It's summer at Ever After High. After a long year of classes and homework, these Royals, Rebels, and everyone in between are ready for summer vacation. For some, that means returning home to their parents and loved ones. For others, that means staying within the school grounds. But for now, it's prom season. Everyone is ready to present themselves at one of the most grand parties of the school year, and even bring their special someone. But first, they must pass their hexams.
The day begins with yet another visit to Headmaster Grimm's office. Raven Queen sits in front of the broad desk, wondering what she had done this time.
"Is this going to take long? I'm supposed to be studying."
"That's precisely what I wished to talk about," the Headmaster answers, holding up a parchment scroll to read. "I've been reading through your grades, and you're doing hexcellent - "
"So, I can go now?"
"Hexcept..." Headmaster Grimm leans forward.
"Hexcept?" Raven pries, confused.
"In History of Evil Spells."
"Oh..." she trails off.
"This was a core class for you, Miss Queen," he reminded. "One required for graduation."
"Was a core class," she corrects. "I'm starting Magicology next year."
"Against my better judgement."
She shrugs. "Well, I mean, Headmaster, I've been doing well enough to pass."
The headmaster puts on his reading glasses. "Miss Queen, your grades have dropped significantly in that class since the beginning of the school year. No matter which classes you sign up for in the following year, should you fail, you will have to retake it."
She sighs. Destiny or not, he's right. Classes are classes, and you have to retake one if you fail. But it still irks her that she had to take that class at all. She's learned enough evil spells from her mother since she was young. She doesn't need to be reminded of it.
"Headmaster, this isn't about my grades. Is it?"
Headmaster Grimm takes off his glasses, folding his hands. "Raven, this school has been teaching fairytale students to follow their destinies for nearly 200 years. And it is required by everyone to follow - "
Raven speaks with him in unison. "Follow the story, lest their stories and they themselves cease to exist and vanish forever."
She groans, grabbing her hair. "Headmaster, how many times do I have spell it out for you: I don't want to be like my mother!" Her hands began to glow purple, anger rising. She inhales deeply, willing the anger away. Don't prove him right. Don't prove him right. She sighs. "I don't hexpect you to understand. I just want you to respect my decision."
She rises from her seat and leaves the office, not bothering to hear his reply. It wouldn't be worth the trouble.
"Doesn't he get tired of it?" Raven pulls some textbooks from her locker. "I mean, the same old story, once upon a time after time."
Maddie Hatter sips her tea, legs crossed and hair hanging loose as she sits in her chair upside down. "A joke is only as funny as how many times you say it."
"I mean, after Legacy Day, Thronecoming, Wonderland, and the whole thing with the Dragon Games..."
Maddie cringes. "Oooh, I'm not touching that." She drops two sugars into her upside down tea.
"Even Apple has accepted I'm not the Evil Queen." Raven closes her locker door, sighing. "Is there any evidence that stories have gone "poof"?"
"Well, there was that whole thing with the two sisters, right?" Maddie asks.
Raven shrugs. "Even then, nobody knows where they are." Maddie pours herself another cup, her dormouse popping out of the kettle lid. "I don't know. Sometimes I feel like Headmaster Grimm sees the whole rebel stance as nothing more than a joke."
"Well, one day, you will look at yourself in a silver platter. Turn it around and that's no laughing matter."
"So..." Raven ponders. "Are you saying that I have to say it a different way to show the headmaster my point of view?"
"Hmm?" Maddie looks up at her. "Oh, no. Headmaster Grimm's not going to change." She stood up on her hands.
Raven sighs. "Maddie!"
"Raven, Raven Queen." Maddie points her foot at her. "If you don't like what he says, just don't listen. I mean, I do that with people all the time. And look how great I turned out."
Raven chuckles. "Thanks, Maddie."
The bell rings above them, knocking Maddie onto the floor. She stumbles back to her feet.
"Spell you later." Raven waves. "I have to go meet Apple to schedule a study group with Holly."
"Isn't it just the most fairest day?" Apple asks.
