Once Upon A Time - STARTED!

Jasmine "Leigh" Spring| Mulan

Time seemed to drag and Jasmine kept waiting and waiting, but the bell for lunch never seemed to ring. English was followed by History and that class was even more dull than the last. They weren't learning about castles or wars or anything remotely interesting; instead it was medicine through time. If Jasmine had wanted to be a doctor, she would have signed up for biology classes, but she couldn't care less about surgery in the Middle Ages.

It didn't help that Mr. Anderson was a very dull teacher and his monotonous tone made the class seem as long as a rainbow, without any visual end to look forward to. At last it did finish though and Jas packed up her bag and moved out into the hall.

Time for lunch.

Jasmine often brought her own food with her, mostly at her mum's insistance, but then food had never been a big deal to Jas. She didn't understand these people who ate more than they needed or who sat drooling over chocolate brownies and decadent puddings. Jas was a simple food kind of girl.

Today she had a salad. Not one of those rubbish ones you got in shops, but a real, fresh salad with a good variety of vegetables, some feta cheese and diced chicken.

Fin was already sitting at a table and waving off anyone who came by. Jasmine crossed the room awkwardly, feeling like everyone was looking at her, though they weren't of course.

"Hey," she said. "Mind if I sit here?"

"Well that was the plan," Fin shot back and Jasmine nodded and sat down. Alright, so that was stupid. How many more mistakes was she going to make before she left this table?

Rachel "Fin" Finley - Rapunzel - Storybrooke High Cafeteria

"Okay, so." Fin lent in. "You gotta tell me about this Leigh thing."

Jasmine was slow to respond. "I can't... I can't be the person my parents want me to be. You're lucky, you love all that beauty queen stuff and you're so good at it. But I'm not. I want to be someone else..."

"Are you like... Confused?" Fin tried to sound kind.

Jasmine shook her head. "Not that way. At least I don't think so. But confused as to who I am? Yes."

Fin picked at the cold pesto pasta salad in front of her. "I get it."

"No you don't. You're perfect at everything."

"Only at the things my mother considers important," Fin said angrily. "No one ever asks me if I'd like to try being good at anything else. So that's where you come in."

Jasmine looked frightened. Fin knew the look of a frightened girl, from when she gave an outfit a once-over, or watched a cheer try-out. Fin was good at making girls scared.
"I can't promise anything," Jasmine said. "But what do you want?"

"Get me out of the house tonight, and I'll bring the arrow."

Jasmine considered it. "And get you back in as well I assume."

"Well of course."

"What will you do all night?" Jasmine asked.

"Depends what Leigh's plans are."

"No," Jasmine said immediately. "No I can't take you with me."

"Oh come on. You're a skinny Asian kid trying to get into a gang. A blonde on your arm will definitely-" She cut short as Jay Archer sat down beside her. Jasmine hid behind a wall of hair.

"Where are all your ladies in waitng today?" Jay asked casually.

"I'm speaking to Jasmine." To allude to the night before would, Fin realised, blow Jasmine's cover, and with it Fin's chances.

"Whatever." Jay gave Jasmine an odd look but didn't dwell on her. "Have you seen Leigh about, by any chance?"

"Who?" Fin asked, and while she desperately wanted to be nice to him, there was no way she could. "I don't know who you're talking about. I don't hang around with wasters like you." She turned to Jasmine and hunted for a topic they might plausibly be talking about. "So your mother could really get her hands on vintage Dior for me?"

Super long post! Spoiler at bottom suming it up if you have no time to read.

Rose 'Lil' Red' Lucas I Little Red Riding Hood

I tried to hold hold on to
Took a ride on a tilt-a-whirl that sits
on top of the world
Man-

I was faintly aware of a deep, vibrating barking noise- bark, bark, bark!- but, absorbed in my music, I ignored it.

