Snow White and Seven Devils (rewrite) ✅

(1) Homecoming

1.

There were several people standing outside mom's house when she killed the engine. Knowing it was too futile to wish for time to reverse itself magically, I mustered up every ounce of courage that I had and got out of the car, while my nerves were all over the place. It felt good to stand again and I stretched my arms a bit. My legs had gotten stiff from sitting like that and it felt good to feel my feet on the ground. Car rides and I had never gotten along.

Mom gave me an encouraging smile as I slammed the door shut and realized that despite freeing my legs from the position, they felt like jelly. Before I could take another step forward, there was a sudden movement and a second later I found myself being crushed by a hug which was probably intended to take every breath away form my lungs. I was probably exaggerating, but trance causes people to do that.

''Ally! It's been ages, I can't believe you're all grown up!'' The boy greeted me enthusiastically and I had to think really hard about who he was. He had strangely familiar blue eyes and his forehead was hidden by charcoal black hair, he was a bit taller than me and beamed down with great fondness. I felt like a kid who had secured first position in a swimming competition, unfortunately I had no talent when it came to organized sports.

''Er you are...''

''Oh no, did you forget me already?'' He said and sounded hurt, his expression changed. I judged him as bipolar and the moment I did, I realized who it was. Well, I wasn't completely sure but all my life there was only one person I had known, whose mood could swing from excited to sullen in a matter of a second.

''Daniel?'' I gasped, taking in his appearance again, this time paying more attention. He was definitely Daniel, since he nodded. How could I not recognize him? He was wearing a Marvel T shirt and those blue eyes could only belong to him and Dale.

''I can't believe you didn't recognize me!'' He didn't sound as enthusiastic as he did a minute ago.

''Holy lemons, what happened to your hair? Did you dyed them?'' I touched them and gave him a questioning look. He used to be a blonde and that's why I failed to recognize him immediately,

He shrugged and let go of me, stepping aside, ''Of course it's a dye, did you left your common sense in New York Ally? Anyways, I look nice right?'' He looked handsome, he was no longer the gangly and clumsy kid who broke a tooth after every two months - he was grown up. I smiled but didn't told him my opinion. As far as I remember Daniel flew all the way to cloud nine when people praised him.

''Yeah, you look ... different,'' Daniel made a face which soon dissolved into a hearty laugh.

Henry and Grace - his parents hugged me next, both of them grinning proudly,

''Ally! How nice to have you back, '' Mr. Cattermole told me with a clap on my shoulder, ''we had been waiting for you. You have grown so much oh my! And you look thin, didn't Wilbur fed you properly?''

''I think she's on diet, aren't you?'' Mrs. Cattermole said jokingly taking my face in her hands and examining me,

''You know me Aunt Grace, me and food get along really well, I don't do diets.'' I replied with a sheepish grin,

''Good girl! You haven't changed a bit!''

Mr. Cattermole put a hand on my shoulder, ''Let her breath a little Grace, you can complete the observation later,'' he turned to me, ''come Ally, everyone is really eager for you, unfortunately Addison isn't home, she's away for college. But she'll be here in few weeks! '' I nodded and greeted Carmen next who stood beaming at me.

Carmen had been a part of our little group, alongside Daniel she had been my best friend. I had been assuming a lot of things about her, thinking she was probably a cheerleader now, who had forgotten about me and had transformed into a bully. I was so wrong about her and immediately felt guilty of such stupid presumptions. Unlike Daniel, she was recognizable, Carmen was still the chubby girl with warm eyes and ginger curls that reached down her back, though she was shorter than me but still managed to look intimidating.