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If Only (I Could Read The Signs In Front Of Me)
Red liked to believe that she was a strong person. People respected her, feared her, knew that she was not to be messed with. Well… They used to know that, in the old timeline, in her old Wonderland.
Now, she was the perfect princess, a ‘nepo baby’ the new favorite nickname given to her by one, Max Hatter. It was annoying, people didn’t cower around her anymore, they smiled, greeted her, and were always way too happy to see her. And the worst part of all, she had to play the part, because these people never met the real Red. The rebel, a menace, one-girl riot, everything she used to be, now existed only in her memories.
This new timeline had many different things, among them, her relationship with Chloe. According to everybody, Chloe and Red had been inseparable since birth, almost like sisters. That statement alone made Red want to puke, not because she didn’t like Chloe, the blue-haired girl brightened her days. But, because she could never see her like a sister.
Pink walked around the school together with her sister, “Do you think this new dress is too pink?”
Red wasn’t paying attention to her, her eyes locked on the field, watching the Swords and Shields practice. Hazel scoffed at the redhead, “You look great, my cupcake”
Pink beamed at her girlfriend’s comment, but then they paid attention to Red. The redhead was completely focused on her blue-haired friend, a goofy smile playing on her lips as she watched her. “Huh” Hazel managed, watching the redhead.
“Oh, that’s not the best part, keep watching her” Pink whispered.
John, one of Chloe’s teammates in Swords and Shields, approached her. He draped an arm around the princess, which earned a growl from Red. The boy couldn’t hear her, they were too far away, but Red was inches away from going down there to bite his arm off.
Red, Pink, and Hazel moved closer, under the pretext of looking for some shade to hide from Auradon’s bright sun. However, they all knew they were getting closer to hear Chloe’s conversation with John. The blue-haired girl pushed his arm off with ease, giving him an easy but tight smile, “What’s up, John?”
He tried to give her a charming smile, but he just looked like he was doing something closer to a scowl, “Hey girl! I was wondering, that new action movie just came out, you and me, the movies, what do you think?”
Chloe had to make an actual effort to not throw up with the boy’s smell. Red, from her side, was making an effort to not kill him right then and there, “No, thank you” she moved around him, trying to get away, but he caught her arm.
“Why? I’m a royal! And, I am handsome” he gestured to himself, “Look at me!”
Chloe hid a grin, she was very professional when she said, “Sorry, I’m just not interested” she looked at the place where Red was hiding fondly, though the redhead didn’t even realize she was looking at her.
The boy was left there dumbfounded, clearly annoyed, but he stood tall again, pretending nothing happened.
Red got a kick out of that, but that wasn’t the only person she would have to endure that week. Chloe grabbed her bag, taking a long sip of her water bottle, she moved towards the building for her next classes.
At some point, Pink and Hazel disappeared, but Max decided to keep her company while she growled and scowled at anyone that looked at Chloe. Max giggled softly with every passing guy that tried to give the blue-haired girl a flower, treat, or a flirty gaze. Then came something worse than the guys, Chloe’s endless fangirls.
They followed the blue-haired girl around like lost puppies, trying to get her attention, a little look, maybe a glance of her amazing smile. Chloe wouldn’t even look up from her books, she walked around the school completely detached from the parade of people surrounding her.
“Hi, Chloe!” A tall girl with raven hair moved the book from her face. Chloe resisted the urge to roll her eyes, the girl just flexed with her charming smile, “I heard you’re not going to the festival, do you need company?” she kissed her flexed muscle, “Because, I could be great company for you” she winked.
Max had to physically stop Red from marching over, her eyes glowing a faint red. Max found that interesting, he made a mental note of that. Red huffed and growled, while Max held her back, “Come on, Red, don’t pay attention to Grettle. You know she’s as smug and self-convinced as her father”
Red rolled her eyes, but her gaze was still fixed on her, “I fucking hate that bitch”
“Yeah, I can tell” Max muttered under his breath, still keeping his grip on Red, “Killing people is illegal"
“So?”
Then they saw Chloe scoff off a laugh, “Sorry, Grettle, I’m not interested, I have plans that day”
Grettle unflexed her muscles, “What? With who?”