I thought I could show you
I've always been afraid of flying

The barking noise got louder, more desperate, but still I ignored it. My legs kept walking, quckening their pace in the subconcious hope that my stupid dog would shut up and follow me.

but you can't blame a girl for trying.

Felt like a pearl-

Wolfie, probably frusturated, came up and started to nuzzle my hand with his wet noise. I jumped back, suprised. Yanking out my earbuds, I stare at my dog incredulously.

"Damn dog! What's up with you, Wolfie? Do you want be to be late to school?"

He turned his big brown eyes at me, whipping his huge head towards the playground. I hadn't realised we were walking by the elementary school, and the sight of it suprised me. My time in grade school was a blur of paint and recess. I can't remember if it was good or bad... or even enjoyable. It was just a blur...

"Is there something over there...? If it's a dead rabbit, I'm gonna kill you!"

Wolfie let out a whine, turning his almost-intellegent eyes on me again. I sighed, motioning the big brute towards whatever he was looking at. He broke into that doggie grin, running in a straight sprint towards this old metal slide. I don't remember that when I was here... I jogged after him- slowly, as I'm about as fit as a sloth- but, by the time I'd gotten half way to that weird slide, he'd turned back. He ran to me, and I saw something- a book?- hanging from his big jaws. What the heck?

I took it from him as he reached me. It was a book! It was ancient looking, and oddly dusty, for being on a playground. It was nondescript, but it radiated something... I just couldn't tell what. Flipping through the pages, bored- the print seemed small, and I couldn't really read without those terribly dorky glasses. I started to wonder if, perhaps, it was old enough to fetch a profit... Didn't that Mr.Platinum-er, Gold, whichever- sell and buy a bunch of old things? I did need money- at least for a car, so I could drive my own way out of this stupid town.

I grin at my dog, and he grins back. "You may've just put a hundred dollar bill in my pocket, Wolfie."

I'd visit Mr.Gold after school, I decided, resuming my path to school in a whole lot of a better mood than I'd been before.

XxXxXx

My Biology- wait, this is Chemistry, isn't it?- alright, Chemistry teacher hands me a slip of paper of paper. I look at her quizzically- I usually didn't get slips unless it was for dentention, and that was rarely. It was the begining of the school year- shouldn't I be okay?

"It's your tutoring slip, Miss Lucas. You signed up for it, remember?"

I sighed. Yeah, I remember. Granny made me sign up after nearly failing Biology- that's where I got the name!. I hadn't liked it, but tolerated it. With any luck, I'd get a guy I could seduce into... I dunno. I didn't want to make him do most of my work, but that's probably what would happen. I shrugged to myself, unfolding the slip. Isabella Stonell. Damn. The overachiever. There's no way I could get out studying the stupid science with her. I frowned. I couldn't skip it either, because I promised Granny I'd at least try.

Sorry old book, looks like you'll have to wait for me to get through an hour of hell to get to where you belong.

XxXxXx

My lunch began with a smack in the butt. I knew who it was immediately- only two people greeted me like that- one of them had just broken up with me 'in mutual agreement' because he was done being tied down.

"Hello Luke."

"Lil' Red." An pair an impish hazel eyes appeared next to me, the rest of Luke's lengthy body following. He messed with my hair.

"What do you want?" I smoothed my hair back down, glaring at Luke. Without my stupid ex-boyfriend to drive me around, I had to walk to meet Granny for lunch rush, and I was in a hurry.

"Don't get your panties in a twist. I was just wondering if you wanted to hang out after school- or after your shift, whichever comes first."

I sighed, rolling a finger through a red lock and pulling at my midriff-showing red top. When Luke said 'Hang-out' you didn't know if he wanted to make-out with you- which I'd done, far too many times- or chop down wood while you played with his radio. Luke was probably the closest thing to a friend I had- he exploited me for who I pretended to be, but enjoyed my company all the same. He was very protective of me, actually- almost like a human Wolfie. Except for the fact that he hated my dog. Luke was risky, though- he was a member of local gang, and I'd probably gone too far with him too many times...

