Blondie Lockes's diary

## No Reservations

Some stories are too short. Others, too long. I want my story to be just right! That's just my destiny. Like my mom Goldilocks, I'm searching for perfection. I'm a journalist, my MirrorCast **'Just Right'** is the most popular show not just in school, but the entire village of Book End, and to top it off, I'm a Royal.

It doesn't matter if everyone says, "*Goldilocks isn't a princess.*" The truth is my family rules an ancient spellbinding kingdom. Alright, maybe not ancient, but the furniture is wicked old. And maybe it's more of a town than a kingdom, but that's not the point! The point is nobody believes I'm fairytale royalty! Not even my best friends forever after, Apple White and Briar Beauty. Nothing about my story needs to change; I just want to tell my whole story—before and after I visit the Three Bears. It's only just right! The fact is I'm a Royal! Trust me, I know how getting the facts wrong can ruin someone's chapter.

Like this one time, before I declared my destiny...

## Chapter 1

We were at school a week early for Orientation. This year was special for us. It was our Legacy Day, where we pledge to become the next generation of the most famous fairytales ever after! You would be just right in thinking it's kind of important. So imagine my surprise when I overheard Headmaster Grimm telling Baba Yaga, "*Well I am worried about Legacy Day!*"

Baba Yaga is the oldest legend at Ever After High, not to mention the most powerful sorceress in hexistance, "*Milton, hocus focus! Think about the students.*"

"*I'm thinking about one specific student,*" Headmaster Grimm gulped, "*What if we have to cancel Legacy Day?*"

Cancel Legacy Day?... What a bombspell! Perfect for my MirrorCast! When I saw Briar getting out of her stretch carriage, I just had to tell her! If someone was trying to ruin Legacy Day, there would be no Legacy Day dance... and Briar's been planning that since kingdergarden! Just like I thought, Briar's eyes grew wide as Poppa Bear's porridge bowl. We thought of everyone who would want to ruin the Legacy Day dance. Then Briar suggested Cerise Hood, "*She's always sneaking around like she's hiding a secret,*" and it was like three light bulbs went off at once.

"*Secret?*" If there's anyone who knows a secret about Cerise, it would be her roommate, Cedar Wood, "*That's just right! I'll hext you later!*"

## Chapter 2

If Cerise planned to spoil the Legacy Day dance, Cedar was the first step in stopping her. That's because Cedar's the daughter of Pinocchio, but unlike her father, she can't tell a lie... at least not until she graduates. I arrived in the Charmitorium at just the right time! There was an open chair right next to her. I fished through my bookpack for my MirrorPad and hit **record**. A good journalist knows to get every word, "*Cedar, have you seen Cerise?*"

"*Yeah, earlier when she left Mr. Badwolf's office for the village of Book End,*" then she suspiciously whittled, "*Why do you want to know?*"

"*Oh, no reason.*" I secretly hexted Briar. If Cerise was at Book End, Briar would find out why. Don't get me wrong, it's not like Briar skips school, but when adventure calls, she always answers. I had some investigating of my own to do. As if Cerise wasn't mysterious enough, now she was sneaking out of the office of the Head of General Villainy. If she was plotting to ruin the Legacy Day dance, how did he fit in? I had to get a hexclusive interview with Mr. Badwolf.

## Chapter 3

Strangely, Mr. Badwolf's door was locked. I never understood this. Doors exist so people can walk through them! It's like mom always says, a lock just prevents a door from fulfilling its destiny. Certainly Mr. Badwolf just accidentally locked the door, so I fixed it open with a hairpin and let myself into his empty office. Knowing he wouldn't mind if I made myself at home, I sat in the first chair in front of his desk, but it was just too big. The second chair was just too small. The chair behind his desk was just right... In fact, it must have been really just right because I dozed off...

"*BLONDIE!*" When I heard my name I **crashed** to the floor. It was Cerise! She broke into Mr. Badwolf's office! Good thing I was here to catch her red-hooded. A good journalist knows when to ask the tough questions. With the Legacy Day dance on the line, this was that time. As Cerise stumbled over her words, Mr. Badwolf suddenly stormed into the room, huffing and puffing. There was really only one thing to do... book it.

## Chapter 4

During breakfast, I asked Briar what happened at Book End, but she really didn't want to talk about it. In fact, she and Apple weren't talking at all. Usually they're both so royally ready to embrace the day, but they couldn't even look at each other. All seemed lost. Without the "Briar at Book End" interview, there could be no MirrorCast. My reputation as a journalist who's always just right was on the line!