Chloe shrugged, walking away. Max loosened his grip on Red, huffing slightly because Red had a strong pull, “See, she rejected her”
Red turned around, looking at the purple-haired boy with her eyes intensely glowing, “Who does she have plans with?!”
***
Luis and Robbie had archery class together, they were fairly popular too, but even then, most girls were there to see Chloe Charming shoot arrows to different targets. Red watched from the sidelines, silently drawing while stealing glances to the blue-haired girl.
After the class was over, a couple of girls went straight towards Chloe. The girl sighed, watching them talk to her simultaneously, giving them polite smiles and nods.
Luis noticed Red’s scowl, getting closer to comfort her grumpy friend, “Sup, Red” he followed her gaze, “Are you good?”
“I’m just suppressing my murderous tendencies” Luis shivered, he was really glad that he never tried to ask Chloe out, having to deal with Red’s wrath didn’t look fun at all. Robbie, however, was about to feel that wrath for himself.
The boy got closer to the blue-haired girl, innocently asking if she wanted to get something to drink after class. Chloe shook her head, she gave him another polite smile, “I have tons of homework” she turned to look at Luis, and then at Red, whose eyes softened when Chloe’s eyes met hers. “I bet Luis could accompany you” she patted his back, “I bet he will be better company than me ” she waved at them, “Bye, guys!”
As soon as she left, Red disappeared from Luis’s side. She jumped on Robbie’s back, trying to get him to fall, “Red! Red! Let him go! He was just asking as a friend”
Robbie tried to nod, desperately trying to get the girl off from his back, “I just wanted help in potions class, alright?” he cried out, “Let go! Let go!”
Somehow, Luis managed to grab Red, getting her off from Robbie’s scratched back. Luis reprimanded her with a small look, Red gave the other boy a sheepish apology, “I thought you wanted to ask her out”
Robbie gave her a weak smile, “Won’t make that mistake again, don’t worry” he gave her a thumbs up.
The redhead princess moved away, leaving the class, and the two boys alone. “How has she not realized?”
Luis shrugged, “I don’t know man, but please, never talk too close to Chloe again” he patted his friend back, who yelped in pain.
Red wanted to believe that she was a good person, she was not a jealous girl, she was rather protective. However, she felt guilty, she knew that Chloe was nothing more than her friend. She knew she had no claim over the blue-haired girl, but it infuriated her when people asked her out. The worst part for her was that there was something she could do to make this whole situation better. She could just ask the girl out, but she was terrified of becoming one of Chloe’s rejections.
Red was scribbling something on her sketchbook when she heard the doorhandle moving, “Hi, Red!”
Red waved, a stupid smile playing on her lips as she detached herself from her thoughts to look at the blue-haired princess in front of her, “Chloe! What are you doing here? Aren’t you going to the festival?”
Chloe shook her head with a smile, “We’re studying for History tonight, remember?”
Red nodded, she had no idea when she agreed to such things, but any moment alone with Chloe was something she couldn’t afford to lose. They picked up their books, heading straight to the library. Chloe kept stealing glances at Red, but the redhead felt way too nervous to even notice, “I think we should go eat something”
Red nodded, “Wise idea, princess”
They walked to a place nearby, eating some pizza while they talked lightly, “I am really sorry I made you miss the festival” Red apologized sheepishly.
Chloe waved her off, “Don’t be, I wouldn’t have gone anyways”
“Really, why?” Red asked distractedly, eating more of her pizza while watching the blue-haired princess.
“It wouldn’t have been fun without you”
Red felt her heart stop, she froze mid bite, causing her to explode in a fit of coughs and wheezes. Chloe helped her out, getting her some water, and helping her clean herself up. It was embarrassing.
***
Red was having a normal day, she sat in class looking at the ceiling, completely unamused with the contents of the class. Then something caught her attention, a couple of girls in front of her started to talk about a certain someone with blue hair and brown eyes. “I heard Chloe Charming is going to the dance with someone” there was a collective disappointing sigh, its sound making its way all around the classroom.