"Well, after the Summer Snow day that happened, every summer day is fairest," Raven replies, hovering her stack of books in front of her. "It's really nice of Holly to offer tutoring."
"Especially with Professor Rumpstiltskin."
Book End is bustling with students passing through and locals tending to their shops. Some are looking for a place to relax before their hexams. Others are looking for that perfect outfit to wear to Younger Prom. But as hexciting as that sounds, Raven needs this passing grade.
"Speaking of Holly," Raven says. "I hope she doesn't have her hands full."
They turn the corner and stop. Students with arms full of textbooks and papers flying out of their hands spill out of the Tower Salon. Some are so packed in that their faces are pressed to the windows.
"Sorry I said anything."
"Oh no!" Apple cries. "It'll be hours before we get inside."
A hand bursts out of the window, making Apple jump. The hand reaches out for something to grab, trapped under the sea of students. Raven grasps the hand and pulls. The person finally falls through the window and on top of her, sending them both to the ground. Holly O'Hair groans, holding her head.
"Holly!"
"Hi, Raven..."
Raven stands up, helping the dizzy Holly to her feet. "Are you okay?"
"I-I had no idea so many students needed peer tutoring before hexams." Holly staggers. Apple holds her steady. "I guess this means I have a lot of work ahead of me."
"Uh...is that going to be a problem for you?" Raven asks.
Holly shakes her head. "Oh no, no, no! I'm more than happily ever after to help my friends pass their hexams. I'm just not sure how much sleep I'll be getting this week."
Raven bites her lip. Apple sheepishly scratches her arm.
"Anyway, what time works best for you?"
Raven quickly shakes her head. "You know what? Don't worry about it!"
"Are you sure?"
"Of course!" Apple says. "Raven and I can study together."
"But, Apple. We don't go to the same classes."
"You have the textbooks, right?" Apple asks.
"Yeah," Raven shrugs. "Fair enough. We can study for our hexams together."
Holly digs into her pocket and hands them each a slip of paper. "H-Here are some books I wrote down for you. You can find them in the library."
"Thanks." Raven chuckles.
"And don't overwork yourself." Apple calls as she walks off.
Holly smiles as Apple and Raven head back towards the school.
Rosabella Beauty flips another page in her book. Most of her friends are down in Book End getting ready for Prom. But Rosabella had decided on studying for hexams first. It's hard to find enough time and space for all her studies, but today the library is near empty. Daring Charming hides behind a bookshelf, nervously checking himself in his mirror.
"Alright, Daring," he says to himself. "You've done this plenty of times. You're a Charming. Be. Charming!"
He fixes his hair one last time before pocketing his mirror. He emerges from the bookshelf, grabbing a few random books before putting on his signature smile and heading over to the bespectacled girl.
"Heeeeey...Rosabella."
She looks up from her book. "Oh! Hi, Daring."
"Is anyone sitting here?" He points. "In this chair? Next to you?"
She giggles and pulls the chair out for him. He sets his books on the table and sits down. Rosabella turns back to her book. Daring takes a book from the top of his stack and pretends to read it. He glances at her from the corner of his eye.
Right, he thinks. So far, so good. Just initiate a dialogue. Bring on the charm~.
He leans on the table, casually pulling a charming pose. "So, Rosabella - "
His elbow nudges the stack of books behind him, knocking them onto his head. Rosabella gasps. "Daring!"
"It's okay!" His head is spinning, but he manages to speak. "That was completely intentional."
"You wanted to knock ten books onto your head?"
" ... Yes."
Rosabella rolls her eyes, smirking. She stoops down to grab the books. Daring springs to join her.
"I've got it, Rosabella - " His face hits the floor as his foot slides on a slick-back book. She puts the books back on the table and kneels back down. Daring pushes himself to his knees. "I am not myself today..."
"Daring." Rosabella hands him his crown. "Is everything okay?"
She helps him back into his chair. No, everything was not okay. He's sitting next to a beautiful girl and he can't string together a single sentence. What's wrong with him? He puts his crown back on his head and takes a deep breath.
"I ... I don't know. I honestly don't know."
