Ever After High, Fairy Tale Retellings Book #2 Page 3

  “This is really good!” he told Cerise.

  Cerise grabbed her slice with both hands and gobbled it down.

  “Mom’s recipe is the best. I could eat this whole pie,” she said happily.

  Dexter looked at her in amusement.

  “Cerise, I have an idea!” Dexter said. “I think maybe the only way we can make it to The End is to be more like Beauty and the Beast. You’ve already helped me become a better Beast. Now, maybe I can help you be a better Beauty.”

  “Okay,” Cerise said. “I’m listening.”

  “The first step is getting used to castle life. I grew up in a castle, so I know a little about it. You have to get used to servants helping you out. Running a kingdom is a big deal. Everyone needs a little help here and there. Not even Apple White could do it all alone.”

  “Er,” Cerise said. “That is so not me. I’m not good being the center of attention—ever. I prefer to do things on my own.”

  “Yeah, I noticed you’re a little bit of a lone wolf,” Dexter observed. Cerise panicked for a moment, thinking that Dexter had figured out her secret, and then she remembered that was just a saying. She breathed a sigh of relief.

  “Why are you making that face?” Dexter asked, puzzled.

  “Oh, nothing—I was just… thinking about pie,” Cerise said quickly. “So, what were you saying about having servants?”

  “The next time you start to do something for yourself, ask someone else to do it for you, for practice. Try to remember that this is their job, and they take a lot of pride in doing it well. Plus, if you have some help with all your chores and the other things you need to do, it will open up some time to figure out how to get back to Ever After High.”

  “Okay,” Cerise agreed. She started to help herself to another slice of pie, and then stopped and looked at Dexter.

  “Please serve me another piece of pie,” she instructed in what she hoped was a royally gracious tone.

  “Certainly, Princess,” Dexter said with a grin as he began to slice.

  “A bigger slice,” Cerise said as she watched Dexter cut.

  “Okay,” Dexter agreed.

  “Bigger,” Cerise repeated.

  “Um, okay, I think you’ve got the ordering thing down pat,” Dexter said.

  Cerise picked up the slab of pie with her hands and devoured it. “Mmmm… so good,” she mumbled through a mouthful of pie.

  “You eat with so much… enthusiasm!” Dexter said carefully. “You know, my sister, Darling, loves pie as much as the next princess, but she always eats it a little slower… and with fewer crumbs.”

  Cerise’s hands flew up to her face in a flash. She had been so hungry, she had let her wolflike tendencies (and appetite) take over. She tried to cover her tracks.

  “You’re right. I’m not fairy ladylike, am I?” she replied with a laugh. “But I can do better. Just watch.” And she took the linen napkin and draped it gently in her lap. She picked up the silver fork and carefully ate a new slice of pie. This time, all the crumbs stayed on the plate.

  “Much better,” Dexter noted, laughing. He tried to reach for the pie, but his huge paw knocked over the pitcher of milk in the process. “Stupid paws.…” he muttered.

  “Clearly, we both have some work to do on our mealtime manners,” Cerise said, and they had a good laugh.

  The next day, Cerise and Dexter decided to explore the beautiful woods beyond the castle walls.

  “Maybe there’s a clue out here to get us back to school. Plus, I wouldn’t mind picking up some more of those wildberries on the way,” Cerise told Dexter. She loved the way wildberries reminded her of home.

  Cerise was happiest whenever she was outdoors. The minute the duo left the castle, she immediately went dashing happily into the woods. Dexter huffed and puffed as he tried to keep up with her.

  “Hey! Give a beast a chance,” Dexter complained as he collapsed on the grass. “I’m not as fast as you.… I’ll never be as fast as you.… Plus, it’s not so easy when you’re wearing a full-length fur coat,” he reminded her. “I’m sweating like… like…”

  “Like a beast?” Cerise suggested with a laugh.

  “Haha. Fairy funny,” Dexter replied, but he was grinning, so Cerise knew he wasn’t really mad.

  Cerise had packed a picnic, and she spread out a blanket under a tree for the two of them to relax and enjoy it. She loved it—just like her family’s secret picnics at school. But she could tell that Dexter was getting antsy.

