𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗦𝗜𝗫
"ᴛʀᴜᴇ ʟᴏᴠᴇ's ᴋɪss"

𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗔 𝗕𝗢𝗬 𝗧𝗢 kiss Sophie wasn't going to be an easy task for either one of the girls. If there was one thing for sure, Nevers and Evers don't mix. They're good, while they're evil. Set in stone, and nothing could change that.

Every chance Aneira got to write down any description of an Ever boy, she took. Some of them even being:

𝓢𝓸𝓹𝓱𝓲𝓮'𝓼 𝓚𝓲𝓼𝓼 𝓒𝓪𝓷𝓭𝓲𝓭𝓪𝓽𝓮𝓼
𝘛𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘒𝘪𝘥
𝘙𝘦𝘥－𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘒𝘪𝘥
𝘚𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘺 𝘒𝘪𝘥
𝘏𝘰𝘵 𝘛𝘦—

When Aneira wrote the last name on the list, she immediately scribbled it out. Why would her mind even compel her to write such words?

She looked out the classroom's window at a long, brown haired boy. "Psst, Kiko—," Aneira called to the girl who sat in front of her. When Kiko turned to Aneira, Aneira pointed to the boy out the window.

"Who's that? Dark.. dark hair," Aneira asked.

"Tristan. I caught his rose," Kiko gleefully answered, "I hope he invites me to the Evers Ball. You have to get a boy to ask you or you fail."

"And you do not want to fail," A girl with a Scottish accent and red hair cut into Aneira and Kiko's conversation. Aneira quickly wrote down Tristan's name while the girl continued, "Three fails, and you're expelled."

"Wait, you mean they kick you out?" Aneira asks.

"No. They actually turn you into something else," Kiko replied. The redheaded girl added, "Like a talking tea kettle or a mouse or something worse."

"Wait, like forever? What?" Aneira was in disbelief. By the looks of it, Sophie was truly a better candidate for this School than she was. The sweet harmony of violins and harps filled the room as a woman entered the classroom. Aneira guessed that she was the teacher of the class.

"Bring it down, girls. I am Professor Anemone, and I am here to show you how to become a truly powerful woman through beauty," Professor Anemone says to the girls.

Every girl, except for Aneira, lifted up their desks to reveal mirrors. When Aneira finally opened up her mirror, she found it filled with all sorts of beauty products.

"A lady's smile is a sword in the battle for life and for true love. So, pick up your mirrors and strike!" Each of the girls, except for Aneira again, picked up a hand held mirror.

The entire class felt dumb and stupid. What happened to teaching girls how to sword fight? Like Mulan? Or Merida, the Scottish princess? Didn't those princesses exist?

Aneira uses her magic, even though she didn't really have to, to slam her mirror desk shut.

"I'm sorry. This just feels so wrong. Smiling? That's how you're empowering us?" Aneira asked Anemone.

"Smiling is a strict requirement for passing this course," Anemone replied, whipping around to Aneira. Aneira earned a dirty look from at least three of the students, "So, show me your smile if you don't want to fail."

"My... smile?"

Anemone nodded her head. Aneira conjured a mirror out of thin air and lifted it to her face.

"I don't feel safe," Beatrix commented. Aneira fought the temptation to curse her to never speak. It'd honestly do everyone a favor.

Ignoring their laughter, Aneira curled her lips to a smile and then...

"It could be better," Anemone commented.

Aneira looked up to see a bronze star forming above her. It wasn't an exact fail, nor was it a pass, it was just an inbetween.

༇

None of the Evers wanted to hangout with Aneira. They all believed she was a witch, looked ugly, or was too odd to hang around. For the majority of the break periods between her classes, she was alone.

Aneira went into her room to change from her sleeveless orange dress, to a light pink gown with puffed sleeves. She kept her silver shoes.

The familiar sound of the announcement bells rang throughout the school which meant that the next class was about to commence. Lunch, which was Aneira's favorite part of the day.

The Evers, since they were obviously the Heroes, received better food than the Nevers. Aneira caught sight of the food the Nevers were receiving when she went into the lunch line for her school.

The Evers had good options, like chicken breasts and mashed potatoes, while the Nevers had what looked to be oatmeal and chunks of meat.

Aneira sat alone at a table. Or so she thought.

"You're Aneira, right?" Aneira looked up to see the boy who she helped at orientation. She smiled at him and nodded. "Do you mind if I sit with you?" He asked.

Aneira nodded her head again, "Yeah, sit. Tons of space here."

She watched as the boy's sword continuously clashed with the chair. It took a while before he fully sat down.

"I'm Gregor. Um, Gregor Charming," He finally introduced himself when he sat down. He scoots in his chair and puts his hands on the table. "The, uh... the prince's son. I'll try not to be too charming," He joked.

Prince's son, as in Cinderella's prince? Snow White's prince? There were so many Prince Charmings Aneira knew about. It would be hard to pinpoint Gregor to just one.

"Call me Annie. All my friends call me that. Well, just Sophie and my family," Aneira says.

"I heard you don't want to be here. Well, I don't either."

"You don't?"

"I'm not cut out to be a prince. It's... It's not who I am," Gregor says. If he would rather be anything but a prince, what would he be? As if he read her mind, Gregor had an exact reply to her thoughts.

"Do you know what I'd rather do?" He asks Aneira, "Run my own grocery store."

"Wait, really?" Aneira asks him. She was a bit surprised by Gregor's answer.