"Can't," I replied. "Plans."

He didn't ask anymore, as he knew the range of what my plans could be. "As long as your not hanging out with that scumbag Drew, I'm fine."

"I promise I'm not." I smiled. "Something much duller than that."

He grinned at me, mussing with his dark hair. "Than allow me to escort you to Granny's, then?"

I took his arm, inwardly jumping for joy at the thought of not having to walk, "As long as you don't mind Wolfie in the back seat. I think Wolfie waited for me outside of the school today."

He groaned, but took me out to his car anyways.

Spoiler

Summary: Rose finds the book, plans to take it to Mr.Gold, but gets a slip in Biology telling her she has tutoring with Bella after school. Introduction to Luke, Rose's kinda-friend/fling and a membeer of the local gang.

So Rose found the book. I probably won't have her sell it to Mr.Gold until tommorow in the Storybook- with my computer disfunctional, I wanted her to find it so I can pull it out when needed. Hope that's okay.

Luke is the Woodsman from 'Little Red Riding Hood'. Just thought another fairytale side-character would be nice. He may be a romantic interest later. Maybe.

The song at the beggining is a The Band Perry song called 'Lasso'. It kinda feels Rose-like to me, and I'm sorta obsessed with the band right now. :p

Cindy Rell-"Cinderella"-Hospital
I sat up slowly. How long had I slept for? I looked around, and found a comb in my drawer, and did my hair. I took my phone out from my jeans that were laying on a rack, and looked at it.
There was a message from David:
Hey Cindy,
How's it going? You okay?
ttys
David
Just then, I heard a knock--

Spoiler

Hope this is okay guys, I just wanted to kick start some action. And by the way, could we please use the DT to discuss anything related to the SB - thanks!

Regina Thorne - 'Evil Queen' - City Hall

Regina was sat behind her desk, typing up invitations to the dinner party she would host this weekend. As much as she hated to admit it, Mr Gold had been right about her need to play things by the book in this year’s election, and Regina intended to do just that. Well, at least for appearances sake.

A quiet knock on her office door alerted her to a visitor, and she looked up to see Sheriff Graham standing in her doorway.

“Ah, what can I do for you, Sherriff?” she asked, returning to her work.

“I just received a complaint from a neighbour,” he responded as he walked in.

Regina let out an airy laugh. “The people in this town are always complaining about something. What is it today, did someone step on someone else’s flower bed?”

“Actually, it seems someone broke into Mrs Godwin’s house.”

“Thelma?” That caught Regina by surprise, especially considering the millions that women had spent in recent years on security for her home. “Doesn’t she have that huge wall to keep intruders out?” Regina inquired.

“Well, it obviously didn’t work,” Sheriff Graham replied. “According to statements from the neighbours, a boy was caught climbing it in the late hours of yesterday night.”

Regina looked up at the Sheriff in confusion. “Well, then that’s something for your department to deal with, Sheriff, why are you telling me?”

“Because the boy who the neighbours identified is someone from your list of people I need to keep an eye on.”

“Oh?” Regina leaned against her chair, her face forming a curious frown, “and which boy is this?”

The Sheriff walked up to Regina‘s desk where he dropped an open file for her to take a look at. “Jay Archer, sixteen, and student at Storybrooke High.”

Regina sat up in her seat in interest to examine the file before her. As she did so, Sheriff Graham continued. “One of the neighbours is insisting - and I quote ‘the scum was harassing Mrs Godwin’s daughter, Rachel, and if the poor woman hadn’t caught him in time, he would’ve kidnapped her daughter’.” The Sheriff shrugged at the end of the statement as if he didn’t know what to make of the accusation.

