"No, that's the shrimp fork," Fairy Godmother stated in her usual "That's ok, even though you should know this by now" tone. "Remember to count the tongs."

I had counted the tongs enough. Back on the Isle, we didn't even use utensils. Ariel had a collection big enough to cater to the entire Isle, but you didn't see the "Good" being generous to the "Bad." I had been at this for two whole hours. As soon as I was out of "Remedial Goodness 101" I was put into "Remedial Manners 101." Dizzy was right—You can take the girl out of the Isle, but you can't take the Isle out of the girl.

"Mal," Fairy Godmother called me out of my internal brooding. "What is the middle fork?"

This one I knew, "The salad fork."

"Very good!" She seemed pleased. But this was the easy stuff, the stuff you could memorize. I can't memorize how to make people look at me as Mal and not The-Daughter-of-a-Villain Mal. Despite this certainty, I smile back. "Why don't we call it a day? I'm sure you have homework in your other subjects you need to cover."

Internally, I rolled my eyes. It seemed like a good idea at the time to give up my spellbook, but now I have to worry about trivial matters such as homework. "Sounds good." Not to succumb to the whole superiority complex, but I am ready to lose it. I am aware of what I can do, and it's a lot more than this. But, without the spellbook, I'm just as useless as Chad without Audrey.

Everyone had adjusted so well. Even after the time wasted on the whole Uma debacle, I still find myself…unsatisfied. But it didn't matter, I supposedly belong here. One place I definitely belong is in bed. I've had to catch up on sleep during the day because Evie had started the habit of breaking curfew so she can study something about constellations over time with Doug. Whatever it was, it didn't sound important enough to interrupt my sleep schedule, but she was happy.

As I made my way through the schoolyard, I glanced at my locker which had a slightly different hue after they painted over my graffiti. I guess I shouldn't take much offense, it did profess my allegiance with evil. But now I'm not allowed to paint outside the allowed areas—on a canvas. I was right the first time, it does take all the fun out of it.

By the time I reach my dorm, I'm left on the same thought as I do every day—Maybe I really am evil. Maybe people like Audrey's grandmother and my mom are right; it's pre-ordained for me to follow in her footsteps. But it doesn't make me glad anymore to be called evil. I blame Ben for that. It was so easy to be angry at everybody here when I didn't know what love was. It's understandable to want to lock up the VK's parents, but our generation has been around for too long to just ignore us. I admit that I am not the most charitable face for Ben's initiative to reach out an olive branch to the Isle kids, but kids like Dizzy were the good I'd like to see. Generous. Not demeaning and welding a title that means nothing when laid next to the wand or my spellbook.

I guess the best way to put it is that I have a Robinhood complex. Even when I was helping my mother, I was motivated by the fact that those who suffered for nothing would finally earn the freedom they so rightly deserved. Answering to Maleficent was definitely not freedom though. "Ugh, I forgot to feed mom."

I crawled out of my bed to feed my mom her daily dose, grabbing the food on my way to her tank. "Mom," I peered into the tank, I didn't see her. I opened up the miniature fridge and then rummaged through the entire tank… she wasn't there. "No no no no no!"

My room was a mess in a matter of seconds, this was very very very bad. And it didn't help that somebody was incessantly knocking at my door. Several things that were probably of value were crushed under my feet as I stomped to the door, "WHAT?!"

A shrinking Carlos stood at my door, "What did I do?"

I blinked my anger away, "Nothing. But…" I contemplated not telling him, but very bad things could happen if I didn't find her. "My mom is gone."

"What do you mean your mom is gone?" Carlos exclaimed.

And that's when it got worse—Dude came sprinting around the corner shouting, "WE'RE DOOMED!"

Carlos leaned down and picked up Dude, but it only took seconds for me to snatch him away. "Put a muzzle on it. If this gets out, I'm in trouble that I don't have time to deal with."

"You need to tell Ben," Carlos said while snatching Dude back protectively. "We don't have to deal with stuff alone anymore."