“Do you know who the lucky person is?” another girl asked.
The first girl shook her head, “I have no idea, she’s being very secretive about it”
Red’s nails scarred the table, Pink watched the table and then she looked at her sister’s face, her growls were intensifying, “I need you to breath in for me”
Red waved her off, “I will fucking kill all of them”
Pink rolled her eyes, “You can’t kill all the female population in Auradon”
Red opened her eyes wide, for a moment Pink thought her eyes would pop out of her skull. Red grabbed her sister’s hands softly, trying not to harm her, “Is the whole female population in love with my girl?!”
Pink smirked, “Red, I love you” she let go of her sister’s hands, “But, as far as I’m concerned, Chloe is not your girl”
Red’s eyes returned to her normal color, but a bright blush covered her face, “Whatever…” she turned towards the class, “Not yet, anyways” she whispered to herself, but Pink heard her.
After that class, Red moved towards her favorite spot to eat lunch. There she found Felix, Squirmy, and Squeaky, she decided to sit down with them while eating her sandwich. “Care for a reading?”
Red shrugged, “Sure”
He took out his cards, spreading them in front of her, then something caught her attention. Chloe was walking towards them when another girl interrupted her way. She nervously looked around, her friends had already warned her about the growling redhead that threatened to murder anyone that came close to Chloe. She didn’t see anyone with that description, just princess Red who was staring at her with a weird look on her face, so she talked with all the confidence she could muster, “Miss Charming, I’ve seen you around school, and practice, and I wanted to ask you to the dance” the girl accommodated her glasses, she looked like she was a younger girl, maybe second or third year. But, that didn’t stop Red, who stood up abruptly, being stopped by the Smee twins, they each placed a hand on her shoulders, forcing her down on her seat again.
The blue-haired girl turned to look at Red, trying to give her a reassuring look, but it seemed to have gone over Red’s head. Then she turned back at the girl in front of her, Chloe’s gaze softened, she was a younger girl after all, “I’m already going with someone else, thank you though”
Red growled, the sound going dangerously low, “Relax, she's way younger than Chloe” Squirmy said.
“And, you’re much hotter,” Squeaky added.
Felix nodded slyly to the twins, winking at them for helping out the lovesick Red. Felix looked down at his cards, they said, “she’s waiting to ask out her true love” Felix smirked to himself, letting out a soft chuckle, quickly taking his cards and gesturing for the twins to follow him. Red didn’t even listen to the reading, her gaze completely fixed on the princess.
The twins grabbed Red’s arms, taking her away from the little scene. Chloe was just trying to let the girl down easy, but Red wanted to kill her anyways, no matter how young the girl was.
That night at the library, Red and Hazel studied in silence, but the redhead’s thoughts were somewhere else. She got closer to Hazel, whispering, “Do you know who’s the person going to the dance with Chloe”
Hazel let out a long sigh, her eyes fixed on her book, “No” she breathed out.
Red’s eyes began to glow, “You hesitated”
Hazel patted her back, still not meeting Red’s eyes, “I took a breath, Red” the redhead relaxed for a second. “Why do you care either way?” Hazel asked with a small smirk.
“I-I don’t care! It was just a question” Red answered, blushing profusely.
Hazel rubbed her temple, “Sure”
Red opened her book, “Whatever”
Hazel sighed softly, it was becoming increasingly clear that her friend had trouble expressing her feelings, “Why don’t you just ask her? I bet she would say yes”
Red’s heart stopped, her breath becoming uneven as that thought crossed her mind, but her anxiety suppressed it, “No… why would she go with me, Haz?” she smiled sadly, “There must be someone better, I bet”
Hazel patted her, “You’ll never find out if you don’t try”
Red turned to look at a window nearby, crossing her arms and sighing loudly.
***
As the week progressed, Red was spiraling dangerously close to committing a felony in order to get answers about Chloe’s date for the dance. She targeted Max first, he was a very well known gossip, but he refused to tell her anything, “Ask her yourself, Red” he told her, while he changed his books on his locker.
Red shook her head, “I can’t ask her that, she would think it’s weird”
Max scoffed, “Isn’t it weirder to ask around to get answers?”
