"This isn't the Isle Of The Lost Mal!" Ben shouts and he freezes after he says this, knowing he struck a nerve.
"You're right this isn't the Isle" I say in an eerily calm voice and he looks at me warily.
"Mal-" he starts to say softly, taking a step towards me until I hold up a hand to stop him.
"Because even though there's a barrier around it I was free" I say, and he winces.
"I could go wherever I wanted, do whatever I wanted, every day was was a brand new adventure" I stress to him.
"And being here is like being in a cage, I have no freedom, I can't have fun with my friends, I have to dress to impress people I couldn't care less about, I have to worry about eating with my own boyfriend for crying out loud!" I exclaim, my voice getting louder with each sentance.
"Mal-" he says sadly, not knowing this is how I've been feeling for so long.
"I chose good for you, I turned my back on everything I knew and believed in for you, I turned my back on my kingdom for you! What more do you want from me?!" I demand, my voice breaking at the last sentance. He looks at me miserably and looks like he wants to say something, but after months of holding my tongue it's my turn.
"I'm not one of those pretty pink princesses Ben, I'm not one of those fancy ladies of the court" I say emotionally, months of exhaustion and hurt coming to the surface.
"I'm a big fake okay!" I finally admit out loud.
"I'm fake, This is fake" I say, getting more upset.
"This is fake" I repeat while gesturing to my hair.
"This is fake" I say, gesturing to the gorgeous meal in front of us. I quickly stand up and grab my spell book, flipping through the pages until I find the one I need.
"Take this feast, this sumptuous meal turn it back to what is real" I recite with a flick of my finger before closing my book. The meal turns back into the pathetic looking peanut butter aand jelly sandwich with a glass of milk I had originally prepared.
"This is who I really am" I say sadly, turning away from a stunned Ben. I sigh and move to walk past him.
"Mal" he says softly, reaching for my arm.
"No! No" I say brokenly, having enough of feeling so much like a stranger in my own skin.
"Peanut butter and jelly is my favorite!" I hear Ben call out faintly as I continue to walk away, but it's too late I've made up my mind.
'Time to go home' I think to myself as I continue to walk away. It's time to go back to the isle, I'm never coming back here.