I hate it when I'm not right. This was just another way to assure the royal family that I was incapable of being responsible enough to stand next to Ben. But I have to stop letting my pride get in the way. "Fine." I push past him, my thoughts mirroring Carlos' nerves. Being left alone with my thoughts in a situation like this is never good; I had worked so hard to appear… capable of this world. I even went as far as turning my hair blonde! Everything in my life was flipped upside-down when we came here, unwillingly might I add, but it was all worth it. Seeing Evie, Jay, and Carlos so comfortable here was all the assurance I needed that this was where we needed to be—Ben was just the cherry on top. However, where the others found solace, I was still feeling on edge. It was showing, everyone cowers when I walk past them—not in the way I loved on the Isle—I even heard a familiar squeal from Jane when I shut my locker a little too hard after I bombed another test on Kingdom Relations.

My transition to Auradon has obviously not been a smooth one. Surprisingly enough, I blame my mother for this as well; I went through my entire childhood having everyone respect me, out of fear, but it was respected nonetheless. Now, I have to pass tests just to show I'm able to not embarrass the King. Talk about a downgrade.

Seeing Ben's quarters coming into view brought me back to the present. As I neared the doors I went to reach for the handle, but the closer I got the more I heard muffled voices. Muffled angry voices. I backed away ever so slightly. I should turn away and respect Ben's privacy… but like I said earlier, you can't take the Isle out of the girl. And I knew I had seen an eavesdropping spell in my spellbook; yay, just another instance to add to the never-ending list of why I shouldn't have let go of it. Come on, I know it. My mom didn't have to carry that thing around to remember her spells in her prime. But I'm also not an evil villain trying to take over the world, that must have been quite some motivation to memorize that thing. Ugh, it had something to do with fears and conversation. Well duh an eavesdropping spell would talk about the conversation. Wait! That's it!

I leaned against the wall and whispered the spell as I connected the pieces in my head. "Lay this conversation bare so that… so that I what? …Oh! Lay this conversation bare so that I may dismiss all fears with what I overhear… Please be right, please be right."

Then, slowly but surely, the voices grew clearer. Like when I used to hang at Uma's mom's place—ew, that was before it was obvious she was too immature for the VKs—and we had to bang the TV to get the picture clear. It was obvious that it was Ben's parents and him.

"Of course, we adore Mal," Belle said.

"But that doesn't stop the kingdom from being skeptical of how she'll cope being potential Queen," Adam's voice boomed compared to Belle's.

Ben went to say something but barely got out a syllable before Belle stepped back in. "Honey, we will always trust your judgment. But the kingdom doesn't know you or Mal as well as we do. They're calling for-"

"Belle," Adam scolded her. I guess she said something she shouldn't have.

"What are they calling for," Ben demanded to know.

Belle's voice softened, "They're calling for a reassessment of who should rule over Auradon." No. Friggin. Way. All of this over one transformation into a dragon? And a few faux pas on foreign relation trips. And me almost giving the wand to my mother—Maleficent—who wanted to destroy all of Auradon and lead with an iron fist… Ok, so maybe I can see why some people may be a little upset about my unwelcome presence.

Ben scoffed, "What?" That's right. Now, stick up for yourself Ben.

"We wouldn't have this problem if you left the Isle alone," Adam stated. OH, I KNEW HE WAS STILL NOT OK WITH IT! He had just gotten comfortable with the VKs, and then Ben had to stupidly get invested in Uma, the worst of the Isle, and bring her to Auradon… Or it could've been me stupidly dropping my spellbook.

"Dad," Ben's voice was starting to mimic the roar that leaks out when he's angry. "I will not continue to justify my first action as King to you when I know it's right. And so does half of Auradon, it will take time, but eventually, they will grow to love Mal as much as I do and accept that the Isle kids are not defined by their parent's mistakes."

I could practically picture the stare down between Beast and Beast Jr.

"You two need to calm down," Belle ordered. "You're right. Auradon will one day understand. But one day might be too late if the Charmings continue to push for the throne as much as they are." Abso-friggin-lutely it would be Chad's family to see the first sign of turbulence as their cue to rise in social status.

Ben started to do the breathing exercise that he does when he gets angry, he counts up to ten and then counts backward. It didn't seem like it was working. "I will not let that happen. IT will become clear to Auradon that I have their best interest in heart, not the Charmings."

"There's an obvious solution to make all of this go away," Adam said. "Take some time away from Mal."

I barely heard Ben's "NO!" before I stormed off. My mom being lost is my own problem, and I won't let Ben see that there's just another reason for his parents and the rest of Auradon to worry. This isn't anything new for me, I'm used to handling my problems on my own.

…

I just hope I get to her before she gets to the scepter.