It was lunch break, and Chloe had her lunch tray with her favorite dessert as it came in a vanilla pudding cup. Chloe and Red were going to have lunch outside that day, and she was headed out to find Red and figure out where she had sat down to wait on Chloe. Red was supposed to be going out to grab a table for them.
However, to her surprise, she spotted Red sitting at a table, her back leaned against the surface as she seemed to be in some sort of a conflict with several Auradon Kids. She looked awfully unimpressed, but Chloe could tell that she was on the defensive with how absolutely flippant that her body language was. She could also see that the three kids before Red appeared angry and overall less than pleased.
But Red being defensive was the biggest surprise. Red was hardly ever defensive, which made Chloe think that the AKs must be the ones giving Red trouble rather than the other way around.
Chloe let out a soft breath, knowing that she was going to need to step in.
The bluenette quickened her step, her lunch tray in her grasp as she walked over.
"Hey, what's going on over here?" Chloe questioned as she raised her voice a little and disrupted the encounter, striding up as she moved next to Red. She could feel Red's gaze on her, but she did not look at her as she kept her attentions trained on the group before her.
Jalila, daughter of Aladdin and Jasmine; Sabrina White, daughter of Snow White; and Eric Junior commonly known as simply Junior, son of Ariel and Eric all happened to be people that Chloe had grown up with and been around for most of her life. Granted, growing up with them was a bit of a loose term. It was more that they were there at gatherings that various royals would have and that Chloe and her family would go to.
Chloe herself did not so often play with the other kids her age at those parties, which had served to isolate her somewhat. She actually often found herself busy appealing to the adults that she was around, always looking to people-please or listen to the stories of the parents who had their happily ever afters and whatnot.
The most of her socialization had come when she had started sports and had become Captain of the Swords and Shields team.
With all of that, these were not really people that she ever had taken the time to hang out with much, but she did not think they were necessarily bad kids or bad people.
However, with the way that they had Red surrounded before Chloe came in and interrupted, she was beginning to reevaluate that belief.
"She'ssitting in our spot," Sabrina was swift to point out, and Chloe did not miss the particularly disgusted tone she adopted when addressing Red.
"And I was telling them that I didn't see all of their names on it," Red added in, her voice challenging her. Chloe looked back at her before turning her attentions back to the kids before her.
"Why can't you guys sit with both of us?" Chloe asked as she sat her lunch tray down on the picnic table, gesturing to Red with a gentle expression on her face. She was eager to fix things with them, not wanting there to be a conflict.
Immediately, she could practically feel Red's disapproval of Chloe's suggestion. However, Chloe was trying to resolve this peacefully regardless of how Red personally felt about these people.
They all stopped and looked at Chloe weirdly. Chloe remained still, looking at them calmly.
"Because… She's a VK," Junior told her as if it were obvious. Chloe squinted a little, trying to understand what exactly was such a big deal about this. She had thought that Auradon was long past their biases against villain kids. Especially since Mal, originally a VK, was now their queen.
"There's been VKs at this school for a long time now. It's time to bury hatchets and put away old prejudices," Chloe tried to explain, an ill-at-ease feeling deep within her gut.
She could not believe that these three, who were the son and daughters of good people and heroes, would be so judgmental. Chloe knew that when Evie, Mal, Jay, and Carlos came over from the Isle that there were many who disapproved, but she thought that after those several years had passed that people would have changed their views.
She guessed that maybe things were not quite that simple.
"Yeah, but she's from Wonderland. Everyone knows how weird and backwards those people are," Jalila laughed, looking over at Sabrina and Junior as they nodded in agreeance.
"I love how you guys talk about me like I'm not sitting right here," Red deadpanned. Chloe put her hand on Red's shoulder as she looked between the three before her.
"Wonderland is different from us. But different doesn't mean backwards. Different doesn't mean it's bad or weird or anything else. Different is actually a good thing. It's what helps us keep a well-rounded perspective on our lives," Chloe argued, and Red looked up at her with some surprise. Chloe glanced down at her with a smile, and she could see how much that the words meant to Red.
"Chloe. Their caterpillars literally do drugs," Jalila told her as if it were an obvious reason to think badly of Red.
Red chuckled at that comment, and Chloe honestly admired how Red let the comment roll off of her. However, Chloe could not quite bring herself to take it as well as Red had.
"Alice was lucky to have made it out alive. Or at least with her integrity intact," Jalila pointed out, and Junior laughed along with Sabrina.
