against the door.
Her shout attracted the attention of her classmates, even the teacher's. Chocolat was internally blaming herself for not leaving sooner. Now that it had come into this, there wasn't any point in avoiding it any further. She brushed past Vanilla with ease, ignoring her cries, and headed to the back courtyard where it was empty due to after-school hours.
Chocolat crossed both her shoulders, waiting for Vanilla to even utter a single syllable. Vanilla quivered under Chocolat's glare, unable to produce a sound. Thinking that as an excuse to leave the scene, she began to walk away.
"W-Wait!" Chocolat turned and met her eyes. "Chocolat-chan, the ogre -you didn't- I mean-did you really betray us all? Can I still trust you after what has happened?"
All the attention was on Vanilla, her eyes widening at her question. "Vanilla..."
Vanilla clenched both of her hands by her sides, eyes looking down, for she was afraid that she will start to cry if she continued to face her directly. "Robin told me to give it up. Houx and Saule were saddened by your departure, and hardly laugh anymore. So if... just if, you are still the Chocolat I know about, please come back!" By the end of her sentence, her tears were threatening to fall at the corner of her eyes.
Chocolat wanted to comfort her friend. Vanilla didn't look good with tears on afterall. Her hand almost reached out to comfort her when she stopped herself. What was she doing? Showing hesitation to small issues such as Vanilla's crying won't help her with her current situation.
Instead, her eyes narrowed at the sight of the crying girl in front of her. "Vanilla," With this, Vanilla looked up to meet Chocolat's gaze. "From now on, we are no longer friends," Her eyes widen in disbelief, "but enemies who are fighting to be queen. So don't expect me to be the same as I was before."
"N-No way..." Vanilla's voice trembled as she wiped off her tears with the sleeves of her shirt.
They didn't noticed a pair of footsteps approaching them, until they stopped a metre away from them. "Chocolat, you were late. I was waiting for you."
Recognising the voice, she answered to Pierre without facing him. "I'm sorry. I was held back by some minor issues. We can go now." And she began to walk away from the scene.
"Chocolat-chan!" She stopped without looking back, causing Pierre to do the same. "I won't let you become the queen. I will win over you, and become queen!"
Her lips twitched up in the sound of a challenge. She walked away without a word, with Pierre in tow.
On her way back, Chocolat couldn't help but thought of Vanilla. After saying those words to her, she didn't expect Vanilla to remain as she were before. She smiled internally on how Vanilla had mustered her courage in confronting her, even declaring that she will be queen. She had certainly grown from the crybaby.
Now that it had come down to this, Chocolat resolved to not let her emotions get the better out of her. It was fortunate that she managed to stop herself in time, as Pierre may have been in the area observing her, how else was he able to track her down so quickly.
Taking a glance at Pierre, she noted that he wasn't affected at Vanilla's outburst at all. His eyes met hers for a second before she quickly turned hers away. She noticed the atmosphere of the neighbourhood, many couples can be seen together and there was a crowd surrounding the chocolate shop.
Some of her friends were part of the crowd. They waved at her when they saw her, gesturing for her to come closer. She went after them, after telling Pierre to go ahead. "Chocolat, you are here for the chocolates too? Who do you plan on giving them to?"
One girl quietly added, snickering, "Pretty sure that it's Pierre, they are seen quite close recently."
A confused expression crossed her face. "Chocolates? Why would I give it away?"
One of the girls let out a surprised squeak. "What are you saying? It's a once a year chance at love."
"Chance at love?"
A look of disbelief flashed through their faces. "Don't tell me you don't know about Valentine's day?"
"Valentine's?"
They nod her head. "A day where girls can give their hearts to the boy they like in the form of chocolates."
Chocolat tilted her head by her side. "But I don't have anyone to give it to."
"No way!"
