Hey guys, I know this probably looks a bit back to front but I came across this idea as I was writing a chapter for 'Disney Descendants: Happily Ever After' however it is already cram packed with ideas so I decided to make this a prequel short for the story. A couple of more shorts might appear so watch this space. I know the main story isn't finished yet but this was too much a good idea to pass up on. And anyway a nice break to get the creative juices flowing - hate it when I get writers block. Much love RSD xoxoxoxoxo.

*Ben's POV*

"You want to break up with me?" I heard her ask.

"I think it is what's for the best" I muttered.

"Why?" She quickly asked.

"What did I do wrong?" She asked as tears started to gather in her eyes.

"Nothing, you've been perfect" I said.

"I can't have been that perfect" she snapped sarcastically.

"I must have done something" she stated.

"Mal I love you-" I started.

"Don't" she warned me.

"Don't you dare tell me that you want to break up with me and then tell me that you love me" she said as she wiped a single tear from her cheek. It broke my heart seeing her like this; I didn't want to break up with her but I didn't think it was fair hurting her. We barely got to see each other and I knew that this bothered her more than she let on.

"Mal please listen. I need you to understand" I said as I took both of her hands in mine but she quickly pulled her hands free.

"What is there to understand?" She asked bitterly.

"You want to break up with me, there's nothing left to understand" she said and she went to stand up but I put my hand on her wrist to stop her.

"Mal I need you to know why I am doing this" I said.

"Fine" she snapped and she looked at me.

"Mal I love you-" I started and watched as she narrowed her eyes in irritation.

"I just don't want to hurt you" I said.

"How were you going to hurt me?" She said sounding confused. I opened my mouth to answer her but she cut me off.

"You have hurt me doing this, so what could you possibly do that is worse than this?"she quickly asked as she started to cry.

"Mal you are so patient with my commitments, I just don't want-" I started.

"Are you kidding me?" She asked incredulously.

"You are breaking up with me because of the lack of time we spend together?" she added as her voice broke.

"Yes" I muttered.

"I just don't think that it is fair on you; to put you through all of that. I'm trying to save you"I pleaded as I watched her face.

"So I didn't do anything wrong?" She asked.

"No" I said.

"You have been patient and perfect" I said as I went to stroke her face but stopped when she flinched away from me.

"Do you really want to do this?" She asked as she looked into my eyes.

"Not really" I admitted and I watched as her eyes lit up.

"Well we don't have to" she suggested eagerly.

"But I have to" I stated.

"Why?" She begged.

"Why Ben? If we love each other, then we can make it work" she said quickly.

"I only want what's best for you" I said.

"Is that a joke?" she snapped.

"No, why would it be. Mal I care abo-" I started.

"Don't" she warned me.

"Don't even say that. If you really cared you wouldn't be saying that" she said.

"Mal it's not fair on you" I said sadly as tears started to gather in my eyes.

"Ben I am patient, I always have been. We can get through this" she pleaded.

"I don't know whether we can" I muttered. I watched as she looked down at the floor and let her hair fall in front of her face to hide it from me.

"Mal" I started as we sat in silence for a few minutes.

"Ben please don't do this" she begged.

"I'm so sorry Mal" I said.

"So am I" she said and she quickly stood up and left the room, slamming the door behind her.

I stood for a long time looking at the door, my mind was continuously repeating the recent events in my mind. I started to blink fast as my eyes started to wander around my office as anger started to boil inside of me. I wasn't mad at Mal - I had no reason to be. I was mad at myself, I was mad at the fact that it had to come to this; for me to give up the best thing that had ever happened to me unwillingly. I don't know why I did it, I thought it was for the best. Yes I love Mal but I thought that because of all of my royal commitments I didn't think it was fair on her. I had only seen her four times in the last month and even though she said that she was fine with it I knew deep down that she wasn't. I broke her heart and it killed me; I promised myself that I would never do that. I felt a sudden rush of rage and with all the beast strength inside of me I swung round and slammed my fist into the wall. I felt a sudden pain in my knuckles but ignored it even when I started to see my knuckles starting to bruise.

"What's happened?" I heard my mother say as she walked into my office.

"I've just seen Mal run out crying" she added.

"We've just broke up" I told her.

"Why?" she asked.

"I didn't think it was fair on Mal" I said.