Chloe shook her head as she let her hand slip away from Red.
"That caterpillar thing is just a rumor," Chloe argued.
Red laughed softly once more. That quickly made Chloe wonder whether or not it really was just a rumor.
However, she was not about to let that worry show through to the three troublemakers before her. She would worry about the validity of those words later when she could ask Red without these other kids overhearing.
"And Red is a good person," Chloe confidently stated, believing it with all of her heart.
The three of them scoffed, sharing a glance.
"Isn't she the one that keeps getting you in detention? The VK that keeps putting graffiti all over the school? The one that keeps doing things to Uma and that won't stop crying out for attention?" Jalila asked, and Chloe felt red hot anger running over her.
"That's enough," Chloe told her firmly, stepping between Red and the group of AKs.
"Chloe, you can't seriously take her side in this," Jalila incredulously spoke, and Chloe narrowed her eyes, setting her jaw just a little.
"I can and I will because she's the best friend anyone could ask for," Chloe emphasized, her brow furrowed as she tried to ignore the intense anger within herself. Chloe was not about to take anything from these kids. Not about Red.
Jalila just stared at Chloe for a long moment.
Chloe suddenly found herself wishing that she had her sword at her side. Not only was it something to hold onto that would ground her but it would have also gotten across the message more effectively than Chloe herself could without it. She of course would never do anything to anyone, but she would not hesitate to make a few gestures to point to its presence.
"You always have been weird. I just didn't know you were Wonderland-sympathizing weird," Jalila acknowledged as she gestured at Red as if she were less than the scum of the Earth.
Chloe gritted her teeth, slightly hurt at the words but more focused on the part of the conversation that had to do with Red herself.
"You need to leave," Red spoke up, and Chloe noticed that Red had actually gotten to her feet at this point.
Red was doubtlessly ready to come to Chloe's defense, aiming to protect her from whatever Jalila could throw at her. Red always was ready to shield Chloe, and while Chloe did not always appreciate the fact that she felt that Red did not think that she could defend herself, Chloe did appreciate Red's care toward her.
Jalila scoffed, glancing back at Junior and Sabrina.
"Come on, guys," Jalila commanded, and they nodded to her with only a little hesitation, their gazes lingering on Red and Chloe as they doubtlessly wanted to continue this confrontation.
However, Jalila held up her hand as she made them stop for a moment.
"One more thing before I go," she said. She stepped nearer to Chloe and Red, her focus primarily on the redhead as she glared at her smugly. She looked over Red with scrutiny before speaking to her.
"You know, you might think that you got the golden ticket when Uma invited you over here. But no matter what kind of miracle came your way, you'll always be that weird, friendless, loner VK from Wonderland that no one even wanted here in the first place," Jalila firmly spoke, the barest hint of a smile on her face.
At the words, Chloe clenched her fists tightly, gritting her teeth. She could feel her body heating up with the anger coursing through her that had increased threefold.
At that moment, however, she felt Red's hand on her wrist, her fingers softly brushing against her skin as she tried to calm her. Chloe glanced over at her briefly, trying to let the comfort wash away a bit of her anger.
"Maybe that's why her mom let her come over here. She didn't want her either," Jalila made the mistake of saying as she moved around, her back facing Chloe and Red a little more fully.
Chloe instantly saw the hurt cross over Red's face despite the girl's best efforts to look impassive.
Oh… Jalila didnotjust say that.
Chloe instantly felt her anger reignite in a fiery hot blaze as she spun around to face the Arabian princess. Chloe stepped forward, and Jalila turned to face her. There was only a split second of her looking at Jalila's face before Chloe's vision was overtaken by red, and she felt her hand moving of its own accord.
Before she knew it, Jalila was sprawled across the ground, holding her nose and making a huge fuss as she whined and cried out.
The unadulterated fury faded away just as swiftly as it had come as the realization of what just happened sunk in. Chloe's jaw slackened as she just stared, the pain in her fist sinking in and starting to actually throb in her fingers.
Chloe suddenly felt her arm being grabbed as she was pulled back. She soon found herself facing Red as she gaped at what she had done. She felt touches to her shoulders before Red grasped her more tightly.
"Chloe, are you okay?" Red questioned, her voice coming in as a somewhat muffled sound as her uncharacteristically soft gaze.
Chloe blinked as the blood stopped rushing through her ears quite so harshly and the regret began to hit her like an iceberg as it cooled the burning rage.
She had hit her.
She really hit someone.