Regina, on the other hand, knew exactly what to make of it. There was a very good reason why Jay Archer was on her list of people the Sheriff needed to keep an eye on. She glared down at the boy’s picture and broken memories flashed through her mind of her castle being infiltrated by the infamous young Robin Hood and his so-called band of merry men. If experience from the fairy tale world had taught Regina anything, it was that this boy was not to be dealt with lightly.

“He has a knack for trying to take things that don’t belong to him ...” Regina mused out loud. She closed the file and looked up at the Sheriff with hard, determined eyes. “I think it’s high time we did something about it.”

The Sheriff raised a sceptical brow. “I don’t know, Regina. He’s just a kid. I'm sure he didn’t mean anything by it. Kids do stupid things when they‘re in love.”

Regina was having none of it. “Breaking and entering is a serious offence, Sheriff Graham. I will not have actions like that go unpunished … especially not when the mayoral election is only a week away,” she added quietly. “You will deal with this boy as you would deal with any other person who commits a crime.”

The Sheriff let out a conceded sigh before picking up the file. “As you wish.”
Regina watched the Sheriff walk out of her office, her brows furrowed in anger. There was no way he was going to let that boy be a menace to her and her plans in this world, not when he had foiled so many of her plans in the fairy tale world.

Jay Archer | Robin Hood | Storybrooke High

English was as boring as usual, with the added fact that I was down on sleep from last night's escapade - I'll admit it, I was up thinking. But now, in the daytime, my thoughts were much clearer and I began to wonder if I couldn't get out of this issue myself.

Instead of listening, I thought. I'd always prided myself on my ability to work through problems. There were a lot of ways to keep the morons in the gang away from me. I could turn them against each other - although that may only end up being temporary, should they somehow figure it out between the four brain cells most of them shared - or I could get them off the streets entirely. That would be hard, though, without catching myself in the same net. I could try just plain hiding it out, but I'd done that once and it wasn't any fun. I could try fighting it out, but unfortunately there were about five of them and one of me. If I had allies, maybe, but there weren't many other people on the street... other than Leigh, who I doubted would be able to help me beat down five walls of muscle.

I mused on it for the next several classes, until finally lunch arrived. I grabbed my sandwich from my locker - I couldn't afford school lunches - and headed for the cafeteria, navigating the mass of humanity only half-heartedly.

I spotted Fin sitting alone with another girl. Surprised at the fact that she wasn't surrounded by her little clique, I paused, wondering if I should talk to her about last night. I at least owed her a thank-you for not completely selling me out. And plus, now that I'd seen who she lived with, I guess I felt some sort of sympathy. I mean, she was a gossipy cheerleader, but no one deserved that witch of a mother.

I allowed myself a brief sigh before composing myself to look casual - I was going to have to talk to her. Hopefully the kid next to her - her name escaped me - wouldn't see much in it.

"Where are all your ladies in waiting today?" I asked her, sitting casually at a safe distance - not far enough to look cautious, not close enough to look too friendly.

"I'm speaking to Jasmine," answered Fin evenly. Good - she wasn't mentioning last night. She was smart. For a cheerleader.

"Whatever," I said, looking at Jasmine - that was her name, I remembered. She looked oddly familiar, but I couldn't quite place her - probably because I couldn't see much of her behind a veil of hair. It struck me that she was pretty, what I could see of her, anyways. Where did that come from? I shook the thought away. It didn't matter anyways. "Have you seen Leigh about, by any chance?" I doubted he was in high school, but maybe he was a freshman or something.

"Who? I don't know who you're talking about," was the answer. Either Fin was being even more cautious than I was, or Leigh hadn't given her his name. The guy was smart, when he used his head - maybe he hadn't. Fin continued coldly, and I couldn't help but flinch a little. "I don't hang around with wasters like you," she added, and then turned to Jasmine. "So your mother could really get her hands on a vintage Dior for me?"

