Hi!
The song Lights Off by We Are Domi fits so well for Audrey Rose just before Queen of Mean! (Or maybe even during it?)
And if you'd write a story for that, that would be absolutely awesome! ♥️
Those are the lyrics:
I lost my soul, forgot my way
There's no mistakes that I've not made
Changes hurt and I'm alone
But people say, "My, how you've grown"
Try changing jobs, try changing lovers
Changing my furniture, change my bed covers
I've changed my heart, but there's not a chance
So turn the lights off
...I lost my soul, forgot my way...
In the aftermath, Audrey was horrified by what she had done. Sickened even. Disgusted.
There wasn't a moment of it that she didn't regret. The way she had behaved was despicable and the worst part was... she couldn't explain any of it other than the breaking into the museum part.
She couldn't explain why she had crashed Jane's party and cursed everyone despite her saying she'd never do so not even two years before.
Couldn't explain why she had thrown things at Chad or why she had locked him in a closet despite knowing about his claustrophobia.
Couldn't explain why she cursed Ben into being a beast despite the fact he told her that it was his greatest fear when they were younger.
She couldn't explain any of it.
...There's no mistakes that I've not made...
Audrey felt sick looking back on it all.
She felt even sicker knowing that she hadn't exactly been on her best behavior before Ben's proposal either.
Even though she had tried to move on. Even though she had tried to be better, to be nicer.
She couldn't explain why she did any of it or why she had snapped. And she hated herself for it. Hated all she had done.
Hated that Chad could no longer look her in the eye after she had been awakened from the sleeping curse.
...Changes hurt and I'm alone ...
Hated that Chad needed a bit of time away from her and that he was going to stay with his step uncle for awhile. Even though she understood it.
She'd have gone away for awhile too.
After all, what are you to do when the one person you would have done anything for treated you as horribly as she had him?
A tiny voice in her head snarkily reminded her that she had done the same after Ben dumped her. But it had taken her longer. But Audrey did her best to ignore that voice.
Because what she had done to Chad was alot worse than Ben dumping her.
Audrey wanted to scream.
She should have appreciated Chad while she had him. Even if she'd never be able to love him the way he wanted.
...But people say, "My, how you've grown"...
After everyone found out that she'd been manipulated and somewhat possessed by Maleficent's scepter, the judgemental stares lessened. The harsh whispers behind her back did too.
People were even nicer to her than they had been after Ben dumped her.
Audrey hated it.
She didn't deserve it.
She knew she didn't deserve it.
Some people even started complimenting her on how much she'd grown after she helped plan Ben and Mal's wedding. After she did community service.
They were wrong.
She knew they were.
She hadn't grown.
She was just slowly inching back towards the girl she had use to be. Trying to pick up the pieces of her little 6 year old self's heart while also trying to desperately hold on to one of the only friendships she had managed to hold on to after the vks came.
But a part of her wasn't sure she could stop her and Chad's friendship from crumbling any further. Even though she desperately hoped so.
...Try changing jobs, try changing lovers...
Audrey tried to disappear from the public's eye for awhile. Tried to focus on doing good in summer school so she could graduate and go to college soon.
It didn't make her feel better.
She tried moving on from Ben. Tried moving on from her and Chad's deteriorating relationship.
He barely answered her calls and texts anymore. She didn't know just how empty her life without her best friend was until he stopped calling and texting as often. And it pained her.
She started talking to Harry Hook, who convinced her to let her wild side out more and more. Who convinced her to grow a backbone and stand up to her grandmother.
Audrey and him started dating, which eased the ache in her heart slightly.
But it didn't completely rid her of the pain and hate, and bitter memories. Of the knowledge that if she lost her best friend-- the only one who had stood by her side completely time and time again-- that it'd be her fault. And hers alone.
...Changing my furniture, change my bed covers...
Audrey and Harry moved in together-- into a nice little apartment near the shore. Near where the Lost Revenge was stationed.
Harry let Audrey pick the furniture. On the condition that at least some of it matched his style as well as hers. Which was something she could work with.
She changed her bedsheets and her covers to more of a reddish color. Downsized her bed.
Healing slowly, one day at a time.
...I've changed my heart, but there's not a chance...
Audrey allowed herself to be kind and vulnerable again. Allowed the little girl she use to be before the insecurity and parental neglect, and helicopter grand-parenting got to her.
Allowed herself to move on fully from Ben and started going to therapy with not only Harry and his crew, but with Chad as well.
By all accounts, she was getting better. Feeling better.
But there was always gonna be that little dark spot on her soul. Always gonna be that little snarky and snide voice in her head telling her that she was never gonna be able to make up for all she had done to her friends.
Old and new.
To all those innocent people she had hurt.
Which made it hard to get out of bed some days.
...So turn the lights off ...
But that was fine.
Wounds took time to heal, after all.
And Audrey had plenty of time to heal.
Her friends, new and old, would make sure of that.
Especially the new.