“No? I’m just gathering intel”
Max chuckled lightly, “Intel? For what?”
Red wanted to answer, but Chloe was getting closer to them, so she cowered away, disappearing from the crowd. When Chloe got there she looked disappointed, “I thought I saw Red here”
Max shrugged, “She left”
Chloe sighed, a small smile playing on her lips, “She’s avoiding me like the plague”
“She’s afraid you’ll watch her blush long enough that you’ll realize she likes you” Pink giggled, getting into the conversation with Hazel.
Chloe rolled her eyes, “She’s such a dummy, doesn’t she see me rejecting everyone left and right”
Hazel nodded, “She does, but she’s a fucking idiot!”
Pink made a face to Hazel, who shut down her laughter with that look, “She believes you do that because you like someone else” Pink explained.
Chloe moved her head to the side, “So? I do, I like her!”
Pink nodded, “Yeah,” she turned her head to see if everyone was hearing, “She’s just very oblivious to that fact”
They all groaned slightly, finding their friend’s idiocy amusing.
Red tried with everyone, but they refused to give her useful answers. After trying everywhere, even asking Luis and Robbie, she decided to ask Felix again, who grinned when she saw her, “Well, look who came for a new reading”
Red ran her hand through her hair, “Could you just, tell me who Chloe is taking to the dance…” she rubbed her temple, “Before I lose my shit” she muttered that last part.
Felix threw a couple of cards down, humming softly, “The person you’re looking for is closer than you think”
Red opened her arms in frustration, “That’s it?!”
Felix grinned, “I can’t give you names, the cards can’t do that for me”
Red groaned loudly, she left, “Bye, witch”
At lunch they all sat together, everyone except for Chloe who was watching from a distance to see what Red said. “People, I need help” They all turned to look at her, matching expressions of disappointment all around the table. Red ignored their looks, “No one will give me answers….”
Pink sighed, “About who’s going with Chloe to the dance?”
“Yes…”
Hazel looked at her carefully, “Does no one come to mind for you, no one at all?”
Red looked up, “Should I be thinking about someone? Who?” They all watched her in stunned silence, she was so oblivious and unhinged at the same time, “Who?” she asked again.
“Sis, I’m going to hold your hand when I say this” she grabbed her sister’s hand softly, “Think very carefully, just do that for me”
Red thought for a moment, “Is it Grettle? Is that why you guys are so quiet about it?” she looked panicked for a second, but then she noticed their expressions, “What?”
Luis shook his head, completely stunned, “Nothing…”
***
Friday afternoon Red decided that she wanted to be brave. She walked behind Chloe as she went to her Swords and Shields practice, her usual fangirl circling her like vultures, “Chloe! Please, who are you going to the dance with?”
She shook her head with a smile, “Someone really special!” she said cheerfully. She turned her head around, just slightly, shooting a flirty smile to Red.
Red saw the movement and the smile, but she turned around to see if there was someone behind her. When she noticed there wasn’t anyone she shrugged, maybe the person she looked at left. Chloe rolled her eyes, internally screaming, there was no way Red was so oblivious.
The girls continued to yap around her, but she just walked. The practice felt quick to Red, who spent most of her time sketching the blue-haired girl. She was about to talk to Chloe when another prince approached her, “Hey, Chloe!” He showed her a big bouquet of flowers. Red thought that must be it, he must be the lucky person that Chloe was taking to the dance, “I wanted to ask you something” Chloe didn’t even flinch, her hand still firm on her backpack.
“Tell me, Matt, what do you need?” she asked distractedly
He shoved the flowers to her, “Go out with me?”
Red growled, this time it was loud, the guy turned to look at her with a confused look. But then his attention turned to Chloe, the girl sighed, “No thanks, the flowers are cute, though. You should gift them to someone that needs them”
The guy looked at her, and then at the flowers, smiling softly, “Alright, it was worth a shot, bye princess”
Red walked towards Chloe, her eyes still fixed on the guy walking away, “Why do you keep rejecting everyone?”