"You seem nervous," she points.
He shakes his head. "No no no. Prince Charming doesn't get nervous."
"Are you sure?"
He looks into her brown doe eyes, his heart beating a mile a minute. "Well..."
She rests her hand on his and smiles. "It's okay. Everyone gets nervous about their final hexams. It's nothing to be ashamed of."
"Oh! Right!" he chuckles, his cheeks turning red. "The hexams. Yes!"
Stop laughing, you fool! You're blowing it.
He clears his throat. "A-Actually, Rosabella. There's something I've been meaning to ask you."
She smiles, her cheeks turning a delicate pink. "Yes, Daring?"
"Will you...Would you like to...?" He looks at her waiting expectantly. A strange new feeling comes over him. His hands are shaking, his throat closes up. Why is he sweating so much? Why is this so hard all of a sudden?!
"Would you like to ... see me after class? Hocus Latte Cafe? You know, if you have time?" The words come out at lightning speed, he isn't sure if she heard them correctly. He glances away, embarrassed. Rosabella's smile fades.
"Oh...Sure, Daring. Does four o'clock sound alright?"
He nods, putting on his signature smile. "Yes! Sounds perfect." He stands up, inching away from her. "I will see you then. I'll leave you to your studying and all that."
"But you left your books - "
"Bye!" He runs back around the shelf, chastising himself as he goes. "What was that? Nervous about hexams?! What kind of Prince Charming says he's nervous about anything?! Some Prince Charming!"
He heads for the library exit, passing Raven carrying a large stack of books.
Raven picks another book from the shelf, adding it to her stack. With Apple and Raven being on opposite ends of the fairytale spectrum, their subjects would be located on opposite ends of the library. Of course Holly would not give her the bare minimum of two books. At least ten would be sufficient.
Sufficient enough to break my back and split me in half, Raven thinks. She staggers, trying to keep the books from falling. One loud noise and it's detention from the two Wicked Step-librarians. The book from the top slips. Raven gasps. The book lands with a soft thud.
"Ow!"
Dexter Charming holds the book in his hands, his glasses knocked loose.
"Oh, sorry Dexter."
"I-I-It's okay." He rubs his head and adjusts his glasses. "Need some help?"
"Yes please," she begs.
He scoops half the books from the pile and helps her set them on the table. "You're cramming for final hexams too?"
Raven sighs. "I was going to study with Holly, but she's ... fully booked."
Dexter nods. "I heard that."
She opens the first book and begins reading. The old scriptures drone on like an old tome. After a few minutes, she looks up to jot down some notes.
"Um...you okay?"
She sighs. "I'm sorry, Dexter. I don't mean to ignore you. But this is going to take me forever after to finish."
Dexter glances behind him as if he's nervous. He reaches into his bookbag. "Well...I've been studying with Giles Grimm - "
She raises an eyebrow. "He's doing that now?"
"Group study isn't his thing. But anyway, he gave me this hexcellent book. I think you'll like it." He pulls out a small, grey, leather-bound book with a chain over the pages, held together by two green jewels. He slides it over to her. "He said it's been in the Vault of Lost Tales for decades."
Raven unlatches the book and begins to flip through it. All the pages are blank.
"Dexter?"
He looks over her shoulder. "Oh! Hehehe..." He takes the book from her and pulls out a quill. "You just need to write your question in the book and it'll answer."
He dips the quill in ink, flips to the first page, and writes:
"In which year did Ever After high open?"
Raven watches as the ink on the page disappears and a new message appears in its place in curly print:
"1812"
"Whoa!" She breathes. "Dexter, this is amazing!"
He shrugs. "Aw, it's nothing. Be careful though! Sometimes if you aren't specific, the book can...snap."
She raises an eyebrow as he writes another question:
"What should I do when eggplants turn evil?"
The message appears:
"Throw them in the garbage, you twit!"
Raven chuckles and took the book from him. "Maybe the book just doesn't like you."
Dexter laughs sheepishly. " ... Maybe."
"Thanks, Dex." She dips her quill in ink and begins to write.