Fine. I could see when I wasn't wanted. I left, giving Fin a look that was half for show. Did she have to be that harsh? Or maybe she actually meant it. I certainly didn't consider myself a waster - I just didn't play by the same rules everyone else did. I knew of some 'non-wasters' who were way worse than I was.

I was briefly approached by a member of the gang, who talked about how much trouble I was in until I got up and sat near the faculty table. He shut up after that - he was one of the few smart kids, and he knew better than to talk about the gang near teachers. Especially Mother Superior and Archie Hopper.

I guess Hopper noticed me sitting alone, because he turned to consider me for a moment. I wasn't surprised - I was the only one sitting as close to them as I was. My knuckles were still all torn up from the wall, too - I'd been in a bad way ever since I joined that stupid gang. Hopefully he wouldn't come talk to me - if there was one thing I'd learned, it was that adults didn't usually care unless they could catch you in something. And there was sure a lot for me to get caught in right now.

Spoiler

Thanks for bringing me in Ranger. :3

Archie Hopper- Jiminy Cricket- Storybrooke High-

Talk at the faculty table was as riveting as ever. Astrid was talking about forms and paperclips, Sparks mentioned something about a chemistry lab gone wrong and Leroy was nowhere to be found.

"Mr. Hopper?"

"Hmm?" I asked, shaking myself back to reality. Mother Superior had asked me something.

"I assume you'll be at the game Friday?" she asked.

I grimaced. Sports were not my favorite pastime. "Well, I kind of was planning on a good book--"

"Archie, I need you at the game. Just for an extra hand around and an extra set of eyes. We're a very small school and I need all the volunteers I can get to help out."

My conscience tugged at my heartstrings. Well, when she put it like that--

"Alright, I'll be there."

She smiled. "Excellent," she said before turning back to Astrid to talk about forms permission slips. I turned away and noticed a student sitting by himself. Jay Archer, from my second period English class. It was unusual for him to be sitting so close to our table, seeing as he normally tried to remain alone.

"Excuse me a moment," I politely excused myself from the table, took my lunch and walked over to Mr. Archer's vacant table.

"Mind if I sit down?" I asked.

He glanced up at me and just as quickly looked to his sack lunch, shrugging. From this vantage point I could see he was a little roughed up and seemed to be trying to hide it. His scraped knuckles were partly hidden by his shirt.

I sat down across from him and pulled out my unfinished turkey on rye. "So, Mr. Archer. Care to explain that hand? Or why you seem to be avoiding everyone you usually hang around?"

He gave me a withering look, but this was his chance to speak his mind. Hopefully he'll take it.

Spoiler

Thanks for going along! Sorry for posting so late - I have band camp until about 5 or 8 pm every day.

Jay Archer | Robin Hood | Storybrooke High Cafeteria

As I'd feared, Hopper rose and came to stand by me. "Mind if I sit down?"

I gave him a glance and, confirming that he was in fact talking to me, shrugged, looking down at my sack. I knew I was on shaky ground now - neutral was the best way to go.

As Hopper sat, I moved my hands so that my knuckles weren't too noticeable - I couldn't flat-out hide them, though, without being obvious.

"So, Mr. Archer. Care to explain that hand?" Dang it. "Or why you seem to be avoiding everyone you usually hang around?" This guy clearly was in my league at reading people.

I shot him a look, but he just watched me. Although I didn't let my face show it, I was surprised to see genuine curiosity and maybe even concern written on his features. Someone was actually concerned for me? That was new. This ground is even shakier than I thought.

I debated with myself for a moment. I'd already started making up a lie, but some little voice in the back of my head told me I could trust this guy. That didn't make any sense, though - I didn't even really know him. He was my English teacher, for heaven's sake! But that little niggling feeling was there - and there was the whole idea that he might possibly care. I'd test him.

"I fell," I said casually. If he didn't take the lie, I'd tell him. He didn't buy it - he just looked at me for a moment, one eyebrow moving slightly upwards. He wasn't making me tell the truth, but it was obvious he didn't believe, me. He looked disappointed, too... I was surprised to find that it hurt a little.

