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Before you
Chloe grew up with a lot of friends.
But she had 3 main besties. There was Aziz, Jasmine and Aladdin's son. Dizzy, her cousin and Celia.
They hung out in their little group of 4 most of the time but Chloe was the most social. She talked to everyone and she talked their ears off.
Some kids found her annoying but she still had a lot of friends. As she grew older she found people only grew more annoyed.
Her friends dwindled until she was left to just the 4 she started out with. But it was okay, as long as she had them.
7th grade, she was separated from Aziz and Celia, who moved to a different school. Dizzy wasn't in most of her classes, so Chloe attempted to make new friends.
She made a few that she talked to sometimes but really only in class.
During You
A new girl had moved from Wonderland.
She was said to be a big troublemaker, which excited the kids and pissed off the teachers. She arrived in December, her red hair styled in two buns.
Her name was Red, just like her hair, and she always wore a mischievous smirk on her face. She chose to sit in the back, where she would remain for the rest of the school year.
It took a few weeks for Chloe to build up the confidence to talk to her. One day at lunch, she sat down next to the redhead. “Hi, I'm Chloe Charming! You're Red Hearts."
Red looked up at her, “Yeah, I know my own name. Why are you sitting here?"
Chloe blushed, a bit embarrassed, "I saw you sitting alone and wanted to be friends."
The girl raised an eyebrow at her, "What makes you think I want to be friends with you?"
“Well, you don't have to say yes. I can just go if you want," the brunette said with a frown.
Red studied her, "Why do you want me to be friends with you anyway?"
"You ask a lot of questions," Chloe commented.
Red shrugged, "I don't know you. You just sat with me for no reason."
"Fair point. I just want to make friends, and I've been watching you for a few weeks," the shorter girl didn't really think about her words as she said them and blushed when she realized..
Red raised a brow, "You've been watching me?"
Chloe waved her hands in a defensive pose. "No, no, not like that! I was just building up the courage to talk to you," she squeaked, her face bright red.
The redhead laughed, and Chloe watched. She'd never seen Red laugh before; she was beautiful. She quickly shook that thought out of her head.
—
After that, they started to hang out during lunch and then eventually after school. They were best friends by freshman year and walked into the first day hand in hand.
"I can't believe we're in high school," Chloe squealed.
Red chuckled, "I just can't wait for school to end. Only 4 more years."
Chloe turned to her, "What about college? My dream school is Auradon University."
The redhead shrugged, "I don't know. Guess I've never thought about college. Can I come with you to Auradon University?"
Chloe chuckled, "Well of course but we have to get in first, silly. But we don't have to worry about that for 4 years so we'll be fine."
The first day of school went well. They had 3 classes together, which wasn't bad considering last year they only had one.
Most days were spent hanging out outside. They tried to enjoy the last bit of summer until it started to get chilly.
Fall came quickly, and Red and Chloe were going to do matching Halloween costumes. They dragged their mothers to Spirit Halloween on October 1st to look for costumes.
They decided on Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy.
On Halloween night, Red but her blonde wig in pigtails. She had dyed the tips the iconic pink and blue.
Chloe was in the other mirror painting her skin green, "Ugh this is going to suck getting off."
Red chuckled as she wrapped the tie around her last ponytail. Then she turned to Chloe, "Need any help?"
"Please," Chloe said and handed her the face paint.
The redhead tilted her head slightly up and leaned close to paint. Chloe could feel her breath hitting her neck. She was glad her face was already green so Red couldn't see her blush.
Pink yelled at them to hurry up and Red moved back to swat at her sister. Chloe took a deep breath and licked her lips nervously.
It didn't take much longer for them to finish up then they went trick or treating.
——
Sophomore year they stayed close. They went dress shopping for homecoming, both picking purple dresses.
Red helped Chloe bleach and dye her hair blue. Ella liked the hair but Charming almost passed out when he saw it.
Bridget told her how Red didn't say anything before she dyed her hair either. Or her sister's hair.
They attempted to ban her from buying dye and bleach but she somehow always managed to get some.
—
Junior year they experienced their first prom together, once again matching in purple dresses.
Chloe got Red a bouquet of roses that she said were a joke, but really she hoped Red would see the true intention behind it. She didn’t, but still put the bouquet in her room.
Pink bugged them while they got ready and complained about how she couldn't go with them. Red rolled her eyes, "You'll go when you're our age."
They got their drivers license the summer before Senior year, which was the best summer of Chloe's life. They spent everyday together, switching between each other's houses.
Their touches lingered and they spent the night cuddled up. Chloe decided this was the year.
Senior year was her year to confess to Red.
—
Once August rolled around, it was time for school again. After spending the whole summer attached to Red, but the hip, it was weird to separate.
But they still had classes together and lunch.
Until September when Red met Ace.
He had moved from Wonderland, and his dad was a friend of her mom's. Red started to spend more and more time with him.
He was all she would talk about: Ace and his hair, Ace and his leather jacket, Ace and his stupid face.
She felt like a jealous middle schooler. Her eyes brimmed with tears one night when Red was once again gushing about him.
Chloe cried silently to herself, Red not even noticing.
By the time prom rolled around, Ace asked Red out. The redhead accepted, while Chloe felt her heart rip in two.
Red went to prom wearing a red dress and danced with Ace, who was wearing a red tie. Chloe stood in her purple dress, feeling like an idiot.
She left the prom with tears in her eyes and cried herself to sleep. Messages and hangouts from and with Red started to slow.
After You
Chloe didn't get a warning before she was gone.
One day she woke up to Bridget frantically ringing the doorbell, saying Red had run away with a boy. After finding out about their relationship, she disapproved, knowing he was a troubled boy.
Chloe cried with her, not understanding why Red would leave her.
She went to Auradon Prep alone and went through it with a frown. The only friends she had left were Dizzy and Celia.
But they lived far, and Chloe didn't attempt to make any new friends. The four years she was in college were spent cooped up in her room studying.
When she earned her degree, she didn't feel the joy she thought she would. She only felt empty.