Chapter Text
Darling sat on the floor, furiously writing a note. Music blared in the background, but her only focus was on trying to figure out how to write this note.
Dear Apple, I hate you.
She stared at it for a second before scribbling it out. Not harsh enough. Apple needed to know how she actually felt, ‘I hate you’ just felt childish.
Dear Apple, I wish we never met.
Darling just looked at the note, before once again scribbling it out. She really couldn't just lie to Apple like that, could she? Would it be a lie? What is she supposed to say then? You were the best thing that ever happened to me, and once you left everything sucks so much that now I just wish we never met. So it would be easier. So I’d never get to know how good life could be. But you had to go and fuck that up for me didn’t you? She’d never say any of that to Apple though. Squaring her jaw, she started to write again.
Dear Apple,
Go fuck yourself.
Love, Darling.
Just as she had signed her name, her alarm went off. She hit it to go off, before dropping the note in the box of Apples things, and walking into the living room. The TV was on in the background, as Darling walked in, but the first thing she saw were the beer cans littered on the coffee table.
“Ugh, Mom,” she groaned as she picked them up and walked into the kitchen, dumping the last dregs of beer out before tossing them. Ever since dad and he left it had been like this. Her mom going off for work before they were up, getting home late at night, and then sitting on the couch and drinking until 1 am. That's just what happened when your husband left for a better life with the only kid you actually liked and left you with nothing but two kids though, isn’t it?
She looked around and no sign of Dexter, even though they had to leave for school now. “Dex!” She called, “Dex!” to no response. She rolled her eyed and ran down the stairs, only to find her brother hunched over the computer under a blanket. Music softly poured out, muffled by something–probably headphones.
She grabbed the blanket, to his protests. She was about to tell him to get to the car when she noticed his headphones, which were not at all his headphones.
“This isn’t yours, Dexter!” She yanked them off, putting them in the box of Apple’s things.
“Oh, I get it. You building a shrine or something?” He turned around in his chair, Darling was grateful to see at least he had his school clothes on, a blue tee and dark jeans, even if his hair was messed up from the blanket.
Ignoring him, she continued, “It’s time for school. Get in the car.”
“Alright, just let me finish this chat,” he turned back around and started typing again.
“Hey, didn’t mom say you weren’t allowed on that? Do you know how expensive AOL is?” She frowned, she loved her brother as much as they fought, but she couldn’t have him blowing the little money they had on something like AOL.
He kept typing while responding, “I’m stealing it from the net, and this chat is important anyways.”
“Dexter we’re going to be late, you can wrap up your fandom stuff after school.”
He turned to her, his hair still mussed from the blanket, “It’s not ‘fandom stuff’ its an internet community dedicated to the truth.” He stood up, running his hand through his hair, “Last night some dude went crazy, killed a bunch of people at the mall.”
Darling’s eyes widened, “Holy shit.” The violence wasn’t out of place for Shadyside, but a mass killing hadn’t happened in years.
“It was all over the news. Skull mask killer.” Dexter explained, before turning over to the wall he had dedicated to this stuff, “But, of course, no ones talking about the biggest part.” He walked over and grabbed the picture he had hung up at least a year ago.
Darling quickly realized where this was headed, “Dexter, step out of this crazy witch bullshit, and get in the car.”
“You step out of your depressed ‘I’m going to die alone’ bullshit,” he fired back, “And stop obsessing about Apple!”
Darling turned away, “Get in the car!” she yelled before running back upstairs, leaving the conversation. She stormed upstairs and walked out to the car. It was going to be a long day.
The two finally made it into the school, passing through the metal detectors and the crowd. Darling said a quick goodbye to Dexter, promising to see him later, before walking to her locker, only to find it completely blocked by a couple making out. Of course, the universe was just mocking her at this point.
She stood for a second, hoping that they would notice she was there, to no avail. Darling faked a cough, trying to get them to notice anyone else's existence. Finally, after almost a minute of standing there she hit the locker next to them loudly, causing them to jump apart and finally acknowledge anyone else's existence.
