Darling Charming: Finally Extraordinary

4: The Odd Squad

The speaker on my wall let out another chime, letting me know that my best friend had arrived! I dashed through the door and hall and danced down the stairs, opening the front door for the Beauty-Beast family.

"Hello, King Beast and Queen Beauty," I welcomed, curtseying.

"Hello, Princess Darling," Bella's parents said. I stepped aside and let them into the castle.

"Hellew, Princess Dahling," Rosabella imitated her parents' french accents, giggling as she did it.

"Hmph," I groaned, "my parents don't have cool accents like yours. Hey, why don't you have an accent?"

Bella shrugged, pushing her golden frame glasses up, and again laughing.

*

The time passed quickly. Bella and I got a lot done in an hour. We planned out what our entire shared EAH dorm would look like, danced to about half of Tailor Quick's new album and shared gossip about the other princesses we knew. All I knew is what I heard from Daring and Dexter, me myself not leaving home much. Rosabella had more to share than I did by far. It wasn't that interesting and we were done fast, so we talked about hot princes. Again, I didn't know any aside from my brother's friends. The only one who really stuck out was Ian Charming- not related to my family at all, from another Charming family. He's the one who will throw a ball and find Ashlynn Ella's glass slipper. Heeee's cuuuuuuteeee.

"Darling? Rosabella? The guests are beginning to arrive!" The speaker on the wall delivered my mother's voice to my room.

"Let's go!" Rosie said, rolling over on the fluffy baby blue carpet and jumping onto her feet. We raced each other to the back door, rushing to fix our hair and dresses before we crossed through the shining glass door.

"Girls, this is this is Princess Aileen DunBroch of Scotland," my mother said, introducing us to a wild curly red-headed princess in a dark green dress, who curtseyed elegantly. "Aileen, this is my daughter Princess Darling of Ever After and the Princess Rosabella of France." We curtseyed as my mother said our names. Aileen's, Rosabella's, and my mother swiftly left us by ourselves to socialize.

Ailieen seemed odd for a princess- it was great.

"Hey," I began, knowing Rosabella would be too shy to start the conversation, and we're at my castle. "You don't have to call me that long name. Just Darling works." I guess I was nervous because I kept reaching for where I used to keep my sword like I do when I'm nervous, just because it comforts me knowing it's around. But It wasn't there.

"And I'm Rosabella, but Rosie or Bella will do," Bella said, pushing up her glasses again. That was her nervous habit.

"You can call me Ailie. Hey, wanna see something cool?" Ailie lifted a large bag she was holding. She unzipped it and pulled out a short bow and some arrows. You could guess what happened next... She shot an arrow, narrowly missed her dad's head, and got the bow taken away from her.

THIS IS THE KIND OF FRIEND I NEED IN MY LIFE!

"Woah," Bella gasped. "You might just be a braver, more Scottish version of Darling!"

I elbowed Bella's shoulder, frowning.

"What she means is, I'm awesome with swords," I boasted.

"Really? That's awesome!" Ailie's eyes lit up.

"Yeah I sl- I mean... Oh look! More princesses are here!" Perfect, a distraction. I needed it, since I almost let out the secret my parents would kill me if I admitted to another princess.

My mom rushed over again to introduce the princesses to us. There was quite the list of princesses that go to Ever After High, along with quite a few I hadn't heard of before. The last one stuck out- it was oddly intriguing, like the world was trying to tell me something about this one. "Princess Annie of Arendelle." The other princesses didn't seem all that interested in me, Bella, and Ailie, but Annie did.

"Hi! I'm Annie. Wow, this place is beautiful. I had to take a ship to get here. I've never been on a ship before, and it was really frightening. My family doesn't like to travel by ship every since grandma and grandpa..." Annie realized she was rambling on, and stopped herself. Just in the knick of time, since it seemed her story was about to take a depressing turn.

"I'm Darling, and this is my best friend Rosabella. Oh, and this is Ailie," I introduced us all.

"Wow! Real live people! I mean, people my age! I have a sister who's a little older than me but I don't see her much. It's sooo warm here, isn't it warm?" Annie babbled.

"You don't get out much, do you?" I asked, and Annie nodded. "Same."

"Oh my gosh, really? Ooh, do you have a shy sister too? Do your parents always keep the gates locked?" Annie's questions seemed oddly specific.

"Uh, no... I have two brothers... And we don't lock the gates..." I braced myself for more questions.

"Oh. My aunt once told me a crazy story about a prince she was engaged to for a little while who had twelve brothers. TWELVE! Isn't that insane?" Though Annie talks a lot, she's got a lot of spirit and she's full of life.

"Woah, I can barely handle two!" I laughed.

"So, you guys don't go to Ever After High, huh?" Rosabella asked, easing her way into the conversation.

"Nope, my mom says there's too many people there for my sister," Annie answered.

"No, but it seems like a cool place," Ailie exclaimed.

"Ooh! Darling! Is your brother named Daring Charming?" Annie questioned excitedly, jumping up and down in her dark and light green off-shoulder dress.

"Yes... How did you know that?" Okay, slightly creepy.

"My cousin Holly O'Hair told me about him!" She paused, giggling a little but trying to hide it, "she said he was hot!"

"Oh my god." I slapped my hand to my forehead in embarrassment, and Bella started laughing at me like only a best friend would. I elbowed Rosabella again, and she came to grips.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry Dar. It's just that- oh my god," she started laughing again. "OKAY okay okay! I know Holly. My cousin Briar is friends with her. I see the resemblance. Similar eye and hair color..." Bella gestured to Annie's sea-green eyes and strawberry blonde- light red hair.

"I always wanted to go to Ever After High," Annie sighed longingly.

"Me too," Ailie agreed.

I smiled deviously and side-glanced over at Bella, who did the same back. This is what winning feels like.