  “Hey, um, what’s the matter?” Cerise asked. “You keep looking back at the castle.”

  “I know,” Dexter said. “I was just thinking, can we go back to the castle now? I really want to get back to the library and search for clues on how to get home.”

  “What kind of clues?” Cerise asked.

  “I’m not sure,” Dexter admitted. “But maybe I’ll find a book with tips on how to be a better beast, or one for you on how to be a better Beauty. If we’re both able to act out our new roles perfectly, that should send us back home, shouldn’t it?”

  “I guess,” Cerise said slowly. “But we’ve been trying pretty hard to be like Beauty and the Beast, and we’re still here. You really think you’ll find those kind of books in the library?”

  Truth be told, Cerise wanted to figure out a way to get back as well, but she wasn’t ready to return to the castle just yet.

  “Maybe we can wait just a bit longer?” she asked. “It’s so spelltacular out here. And we can look for clues in the castle later. I can teach you more about being the Beast while we’re out here.”

  Dexter relented. “I need all the help I can get,” he said. “It just seems like being the Beast is completely the opposite of how I normally act.”

  Cerise stared at him for a moment.

  “Wait a spell… maybe that’s it…” she said slowly.

  “What’s it?” Dexter asked.

  “That’s how you can be the Beast. Just think of what you would normally do, and then do the opposite.”

  “What do you mean?” Dexter tilted his head in confusion.

  “Hmm. How about this?” She looked in the picnic basket and took out a piece of cheese. She showed it to Dexter. “Let’s pretend this is the last slice of cheese, and you really want it.”

  “Okay,” Dexter said.

  Cerise popped the cheese into her mouth. “Okay, now, what would you normally say?”

  Dexter shrugged. “I’d say, ‘Oh, that’s okay,’ or… I’d be polite and not say anything at all.”

  Cerise smiled. “Okay… now, what would the opposite of that be?”

  Dexter laughed. “The opposite? I guess that would be me doing this…” Dexter pounded the ground with a fist and yelled, “THAT… WAS… MY… CHEESE! I WANT CHEESE!”

  Cerise broke out in a big grin. “Now, that sounds like a beast to me!” Then the two of them laughed and laughed until both of their stomachs hurt. But after a few more minutes, Dexter started looking toward the castle again. Finally, he clearly couldn’t stand it any longer.

  He turned back to Cerise and said, “I think you love the outdoors way more than I do. While you’re sitting here enjoying the sunshine and fresh air and running around, all I can think about is that great beautiful library inside, with hundreds of books just waiting for me to read them.”

  This gave Cerise an idea. “Dex, if you’re happier indoors, that’s where you should be. And if I’m happier outside, that’s where I should be. So why don’t we split up and try to find clues? You can explore the inside of the castle, and I’ll explore the woods.”

  “I… I guess so,” Dexter agreed slowly. “But I don’t like the idea of us splitting up. I think we make a pretty good team together.”

  “We are a team,” Cerise told him. “I just think that by splitting up we can cover double the area in half the time. You already said I’m faster than you, so I can cover more ground alone, and in the meantime, you can search every corner of the castle.”

  “All
right. I guess that makes sense,…” Dexter said reluctantly. “Just don’t stay away too long, okay?”

  “I promise I’ll be back tonight,” Cerise said. She held out her hand for Dexter to shake and hoped he would take the gesture seriously. He did.

  “Just be careful, Cerise,” he warned. “And come home as soon as you can, okay? We don’t know much about this fairytale, and I don’t think it’s a good idea to be split up for too long.”

  “There’s nothing to worry about,” Cerise assured him. “I’ve been running on my own through the woods since I was a pup—I mean, baby.”

  “Okay, then. Have a good time,” Dexter said. “And while you’re gone, I’ll explore the inside of the castle, and hopefully we’ll find something that will help us get back home.”

  “Thanks, Dex. I’ll see you soon. Promise,” Cerise said. And in flash, she was gone.

