#fromcerise

Clouds of dark blue fog swirled around me as I emerged deeper into the Dark Forest. I felt like a new person. My entire life, people knew me as Cerise Hood, daughter of Red Riding Hood. But that’s half the truth. My father’s the Big Bad Wolf, though it was a secret I had to hide. Yes, I said “had” to. I was done hiding.

Running through the woods, I felt free as a bolt of lightning. I didn’t worry about people seeing me run with wolf-like speed. I didn't worry if my hood slipped and people saw my ears - the one physical trait that shows off my big bad heritage. I felt beyond free. I felt carefree.

Tree branches blurred past until I stepped into an open clearing. Dragon-fireflies zipped gracefully through the air, their lights reflected in a still lake that stretched into the distance. At peace with the world around me, I stared at my reflection in the water. The new “me” looked back. My, how fierce my hair was. My, how sharp my teeth were. With pride, I pulled back my long, red hood. My, how big bad my ears were. "It’s okay for everyone to know." I spun around and raced back to Ever After High.

From the edge of the Dark Forest, I heard friendly chatter coming from the castleteria. This was wicked perfect. I walked through the castleteria doors. All the noise instantly disappeared. All eyes turned to me. I never pulled my hood back up, and most were seeing my ears for the first time. Scanning the room, I saw my best friends forever after. Madeline Hatter, the ever-happy daughter of the Mad Hatter, and Raven Queen, daughter of the Evil Queen, who broke from her destiny and inspired me to listen to my true heart. I looked at them and smiled, "It’s time to step out of the shadows. My dad’s the Big Bad Wolf! From now on, call me Cerise Wolf, because I’m rewriting my story!"

Nothing. No reaction. People just stared. Then... CLAP... CLAP... CLAP... Raven stood up... CLAP..! CLAP..! Maddie joined her... CLAP! CLAP! CLAP! Cedar Wood and Ashlynn Ella stood, too! CLAPCLAPCLAPCLAP! Then everyone cheered! Everyone, from Briar Beauty to Blondie Lockes... even Apple White, the fairest daughter of Snow White! Apple embraces her destiny. While she’s the fairest inside and out, I never hexpected her to give me a huge, accepting hug, "Cerise, you never had anything to worry about. Whether you’re following your mother’s legacy or your father’s, I’m just happy you know where your story is going."

Everyone gathered around me to congratulate me. Briar commented on my new big, bad look, "It’s royally ferocious!" Blondie asked for a hexclusive interview for her MirrorCast, “Embracing who you really are is just right!” Raven ran up to me, "Cerise, this is amazing! See, you can change your destiny!"

I felt on top of the world. This was the start of a new chapter, I wondered why I was worried all this time. And then, over the intercom... "CERISE HOOD... TO HEADMASTER GRIMM’S OFFICE RIGHT NOW!!!" All eyes were on me again. Raven whispered, "We’re here for you."

The walk felt longer than usual. Headmaster Grimm has dedicated his life to the rules of destiny - "In order for a fairytale to exist, you must relive your parent’s story." For the longest time, my destiny was to be the next Red Riding Hood. But now that people know who my father is, shouldn't I be able to follow his destiny? I steeled my nerves as his office door opened with a CREEEEAK.

Sitting behind the massive desk, Headmaster Grimm furrowed his eyebrows, "Have a seat." I did as he asked, and saw mom and dad. They didn’t look at me. In fact, they seemed to be frozen. Dad clenched his teeth in a silent growl. Mom looked down at her feet, as tears dropped from the depths of her hood.

The headmaster coldly looked to my parents, "Let’s start with you two. Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf are ENEMIES." Headmaster Grimm slammed his fist on his desk. "You two know the consequences." The headmaster’s large magic mirror started glowing with powerful magic.

My parents looked at me with despair in their eyes. As they began glowing, I realized what was happening, "Mom! Dad!" The legends were true! When fairytales break from destiny, they vanish, along with their story. I turned to Headmaster Grimm, "Don't do this! This was my choice" but it was too late. In a bright FLASH my parents were no longer there.

Headmaster Grimm turned his cold stare to me, "I warned you all. Choice is dangerous. Your parents made a choice. You made a choice. And now... well..."

I looked at my hands. Rather, I looked through my hands. Was I... No! "But… I don’t understand. Raven didn’t disappear when she broke from her destiny."

Headmaster Grimm slightly smirked, "Ms. Queen’s final choice has yet to be decided. You will be an example for her and anyone else who dares to rewrite their stories. Goodbye, Ms. Hood. Or should I say, goodbye Ms. Wolf?" His lip snarled as he spit out his final words, "I hope it was worth it."

My hands faded to an outline. I opened my mouth, but no words came out. The world shook... And shook... still shaking... wait, someone was shaking me. My eyes flew open. I was in the forest. My hands were whole again. A wide-eyed Raven held me by my shoulders. "Cerise! You’re up!"

My head felt foggy. "Raven! What happened?"

Maddie popped out from behind Raven grinning widely. "You fell into some Nightmare Fog. Good thing I was collecting gremlin root for a new tea recipe. Otherwise you might still be in your dream."

My head began to clear. Things started making sense. Nightmare Fog traps you inside your greatest fear. Mine was what would happen if anyone discovered my family secret. But was it a dream? It just felt so real.

