Ever After High: Thronecoming

Chapter 3: Breakfast and Bookball

    Cerise Hood, The daughter of Little Red Riding Hood and The Big Bad Wolf, retreated further into her namesake hood as she entered the Castleteria.

    The nine-days-old-peas-porridge sat in the back of the room, letting off a stench so terrible Cerise felt as though she would faint.

   She made a silent wish for a normal nose as she drew near to the food line. It was at moments like these that she envied regular kids, they probably couldn't smell it from this far away.

    Nonetheless, she plucked a food tray from the pile and slowly moved through the line. She moved along grabbing a variety of foods, most of them leftovers from the day before.

    Cerise's ears pricked up from under the red fabric. Duchess Swan stood just behind her, whispering to Faybelle Thorn. The two were always talking in secret. It's like gossip just poured out of them.

    Dutchess was murmuring about Humphrey Dumpty, making fun of his outfit that day, and claiming that every Rebel was just as hideous.

    Cerise knew that she shouldn't get mad, she knew that the only reason the two bullies were so mean, was because neither of them got Happily Ever Afters. But as she stood in the line listening to them make fun of her friends, she couldn't help it. She turned around and looked the two in the eyes, doing her best not to growl at them.

     "You have no right to talk about others like that!" She yelled through bared teeth. "The only reason you even care is the fact that many of the Rebels get happy endings and you don't!"

    Faybelle glared at her as Duchess did an angry pirouette. "And YOU have no right to talk to us like that REBEL!" She sneered. "Keep your nose in your own basket!"

    Faybelle smacked the food tray out of her hands, dumping piles of meat onto the floor. The two then stormed ahead in line and left Cerise scurrying to clean up the mess.

    Cerise was so busy trying to wipe up mashed potatoes with a napkin, that she almost didn't notice Daring Charming stooping to the floor to help her.

    "I saw what they did."

     "Uh-hu," Cerise grunted.

     "That was so not fairest." He continued, scratching the back of his neck. "I'd just like to say sorry for those two." He said as he stood up.

     Cerise faced him with her hands on her hips. "Don't apologize for something you didn't do."

    His eyes went wide, this was probably the most words Cerise had ever said to him at once. To be honest, he used to think she was mute. Daring fumbled for a reply, but Cerise had already gotten back into the line.

    "Thank you anyways." She added, trying not to be entirely rude. She then promptly spun on her heel and walked away with her new tray of food.

    Cerise sat down next to Raven, her best friend forever after, and began shoveling in mouthfuls of food.

    Raven Queen, the daughter of the Evil Queen, had been close to Cerise ever since she had helped her be honest about her heritage to her village. Raven had encouraged Cerise to make her own choices and create her own destiny, everything worked out for the better. Because of Raven, Cerise still had a place to call home.

    "You alright?" Raven asked.

    "Yup." She said, continuing to eat at full speed.

    "Are you eating mashed potatoes for breakfast?"

    "Last night's dinner leftovers. The lunch ladies got tired of me eating all the pancakes, so they keep the leftovers for me."

    "You're eating really quickly!" Maddie noted from across the table. "What's all the rushing about? Did you leave your in-bread cat in the oven?" As she said this she finished gnawing a piece of toast into the shape of a small tabby cat.

    "No," Cerise replied, pausing to swallow her food before she spoke again. "I am hoping to finish so that I can make it to Bookball practice. I wanna join, and it seems like the team is gonna need all the help it can get for the big game against Beanstalk High."

   "Good luck, Isn't Daring the team captain?" Raven pointed her fork at Cerise. "The only way you're going to get in is if you have dashing good looks."

"I know, but I still want to try."

    Maddie began giddily bouncing as she remembered something important. "Oh! Speaking of Daring. This morning I was walking past his room and I heard the Narrator say that-" No Maddie! Not that important thing! "Oh well then, never mind."

    "Um... ok. Break a leg Cerise!" Raven called as Cerise left the table.

  "And don't forget to pull your blueberry cat out of the oven!" Maddie said nodding approvingly. Raven sighed at her friend's naivety and returned to her food.

    "I'm naive?"