  CHAPTER 5

  Just One of the Girls

  Cerise pulled off her shoes and ran. She had forgotten how wonderful it was just to run at top speed. Although she had fun outdoors with Dexter, she always had to remember to slow her pace so he could keep up with her. It was so freeing to run like the wind through the forest! She was running happily when she heard a sound that made her stop in her tracks. It was vaguely familiar. What does that remind me of? Cerise wondered. It was a soft howl. It sounded like, well, it sounded like she did when she howled! Intrigued, she followed the sound and came upon a family of wolf pups with their mom. They were so cute! But as Cerise approached them, the pups huddled fearfully against their mom, and the mother wolf let out a low warning growl at Cerise.

  Cerise realized she looked like a “normal” human girl to the wolf pups and their mom. She let down her hood and showed the wolves her ears. Then she threw back her head and howled with all her might. The pups suddenly sprang at her joyfully. She was one of them! Even the mama wolf changed her tune and wagged her tail happily at Cerise. Cerise sat on the ground and played with the adorable pups for a long time. Now she was even more homesick for her family. She missed her mom and dad so much! And it was such a pain to have to hide her ears all the time. Would she ever find anyplace where she felt comfortable enough to just be herself?

  It was hard to tear herself away, but finally she hugged each pup good-bye and promised them she would come back and play with them again someday if she could. Then she set off running again, and this time she came upon a fairy different kind of family—a human one. She hid behind a tree and watched a mom, dad, and two children enjoying a picnic. She felt a pang of homesickness watching this family, too. Would she ever figure out hexactly where she belonged? But she knew one thing for certain: Even if she got stuck in this story forever after, she was not going to stay inside a castle all day! Cerise watched the little family for a bit and then continued on her way. She ran and ran until she came upon a pretty little village. She decided to stop running and catch her breath, and also check out the shops in the village. She thought maybe she’d find a little gift or souvenir to bring back to Dexter to cheer him up.

  Cerise walked through the village. She was just starting to think that maybe she should start heading back to the castle when a building caught her eye. It was a library. There are more than enough books back at the castle, Cerise thought. But then again, Dexter would be disappointed if I told him I passed a library and didn’t take even a peek inside.

  Cerise wandered through the library and made her way over to the fairytales aisle. She saw all the familiar books: Cinderella! Snow White! Goldilocks! The titles made her miss her friends at home. Then she picked up a copy of Beauty and the Beast. Hmmm. Maybe I should take a look at this, she thought. She pulled up a chair and began to read.

  As she did, she discovered that Beauty loved flowers, especially roses. I love roses, too, Cerise thought. That’s one thing Beauty and I have in common. But Cerise realized that Beauty also cared a lot about her family and friends. She wanted to be there for everyone all at once. Cerise was starting to think she had a few things in common with Beauty ever after all.

  Cerise also learned that the Beast wasn’t some big scary monster or even a dashing prince. Actually, he was a pretty nice guy who wasn’t fairy cool at all. He was a little embarrassed about being a beast and thought he wasn’t particularly good at anything. The Beast reminds me so much of Dexter, Cerise thought. Dexter hadn’t been fairy confident since they arrived here, and now she was realizing that he, just like the Beast, needed to be comfortable with himself to be truly happy. Cerise had a feeling that if she could convince Dexter to be happier being himself, they’d be home in no time. She couldn’t wait to get back to the castle and talk to him about it.

  Cerise was on her way back to the castle when suddenly she heard someone yell, “Look out!” and a bookball landed beside her.

  “Sorry! Can you throw it back?” a girl yelled. Cerise looked up and saw some bookball players waving at her.

  Cerise looked at the ball timidly for a moment, unsure if she should let her wolflike talents show. But then the girl called to her again. “Come on! You look like you’ve got a great throw!” So Cerise grinned as she finally picked up the bookball and tossed it back—a perfect, straight throw to the girl.

  “Wow! That was a hexcellent throw!” the girl shouted. “Would you like to play?”