She just stood there for a second, breathing in and out. Everything about the day already had been so much. Darling needed to get this box out of her hands too. She stared down at it for a second, willing away all the memories associated with the box.
A slam, followed by the scratch of a knife on metal, broke Darling out of her small spiral. A kid in a hood had started carving something into a locker covered in notes and photos. Darling’s brow furrowed in confusion before she remembered what Dexter had told her earlier that morning. There had been a killing the night before.
She walked closer to the locker, looking at the photos. She knew–had known–the girl, she realized. Ginger, they had never been close or anything, but they’d gone to school together since elementary, and had always shared a few classes.
There was a small pit in Darling’s chest at this, a reminder. Just how fucked Shadyside really was. Just how close it was. Sure this time it wasn’t someone she really knew. But what about next time?
“You see? It’s the witch,” a voice from behind her said. Darling turned to see Raven, dressed in her cheer uniform for the game tonight. Her dark hair was pulled up in a high ponytail, and she was in the traditional blue and white colors. She leaned in closer, almost telling a secret, but the mischievous grin told otherwise. “Sarah Fiers back.”
Darling rolled her eyes, now her friends were starting to sound like Dex and his conspiracy theories, “Oh god, not you too.”
Raven just laughed though, and pulled Darling into the girls bathroom. Graffiti coated the stalls, not anything new for the school, but this was new. “She reaches from beyond the grave to make good men her wicked slaves!” Raven started to read the old nursery rhyme, now written across the bathroom stalls.
One of the stall doors slammed open as Briar popped out to finish the rhyme, “She’ll take your blood! She’ll take your head. She’ll follow you until you’re dead!” The two burst into laughter at their own antics.
“Oh my god, you guys suck.” Darling turned away from the sink, looking at them.
“It’s just fun,” Raven said nonchalantly.
“It’s sick!” A girl had died. A girl who could’ve been any of them.
“What? The dude was wearing a Halloween skull mask! How is that not fun?” Briar argued.
“People died.” Darling said, “Ginger died.” How was she the only one who understood this? “The dude was probably just some depressed loser who hated his life, just like all of us. Except instead of just wasting away like the rest of us, he decided to get out for good, and take Ginger and a few others with him. There’s no angry dead witch who made him lose it. The only thing that made him go crazy was this town.”
Darling couldn’t stand holding it anymore, she dropped the box on the floor. The three of them stood there for a minute, with Raven and Briar looking at Darling concerned. “Are you okay?” Raven asked finally.
“Yeah. I’m fine.”
“Seems like, maybe you’ve got a little witch in you.” Briar teased, finally cutting the tension. Darling smiled, maybe for the first time that day. Briar turned around, and reached up into the vent on the wall behind her, “But here’s the big thing that we’re here for.” She turned back around holding a box, and sporting a wide grin, “Candy Store.”
Raven adjusted her high pony in the mirror, “You know we dont believe this witch shit, right? It’s just like fucked up Santa Claus or something.”
As Briar kept messing around with her own box, Darling picked hers up and moved a bit closer to Raven, holding it out. “Whats this?” Raven asked.
Darling took a deep breath, “I need you to give this to Apple tonight.” She couldn’t do it. She couldn’t actually see her again. Couldn’t even if she wanted, marching band was the only ride she ever got into Sunnyside, and she quit weeks ago.
Raven immediately backed up. “No way Darling. I’m not getting mixed up in your ex drama. Do it yourself.”
“I can’t,” Darling admitted, throwing the box back down, “I quit band.”
“Since when?” Raven looked concerned.
“Who cares?” Darling looked away, staring off into the wall opposite, away from Raven.
“Was band the only extracurricular you had left?” Raven pressed. Darling shrugged, the concern was appreciated but unnecessary. It’s not like anyone here, maybe except Raven, was actually getting out of this town, so who cares how many extracurriculars Darling had?
Raven seemed to take the hint that the conversation was over and quickly pivoted her questioning, “Well you still have the uniform right? So just wear it tonight and sneak on the bus with us.”