She didn't understand the ruckus the girls were making. What was the deal if she didn't have anyone she had in mind to give chocolates to? Certainly, Pierre was a potential candidate for that, but she didn't want him to misunderstand her intentions. A witch only gives her heart to someone they would trust with, for eternity. She wasn't entirely convinced that Pierre was someone she could trust wholeheartedly.
However, she supposed that she didn't have another choice in her current situation.
Valentine's day came soon after. Girls can be seen carrying bags of chocolates for their loved ones. Some boys were confessed to, which they replied in an affirmative way, forming many couples around the school, whereas a certain group of boys were having a competition on getting chocolates, losers suffering the consequences.
Chocolat walked past the school gates, releasing a sigh right after, her hand carrying a bag of chocolates. Confused of her own behaviour, she had ran out late the night before and only managed to get a bag of leftover chocolates. Along the way, she had somehow cast the spell for sealing her heart. The lack of feelings in her should avoid the quivering and hesitation caused by her heart, so she would be able focus better on her primary objective.
Boys who saw her approached her, but she refused to give it to them. After all, she thought to herself, a witch cannot give out their heart to a human. Even so, she brought her chocolate with her. She hadn't seen Pierre the morning she left so she assumed that he was busy handling some matters of his own.
The girls crowded around her, grumbling about how the boys were asking around for chocolates, without any shame at all. Midway, Houx and Saule had crashed into their classroom. The commotion arose when the boys started arguing with the two middle schoolers and the girls wanting to give chocolates to the two. To add fuel onto fire, Waffle spotted Houx and joined in the chaos.
Sighing quietly, she was planning to watch by the sidelines, when she noticed her chocolate fell into the midst of it. She reached out to grab the chocolate, but somehow got pulled into the commotion.
That was when everything went downhill. A person slipped, pulling the person beside them, which causes a domino effect. Everyone fell. When trying to get up and find her chocolate, Chocolat heard crumbling sound of something being stepped on. The crowd made way for her, and she was greeted with the sight of a distorted box of chocolate.
Trembling in anger, she yelled, "If you want chocolate that badly, I'll give it to you." She then cast the spell for the chocolate to turn into chocolate stars instead, and chocolates were seen showering down the place.
Chocolat was surprised to see five pink hearts glowing brightly, but collected it nonetheless. She wasn't sure the reason behind her behaviour. Afterall, she wasn't planning to do anything with the chocolates. Resting her head on her arm by the window, her mouth twitched upwards when her hand dangled a bag of star chocolates, tied with a pink ribbon.
Pierre got home late, after discussing matters with the Ice Prince. He let out a sigh, thinking to break the news about collecting Noir to Chocolat at a later date, when he noticed a bag of chocolates on his desk.
'Happy Valentine's Day-Chocolat!' signed on the card on the top of it.
He smirked at the realisation of the date, before popping a star chocolate into his mouth. The chocolate melted instantly, a sense of warmth washing over Pierre, though he shrugged it off immediately.
Chocolat was in her room, sprawled all over her bed. She just delivered the chocolates to Pierre, she was nearly caught by surprise by Pierre's return and fled from the spot immediately. Her attention was drawn by the entrance of Cerunnos.
The cat jumped onto the bed, making herself comfortable. Chocolat reached out a hand to pet the cat, the latter meowing in pleasure.
She took out a diary from under the bed. Holding the diary upwards, her eyes narrowed.
"Mama, what should I do now? Can you tell me?"
Tell me how it went. Reviews and comments are greatly appreciated.
So in this chapter, I tried to elaborate more on Vanilla's feelings towards Chocolat. And when I came across the Valentine's Day episode, I thought 'Why not put this in?', and I did. Partly because I quite like this episode, and how it helps with the relationship of Pierre and Chocolat in this story.
To reviewers:
Sparkle9510: Thanks a lot! Your reviews always make me happy ;)
peopletime12 and Darkwarrior0416: Here it is~ Hope you like it!
Thank you too to those who followed and favourited Conflict.