Then something novel happened... Holly O'Hair joined with Cerise. Not only is Holly the next Rapunzel, she's also the new princess at school. She also doesn't really understand the unwritten rules of the Castleteria. If she did, she wouldn't have sat with the lone wolf daughter of Red Riding Hood. You could tell something big and bad was brewing. Suddenly Cerise growled, "*JUST DROP IT!*"

This was just the right moment I was waiting for! When I asked what happened, the poor princess was shocked, "*Don't ask Cerise about her legacy, especially about the Big Bad Wolf.*" I needed just one more thing for the MirrorCast. "*Hey Holly, can I interview you?*" I wish she didn't say yes.

## Chapter 5

I just love the sound of a MirrorCast in the morning. My next episode of **Just Right** was finally ready. After a last look to make sure my blonde curls looked just right, I went live:

"*Who's not ready for Legacy Day? If you want my opinion, I can't wait for everyone to hex out my Legacy Day outfit, not to mention the book-slamming dance afterwards. Am I just right, or am I just right? But, there's one person who doesn't feel like spellebrating. You're probably wondering, 'Who is this... rebel?' Someone with a grudge against a certain big bad Head of General Villainy, that's who. The daughter of Red Riding Hood, Cerise Hood—*"

Briar burst through the room, "*STOP THE MIRRORCAST!*"

I didn't. "*Just in time! As you know, Briar, Cerise is hiding a secret! It's Mr. Badwolf. First she unlocked his office before the headmaster's speech. Then she mysteriously vanished to Book End. Next I caught Cerise breaking into Mr. Badwolf's office and then she flipped her hood when asked if she hates the Big Bad Wolf! Why? Because Mr. Badwolf is The Big Bad Wolf... the villain in her story. Cerise wanted to make it look like he ruined our dance, so he would get fired! It just makes so much sense! Well, mostly makes sense, but that's not the point—*"

"*Blondie, forget the dance!*" Briar flipped the switch on the MirrorCast, "*The other day, Headmaster Grimm said he's worried about someone not pledging their destiny on Legacy Day! That's what you overheard! When people hear your MirrorCast—*"

"*BLONDIE LOCKES,*" a booming voice shattered my MirrorPad. "*REPORT TO HEADMASTER GRIMM'S OFFICE IMMEDIATELY!*"

They didn't make me wait. They shuffled me straight to Headmaster Grimm, "*This is unacceptable, Ms. Lockes. Using your MirrorCast to spread fables. If you must know, Cerise Hood was excused from Orientation to get school supplies for Mr. Badwolf. You have detention for a week, and, as much as I enjoy your program, if you cause any more trouble, I am closing the book on your MirrorCast forever. Do you read me?*"

"*Yes, sir,*" my stomach sank. Poor Cerise... thanks to me, everyone probably hated her. I had to find her... but she disappeared without a trace.

## Chapter 6

Nobody had seen Cerise for hours. Just as I was about to give up looking for her, I overheard Cedar, "*—I know where Cerise is, but the only way to get to her is through the wishing well.*" Cedar, Raven Queen and Madeline Hatter snuck outside of school to the wishing well. If they knew where Cerise was, I had to follow them.

Inside the wishing well, a winding tunnel glittered with sparkling coins of promised wishes. I reached into my pocket for two coins—one so I could find Cerise, and the other so she could find it in herself to forgive me.

Raven, Maddie and Cedar's voice travelled up, followed by a loud **SLAM**. Suddenly a force whisked me up a tunnel, when my head **bonked** against something hard—a locked door. Again with the locking! It opened right in the middle of the Grimmnasium. Cerise cried to her friends, "*I don't even care about the dance! Why would Blondie tell the whole school I want to ruin it?*"

My heart broke into three pieces—one filled with guilt, one filled with sadness, but the third filled with hope, and that's just right, "*Because I got carried away.*" I explained the entire story. About how I thought someone was going to ruin our Legacy Day dance. How I thought Cerise acted suspiciously. The fact is I never had all the facts. I tried to make the pieces fit because I wanted my hunch to be just right, "*But I was wrong. I never meant to hurt you, Cerise. I'm so sorry.*"

Cerise wiped her eyes, and, for the first time ever, smiled, "*My Blondie, what a big heart you have.*"

A good journalist knows when to tell a story, and when to check their mirror. My next episode of **Just Right** was again about Cerise. It was also about making mistakes, checking your facts and apologizing when you're just wrong. Because at the end of the tale, I'm all about doing what's just right.