Then I looked into Raven’s kind eyes. She’s known my secret for a while, and nothing’s happened. Are the legends a lie? Can I dare to hope? I remembered the happy part of my dream. The way everyone spellebrated when I revealed my family secret. I looked at Raven, who was brave enough to flip the script and discover her own Happily Ever After. I looked at Maddie, who always supported Raven’s decision.

I have a secret. I know what you're thinking... everyone has a secret. But, does everyone have to hide their secret every moment of every day?

I go to Ever After High because it's my destiny to be the next Red Riding Hood. But that's not all of who I am. That's because of my father, the Big Bad Wolf. Even though he can change from wolf to human whenever he wants, he and mom weren't supposed to fall in love.

Hurray! Three howls for the Ever After High Tri-Castle-On! Um, okay, so, normally I don't get so worked up about school activities, but today is a different story. The Track and Shield event at Tri-Castle-On is my event, and it's only once in a blue moon that I have a chance to run as fast and free as I can in front of everyone I know. Sure, they already know I'm fast, but I try to keep it under my hood just how fableously fast I can be.

Yeah, I usually have to be careful not to drop my guard when I'm out with the pack. If I let my hood down around the wrong people, it could start some wild talk! Sometimes it's just easier to be a lone wolf, because keeping to myself is the easiest way to keep my family's secret protected.

My, what a big event Spring Fairest is going to be. Normally I'd just hang back in the shadows, but not this year! Spring is the season of change, and lately I've been feeling like the more change, the better. So time for some fun!

Every year I take a look at the dunking booth and think, "I can win the big prize. Nobody at school has a better arm than me." Well, this time around I'm not holding back. This year, the winner of the dunking booth gets a free day off from school! I've got my big bad eyes on the prize. Hex, at the very least I get to dunk out Sparrow Hood. It's win-win either way!

Racing in the shadows, I finally found the darkest room in school—the empty Grimmnasium. Hours must have passed before I heard their footsteps. The center of the floor flipped open. Smells of chamomille tea filled the room, as the Mad Hatter's daughter, Maddie, emerged, "Found her! It's Cerise!"

Cedar climbed out, followed by Raven, "Are you okay, Cerise?"

Raven sighed, "We all saw Blondie's MirrorCast. We know it's a poisoned apple."

Tears stung my eyes, "Why would she cry wolf?"

"Because I got carried away," Blondie appeared behind them, "Cerise, I was just wrong. I thought I was saving Legacy Day."

My teeth grinded. "What did I ever do to you, Blondie? Are you happy I don't have any friends? You know what would be just right? If you go away!"

Her head dropped, "I deserve that. Headmaster Grimm wasn't happy either. I got in so much trouble..." sincere tears dropped from her eyes, "I never got your side of the story. I-I'm so sorry."

Raven sat next to me, "By the way, why do you think we were looking for you? We're your friends, Cerise."

"I'm going to post a new MirrorCast," Blondie grabbed her MirrorPad, "Let's tell everyone the truth."

Afterwards, everyone kept their distance from me, though my name kept coming up in hushed tones. It didn't bother me until I heard, "Psst psst Cerise psst psst Legacy Day psst psst MirrorCast."

My throat closed. Immediately, I unlocked my MirrorPhone and tuned in to Blondie's MirrorCast, Just Right. It was about Legacy Day. Specifically, the Legacy Day dance and how someone was trying to ruin it. And apparently that someone was me... because, she said, I hate the Big Bad Wolf... She talked about Cedar saying I went to Book End, me breaking into his office, and finally what happened when Holly asked if I hated Mr. Badwolf.

In the Castletaria, royals almost always sit with each other. So imagine my surprise when a princess I never met before sat down, "Can I join you?" She had a kind smile, and my, what long hair she had. Three people tripped when she tossed it.

I shrugged my shoulders. Usually I'll only eat with Raven Queen or Maddie. It was nice to have some new company.

"I'm Holly, the next Rapunzel. I'm new here," her eyes darted to my cloak, "And you're... the next Red Riding Hood!" Oh no. She was going to start prying. "So do you hate Mr. Badwolf?"

"Not really." My hair stood on end. Why was everyone getting all up in my hood lately?

"I think I would," she didn't drop it, "I always wondered, why would he eat your grandmother when—"

"JUST DROP IT!" I walked away, leaving my breakfast unfinished.

The door to my father, Mr. Badwolf's, office was open, but inside looked empty. However there was the faint smell of porridge all over the room, "You can come out, Blondie."

With a CRASH, Blondie Lockes fell from behind the desk. True to her Goldilocks' roots, Blondie always walks into places she doesn't belong. "Just who I was looking for," she held her MirrorPad up, "Hex it out, my MirrorCast audience, Cerise Hood just walked into an empty teacher's office! But not just any teacher... Mr. Badwolf! Say, Cerise, isn't he Little Red Riding Hood's villain?"

"MirrorCast? Villain? No! I mean, yes, but—"

"And you're the next Red Riding Hood! So why are you here?"

"THAT'S WHAT I'D LIKE TO KNOW!" With a huff and a puff, the Big Bad Wolf blew Blondie's interview down, "This is my private office! Leave... NOW."

"That sounds about just right," Blondie ran like she was being chased by three bears.

Before I could take one step, he growled, "Not so fast." He snatched my basket off my arm, "I'm confiscating this. You'll get it back once I've made sure you don't have something that belongs to me."

"Yes, sir." I walked out, relieved he got his two-way book without arousing suspicion.