It was actually a pretty good plan, Darling had to admit. The only problem was that the biggest reason she wanted Raven to give Apple the box was that Darling didn’t want to have to do it. For a moment Darling considered just taking the box back home, hell, maybe just burning it. But she knew that she wouldn’t be able to do it. She needed even the illusion of closure that giving Apples stuff back gave her.
Just as Darling had decided on going to Sunnyvale that night, Raven had started talking again, this time with the box Briar had been messing with before. “If you need it I’ve got something to give you the strength to face Apple,” Raven joked, opening the box to reveal it full of pills, and wads of cash.
“What? You guys are dealing again? I thought you stopped after Briars brother OD’d.”
“Timothey?” Briar asked, “No, Timmy wasn’t a real OD, he didn’t actually die. They brought him back.” She mimed a defibrillator to emphasize the point.
Darling just stared at them both for a second, “You guys are both idiots.”
“Uh, which one of us is valedictorian?” Raven asked, “And President of every club in this place?” The group walked out back into the hall as Raven continued, “I’m getting out of here. I’m going to make it big and never look back.”
Just as they were about to split off and go to class, a kid ran down the hall. “The witch is back! Sarah Fier lives!” Despite the cheers across the hall, and from her friends, Darling couldn’t help the small voice in the back of her mind telling her, It could’ve been you.
The engine of the bus thrummed as it went through the streets. Darling stared out the window as the scenery started to shift from the rundown homes and closed shops of Shadyside, to the suburbia of Sunnyside. All the big houses and lawns, not a hint of crime in sight.
This was what Apple had left her for? She tried to look around, to find something worth destroying everything they had. Maybe it was worth it though. Who wouldn’t take a perfect suburbia life at the low low cost of leaving a girlfriend who never was going to make anything of herself and a town hellbent on destroying everyone in it.
As the bus finally parked by the Sunnyvale High School and the kids filed out to the field for a mandatory assembly, Darling kept looking around, trying to find Apple. But even as they made their way onto the field, next to all the Sunnyside kids, she still couldn’t find her. As the mayor talked, Darling tuned him out, still trying to find Apple. She looked around trying to see past one guy who was blocking her view.
Then she saw him. Gold hair, shining blue eyes, standing there in a Sunnyvale football uniform. She had forgotten he even went here. Forgotten that he actually had abandoned them to go somewhere. She saw as he reached over to the girl next to him, pulling the cheerleader in for a hug. The girl turned around and Darling let out a small gasp of surprise when she realized who it was.
Apple. She was in a Sunnyvale cheer uniform, blonde curls tied up into a high pony, smiling up at him. No–not just smiling.
He had just leaned over to kiss her. And she kissed him back.
It was too much for Darling. Tears pricked her eyes as she began to shove through the crowd, trying to get out of here, off the field. She moved through the crowd, making her way until she finally got off the field entirely, and was alone outside the closed concession stand. She dropped the box, and collapsed, sitting down against the concrete wall.
She just sat there for a minute, reeling at what she had just seen. Apple hadn’t just left her, she’d moved on completely. She bet Apple hadn’t even spared the Shadysiders a second glance tonight, too busy embracing her new life on the right side of the town. Too busy replacing her with him.
After a few minutes out there, Darling heard footsteps. She turned over expecting to see Briar or Raven come to bring her back, only to see Apple standing there.
“Apple.” Darling said in disbelief, standing up. She didn’t know what else to say. What else was there to say?
They stood there for a second, and Darling wondered if she should say something, or were they just going to keep standing here for the rest of the night. Apple finally broke the silence though, “I didn’t think you were coming,” she said softly. Would it have made a difference if you did? Would you still have kissed him if you knew I could see?
After Darling just stood there, not saying anything, Apple continued, “I thought you quit band.”
This moved Darling to action, she turned around and grabbed the box–the only reason she was here–and handed it to Apple, “Yeah, I did. Here.”
