Rewrite (Raven x Apple)

~Chapter Thirty-Four~

"No"

"Yes"

"No"

"Yes"

"Absolutely not"

"Absolutely."

"NO!"

"YES!"

"For the last time, I don't have feelings for her."

Apple and Briar had caught themselves in a feud over whether or not Apple had a crush on Raven. They were sitting on a bench under the canopy, protected from the blazing heat.

"Yes you do, you little liar." Briar declared, pointing a finger at Apple. "Nobody looks at someone like that in a platonic way."

Apple gave her friend a confused look. "How am I looking at her?!"

"You're looking at her all like"-Briar put on a huge fake smile-"'Oh, Raven, take me away to a little clearing in the enchanted forest and put a ring on my finger.'" Briar made a few fake kissing noises before looking back at Apple with a smirk. "You're looking at her like that."

Apple's cheeks burned a rich shade of maroon. She looked away and searched her mind for a bluff.

"I look at her normally. Like she's one of my friends. Because she is."

"But you want her to be more than your friend, don't 'cha?" Briar smirked, enjoying watching Apple's desperate attempt to hide her feelings.

"You wanna talk about looks? Let's talk about the way you look at Faybelle."

Briar immediately shut up. She turned her head away from Apple, her cheeks also becoming a deep pink shade.

Apple smirked, seeing how her little uno reverse worked.

"Exactly. Even if I did have feelings for Raven, which I DON'T, she wouldn't even want to go out with me. You know how rocky our relationship has been over the years."

"I'm telling you! Open your eyes! She is literally head over heels for you." Briar groaned, leaning her elbows on the wooden table between them.

Before Apple could create a response, she spotted Raven strolling past them with Maddie. A quick, gentle smile gracefully slid onto Apple's face when the two made eye contact.

Raven exchanged the same smile with Apple, giving her a small wave. That smile made Apple's heart melt every single time.

Once Raven had passed by Apple and Briar, Apple let out a sigh with a blissful smile. Her eyes continued to follow Raven as she joked with Maddie.

"Isn't she pretty?" Apple sighed, leaning back and grinning, her eyes narrowing.

Braise raised an eyebrow, unamused.

"Tell me again how you don't have feelings for her?"

Apple snapped herself out of her daze, bringing her mind back to the painful reality surrounding her. She sighed and looked away, looking disappointed.

"I couldn't risk it all to be with her."

"What if you don't have to?"

Apple raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?"

"What if you could both get what you want? You could get your happily ever after, and she..."

Briar smiled at Apple, taking Apple's mirrorphone and opening it up to the Lock Screen, displaying a photo of Raven and Apple smiling together.

"...Could get a life with you?"

"What if she is your happily ever after? Your Prince Charming?"  Briar inquired, watching a soft smile form on Apple's face as she took the mirrorphone from Briar, observing the picture. The thought of a life with Raven sounded so...wonderful.

"What if she decides she wants to be your Prince Charming? Like you said. The option is hers." She placed a comforting hand on Apple's shoulder. "And it's yours too."

Briar could sense Apple hesitating. "I know you want your future to pan out perfectly, but I feel like you and Raven spending your lives together is perfect for you."

"That...that actually sounds pretty nice..."

"See? It's your choice. But it seems like a pretty simple choice too."

"Aren't we getting ahead of ourselves, Briar? We don't even know if she likes me." Apple worriedly announced, looking back up at Briar.

Briar smiled and gently turned Apple's chin, making her look in the direction of Raven.

"There's only one way to find out."

"I couldn't possibly..."

"Yes you could!"

"Not right now, then."

"Well obviously not right now. Maybe just test the waters. Do something nice for her. Help her with something."

Just then, they heard a loud groan of frustration coming from Raven.

"Can someone help me lift this rock to the fire pit?"

Apple turned her head towards Briar, giving her a confused, serious look. "Do you have the universe on speed-dial?"

Briar simply shrugged and smiled, before pushing Apple up. "Go! Go help her! Impress her!" Briar yelled at Apple, watching as she ran up to Raven.

"I got it, Raven." Apple announced, placing her hands under the rock, sharing the weight of the stone with Raven.

Raven raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure? Maybe we can get Cerise to lift it or-"

"Nope! I got it!" Apple said proudly, a wide smile on her face as a drop of sweat formed on her forehead.

Raven smirked. "Okay then." She dropped her end of the rock, immediately leaving the weight of the stone in Apple's arms. Apple immediately stumbled, adjusting to the sudden weight in her light, dainty arms.

"I find it puzzling as to how you can carry me as if I were a leaf, and can't lift something like this" Apple commented through her strain.

Raven smirked at her, dodging the comment. "You sure you don't need help?"

"YES! I'm sure!" Apple smiled at her, masking her struggle. "I got this."

Briar watched the two from afar, easily being entertained by the scene before her. Cerise and Maddie then walked up to her.

"Did you put her up to that?" Cerise asked, gesturing towards Apple and her dire attempt to impress Raven.

"Absolutely."

Word count: 951