what is the butterfly effect?

the butterfly effect refers to the notion that
the gentle flapping of a butterfly's wings can
set in motion a sequence of events within the
environment, initially minor in nature, yet
gradually culminating in significant outcomes,
such as the gathering of a social revolution.

                    NOT CARING FOR HER DRY FRIZZY HAIR in a poorly-done braid, Raven Queen tippy-toed out of Maddie's and Kitty's dorm room. Holding Maddie's key card, she slowly closed the door shut, not wanting to make a sound (Kitty was a light sleeper and she just knew if Raven went out, Kitty would surely snoop and follow).

Releasing her breath, she began her venture to the vending machines around the corner at the end of the hall. She was borrowing Maddie's slippers since she had left hers with Apple in "their" dorm room—there was no we in their, but there was an 'i'! (I as in Apple...as in Apple taking the 'i'-Look, it sounded better in her head...!). She was majorly pissed off at the blonde, because:

1) She took her and Maddie's dorm room;
and since Grimm plays favourites, he just
let her-?!

2) She decorated her side of the dorm! Who
the actual fuck does that?

   3) She won't shut up about Raven's destiny!

Raven doesn't talk much, at least not to people she isn't close with; social interaction mixed with her destiny...not really her thing. She was hesitant with her best friend at first too! I mean, the daughter of the person who forced her best friend and her family to immigrate a few months ago, an unlikely duo by all means.

   It took her a big portion of Freshman year to understand that Madeline Hatter just wanted to be her friend. No ulterior motives. She experienced a friendship that had unwavering trust and mutual respect, something her mother never understood. Maddie was the first one to teach her not to apologise for apologising (her mother would always scold her for saying sorry which would lead Raven to go down a spiral of sorries, which her mother would respond with "You are my daughter Beta, act like it").

Being the daughter of the Evil Queen came with...reactions, more or less. Reactions that weren't particularly friendly. The kind of reactions that made you an outcast, a social piranha. The kind that would leave nobody wanting to sit next to her in class or during lunch or in the library or during clubs and oddly enough, bathroom stalls. Freshman year, everyone practically ignored her. Sophomore year however? It seems everyone was making the effort to let her know that they're afraid of her. Raven assumes its because of Legacy Day coming up at the end of the month, everyone is starting to see each other as who they'll eventually become.

The purple hair-dyed girl sighed. She was used to taking the quiet road. Bottling everything up and storing it with the rest of her "unsaid-feelings bottle shelf". But now, Raven feels like she's getting punched in the face by reality. Quick and relentless.

Raven had had Legacy Day rehearsals earlier today and everything about it wanted to make her scream. It didn't help that Apple was practically sobbing to her as to why Raven questioned her destiny and kept hassling her until Raven just decided to say "Fuck it!", and sleep in Maddie's dorm room for the night. Yes, Raven doesn't talk much and to the eyes of some people, that made her an easy target, a pushover. Today had pushed her to her limit.

Raven reached the brightly-lit vending machine, quickly surveying what she wanted, she tapped Maddie's keycard on the machine's scanner. She'll pay Maddie back later. But before she could even press number "12" for peanut M&Ms, a pale hand pressed "32", a...Pepsi...?

"Hey-! That was mi-" Raven's voice died down at seeing who stole her (cough cough Maddie's) money.

Raven's eyes travelled to the person's blonde hair decorated by pink rollers and a net that matched her shiny pajama shorts and singlet top. You could immediately tell it was Victoria's Secret through its signature striped pink fabric, which seemed to conveniently hug around the girl's waist and as-Raven diverted her eyes, cheeks tinging pink; suddenly felt self-conscious at her oversized 'South Park' pajama t-shirt and her long black parachute pants.

The blue-label bottle fell down from the vending machine and into the slot in which the blonde girl reached her manicured nails to pick up. Raven furrowed her eyebrows, waiting till the blonde turned around to ask what the hell her problem was. Raven could hear the fizz of the bottle cap opening and soft gulps as the girl in front of her drank as if stealing people's vending machine food were merely a daily occurance.

Raven was having a really hard day, and she had gotten to the point where she was no longer sad nor mad. Just tired. She had ran out of social battery and therefore would not be responsible for anything that would come out her mouth. She would confront this blonde rich-lookin' bimbo and tell her to apologise, even ask her to buy some M&Ms—or would that be asking for too much? She wasn't sure—regardless! She would get an apology–!

The blonde turned around.

Raven was immediately confronted with the blue predatory beady eyes of Evangeline La Bouff.

Never mind-! Raven took back everything she said. An apology? Hah! What apology? Who said apology? Not her!

Raven Queen had made it one of her life goals to avoid Evangeline La Bouff at all costs. If Raven was a social piranha then Evangeline was an all-time world freshwater fishing champion. It was ironic to think that a girl who was the literal daughter of evil was afraid of a stereotypical blue-eyed blonde.

   Evangeline La Bouff was mean. Like really fucking mean. She was the kind of person who thought speaking without thought was the same as speaking the truth—a dangerous thought. Evangeline seemed to have a talent at finding people's Achilles' Heel and shattering it loud enough for the entire world to hear. Breathe in the same direction as her, and you'll be wishing you dropped dead instead of facing the blonde demon from hell.

   It was a miracle as to how Evangeline ran within the same group of friends as Apple did. Two completely different people and yet they sat at the same table in the cafeteria. Apple was nice-! Evangeline was...not nice.

   So least to say when Raven said it was one of her life goals to never properly interact with the blonde Satan-incarnate, she meant it. It wasn't supposed to be that hard anyways—they barely had any classes together, they didn't run in the same friendship groups, they're in different clubs, they have completely different destinies. Their lives were so abnormally different! So what the hell did she do to the universe in order for this to happen...?!

act 1: the butterfly effect

she should've known
better than to twist the
arms of fate and call him
trapped, especially when
his smile was as wide as
the daring sea.