Chloe registered the sound of a teacher's voice echoing around them, something involving the words "disgrace" and "principal" surrounding her, and she found herself being guided toward the school, a familiar hand on her back as she walked.
Chloe was a good person.
But she just made a bad, bad choice.
…
Red knocked on Uma's office door before them.
"Come in," Uma's voice spoke up, the sound muffled as it came through the door.
Red, softly touching Chloe's elbow in a brief motion to coax her forward, proceeded to open the door before letting Chloe in behind her as they entered Uma's office. Chloe did not want to look at Uma, but she allowed herself a brief glance.
Uma was sitting at her desk today, and Chloe knew that was already not a good sign. Uma never sat at her desk unless she was really angry about something or wanted to be more intimidating than usual.
Chloe swallowed as Red placed a gentle hand on her back and guided her so that they were standing before the desk.
Uma glanced between the both of them, and Chloe kept her eyes on the floor, having a hard time meeting anyone's gaze right now. She did not want to see the disappointment that was doubtlessly in Uma's gaze.
Chloe was not one to react with violence. Granted, she had been ready to use violence in the past, but those were extenuating circumstances. Something about her mother getting taken and being condemned to beheading was enough to really draw out said violent side.
However, this time, there was no real physical threat. No one's life and physical safety was in danger.
But she could see that Red's emotional and mental safety had been in jeopardy. As soon as she had seen the pain cross through those normally so unbothered and mischievous eyes, Chloe had lost control, unable to find tolerance within herself to withstand someone being cruel to the girl who had become the best friend that she had ever had throughout her life.
The sudden violence that she had been responsible for was a frightening thing for her. When Chloe had told Red a little while back that she had gotten into a fight with a bully before, it had not actually been a real fight. That was her at her youth Swords and Shields group when she shoved a bully and was quickly caught by her parents before the bully could actually throw a punch at her or the kid she was defending.
Despite the upset feelings that were filling her at the fact that she had let herself hurt someone, she could not help the strange sense of self-satisfaction at the fact that she had sufficiently defended Red. She just wished that she would have made a better choice about how to accomplish that goal.
The anger and impulsivity had simply overcome her in that moment.
"So how exactly did this happen?" Uma finally questioned them, not offering them a place to sit as they stood before the desk. Chloe did not bother raising her gaze, disappointment and shame filling her at her own poor decisions.
Chloe could not help but assume the lack of sitting arrangements was likely because they would not spend much time there in Uma's office. Chloe was probably about to be expelled after they told the story. She just hoped that Red would not somehow become accused in this situation.
However, as soon as Chloe took in a breath to speak, Red started explaining.
"It's my fault," Red abruptly stated, and Chloe instantly looked at her in shock. Red remained confidently looking at Uma, and Chloe could not help her surprise at Red's willingness to shoulder the blame for Chloe.
"I wouldn't leave their stupid table and then they started trash-talking me about my mom and stuff, and well… things got out of hand, I guess," Red told Uma, her voice calm and relaxed as she spun the somewhat misleading yarn.
Chloe gaped at Red, unable to believe the fact that the redhead wanted to take the fall that should have rightfully been Chloe's own.
Regardless, Chloe was not about to let her do that for her.
Chloe looked at Uma, and Uma's gaze shifted to her as Chloe met her eyes more fully than she had since she and Red had first arrived in the office.
"They were being mean to Red—"
"Chloe—"
"And I saw them," Chloe told Uma, not letting Red interrupt her as she remained determined to tell her truth. Red was obviously unhappy, wanting to take the blame from her, and as kind as that was, Chloe could not let Red have an even worse day than she already had.
"I came over and tried to make them stop, and I got out of control, and… I punched Jalila in the face," Chloe confessed as she looked at Uma.
"You did that?" Uma questioned, and Chloe could hear the surprise in her voice despite the fact that Uma doubtlessly knew what had happened based on accounts from teachers.
"Yes," Chloe agreed, and Red shook her head, stepping up as her shoulder brushed Chloe's a little.
"Listen, it's not Chloe's fault. I didn't get up from their table, and I was the one that didn't tell a teacher when they first started this," Red told Uma, and Uma raised a hand to stop the both of them.
She looked between them, a strange expression on her face as she squinted. She leaned back in her chair more fully, still eyeing them as she brought her feet up onto the desk.
"Who was it exactly that got punched again?" Uma checked, her dark-brown gaze trained on Chloe. The bluenette hesitantly looked at Red as she straightened and spoke up.
