Heartfelt Confessions
Darling wasn’t sure how he had managed it, but she now found herself standing on an enchanted balcony overlooking Ever After High’s moonlit gardens.
The setting was ridiculously romantic—twinkling fairy lights strung overhead, a soft melody drifting through the air from nowhere, and a breeze carrying the scent of roses. The marble railing was adorned with glowing ivy, casting a golden hue over the space. Even the stars seemed strategically positioned for maximum ambiance.
And, of course, Apple White was here.
“This is… unexpected,” Apple said, glancing around.
Darling swallowed hard. Understatement of the century. “Yeah. Uh. Dexter.”
Apple hummed, a knowing look crossing her features. “Of course it was.”
Darling made a mental note to strangle her brother later.
There was a pause—one of those heavy, expectant silences where neither of them quite knew what to say but both of them knew something was coming.
Apple shifted closer, and Darling’s heart nearly stopped.
She wasn’t even touching her. Not yet. But the air between them felt charged, like a storm waiting to break.
“I’ve been wanting to talk to you,” Apple admitted softly.
Darling tensed. “Oh?”
Apple bit her lip. “About what happened during the Prejudice Game.”
Darling immediately wanted to disappear. That discussion—her reaction—had been a mess. She had let too much slip, let herself get too vulnerable, and then ran before Apple could press further.
Apple’s gaze searched hers. “I don’t want you to think I don’t care about how other people feel.”
Darling hesitated. “I know you care, Apple.”
“Then why did you get so upset?”
Darling exhaled slowly, looking down at her hands. “…Because I know what it’s like to feel like you don’t fit into a story that’s already written.”
Apple’s eyes widened slightly. She opened her mouth, but no words came out.
Darling almost laughed. Apple White, the most confident person she knew, speechless. But this wasn’t funny. This was terrifying.
Because if Apple asked the right questions, if she really wanted to understand—
Darling forced herself to meet her gaze. “And I—” She stopped, words failing her.
Could she really say it?
Could she let herself be honest, even if it meant everything would change?
Apple took a small step closer. Their hands were nearly touching.
“Darling?” Apple’s voice was barely above a whisper.
Darling’s heart pounded. She opened her mouth—
The door suddenly swung open.
“There you are!” Daring’s voice rang out. “Oh. Ohhh. Are we interrupting something?”
Darling whipped around so fast she nearly lost her balance.
Standing in the doorway, looking like a very smug chorus of disaster, were Daring, Dexter, and Rosabella.
Dexter and Rosabella were very pointedly trying to look innocent. They failed horribly.
Darling and Apple immediately stepped back from each other.
“No!” Darling blurted. “Absolutely not.”
Apple cleared her throat, smoothing imaginary wrinkles in her dress. “Definitely not.”
Dexter sighed dramatically. “So close.”
Rosabella smacked him lightly on the arm. “You said we’d wait another five minutes!”
“I thought she was finally saying something!”
Daring grinned, arms crossed. “I knew this would be entertaining.”
Darling groaned and buried her face in her hands. “I hate all of you.”
Apple, to her credit, was doing an admirable job of keeping her composure. But her ears were pink, and Darling knew that meant she was flustered.
Which was dangerously adorable and very distracting.
She needed to get out of here. Immediately.
“Welp! This has been great!” Darling announced, already moving toward the door. “Super fun! Best night ever! I’ll just—”
Daring blocked the exit. “Oh, no you don’t.”
Darling scowled. “Daring, move.”
He smirked. “You ran away last time, sis. Not happening again.”
Dexter nodded in agreement. “Face it, Darling. The only way out of this is through.”
Rosabella sighed, exasperated. “Or you two could just talk like normal people instead of making it a dramatic, emotionally repressed saga.”
Darling crossed her arms. “I am normal.”
Rosabella raised an eyebrow. “Uh-huh. And totally not in love with Apple.”
Darling choked. “I—I—what?!”
Apple made a small noise, barely audible, but Darling heard it.
And that was when she realised.
Apple wasn’t denying it.
She wasn’t running.
She wasn’t looking at Darling like she was horrified.
If anything—she looked hopeful.
Darling felt her brain short-circuit.
Daring grinned. “Ohhh. That’s interesting.”
Dexter nudged Rosabella. “I think we broke them.”
Rosabella smirked. “Good.”
Apple, finally recovering, cleared her throat. “Darling?”
Darling panicked.
“I—uh—goodnight!”
And then she fled.
The next morning, Darling was avoiding everyone.
Which was difficult, considering her entire friend group was dedicated to not letting her do that.
She managed to duck into the stables, thinking she’d get a few moments of peace—
Only to find Apple already there, waiting for her.
Darling froze. “Oh.”
Apple smiled—soft, warm, patient.
“Hi.”
Darling swallowed. “Hi.”
Apple took a deep breath. “You ran away last night.”
Darling winced. “Yeah. Kind of my thing.”
Apple tilted her head. “Would you run if I asked you something important?”
Darling considered lying. Instead, she sighed. “I’ll try not to.”
Apple hesitated—just for a second—then stepped closer.
“Do you like me?”
Darling’s brain short-circuited again.
“I—uh—what?”
Apple’s expression didn’t waver. “Do you like me?”
Darling opened her mouth. Closed it. Opened it again.
Apple smiled, just a little. “You do.”
Darling groaned, covering her face with her hands. “You’re so smug.”
Apple laughed softly. “Only because you make it so obvious.”
Darling peeked through her fingers. “Are you mad?”
Apple shook her head. “I think… I’m just realising things.”
Darling’s heart was beating so fast. “Like?”
Apple hesitated—then, very gently, took Darling’s hand.
“…That maybe my story isn’t as set in stone as I thought.”
Darling forgot how to breathe.
Apple smiled—bright, hopeful, like a promise.
And for the first time in a long time, Darling didn’t want to run.