I sighed. "I punched a wall," I admitted. "I don't really know why, I was just... tired, I guess." Punching the wall was as far as the truth was going to go, I'd decided.

Again, the eyebrow twitched. "So you punched a wall?" Dang. A politician couldn't pull off a lie on this guy.

I shrugged again. "Well, I was a little teed off too. I mean..."

I still don't know what happened then. But all of a sudden, everything that had been boiling inside of me burst into steam, and it all spilled out like water from a broken dam. "I mean, what are you supposed to do when these idiots all decide you're one of them, and then you have to meet in the alleys at night and do stupid things, and now they're all mad because I didn't want to beat up kids with them and they're going to come for me, and I can't take them all, and I can't just keep doing this little balancing game, and I just want to be my own person but all these other things and people and stupid rules keep pulling me in different directions until I'm about to lose an arm or something.

"So yeah, I punched a wall. Because that's the only thing I can do that'll even leave a mark on anything!" I nearly punched the table this time as all the anger and - although I refused to admit it to myself - fear tumbled around for a moment. Then I caught my breath.

What the heck did I just do? a voice in my head screamed. I just spilled my guts! I don't know this man! He's one of the 'good guys' - the ones who'll sell me out in an instant! I know it! What was I thinking? I wasn't thinking! What am I, a teenage girl? I can't handle my emotions all of a sudden? What's wrong with me? Now I hated myself as well as every other person I knew of. I stared at the table, wondering if he'd go away if I didn't say anything else. The odds of that were small, but then, if someone had told me that I would spill my guts to a near-stranger in a fit of pathetic emotions, I'd have laughed. After I punched them for the insult.

It's his move now, I thought helplessly and waited for the questions - or the tirade.

Jasmine "Leigh" Spring| Mulan

As Jay joined them at the table, Jasmine felt her chest explode in one big dum. Da dum da dum da dum. But of course he'd come to talk to Fin, of course he had. He didn't even know that Jasmine existed and she ducked back behind her hair, somewhat regretfully. But if Jay got to know Jasmine, sooner or later he'd put two and two together and come up with Leigh.

For just a moment when he looked at her though, Jasmine almost willed him to see the truth. To see her and know who she was because she wanted Jay to like Jasmine as much as he liked Leigh. But he didn't and then Fin was asking her about stupid Dior.

"Oh yeah, yeah she could," Jasmine mumbled as she watched Jay storm away. "You didn't have to be so mean about it."

"I got rid of him, didn't I?" Fin flicked a piece of hair over her shoulder and Jasmine thought again about taking her to the gang. It didn't seem like a good idea. Fin talked big and she was harsh and loud at school but Jasmine didn't think that attitude would work on the gang and she didn't know if she could protect her. Throwing herself in with them was one thing, she was a big, tough boy afterall and if she ever needed to run, Leigh could disappear without a trace. Fin on the other hand...

"Look, it's just going to be one time, right? I get you out, you have a fun night and then we put the princess back in the tower."

Fin raised her eyebrow and said: "We'll see." Jas didn't like the sound of that, but she supposed as long as Fin kept her word and brought the arrow, then she'd have nothing to hold over her after that.

"Alright. It's a deal then." Jasmine's eyes roamed around the room, searching, searching for someone. And she found him over by the teacher's table. "Hey, what's Mr. Hopper talking to Jay for?"

"I don't know." Fin gave a shrug. Jasmine looked at her and wondered why they were even talking. Fin was so self absorbed and so- but no. Somehow she couldn't find it in her to be truly mad with the girl, not after meeting mummy Fin and not after she helped them.

"You care really. You should try showing it some time."

Spoiler

Ummmm, I only have a little while to write, so I didn't read any of the posts above me except Regina's. If there's anything having to do with me, tell me please. By the way, who acts David and Henry and Ebony Rose?

