Chapter Text
Two years.
It had been two years since Cerise last saw her older sister, Ramona. She had to wait two entire years before her father gave her the news that Ramona decided to transfer back to Ever After High for their third year instead of completing the rest of her high school education at her other school. It excited her, of course. Ramona was really the only one she could complain to and would actually understand her.
To the rest of Cerise’s school, Ramona had gotten suspended and sent away to some Dark Forest reformatory, but to their family, the sisters had some silly little argument in freshman year that caused Ramona to ask their father to send her to a different boarding school where she’d “never have to see Cerise’s stupid face again.”
Fortunately, the quarrel between them didn’t stick. Over the holiday breaks when they went home, they started talking again, and soon, it was decided they’d agree to disagree. It was an accomplishment in their household, really. Arguments have ended uglier.
However, even after all of the talking they did in person or through text, Cerise never knew what school Ramona went to. In truth, she never asked her, but thinking about it now? Ramona would never have answered. Screw Ramona and her ability to dodge questions so smoothly.
The day of Ramona’s arrival wasn’t supposed to be easy, but in Cerise’s most simplest terms, it was living hell. If they weren’t throwing insults, they were giving each other dirty looks, and if not that, people asked them stupid questions like “ Are you gonna fight her?” or “Are you going to insult her the next time you see her?”
Secret or no secret, they both said yes to either question in a heartbeat. Cerise believed the only reason their act was convincing was because the hatred they shared as enemies was only a disguise to hide the loathing they shared as siblings. They do love each other, but there’s always going to be a little spark of hate.
But let bygones be bygones. She only asked to reconnect with Ramona, for Grimm’s sake! Therefore, when Saturday afternoon arrived and Justine left for dance practice, Cerise made it her cue to sneak over to Ramona’s room and enter “unannounced.” Ramona always knew when Cerise was coming, it’s impossible to sneak up on her.
The door swung upon and a disgruntled Ramona stood in the door’s place. Cerise held up her basket and offered a polite smile.
“I brought dinner.”
Ramona’s face lit up in an instant, snatching the basket and then shutting the door in an instant. Cerise gasped and she could hear Ramona cackle behind the door.
“A thank you would’ve been nice!” Cerise growled.
Ramona opened the door again and chuckled, crossing her arms smugly as she stared at her frustrated sister.
“Don’t be a baby, Red. I was just messing with you. Get in, already.”
Cerise walked in and was immediately distracted by the decor of the room. Justine’s was far more vibrant, a mix of gold and yellow-like colours, but Cerise was comforted by Ramona’s room too easily. The oak surrounding her side reminded her of the forest, the stone beneath her feet reminded her of when she went out for runs. But the candles, the dreamcatchers that hung over Ramona’s bed, they reminded her of..
“Home,” Cerise muttered as she sat on Ramona’s bedside.
“Hmm?” Ramona asked as she helped herself to the chicken in the basket.
“Your room’s just cozy, I guess.”
Cerise cleared her throat and changed the subject. The less she felt homesick, the better.
“Sorry I didn’t come sooner, thronework and bookball don’t really leave you much time left in the day,” She apologized as she removed her cloak and set it aside.
“Oh, like I was waiting for you all week. Enough about that. Tell me about how you’re not a loser anymore or something,” Ramona scoffed.
“Shut up!” Cerise playfully tossed a pillow at Ramona, which smacked her sister on the side of her head as she howled in laughter.
“You’re so lucky I don’t feel like punching you back! Just tell me about bookball before I fall asleep!”
“Well, I almost got to be elected Captain, but then I found out the Charmings would sue me if I replaced their precious son, so the co-captain position will have to do. Playoffs are this spring, and since Ever After High hasn’t won Championship in like, 10 years, Daring and I spent all week discussing plays and-”
Cerise was startled by the sound of Ramona loudly choking. Normally, she’d be worried, but it’s the way Ramona’s body language indicated she was trying to hold back a fit of laughter instead. She already knew what was coming.
“You and Charming? ” She snorted. “You’re dating, aren’t you?”
“Gross, Mona. We’re colleagues. I would never!”
“Oh, silly me then. You’d never have the guts to ask him out, right?” She teased.
“You’re a bully, you know that?”
“That’s kinda been my thing, hasn’t it, Red?”
Cerise rolled her eyes and made her way to the door. The sun was about to set, meaning she needed to get back to her dorm so she wouldn’t worry Cedar, her roommate once again, or risk Justine returning with her still here.
“Mona?” She called out before leaving.
“What?”
“I just wanted to ask,” She took a deep breath as she made her way to unsafe territory. “What school did you go to when you left?”
Silence. Bad silence. Ramona’s always snappy when answering back, so if she doesn’t answer in the first three seconds of the question being asked, it means Cerise won’t get a direct answer.
“You should get some sleep if you wanna beat me for that race Sunday night.”
There it was. Before, Cerise used to tell herself “It was worth a shot.” But someday she stopped. It was never really worth the effort anymore.
“Night, Mona,” Cerise said somberly.
“Night.”
Cerise shut the door behind her, then glanced down the hall. Justine was walking back to her dorm room with Farrah, so Cerise quickly hid herself in the shadows, going back to her dorm unnoticed.
When she arrived at her dorm, Cedar had been doing an art piece, and thankfully, didn’t ask Cerise where she had been. Cerise proceeded to get ready for bed, when she was startled by the sound of multiple howls outside of the school. Cerise and Cedar’s window overlooked a forest, therefore to Cerise, it had been no more than just wolves out on a hunt.
“Woah!” Cedar gasped, nearly dropping her piece. “What was that?”
“A pack out in the forest,” Cerise answered quickly, staring out the window. “Nothing troubling.”
But even if it was just that, something about it felt… off. As if the howls were a warning. It disconcerted Cerise for reasons she wasn’t sure why.
She didn’t sleep that night.