This is a one shot that I wrote as a prequel to Life Will Get Better. It explains why Mal is with Chuck Charming instead of Ben and how Mal and Chuck actually met. The character of Amy is Pinksakura271s OC, Chuck is my OC and everything else is Disney's. I hope you all enjoy this.

The gang had gotten back to Auradon safe, well, all in one piece. Mal had told them to go to Cotillion. She was back in Auradon to stay. But during all the craziness with the paparazzi and Uma, Mal realized that she didn't love Ben as she had first thought. Of course Evie and Amy would not believe her just yet. It was a warm evening, not too hot, not too cold. Mal sat in the outdoor courtyard at one of the many picnic tables, and finally let it all out.

Everything she had kept bottled up was released all at once. She had tried to let her feelings out before, on the isle, but it didn't work well. Seeing her gang again still didn't help, Evie, Jay, Carlos and Amy wouldn't listen. She was crying for some time when someone was walking by in the outdoor hallway.

"Hey, What's wrong?" The person called out. Mal was startled by this, she didn't expect anyone to be there, she didn't want anyone to see her in her state of weakness.

"Go away!" Mal yelled, not even looking to see who it was. The person walked down to the courtyard and over to Mal.

"Why are you crying?" The now identified male voice asked. Mal turned this time to see a boy that had blonde hair and blue eyes. He looked kind of like Chad, but had some differences.

"What do you care?" Mal inquired.

"A girl like you shouldn't be crying like this." He answered. He knew who she was, everyone knew her.

"Who are you?" Mal asked.

"Chuck Charming," Chuck introduced, extending his hand towards her with a charming smile. She shook it. Chuck sat down next to her. "You never said why you're crying."

"Why aren't you at the Cotillion?" Mal questioned. "Don't you have a date?"

"Changing the subject, good tactic, I was on my way, but I ran into you. And no, I don't have a date, never got around to asking anyone." Chuck told Mal. "What's wrong?"

"I can't do it anymore, I can't be this Lady of the Court." Mal confessed. "I can't keep up this act, this lie."

"Than don't, be the person you are." Chuck said.

"I can't do that, I ran away to the isle and Ben came to get me because he loves me. I don't love him." Mal replied.

"Oh," Chuck sighed. "Then tell him that, if he really loves you he will understand."

Mal thought about it. She couldn't keep lying to Ben and everyone else, it wasn't fair to them and it wasn't fair to herself. "Your right." Mal replied.

"Well, it's too late to go to Cotillion, what are you going to do now?" Chuck asked, looking at his watch.

"I don't know, I didn't have a plan." Mal responded. They sat there for a few moments in silence. "Tell me about yourself."

The two talked with each other for awhile, but once people started to come back to the school they went their separate ways. The day after Cotillion Mal officially broke up with Ben. Mal had found out the night of Cotillion that she and Chuck had free period at the same time. They eventually became really close.

A few weeks after her brake up with Ben, Mal was feeling much better. Her friends had caught wind of Mal's sudden happiness, especially Evie and Amy.

"Why's Mal so happy all of a sudden?" Evie asked Amy. "I haven't seen her this happy since she came to Auradon and put the love spell on Ben."

"That's true, she hasn't acted like this since she started to crush on Ben." Amy agreed.

"Well, it could mean she has a crush on someone." Evie suggested.

"No, that's impossible, there is no one in Aurdon that Mal likes." Amy shook her head.

"There are the rumors that she's been hanging out a lot with Chuck Charming." Evie said.

"Mal, with a Charming kid, I'm skeptical. That's a funny joke though." Amy laughed.

"I guess we'll have to ask her then." Evie shrugged her shoulders.

Later, when Mal got back to her dorm room, Evie and Amy were waiting for her. "Hey Leader Girl, what's this that we here about you and a Charming boy? I mean it can't be true, right?." Amy asked.

"Well it is true." Mal told her.

"What do you mean it's true?" Amy questioned. "You're telling me you broke up with Ben and are now hanging out with a Charming."

"Yeah, he's nice and cool, he's a person I can talk to." Mal replied.

"Aren't I that person, isn't Evie that person?" Amy shouted. Her anger was getting the better of her.

"You two are, Chuck is just another friend." Mal reasoned.

Amy took a deep breath. "Okay, then I have no reason to worry that anything will come of this."

"Sure," Mal trailed off.

"That doesn't sound like a strong answer." Amy said.

"Mal do you like him?" Evie inquired.

"Yes, no, I don't know." Mal cried. "I do, but I just broke up with Ben, it seems too soon."

"Okay Mal, we'll leave it alone, there's some things you've got to think about." Evie gave her a hug.

"Yeah, I do, thanks Evie, and Amy, don't worry, nothing will ever come between us." Mal smiled. That's what they thought.