Chloe smiled at the girl, moving a stray hair out of her face, she giggled, “Because I don’t want to go out with them”
Red tried to lock eyes with the blue-haired girl, “I get that, but why?...”
Chloe sighed, her eyes softening when meeting Red’s chestnut eyes, “There’s someone else in my heart”
“Oh” Red’s stomach churned, she felt like she was about to throw up. She took a small beat before saying, “I understand” finally what she feared had come true, she had lost her chance with Chloe, of course there had to be someone else, someone brave enough to actually tell her about their feelings. She lost her, and all because she was too much of a coward to ask her out in the first place.
“Red-”
“See you at the dance, princess” she turned away, disappointed.
Luis, who watched everything from the field lockers approached Chloe, “She really is a fucking idiot”
Chloe sighed, rubbing her temple, “She is an idiot, but she’s mine”
***
That night, at the dance, Red watched the door eagerly, waiting for her princess to show up with some jackass that managed to steal her. Chloe left the dorm room earlier to get ready at her parents house, leaving Red with a short, “Don’t disappear on me tonight…” The redhead knew better than to think it meant something more than to see each other at the dance. But, she realized that it was her fault for waiting too long, and she still felt sad about it.
Hazel, Pink, Luis, Max, Robbie, Felix, and the twins stood close by, just enough to witness the best scene of their entire lives. “I am so ready for murderous rampage Red to die” Hazel nodded at her girlfriend’s words.
“Hopefully Red will finally figure out that her feelings are actually reciprocated” Pink hugged her girlfriend closer, giving her a small kiss.
Felix agreed, “I told her, many times, my readings never lie”
Max shut them up quickly, pointing at the door, “Here she comes!”
Chloe arrived, she looked stunning in her white dress, looking at the party with a bright smile. Red smiled as well, though it hurt her heart that she was about to see her princess dance with somebody else. People began to whisper, as Chloe approached Red slowly, “You look beautiful”
Red blushed profusely, “Thank you, princess” she looked at her dress, “So do you”
Chloe extended her hand to a confused Red, the princess chuckled at the other girl’s expression, “Are you going to stand there, or are you going to take my hand”
Red opened her mouth and closed it, just to say, “For what?”
Chloe chuckled, “To dance, silly”
“D-Dance?” Red managed to choke out, “I thought you came to the dance with someone”
Chloe sighed, taking Red’s hand before she could protest any longer, “I did”
They swayed slowly with the music, “Wha-?”
“Red, it’s you, I came to the dance to be with you”
Red’s eyes widened, “Me?” Realization finally dawned on Red.
She finally opened her eyes to the reality of her week. Every time the blue-haired princess rejected someone, her eyes would wander towards Wonderland’s redhead princess. Chloe would always look for her eyes, every time someone else tried to get her to go out with them. Chloe even dejected any plan, just to hang out with the redhead, even if the plan was as boring as studying for a history mock exam. The soft looks, the comments, the little plans they made with each other, everything started to make sense to the redhead.
Then she thought about another thing, everybody tried to tell her. Max, Luis, and Robbie tried to get her to see that Chloe rejected everyone.Hazel and Pink tried to nudge her towards the right direction when she wouldn’t stop asking about Chloe’s date. The twins stopped her for committing any felony, and Felix, he literally told her everything to her face, she was just too blind to see it.
Chloe managed to tell her, every single time, that she chose her, that she wanted her. But, Red, being too wrapped up in her jealousy, didn't even notice.
Chloe rolled her eyes, “Yes, Red, I like someone” she giggled, “Someone that gets jealous when anybody merely looks at me”
Red gulped nervously, “You noticed that?”
Chloe nodded softly, “Yes, I did” she took a long breath, “I like you, there’s no one I’d rather be with tonight or ever”
Red smiled widely, “I like you too, Chloe, more than you think”
Red leaned in, finally capturing Chloe’s lips into hers. It took her months, and the most annoying week of her life, but she was dancing with the girl of her dreams. The best part of all, that girl liked her back, and she was finally able to kiss her freely. Red made a mental note that night, she had to learn to read the signs in front of her, but if she couldn’t Chloe would always be there to help her out.