Jake Sweets-"Hansel"-Storybrooke
Finally! It was lunch time, and I grabbed my lunch bag from my back pack.
"Hey, Jake! What's this surprise thing?" whispered Gretta into my ear.
"Eat quick, and I'll show you!" I said. She nodded and we ate quickly. I pulled her along with me to the auditorium. As I rushed in, I saw the lights were on already, and Ebony-Rose was sitting in a corner, appearently reading a magazine.
Just then, she lifted her head.
"Hey! For a minute I thought you weren't coming." she said.
"Jake, what are we doing?" whispers Gretta in my ear. We walk closer, and see what I thought was the magazine. It was actually a song book.
"Gretta, this is Ebony-Rose, Ebony, this is Gretta. Gretta, Ebony sings like us, and she said we could practice with her." I say in a single breath. I had never actually talked with Ebony, much less seen her sing, but that would change.

Archie Hopper- Jiminy Cricket- Storybrooke High-

I listened quietly as Jay vented his anger and frustration. In my opinion, this was far too much for a teenager to go through, but I couldn't change the cirmunstances...

"--I just want to be my own person but all these other things and people and stupid rules keep pulling me in different directions until I'm about to lose an arm or something. So yeah, I punched a wall. Because that's the only thing I can do that'll even leave a mark on anything!"

He took a few breaths and the flare of rage dimmed into a mix of fear and frustration.

I took off my glasses and pinched the bridge of my nose-- a habbit when trying to think. "So break the rules," I offered simply.

Jay looked at me like I was nuts. "What?"

I hesitated for a moment, not totally sure where this advice was coming from. Even in my mind, it sounded ludicrous.

"If the stuff, people, and rules are holding you back, just ignore them and set a path for yourself... preferably a good path."

"But what about-"

"What about nothing," I interuped calmly. "I wouldn't be telling you this, if I didn't know you were good."

I stopped and looked at the clock. "Lunch is almost over," I stated plainly right before the bell rang. I nodded to Jay and stood up. "If you'll excuse me. And don't forget that poem for tomorrow."

He nodded numbly as I headed for my classroom.

Spoiler

:D It's possible that that is the best post I have ever read in the history of ever. Jeez, I love this storybook...

Jay Archer | Robin Hood | Storybrooke High

There was another long moment. I knew I was in trouble now. I heard him drawing a breath, and braced myself for the worst...

"So break the rules," the teacher said.

I opened my mouth for the argument I'd prepared, then faltered, then stared. What did that man just say? "What?" I stammered.

"If the stuff, people and rules are holding you back, just ignore them and set a path for yourself - preferably a good path."

I gaped. This was my English teacher telling me this! He was saying I should just forget everything? "But what about-" I began.

"What about nothing." He spoke calmly, but there was something in his gaze that felt quietly intense, something that said that this came straight from the heart. "I wouldn't be telling you this if I didn't know you were good."

For a moment, I just stared, my gaze meeting his. Then he looked at the clock. "Lunch is almost over," he said, then nodded politely to me as he rose. "If you'll excuse me. And don't forget that poem for tomorrow."

I found myself nodding stupidly, still in shock. What the heck had just happened?

The bell rang, and I rose numbly along with everyone else. As I walked to my next class, the same guy from the gang shouldered into me. "So, Jay, I guess you'd better just-"

"Get out of my face," I said calmly. He blinked. "Well?" I demanded, suddenly turning on him. The words I'd just been in shock over had sunk in, and it was time to act on them. "Get out of it! You can go and tell our little pals that I'm not putting up with any of you anymore. If you want to come after me, fine. Come at me. Just don't cry when I beat the crap out of you."

And with that, I left him. For a moment, I continued to class, but then I stopped, looking around. These hallways were cramped, and these lectures I was headed to were boring. I didn't need to know any of this stuff.