  “Yeah, sure,” Cerise called back and rushed over to the girls. But as she ran over, her heels kept getting stuck in the mud. She knew she couldn’t play dressed like this. “I’d love to join you guys, but my shoes keep slipping around and I don’t think I should play barefoot,” Cerise told them, already disappointed that she wouldn’t get to play. But the girls quickly chimed in that they had plenty of hextra gear, and Cerise was welcome to borrow their sneakers! After she changed her shoes, the girls jokingly fought over which team she would be on for a few minutes and then decided with a quick coin toss.

  “You’re a natural,” one girl said to her. “Where did you learn to throw like that?”

  “I…” Cerise hesitated. How could she explain her hextreme athleticism? I probably shouldn’t tell them I’m half-wolf, she thought to herself. Instead she shrugged her shoulders, smiled, and said, “Just born lucky, I guess.”

  While Cerise was in the village, Dexter brought a huge basket of berries back to the castle for Cerise to bake more of her mom’s wildberry pies upon her return. Once he was back inside, Dexter looked at himself in the mirror again and reflected on becoming the Beast. He’d heard the expression “don’t judge a book by its cover” his entire life. He certainly hoped that was true in the Beast’s case. On the outside he was big and furry and intimidating. But on the inside he was still shy, quiet, and thoughtful. He wondered what was going on back at Ever After High. He wondered what his crush, Raven Queen, was up to. Did she land in a strange storybook, too? Was she worried about him? He sighed and walked into the library. He wished there was a book that could help him with his romantic dilemma. He scanned all the titles. What hexactly was he looking for? A how-to book entitled How to Make the Most Spelltacular Girl in the World Fall in Love with You When You Look Like a Beast would be just perfect. But he knew he probably wasn’t going to find that.

  Dexter was lonely and bored, and he didn’t find any clues in the castle that he thought could help him and Cerise get back to Ever After High. Dexter decided to take a little nap. He fell into a deep sleep and had a wonderful dream. He was back to being regular Dexter, but not as fearful or timid. He was brave, witty, and charming. He was dancing at a ball, and everyone wanted a chance to dance with him. And at the head of the line was none other than Raven Queen herself!

  “Dex, you really are a great dancer,” Raven told him.

  “Why, thank you. I’ve been told I’m light on my feet,” Dexter replied.

  “I could dance with you forever after,” Raven confessed.

  “Really? And you don’t mind how shy I am?” Dexter asked.

  “You’re perfect just the way you are,” Raven rep
lied.

  Dexter twirled Raven around happily. Then suddenly, he felt warm. And heavy. And itchy. Was he sweating? He reached his hand up to wipe his brow, and he was shocked to see his hand was a paw, covered in fur! He was completely covered in fur! He was no longer Dexter Charming—he was the Beast!

  He looked down at Raven, panicked. The last thing he wanted was to frighten her away. But she was still smiling dreamily up at him.

  “Um, Raven?” he said cautiously.

  “Yeah, Dex?” Raven answered.

  “Um. Can you… um… see how I’ve changed?”

  Raven laughed merrily. “Yeah, of course! How could I miss all that fur? But I still think you’re adorable!”

  “I am?” Dexter said, shocked.

  “Of course! I’d think you’re adorable, no matter how you look.”

  All of a sudden, Raven changed, too! She was also covered in fur!

  And the funny thing was, Dexter still found her adorable, too. It was then Dexter realized that how they looked—beast or not—didn’t matter. It was what was on the inside that counted.

  “This is too good to be true!” Dexter exclaimed. “It’s like a dream… a dream… a drrrreaaam…”

  Dexter opened his eyes and found himself on the couch. It wasn’t like a dream. It was a dream! Only a dream.

  The staff had gone for the night, and he was completely alone. When is Cerise coming home? he wondered, starting to get worried. He’d thought he’d be happy with an entire library to himself and all the time in the world to read whatever he wanted, but he was too anxious about getting back to Ever After High to enjoy it. Then he remembered how much fun he’d had when he’d made Cerise her hood. He went back to her room and picked out a ball gown that he knew was too poufy and complicated for Cerise to ever want to wear. Then Dexter made her a brand-new hood!

  As he was putting the finishing touches on the hexquisite emerald-green hood, he heard an odd noise. It sounded like… scratching near the front door. Cerise! She was finally home!