A Whispered Secret
The morning after the ball, Ever After High was still buzzing with excitement. Students chattered about the night’s events, exchanging gossip and reliving their favourite moments. The grand hallways echoed with snippets of laughter, the rustling of skirts, and the occasional dramatic retelling of a dance gone wrong. Though the festivities had ended, their magic still lingered in the air, wrapping around the school like an enchantment that refused to fade.
But in one particular corner of the library, where the shelves stretched high and the scent of parchment filled the air, Apple White was deep in conversation with her best friend, Raven Queen. The library was one of the few quiet places left, a refuge for those who preferred hushed whispers over the lively chatter of the hallways.
“I swear, Raven, she gets so nervous around me,” Apple said, twirling a golden lock of hair around her finger. Her usually confident voice wavered slightly, betraying an uncertainty she wasn’t used to feeling. “Do you think Darling might… like me?”
Raven glanced up from her spellbook, raising an eyebrow. “Like you, like you?” she echoed, tilting her head slightly as if trying to gauge just how serious Apple was about this.
Apple nodded, a faint blush colouring her cheeks. She hadn’t meant to dwell on the idea so much, but last night had been different. “I mean, she always gets flustered when we talk, and she was acting so strange last night.”
Raven leaned back in her chair, considering. “That, or she just doesn’t know how to handle your overwhelming presence.” She smirked. “You do have a way of making people nervous, Apple.”
Apple huffed, crossing her arms. “That’s not helpful.”
Unbeknownst to them, Darling had just entered the library, hoping for a quiet moment to clear her head. Her heart was still pounding from the events of the ball, and she needed to gather her thoughts. She had spent the entire night replaying every moment—the way Apple had looked at her, the way her hand had felt in hers during their brief dance, the way her own pulse had quickened at the sight of Apple’s radiant smile.
But as she rounded a bookshelf, she froze in place at the sound of Apple’s voice.
“…Darling might like me?”
Darling’s heart skipped a beat. Had Apple really just said that? Had she somehow guessed what Darling had been desperately trying to hide? Panic surged through her. If Apple was already suspecting something, then she needed to be extra careful.
Before she could make her escape, Raven sighed dramatically. “You could always just ask her, you know.”
Apple shook her head quickly. “Oh no, that would be way too awkward.”
Darling bit her lip. Awkward didn’t even begin to cover how she felt right now. It was bad enough that she had barely made it through last night without combusting from the sheer proximity to Apple. Now she had to worry about Apple actually noticing her feelings? This was a disaster waiting to happen.
She took a slow step back, careful not to make a sound. If she could just disappear before they noticed her—
But fate, as it often did, had other plans.
Her foot bumped into a stack of books on the floor, sending them tumbling down with a loud crash that shattered the library’s tranquillity.
Apple and Raven both turned their heads sharply at the sound. “Darling?” Apple asked, eyes widening in surprise.
Darling’s face went scarlet. “Uh—gotta go!” she blurted, before turning on her heel and dashing out of the library as fast as her legs could carry her.
Raven snorted, shaking her head in amusement. “Okay, yeah. She definitely likes you.”
Apple just stared after Darling, her heart pounding in her chest.
---
Meanwhile, Darling didn’t stop running until she reached the training yard, her usual sanctuary whenever she needed to clear her head. She leaned against a wooden post, her breath coming in quick, shallow bursts. Her hands trembled slightly, and she clenched them into fists to steady herself.
She had completely blown her cover. Apple was already suspicious, and now she had just gone and made it even more obvious. Why couldn’t she just act normal around her? Why did Apple have to be so effortlessly charming, so breathtakingly beautiful, so…
Darling groaned, pressing the heels of her hands against her eyes. This was a mess.
“Running from something?”
Darling nearly jumped out of her skin at the voice. She turned sharply to find Daring Charming standing nearby, arms crossed, an amused smirk on his face.
“Or should I say… someone?” he added, his smirk growing wider.
Darling straightened, trying to school her expression into something neutral. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Daring let out a chuckle. “Oh, come on. The whole school saw you dancing with Apple last night. And now you’re blushing like a lovesick puppy.”
“I am not—” Darling started, but Daring cut her off with a knowing look.
“You’ve got it bad.”
Darling sighed, running a hand through her hair. “It doesn’t matter,” she muttered. “Apple is… well, Apple. She’s supposed to be with a prince. A Charming prince.”
Daring shrugged. “You ever think that maybe Apple gets to choose what she wants?”
Darling looked away, unsure of how to respond to that. Of course she had thought about it. She had dreamed about it. But reality was different from fairytales. And Apple White was destined for her own story, one that didn’t include Darling in the way she wanted.
---
Back in the library, Apple sat in silence for a long moment, her fingers lightly tracing the spine of a book on the table. She could still see the flash of blue and silver as Darling had bolted, could still hear the hurriedness in her voice.
“She likes me,” Apple murmured, almost to herself.
Raven, flipping a page in her spellbook, hummed. “That obvious, huh?”
Apple swallowed, her mind spinning. Darling liked her. The idea filled her with a strange mix of emotions—excitement, confusion, nervousness. A small, secret part of her had been hoping for this, but she had never let herself believe it could be real.
“Well?” Raven prompted, looking up. “What are you going to do about it?”
Apple bit her lip, glancing toward the library doors where Darling had fled moments ago. She wasn’t sure yet. But one thing was certain—she wasn’t going to let this go. Not when her heart was pounding like this.
Not when the thought of Darling liking her back made her feel like she was about to live the greatest story of all.