"Screw this," I said to no one in particular, and headed for the door. My bike waited for me, and I hopped on, taking off. My mind was racing with ideas and a strange sort of freedom. I had preparations to make - I was going to play by my rules now, and my rules didn't have room for sitting through lectures while the gang riled themselves up. I smiled to myself - for once, someone in charge had been right. I could make things work...

David Graham- Prince Charming 1- Storybrooke High/Storybrook General Hospital.

The school bell rang and I was supposed to randevous with Henry by the locker room. But first things first, I needed to make sure Graham had talked to Coach.

"Hey, Coach?" I called. The locker room was pretty much empty, still waiting for High School boys to fill its boundaries. "Coach!"

"What?!" he shouted back from his office. I went over the the glass cubicle and found him sitting with his playbook.

"Did Graham talk to you?"

"Yeah, your brother explained the whole thing. You realize this is your only absence for the rest of the year, right? Sure you want to waste it?"

"I'm not wasting it," I assured him. He shrugged and waved me off. "Be ready to work twice as hard tomorrow. I need to ship-shape for Friday night!"

"Sure thing."

I joged out of the locker room and almost ran headfirst into Henry. "Slow down, man," he joked.

I kept walking past him. "Well, are you coming?"

"What's your hurry?" he asked, moving quickly to keep pace.

"I want to see if she's alright," I told him. Thankfully the General Hospital was only a few blocks away from the school. One of the few perks of living in a small town.

Inside the hospital was mainly white, maybe a few off-white and beige places, but definately white washed walls. The nurse pointed us in Cindy's direction. Henry knocked on the door. She was in wardroom B, a decent size room with at least ten beds in it. Cindy was the only one there and down at the very end.

We walked over quietly, her eyes not leaving us... check that; eyes not leaving Henry.

"Hey, Cindy." I glanced down at the phone which held a text I had sent this morning. "I see you got my text," I teased.

"Uh, yeah," she blinked and smiled embarrassed. "I just wole up."

"Well that's good." Henry sat on the edge of her bed while I took an empty chair.

"So you guys have met, right?" I asked.

"Yeah, just yesterday. I bumped into her after school and we talked for a bit," Henry shrugged. Something told me he wasn't telling me the whole truth, but I wasn't about to pry.

"Are they treating you okay?" he asked her.

She nodded. "This place is better than anyplace I've ever lived."

Her answer was a bit upsetting, and it looked like it upset Henry a bit too. A hospital ward far better than any place she called home?

"So how was school?" she asked, quickly changing the subject.

Spoiler

It must live!

Spoiler

I agree! This must live on!!!!

Cindy Rell-"Cinderella"
"It's better than any place I've ever lived in!" I exclaim, and see the shock on both of their faces. "Uhm, how was school?" I try to change the subject.
"Wait a minute, this is better than-- your house?" says Henry.
I nod, and look down, ashamed. "Well... the food's better..." that seems to upset him more, so I change the subject. "Hey, thanks. Thanks for coming. Nobody's visited yet... I felt kind of lonely."
The boys nod, and I smile.
"Yeah, sure."
"I'm sure I'll be better soon... Then you two can help me with the homework." I say, trying to cheer them up. But Henry looks upset still. I feel bad and I just want to blurt out that I'm sorry. Trying to clear things up, David begins conversation.
"Hey, uh, so how long are you staying here?" he says.
"Well I wish I could stay a long long time.... It's nice here." Henry looks around at the white walls, the small room, and the empty white vase on a white bed stand. White curtains...
"Everything's white here... don't you find it uncomfortable?" says Henry.
"Well, there's not much I can do about it," I say, shrugging.
Henry opens the curtains, and peers out.
"Wait, I'll be right back." he says, and walks out, leaving me and David. In a few minutes, he returns with three red roses from the garden outside. He sets them in the vase, and pours some of my water in.
"That's a nice thought... thanks."
"You're welcome.."