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Daring is having a no good, very bad, terribly un-Charming day.
He woke up the same way he has every day this month: being pulled out of a dream about Rosabella by his alarm clock. He goes right to the bookball field, doing stretches and warm-ups in preparation for the big game that night. It's Ever After High vs. Beanstalk High, and he needs to be on his A-game for it.
Of course, he's in the middle of his morning push-ups when Dexter arrives on the field, holding Raven Queen's hand. Dexter drops onto the ground next to his older brother, Raven sitting off in the stands, on her mirrorphone. Daring chuckles, "What, are you two an item now?"
"Yeah! She's really nice once you get to know her."
Daring nods, realizing some disbelief slipped into his voice. Luckily, Dexter interpreted it as being about his choice of girlfriend. "Good for you. How'd you ask her out?"
"Oh, I didn't! She asked me."
"Huh," he grunts, regretting his reputation. No one would ever ask out Daring Charming, they'd expect him to be the brave one and ask them out.
Dexter keeps talking, about to say something about how Raven planned to ask him out with someone when Coach Gingerbread tells them to shut up and give him 20 more push-ups.
That night's game comes all too soon, as far as most of the team is concerned. Not Daring, though! He was born for high-adrenaline activities just like this.
Daring, Cerise, and the other members of their team who didn't decide to warm the bench run onto the field, dodging giants' feet and hurling the ball back and forth. Finally, it's time for the final throw of the game. Dexter throws the ball, it hurls through the air, Daring leaps, and...
Cerise comes out of nowhere and snatches the ball from the air, sprinting forward before throwing the ball through the goal.
Ever After High wins the last few points they need to win the game, and the crowd goes wild.
The team members on the bench get up and rush over, housing Cerise up in the air. The crowd chants for her victory while she pumps her fist in the air, yelling about how she's the best.
Daring sighs, watching everyone celebrate her. She did do fantastic, but he can't help wishing it was him getting all the attention instead.
He's still wistfully staring off at them when he feels a tapping on his shoulder, looking over to find Rosabella. "Oh," he swallows, suddenly aware of how gross he is after the match. "Hey, Rosabella. Here to celebrate Cerise as well?"
"She's really good," she nods, "but I'm not down here for Cerise."
"When what are you here for?"
Rosabella rolls her eyes, "You, silly!"
"Me? Really?"
"Yeah. You're my favorite member of the team."
Daring's cheeks heat up. Unfortunately, he's had plenty of time to catch his breath, so he can't blame it on the exercise. "I am?"
"Mhm. You're blushing."
He nods, "Yeah, I am."
She smiles, "Why is that?"
"Because... Well, you just called me your favorite player."
"And that made you blush because...?" She gives him the knowing look she has whenever she raises her hand in class, or whenever someone asks her a question with what she thinks is an obvious answer.
"Because I like you."
She smiles, satisfied, at the no-nonsense answer. "I like you, too. Let's go out tomorrow morning. We can have coffee at Hocus Latte."
"Doesn't sound like much of a question."
She shrugs, "You'd say yes if it was, wouldn't you?"
"Yeah, of course."
"I knew you would, so I didn't need to ask." She shrugs and continues to plan out their date. Though, he gets the feeling she's had it entirely planned out for quite some time.
A few minutes later, Daring is left with a kiss on the cheek and the promise of a date the next morning. He stares after her as she walks away, trying to piece together what just happened.
Until Dexter walks up to him, holding Raven's hand, again. Raven smiles at Daring's dumbfounded look, "You talked to Rosabella, didn't you?"
"Yeah... What just happened?"
"You got asked out. Congrats," she pats him on the arm and then leads Dexter off towards the celebration.
Once Daring has come back to his senses, he hurries off to join the party, celebrating more than just a bookball victory.