𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐊𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒 | eah

16

THE SAME day that the skit was announced, Ever After High was buzzing with excitement and anticipation over the event. Squeals and hoots would erupt in the air whenever Chase and I walked together or just me (or Chase) solo walking by past students.

"Everyone's crazy excited over this, huh?" Bella smirked as she came near me, the two of us walking side by side.

"Yeah. Ever since the news has spread like wildfire, everything is going ballistic. People treat me as if I'm a huge and well-known celebrity around Ever After High." I reply, annoyed.

Bella laughs. "Maybe you just don't know it, but you are a celebrity here at Ever After High. You're the sister of Daring and Dexter Charming, the only princess in the Charming Family. Plus you became way more popular ever since the skit was announced and people had started shipping you with Chase Redford."

I rolled my eyes. "This is new, you become popular just because you come from a nobility status and you become even more popular just because I'm getting shipped with Chase?" I remark.

"Hey, Ever After High loves new gossip. Especially if it involves romance. This is kinda like their thing here." Bella says, shrugging as if she's used to this.

"This school is weirder than I thought." I mused.

"But hey, you love this school!" Bella replies enthusiastically.

"Good point."

•••

NEXT DAY

ANOTHER DAY of plain old school. The first day of rehearsals for the skit. We were currently at the school's auditorium, as it was where the skit was going to presented. Currently at the stage was Lady Marian and my dad, who were both beaming at the whole mixed class of Princessology and Hero Training seated on the guest seats.

"Okay class! Since you all already know your designated roles, we better get started!" Lady Marian says excitedly.

"Please be reminded that as you do this task, not only should you try to have fun but also you should be serious with it. This is an opportunity to raise all your grades for this year. I have high expectations for you all since this class is doing excellently this past year so do not fail me, Lady Marian and the rest of the Ever After High students. As I've said, we all expect high things from you all and we expect you do your best." Dad explains with a straight but proud face.

Way to give a really great pep talk, dad.

"We're going to ace this Dar. I know we all will." Chase whispers from beside me as he was seated at my right and Bella on my left.

I nod, smiling a bit as my insides were churning. This is actually the first time I'm going to be a lead character on a performance that's actually going to be presented in front of the whole school. I'm not exactly a bad actress but I'm not the greatest either. To say I was nervous was an understatement.

"Now, everyone, as you all already have your scripts, we should start practicing on the first scene." Lady Marian claps her hands while speaking.

I, along with the other students, open our scripts to read the first scene.

The first scene was that it introduces the royal family of Ilriya, which composes of a king, a queen and their only daughter and child. The scene explains their daily life and that one day, the princess, Evangeline, found out she had powers. She can control the weather, it is she who can decide what weather each day shall be. Princess Evangeline of Ilriya was special. When the king and queen had found out, they immediately forbade Evangeline of using her powers whenever she was outside the castle for it can cause grave danger not only to her and for the kingdom, and at this, Princess Evangeline had agreed and obeyed.

"This looks like a pretty okay and not so complicated scene." Bella mumbles from my left.

"That's true but it'll be wicked cool if they managed to perfect the magic effects." I replied back.

"Ha! I'm not yet in this scene, Dar. I'll be glad to enjoy watching you practice whilst I sit here." Chase says, grinning.

I rolled my eyes and replied "You're not even in on the couple of first scenes. You'll probably be on the parts when Evangeline gets captured, which won't be happening in a while."

That's true. The only people who are to be found in the first scene were the King and Queen, which the roles were given to Apple White and Daring Charming. It's sad, really. How Bella wasn't the Queen. But we can't do anything about it. Princess Evangeline was also in the first scene of course.

Chase had grinned and winked.

"Actors and actresses for the first scene, please proceed to backstage. Stage left to be precise." Dad announces as he gestures to his left.

"Good luck Dar!" "Good luck Darling!" I heard both Chase and Bella say to me at the same time and to which I flashed a Charming smile at mouthed a 'thank you'.

Apple, Daring and I immediately stood up and walked towards backstage.

"This is going to be hexciting, wouldn't you guys agree?" Apple happily says, all the while bouncing in her heels backstage.

"Of course! I will look perfect for this part! Me, Daring Charming, as king!" Daring boasted as he grinned.

"Geez Daring." I rolled my eyes.

"I'M HERE!" A voice called out on the whole auditorium. Daring, Apple and I plus with a bunch of others peeked out of backstage to look for the person with the loud voice.

It turned out to be Raven Queen, the infamous daughter of the Evil Queen, who was waving her hands around and smiling widely.

"Thank you for your participation in this Ms. Queen." Dad says as he smiles warmly at the Evil Queen's daughter, which surprised me a bit. Dad absolutely despises the Evil Queen. Oh well, I guess he hates Raven's mother only rather than hating both of them.

"Wait, Raven's participating in this skit? OHHH!" Sparrow said-sang. At this, murmurs rose from the crowd and as I saw, Raven had frowned.

"Ms. Queen is to be helping out of this skit as the magic producer. She will, help Darling with her magic scenes by using her own magic to be used in the skit since as I've heard from her teachers, Ms. Queen is doing exceptionally good at her magic classes." Lady Marian explained to the confused crowd.

As I could see, Raven had a slight blush on her pale cheeks and a smile on her lips again.

"Yeah! Go Raven!" Apple cheered, grinning widely.

After that cheer from Apple, cheers busted from the crowd, me being one of the people.

Raven blushed more profusely and smiled even wider as she did a curtsy.

Lady Marian and Dad both smiled and immediately clapped, catching the student's attention.

"Ms. Queen, please proceed to backstage for you are present for the first scene." Lady Marian announces.

Raven nods and heads over to backstage. When we saw her, I hugged her tightly and said some words of happiness in having her here. Apple joined our hug and said some nice things as well whereas Daring just smiled.

"Now that everyone is finally here, let's start our very first rehearsal for this skit!" Dad booms.

At this, every student in the auditorium cheered loudly.

+ + + +

hello everyone! i am sorry for updating so late! i recently went to singapore to attend a chorale competition and i have just arrived back at my home country (the Philippines) a few days ago! i was really busy for a week there hence why there wasn't an update so please excuse me.

anyways, i hope you guys enjoy this chapter! sorry there wasn't much darlase action here but there will be on the next chapters soon! im so excited since the skit rehearsal is finally starting and i hope you guys are too!

well, if you like this chapter, please vote, comment if you have any thoughts (or praises¿) and if it's possible, share this story for your other friends who would enjoy an Ever After High story (particularly a Darlase one)!

~ drea