Summer Break

Summer was just a week away. Mal was finishing up her term at Agrabah Academy, as her friends finished their year at Auradon Prep. King Adam had passed his law that kept Queen Leah from interfering with Mal's education any further, so she was coming back to Auradon Prep in the fall. She already had her classes picked for the fall. Also all first year students were given a volunteer job to preform over the summer, so Mal and her friends were appointed theirs. Mal, Evie and Jay were second year students Carlos would be taking a summer course and if he passed that, even though he was younger than the other three he would be a third year student in the fall as well. They were all looking forward to their assignments, Evie was working for a local dress designer, Carols for an animal shelter, Jay was shadowing the Auradon police, and Mal…Ben's assistant. Mal assumed that Ben picked the assignments for her and her friends, but she wasn't 100% sure. But it meant spending time with Ben over the summer, so she would take it.

So on the last day of classes, Mal moved back into the palace for the summer. Agrubah Academy finished a day before Auradon Prep. So Mal went with the Queen to help pick up her friends and boyfriend. Just as with Winter break, the four VK's would be staying with the King and Queen and Ben in the palace.

When they arrived to meet them, they could see all the parents there to help their children pack up for the summer. Mal and Belle passed Lonnie and her mother.

"Mulan, how are you?" Belle greeted the Emperors prized warrior.

"Well Your highness, and yourself?"
"Wonderful. Have you met Ben's girlfriend Mal?"
"I have not, But Lonnie has had nothing but wonderful things to say about her and her friends. It is a pleasure to meet you Mal." Mal shook the hand Mulan offered her.
"Thank you, Lonnie is a great friend." Mal smiled at Lonnie. "You will stay in touch over the summer right Lonnie?"
"I have your number, so you know you will. I'll be local anyway, have to do my internship." Lonnie held out her phone.
"Have a great summer, I might see you around then." Mal and Lonnie hugged.
"You too, in case we don't see each other." Lonnie and Mal spotted her Isle friends at the same time. "Tell them I will talk to all of them over the summer."
"I will." Mal knew Jay would receive most of her calls, but she kept that quiet, she wasn't sure what Lonnie's parents knew about her and Jay. Mal saw Belle nod and Mal quickly crossed the common to her friends.

Audrey spotted her and wanted to yell that she wasn't allowed on campus, but her punishment was over as far as the school board was concerned, so she was free to be here, thanks to the vote taken last night at the meeting. Audrey's grandmother on the other hand, didn't bother to keep her mouth shut and marched across the grounds to meet Mal, before she made it to her friends. "I see you took advantage of you temporary stance as Ben's girlfriend to have his father fix you mistakes."
"I never asked his highness to step in and change the law. That was King Adam's choice. Queen Leah, may I say something, it was what I was trying to say at Family Day before Chad over reacted."
"Please, let's see what little manners you have." Mal took a deep breath.
"I was planning to say I am sorry that my mother cursed your daughter. It was wrong of her, but in her defense, she was hurt. Growing up she was friends with your husband. And he grew power hungry and shut her out. Not being included in his life broke her. It brought her to who she is today. I am not saying it was all his fault that she became the mistress of all evil, that was her choice as how she reacted in the situation she was involved in. But I will say this. She is not me, and I had nothing to do with it. The fact that some of the parents here assumed that my friends and I were exactly the same as our parents was an assumption. And maybe a correct one, when we first arrived. But after seeing what Auradon was really like and learning that our parents lied to us about how things were here, guess what we wanted to change. And we did. I have said all I planned to say. Other than you might want to correct Audrey about what really happened when my mother's curse was carried out. You and the rest of the palace were put to sleep not by my mother, but by Flora, Fauna and Merryweather. My mother only followed through with her threat to put Aurora to sleep for 100 years. But if I remember correctly, you were all only asleep for about 24 hours." And with that Mal walked away, feeling for the first time a weight was lifted off her shoulders where Audrey and Queen Leah were concerned. Did she think this was the end of it, no in the least? But she had said her peace, and she felt better.

Ben walked up behind her and pulled her into a warm embrace. "Well said."
"You heard?" that caused her to look around, and see a great deal of the school had heard. Mal wanted to hide, but she decided to stand tall. "It's really what I needed to say weeks ago, but someone stopped me." She said looking at Chad.

"Yeah, sorry about that." He called as he walked away. The crowd dispersed, and Evie, Jay and Carlos came up. All three clapping Mal on the back.

"Time to go." Belle said joining them. "nice job Mal, well said." She whispered to Mal. "I have to say that was a very adult thing to do."
"It needed to be said, do I think it did any good, most likely not, but I know I have said what I needed to say."

"Well let's get out of here, by the time we get packed up, it will be time to have supper. Mrs. Potts has been missing you kids."
"Honestly Belle, I do not understand how you can tolerate these kids?" Aurora said coming up to them. "and if you," She pointed at Mal "Think what you said to my mother fixes anything, you are sadly mistaken."
"I spoke from my heart, if Queen Leah chooses not to accept that, that isn't my problem. I meant what I said."

"I think that will do Aurora." Belle said. "Mal has closed the book on that issue. It is the past, and a past she had no responsibility for. None of these kids had anything to do with what their parents did."
"You would think differently if one of these kids was the child of Gaston."
"I have already suggested to Ben that Gaston's twins come in the next group."

"Really?" Mal asked.

"Yes. But I am not sure Ben is ready to make his choices about the next group."
"It's on my list of things to look into over the summer Mom." He said. "Everyone ready, I am kind of hungry."

They carried their stuff to the limo and headed to the palace. Their things were brought up to their rooms. In a way the VK's were glad to be home. They knew it wasn't really their home, but for the moment it would do.

"Who is ready for supper?"
"Yes." The boys and Evie head down stairs and into the small dining room. Mal walks slowly behind her friends.

"Ben, I was wondering about these volunteer jobs we have to do?" She looked at him. "Who chooses these?"
"Fairy Godmother tries to find the perfect match based on your skills. She thought since your mother ran the Isle, that maybe you would be best to help me. And well you did take Poly Sci, and had experience helping me already."
"And what was yours?"
"I was chosen to help my mother with her library. She had spent my first year at Auradon Prep, going through her books looking to see what she no longer needed here, and was ready to have them moved and logged into the schools library."

"Ok I have to ask, What was Audrey's paint things pink?" She teased.

"No actually she had to feed lunches to the poor." Mal laughed.