Part 1| Chapter 6: New Friend

Later that day, Mal, Evie, and y/n were standing by their lockers, getting their books for the day.

"Bye, Mal. Bye, y/n," Evie said before leaving.

"Bye," Mal said to y/n, following after Evie.

"Bye," y/n mumbled back, still collecting her things, when she heard a few hushed voices not too far away from her.

"Those kids are trouble," Chad Charming, the boy Evie liked, said.

"Come on, Chad. Give them a chance," Ben told him.

"Oh. No offence, Benny-bear, but you're just too trusting," Audrey said, taking his hands in hers. "Look, I know your mom fell in love with a big nasty beast who turned out to be a prince. But with my mom, the evil fairy was just the evil fairy. That girl's mother." She then jerked her head towards y/n, making her blood boil.

"I think you're wrong about them. I'll see you later," he told the two before approaching y/n. "Hey!" he greeted enthusiastically.

"Hey," she replied, pretending like she didn't just hear that conversation.

"How was your first day?" he asked.

After a moment of thinking, y/n replied, "Super."

"Good to hear." Ben flashed her that sweet, sunshine, princely smile which made it difficult for even her to not smile back.

Keeping her face straight, she replied, "But the day isn't done yet. So, you never know."

"Right, you don't," Ben said with a chuckle. Then, his gaze drifted to the inside of her locker. "Hey, are those your drawings?"

Messy sketches of anime figures and made-up characters from whatever crumpled old magazines she found on the Isle during her childhood were scattered in her locker.

Y/n quickly shut the door before Ben could look any further. "You could just ignore that," she told him.

"They're good," he said honestly. "I mean, seriously. You know, the art club could use that talent."

'And I could seriously not use any form of attachment to this place,' she thought silently, but instead she replied, "And be classified as one of the art dweebs? No thanks."

Just then, y/n noticed Jane scurrying through the corridor out of the corner of her eye.

"If you'll excuse me," y/n said politely before following Jane.

"Wait, y/n-" Ben called, but she had already gone.

Y/n continued after Jane, which led her to the girls' washroom. When she was sure that no one else was there, she said, "Hi! It's Jane, right? Ah, always loved that name. Jane."

"That's cool," Jane said fearfully before heading to the door.

"Don't go!" y/n said, a little too desperately. "I guess I was just kind of hoping to make a friend," she said sadly. Of course, she wasn't lying about that part. "You probably have all the friends you need though, huh?" she asked wistfully.

"Hardly," Jane replied, looking down sadly.

Y/n smiled slightly at this—maybe they weren't as different as she expected. And if she had no friends, wouldn't she want to reach out to the first person lending her a hand?

"Really? I mean, with your mom being Fairy Godmother and headmistress?" y/n asked. "And I'm sure you're super cool."

"I'm not," she told y/n. "I'd rather be pretty, like you. You've got great hair," she complimented.

"You like it?" Y/n smiled at her compliment—she didn't get many, especially for her self-cut hair.

Then, her gaze fell to the ring which rested on her finger, the one which jewel was the same shade as the odd strands of blue hair on her head.

"You know what? I know just the thing for you," y/n told Jane, holding up her ring.

"What is that?" Jane asked excitedly.

"A parting gift," she replied vaguely. "Now, stay still."

Y/n swished her hand around the ring until a few blue particles formed. Then, she muttered, "By the power of this ring, make my guest have locks as luscious as string."

The blue particles swirled above Jane's head until they fell on her hair, and suddenly, her hair grew longer and curler.

"Oh!" Jane exclaimed in delight as she saw her new hair in the mirror.

"I know, it's not very good," y/n said. "My sister's spell book can do a much better job for things like these."

But Jane was too happy to care. "Do my nose!" she pleaded.

Y/n frowned. "What's wrong with your nose? Besides, I wouldn't want to damage it. I'm not really skilled in harnessing my power. Not like your mom with her wand," y/n added, remembering why she was here. "I mean, one swoosh from that thing and you could probably have whatever features you wanted."

Jane slumped. "She doesn't use the wand anymore. She believes the real magic is in the books. And not the spell books, regular books with history and stuff."

Y/n snorted. "What a rip."

"Yeah."

"You know, she used magic on Cinderella, who wasn't even her real daughter. Doesn't she love you?" y/n asked. Of course, she knew a question like that would hurt—it would for her if someone had asked her.

"Well, of course she does. It's... it's just, you know, tough love. 'Work on the inside, not the outside. You know, that sort of thing." Jane's face looked sullen and gloomy, as though she wished her mother wasn't always so stuck in her ways.

"That's the face!" y/n suddenly exclaimed. "Yeah, and then just look as if your... your heart is about to break. 'Oh, mother, I just don't understand why you can't make me beautiful, too'," y/n quoted.

'Not that you're not already beautiful, but I guess we all have our beliefs,' she added in her mind.

"Think it would work?" Jane asked hopefully.

"Yeah. I mean, that's what old Cindy did, right? And your mother Bibbidi-bobbidi-booed the living daylights out of her. And, hey, if your mom does decide to, you know, break out the old wand, invite me," y/n casually added.

"If I can convince mom, you're so there," Jane promised.

"Yay," y/n said, clapping her hands silently.

Jane smiled. "Bye."

"Bye." Y/n waved as she watched her leave before turning to the mirror.

"My first day and I already have a new friend," she said to herself joyfully. "Too bad I'll have to leave her behind if I do get my hands on her mother's wand. But, oh well, I can only hope it's worth it."

But for some reason, y/n had a strange feeling that no matter what would happen, it wouldn't ever be worth it. For her, at least.