"Jalila. Aladdin and Jasmine's daughter," Chloe explained.
Uma nodded slowly, making a noise of acknowledgement as she looked at them.
"And who else was involved?" Uma continued.
"Eric Junior, son of Eric and Ariel, and Sabrina White, daughter of Snow White and Florian," Chloe answered, aiming to remain completely obedient in hopes that maybe Uma would be at least a little sympathetic toward her.
Although, she was not sure if she deserved it at this point. Not after she had done something so bad as actually hit someone.
Uma stared at them for a few more long moments before speaking up again, moving her feet off of the table.
"Y'all head to your next class," Uma dismissed.
Chloe could not quite believe her ears. Did Uma really just say what she thought she said?
"What?" Chloe blinked, staring at Uma. She could see Red in her peripheral vision, and she knew that she was just as shocked as her.
Uma shook her head, waving her hand in their direction as she moved her feet off of the desk.
"Get to class. You're gonna be late if you don't get going now," Uma told them.
"So I'm not in trouble?" Chloe questioned in complete surprise.
"I figure your mama's gonna take care of all that. But as far as with me? Nah," Uma shook her head, waving them off, and Chloe stared at the pirate as if she had gone completely insane. Chloe stammered for a moment before finally starting to try to ask her why.
"Wh—"
"Thanks, Uma. We really appreciate it," Red spoke up, interrupting as she kept Chloe from being able to ask any more questions.
"But—"
"Come on, Goody," Red urged her, a warning in her voice, and she pulled her toward the door. Chloe reluctantly followed along, looking at Uma with confusion as she tried to figure out what exactly had just happened.
"Yeah, yeah. Hey, Chloe," Uma called just before they headed out. Red stopped in her tugging, and they paused to look at Uma. Uma leaned forward, her elbows on her desk.
"We don't allow bullies around here, and it takes good people to stop them," Uma told her, and not for the first time, Chloe was shocked at Uma's words.
"I punched her in the face," Chloe stated simply as if it were explanation enough for why Uma should not think that she was good in that particular instance.
"Well… Desperate times call for desperate measures. And sometimes when you're doing the right thing, you get your hands dirty," Uma explained with a shrug, a small yet kind smile on her face as she addressed her.
Chloe instantly softened at the words, remembering that teenage version of her mother that they had encountered not so long ago throughout their time travel journey. She remembered the advice she had given her about getting her hands dirty for a good cause.
And even though Chloe knew that Uma had no idea about that adventure and her words had merely been by chance, Chloe could not help but feel the relief from Uma's words, Chloe starting to forgive herself as she thought of what Ella would have likely done in the same situation.
Chloe looked at her with a smile, starting to say something to express her gratitude.
However, Red was swift to disrupt the moment.
"Yep… Welp, see you around, Uma," Red called, dragging Chloe the rest of the way out.
Red shut the door behind them quickly before releasing Chloe finally.
"Wow… That was so kind of her," Chloe commented. Red sighed, raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah, and you almost blew it with all those questions," Red pointedly informed her as she dipped her chin a little. Chloe huffed as she looked at Red with a bit of defensiveness.
"I just wanted to know why," Chloe expressed, and Red shook her head.
"Look, you don't look a gift rabbit in the maw, boo," Red informed her simply, and Chloe scrunched her nose as she almost laughed at both the suddenness and the weirdness of the statement.
"What?"
"It's an old Wonderland saying," Red shrugged it off with a carefree smirk. Chloe squinted in confusion, thinking it through.
"Wait… Is that like don't look a gift horse in the mouth?" Chloe inquired curiously.
"Well, I guess if you want to be boring," Red waved her off, and Chloe laughed just a little.
However, their conversation was swiftly interrupted by the intercom coming on.
"Eric Junior, Sabrina White. Get your royal rear ends in my office right now. Jalila, come tomyoffice as soon as you're through at the nurse's," Uma's voice came in over the intercom, and Chloe thought that she heard the slightest hint of something amused in Uma's voice as the intercom clicked off.
Red and Chloe shared a glance before laughing.
Violence may not have been Chloe's first response normally, but at least things worked out in the end.
She just had to get her hands a little dirty.
A/N: This one was kind of an odd idea, and I had originally intended for it to go the opposite way with Red being the protector and Chloe being the victim of the bullying. However, I thought about how Chloe likes pointing stuff at people and making a point as she defends people she cares about, and then I decided to switch it around.
I hope all of y'all enjoyed this one! Positive comments mean the world to me! 3 3 3