Apple’s brow furrowed, and she opened the box. Darling saw her shift through the things, and realize what it was, “Is this my stuff?” She looked shocked.
“You got it.” Darling said, she stood for a moment, not sure what to do, but then turned around and started walking away. She knew she wouldn’t be able to stomach standing here any longer.
After a moment though she heard Apple call out, “Wait! Darling, can we talk about this?”
Darling knew she shouldn't say anything, she should just keep walking and not turn back. This was about closure right? So she needed to just close this chapter of her life. But she couldn’t help herself. Turning around and looking at Apple she said, “There’s nothing to talk about.”
“You broke up with me! Remember? So stop acting like I’m the bad guy,” Apple argued.
“I’m not the one who moved to Sunnyvale. You chose to leave. I just made it official.” Darling couldn’t believe this. Apple had chosen to leave, and then started dating him and Darling was the one in the wrong here?
“My parents got divorced. I didn’t have a choice.”
“Mine did too! Yet you didn’t see me packing it up with my dad to live here.” Darling knew she was yelling. She knew she was being too loud. She couldn’t help it though. All the pent up energy and rage she had been feeling was tumbling out in the open, like a poorly mended wound who’s stitches just broke.
“You got that choice, my mom wouldn't let me go anywhere else.”
“Fine, maybe you didn’t choose to leave, but you know what you did choose? You chose to turn around, the second I was gone, and start dating my brother. After everything I told you. You chose him.” Darling was close to tears now, but she couldn’t go back anymore, she had finally said it.
Darling saw tears begin to well in Apples eyes as she stepped forward, “Darling, it’s not like that, You don’t–”
“What’s there that I don’t know? ‘Cause what I do know is that you never wanted to be seen with me. You never could stand to let your mom know we were still even friends, much less anything more. And I know that you left me, and everyone else, to go live in fucking Sunnyvale.” Tears were in Darling’s eyes as she started to talk again, “And I know you’re dating my brother. After everything I’ve told you. After all the times I’ve cried over him because of what he did. So yeah, I know that.”
“You don’t get it!” Apple tried again, but Darling had had enough.
“No, I get it. Not much of a future in Shadyside, especially with me. Best case is what? Dead on the mall floor after a double shift?” Darling knew she was going too far, maybe she’d crossed that line a while ago, but part of her didn’t care anymore. “Or maybe, maybe if you’re really lucky, you’re the one holding the knife.”
“God! You always do this.”
“Always do what?” Darling demanded.
“This! ‘Welcome to the suck’ ‘Shit is doomed.’”
“Shit is doomed!”
“It doesn’t have to be. It’s like you want to lose.”
“At least I know who I am.” Darling couldn’t believe this. Apple left, Apple started dating Darling's brother. But Darling was the one who was trying to lose? Maybe Apple could pretend to be a Shadysider–maybe Daring could too–but Darling knew that underneath everything that's who she was through and through.
“Stop being mad at me for wanting a different future!”
“It’s not your future if you’re pretending to be someone else. It’s not your future if it's what your mom told you to want.” It was a low blow, but Darling was mad, and she was done with this conversation. She picked up Apple’s box one last time, and shoved it over to the other girl.
Just as she was about to walk away, the sound of screams and shouts erupted from the field. She started running back towards the field, willing herself not to look back. She couldn’t though. Just as she was about to turn the corner and get back on the field, she looked back at Apple.
The other girl was standing there, box still tucked against her chest, just staring at the wall. Seemingly sensing Darling's stare, she turned over and looked back at Darling. Darling held her gaze for a moment, staring into the blue eyes that used to feel like home. She turned away after a moment though, running back to the field, telling herself she didn’t see the tear falling down Apple’s face.
Darling slumped in the backseat of the bus, listening to the shouts of the rest of the Shadysiders. They had just gotten their asses kicked by the Sunnyvalers, and sent back home with the game completely canceled after the fight broke out.
Raven seemed to be leading the bus, who were whipped up into a frenzy, “They ruin our vigil, then go waltzing back to their mansions, like we’re some reject pile they can step on! Well, we are not the reject pile. This shit ends tonight!”
