The halls of Ever After High felt like a maze sometimes, and today was no exception. As you walked through, you couldn’t help but feel the weight of all the judgmental stares following you. After all, you were the daughter of the Ugly Duckling, and in a school where looks were everything, it felt like you were always the odd one out. The “ugly” one who never quite fit in with the perfect, pristine Royals.

But today, it didn’t sting as much. Maybe it was because of him.

Jason Todd, the son of the Big Bad Wolf and Red Riding Hood. Wild, fierce, and completely untamed. He was a Rebel, through and through—tattoos, piercings, and that confident swagger that made you feel like you were the only one in the room. With him, there was no judgment, no pretending to be someone you weren’t.

And that’s exactly why you couldn’t help but smile as he leaned casually against the wall near the lockers, waiting for you. His eyes locked onto you the moment you stepped into the hall, and a mischievous grin tugged at his lips.

“There she is,” Jason said, his voice low but warm, with just a hint of that familiar Puerto Rican accent that always made your heart race a little faster. “My favorite rebel.”

You rolled your eyes, trying to fight the grin that was creeping up on your face. “You’re the only one who calls me that, you know?”

“Because it’s true,” he teased, pushing himself off the wall and striding toward you. “You’re a rebel in every sense of the word. They don’t get it, but I do. And I like it.”

You couldn’t help but laugh, the sound echoing in the empty hallway. There was something about Jason’s presence that always made you feel lighter, even in the midst of all the chaos. He didn’t care about appearances or what people thought. He saw you. Really saw you.