"Yeah. I love food, but I wouldn't sell meat 'cause I can't stand the sight of blood. That's actually why I got a fail today. I got nicked in a duel," Gregor lifted up his finger to show his injury to Aneira. It was small. Smaller than Aneira thought it would be.

Her eyes glowed very light blue as she focused her magic on Gregor's tiny cut. It healed instantly and left no scars. He gave her a smile as a way of saying "thank you".

"They failed you for one tiny cut? They could've just easily patched you up like I did," Aneira questioned. Accidents happen, and Gregor getting nicked definitely was.

"Not quite," Gregor sighed.

"Tell me. I'm all ears," Aneira says, leaning in closer to hear the story.

"I saw the blood, and I passed out in my heavy armor. I was on top of a hill, and so I started rolling down, knocking over everyone in my path. Definitely grocery-store material, right?" Gregor explained to Aneira.

She had to admit, his story was funny, and it made her laugh. Aneira put a hand over her mouth to muffle the laughter she was emitting from her lips. Gregor laughed as well.

Aneira felt eyes on her and looks around to see Tedros staring at her and Gregor. She sighs and chooses to ignore the boy.

"I think you should do whatever makes you happiest, Gregor," Aneira says. She'd gladfully visit Gregor's grocery store if he ever chose to pursue his dream.

The door to the dining hall opens and closes, and Sophie enters the hall. Aneira and Sophie spot each other and Sophie makes her way over.

"I'm sorry, Gregor, will you excuse me?" Aneira asked. Gregor looks over and spots Sophie making her way. He turns back to Aneira.

"Sure. See you around, Aneira. And thanks," He says before leaving his seat. Sophie took his seat just moments after Gregor left.

"Did you get attacked?" Was the first thing she asked because Sophie looked tired and worn out. Her hair wasn't nearly as perfect as she's always kept it.

"By tadpoles. In ugly class."

"Well, I got a very low grade in beauty class," Aneira says in an attempt to cheer Sophie up.

"What part did you fail?"

"Smiling."

"Smiling?"

"Forget it. I found you a prince to kiss," Aneira says.

"I already found my true love," Sophie leaned to her left to stare at the table behind them. Aneira turned around and noticed Sophie staring at—. "Tedros," She says, her voice sounding a bit swoon.

"We had a connection from the moment we saw each other. Plus, we just make sense, aesthetically," Sophie continued.

"Well, unfortunately, Beatrix already has him," Aneira says. Plus, unfortunately, it wouldn't be right to steal someone else's prince. Beatrix would make a fuss about it.

"You think she's prettier than me?" Sophie asked, sounding a bit offended.

"I'm just saying we need someone who's available now," Aneira says.

"School Master said it had to be true love's kiss."

"I understand that, but it's a kiss, Soph. And you barely even interacted with him," Aneira tried to reason with her friend, but Sophie wasn't having it. An Ever boy walked past their table.

"Oh, really?" Sophie questioned. She grabs the boy and kisses him. Aneira covers her face in embarrassment.

"See? Nothing happened," Sophie says, sitting back down in her seat. She left the boy stunned. "Has to be true love," She sighed.

"I'm okay to keep this casual," The boy says.

Sophie smiled at him, "Aren't you sweet?"

As the boy leaves, Sophie hands up an envelope and hands it to Aneira. "Just give him this, and tell him how good and kind I am. Oh! And don't be weird. You know what I mean," Sophie says.

"Don't talk about your owl," Sophie whispered.

"Fine," Aneira groaned, examining the envelope back and forth.

"Fine. Just get him interested," Sophie instructed, "I'll handle the rest."

༇

Curfew for the Ever students were nearing and they were rushing to get to their dorms. Aneira, however, found herself sitting at the water fountain where she had a view of the School for Evil.

Was she really about to do this? Was she really going to give Tedros this letter? Her mind asked millions of questions where the answer wasn't an exact "yes" or "no". She closes her book and stares at a wall.

Aneira conjures a floating mirror in front of her and sighs. "Show me Sophie," She says to the mirror. And the mirror showed Sophie in her dorm getting ready for bed. Sophie was humming a sweet tune before laying on her bed and pulling the covers over her body.

"What're you getting me into, Soph?" Aneira asked. An idea sparked in her mind. If she was able to see Sophie.. then maybe she..

"Show me my parents," Aneira took a deep breath before saying. She didn't know if the magic mirror would actually show who she desires to see. All she wanted was to see her beloved mother, father, and four older siblings.

The mirror suddenly became glitchy. Was it working? A familiar voice tried calling out to her.

"A—? Aneira!?" The voice belonged to her father.

"Dad? Is that you? Dad!" Aneira shouted.

"Are yo— safe?" Her father's voice continued to glitch until.. the glitchy image became completely black. Aneira tried calling out to her father, but failed at receiving a reply.

"Show me my parents! Show me my father!" Aneira shouted, pounding on the mirror. The mirror slowly covered with ice underneath Aneira's touch. It shattered completely and the glass shards scattered all over the floor.

Unfortunately, Aneira cut her hand open.

"Damn it!" Aneira cursed under her breath. The final few chimes of the curfew call rang throughout the entire school. Aneira held her hand close to her the entire time it took for her to walk to the infirmary.

Unknown to Aneira, Tedros watched her from the balcony of his dorm the entire time.

༇

𝗮/𝗻:
Do I smell jealousy?