“What are we going to do!?” Briar joined in the yells.
“We’re going to kill those preppy assholes!” At this the bus dissolved into unintelligible shouts and cheers as Darling zoned back out, ignoring the rest of the bus.
A crash of glass hitting the backdoor of the bus refocused her on the car now trailing right behind the bus. She quickly stood up, “Guys! Guys! Get over here!”
Briar and Raven ran to the back of the bus, and the three of them gathered around the window trying to get a closer look at the car trailing them. It seemed like there were four people, the one throwing the glass was a football player in shotgun. She didn’t recognize the driver. Darling tried to get a closer look at the two in the back, but it was blurry.
“Wait, is that…” Briar trailed off, and Darling suddenly realized who was in the back of the car. Apple and Daring.
Darling saw red. Here Apple was, here both of them are, harassing them? Fuck this. Fuck them both.
She grabbed the tank of water, “Here guys, help me hold this.” Darling opened the back door, and grabbed the other side of the water tank, “On three, One…”
“Wait, Darling, are you sure this is a good idea?” Raven asked.
“Fuck it,” Darling honestly couldn’t care anymore. “Two, three!” Just as Darling was about to splash the water at the car, Raven dropped the tank.
“Darling your nose!” She shouted. Darling reached up in shock, fully dropping the tank into the car, and realized she was bleeding. Just as she realized this, the car had crashed off the road.
Darling came to her senses suddenly, “Stop the bus! Stop the bus!” she shouted, already sitting down, ready to jump out. As the bus rolled to a stop, she quickly got out, followed by Raven and Briar. She ran over to the car, “Apple? Apple?”
She saw her kneeled over, just outside the car. Darling ran closer, kneeling next to her, “Apple, It’s me, I’m here.”
Apple looked at her, blood on her face and breathing heavily, “Did you… did you see?”
“See what? Apple–” Apple was looking off, behind Darling, into the woods. Darling whirled around, trying to see if anyone was there, but there was nothing. Growing concerned, Darling started again, “Apple, see what–”
Briar cut her off, her and Raven having caught up, “Oh shit.”
“Okay we should not be down here.” Raven said from behind Briar.
“Shut up and help me carry her,” Darling said, trying to get Apple to stand up.
Raven pressed on though, “We need to leave, like ten minutes ago.
“We need to clear her airway,” Briar interjected, reaching out to Apple.
“Hey, quit it,” Darling slapped her hand away.
“I got this, chill out,” Briar said looking at her, before turning back to Apple, “I got this. How many fingers am I holding up?”
“Three,” Apple seemed less disoriented though, maybe this was a sign that Darling hadn’t completely fucked up.
Briar turned back towards Darling, “See? She’s fine!” Just as she said this though Apple retched, throwing up blood onto Briars shirt. Briar sprung up, “Oh, shit!”
Darling turned back towards Apple, immediately concerned, but just then police sirens started wailing. Bright blue and red lights flashed out from the other side of the car, and the area was flooded with cops. Apple was taken to a stretcher, and the group were all taken off one on one for questioning.
Darling was walked to the edge of the woods by the police chief, Grimm was his name she though. He pulled out a notepad, and looked up at her, “Want to tell me your name?”
“Darling.”
“You got a last name?”
She hesitated, she knew what was about to turn into. If Daring was also getting questioned, there was no doubt that they were going to figure it out quickly.
“Do you?” The Chief prodded after she had hesitated for a moment.
“Charming. Darling Charming.” Darling finally admitted.
“Okay, Darling,” If the Chief knew, or had connected her with, the Charmings in Sunnyvale he didn’t show it. “Can you tell me what happened?”
Darling took a breath, she just hoped their stories all matched up. “Well we were driving, the bus that is, and the car was behind us. Suddenly, it swerved, the driver must’ve lost control of the wheel, and we told the bus driver to stop so we could go help them. It seemed to be an accident.”
“What can you say about reports that the back door emergency exit on the bus had been open prior to the accident?”
“I’m not sure. I don’t remember it being open during the ride,” Darling lied.
“Are you sure?” He pressed, “I mean you kids were just having a little fun. Things got a little out of control, maybe something happened.”
Darling put her best poker on, “Nope, nothing like that at all.”
“Okay then, thank you for your time, Darling. If you’ll just give us one minute while we sort out the rest of the witnesses.”
Darling walked back by the bus, Raven and Briar were both still being questioned so Darling was alone for the moment. Not for long it seemed though, just as she had moved back to the bus Daring walked over.
In all that had happened that night, Darling hadn’t been able to get a real look at him. In the past years it honestly seemed like nothing had really changed that much. His blond curls had just gotten more golden, his eyes more crystalline. All that was new was the Sunnyvale football jersey, and his girlfriend. He was somehow even more annoyingly perfect, the embodiment of every dream their mother had had for him that she never got to see that he actually fulfilled.
Daring stood in front of Darling now, opening his mouth to start to say something, but she cut him off, “What do you want, Daring?” She didn’t care if she sounded cold. He left her first. Left her and Dex alone to fend basically for themselves while he got to live it up in Sunnyvale. Probably never looked back until today.
He seemed taken aback by her coldness, “I just wanted to talk, can we do that?”
“What do you even have to say?” What can you say to try to erase you abandoning us?
“Darling, I know you’re upset, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you, or mom, or Dex–”
“Dexter.” You don’t get to call him that.
“Dexter,” he corrected, “and I know me and dad leaving caused so much hurt. But you have to know, I never meant for any of this. I thought you and Dexter would come too–”
“How could we come with you when you were the only one given the chance to leave.” Darling's voice was ice at this point.
“Darling, I didn’t know. Not until months had past. Please you have to believe me.” Daring was pleading, begging her to give him what? Her forgiveness? She didn’t even know if it was possible anymore.
“You chose to stay! You chose to do nothing! You chose to just let us stay there and, and wilt. Mom is a shell, she barely is alive anymore, except to go to her job, because you and dad left.” Darling took a breath, trying to stop everything from bursting out, but she couldn’t control it anymore, “You get everything Daring. Even when you’re gone you still soak up every scrap of Mom’s love so that there’s nothing left. You get to just be and live and not realize how many people would give everything for a fraction of what you have.
“You have been this–this shadow, in my life. And here you are still taking it over. You get so much and you don’t even understand how little you want it compared to the rest of us.”
Daring looked stricken as Darling winded down to a stop. There was a moment when neither of them said anything, and the two just looked at each other. “Darling, I’m sorry. I truly am. But why can’t you just let this be in the past? I can talk to dad, see about getting you and Dex–Dexter to move here. What can I do?” The last part came out pleading. Maybe he really did want to do something. He didn’t know the damage was done though. Maybe– maybe in another life things would’ve worked out for them, but there was too much to fix now.
“Daring, it’s not just in the past. And even if it was, I’m not like you. I can’t just ditch everyone and everything I know so I can get a shot at living a life that's not mine, and never will be. I’m sorry but there’s nothing you can do.”
Darling turned and walked back into the bus, ignoring Darings calls to her. There was really nothing he could do, and it was better if he just left them behind. Better for all of them. Maybe he would get to go on and do some great things at least, maybe some of it would be worth it.
As she sat in the bus waiting for the cops to finish, she tried to forget the night. Forget her and Apple yelling at each other. Forget Daring and Apple kissing, no care in the world, just like they had done once. Forget Daring trying to talk to her, to fix something he hardly knew was broken. Forget Apple, bleeding and disoriented on the forest floor.
Most of all though, she wanted to forget the jealousy. How what she now hated most about Daring was not how he left, but him getting to be with Apple. Him getting to be where she had been, but doing it carefree, how she never could. She tried to forget it most of all because that meant something she really didn’t want to think about, that she wanted to be in Daring’s place. That after all this quest for closure, she still only wanted to be back with Apple.