"What was?" she asked as she walked towards me.

"The lack of time we spend together" I advised.

"Don't you love her? I thought you did" she said as she wrapped an arm around my shoulder.

"I do, that's why it was such a hard decision" I said as I wiped the tears away that had started to flow down my face.

"Ben are you sure you want to do this?" she asked.

"Not really, but I don't want to hurt her" I said.

"I best get on mother" I said walking away from her and sitting down at my desk.

"Ok, well you know where I am if you want to talk" she said as she left the room shaking her head as her eyes caught the hole in the wall that I had just caused.

*Mal's POV*

As I ran from the castle my body was still in shock; Ben had broken up with me. I couldn't believe it, correction I didn't want to believe it. Ben was the best thing that had ever happened to me, and I had lost him. He gave the excuse of the lack of time that we had spent together but I had a gut feeling that there was something else going on; and my gut feeling was never wrong. My mind started to frantically wander onto anything that could have caused the break up and sadly I couldn't think of anything.

Another thing that I knew was I now knew what a broken heart felt like; I felt empty inside and my throat was forming a painful lump that made me want to cry. However I had to hold it all in; there was no way I could walk across campus sobbing and crying. That was the last thing that I needed was rumours to start spreading around this early; I groaned to myself as I started to walk onto Auradon Prep grounds - Audrey was going to be difficult to deal with. She always said that we wouldn't last and I was adamant that me and Ben would prove her wrong.

As I started to walk towards my dorm building some other thoughts flew to the fore front of my mind; a voice started laughing at me and mocking me telling me that I was stupid to think that following my heart was the right thing to do. It continued to mock me by saying that I was never good enough for Ben and he was better off without me. I took a deep breath to steady myself as I walked into my dorm building as I continued to fight against my insecurities that I had built up over the last year and a half.

When I walked into my dorm I noticed that Evie was sitting with Doug; I watched as they both turned around to smile at me but I saw Evie's face drop when she looked at my face. She quickly threw a look towards Doug and he nodded instantly understanding that he needed to go.

"I'll see you guys later" he said as he stood up and quickly threw his coat on.

"You don't need to" I muttered.

"No it's ok. It's getting on anyway" he said before he quickly planted a kiss onto the top of Evie's head.

"Love you princess" he said as we walked up to our dorm door.

"Love you too" she answered back as he opened the door. We both watched the door close and Evie then looked back at me.

"What's wrong Mal. I thought that you and Ben were going to have date night tonight" she asked. I looked down at the floor; I couldn't answer her, I couldn't get the words to form to tell her that my relationship with Ben was over. I still couldn't believe it, once the words left my mouth it would start to become a reality and I didn't want it to be. My chest and throat started to burn again and I knew it wouldn't be very long before I broke down. I hated feeling weak and I started to hate Ben for making me feel this way but I then instantly stopped hating Ben. Even though he had broken up with me I still loved him; and I knew that this was going to take me a long time to get over - if I ever was able to.

"Mal is there something wrong?" Evie asked as she quickly stood up and approached me, she entwined her fingers with mine and looked into my face. This action showed me that Evie would be there for me; just like always. A wave of emotion then washed over me and I finally broke down in tears in front of her.

"Hey Mal, what's all this?" she asked as she pulled me into a tight hug. She slowly rubbed my back in attempt to soothe me to the point of being able to speak to her.

"We've broke up" I said in between sobs.

"What?" Evie said as she pulled away from me and placed both of her hands on the top of my arms so she hold me at arm's length.

"It's over, Ben has just broken up with me" I sobbed and I then fell to pieces in front of Evie again.

"What? Why?" she asked.

"He said that he doesn't want to hurt me" I said still sobbing.

"Right" she replied slowly.

"He said he loves me and only wants to best for me" I added.

"Ok" she said.

"He thinks he's hurting me by staying in a relationship with me and barely spending any time with me" I advised.

"I don't understand that. How can he break up with you if he loves you?" she said sounding confused.

"I don't know" I said as I wiped the tears from my eyes.

"Come here Mal" she said as she took my hand in hers and started to lead me to my bed. We both climbed onto my bed and she pulled me to her so I was now snuggled into her.

"I know you don't like to show your emotions Mal, but you know you are safe with me. Just be the way you need to be" she said as she ran her fingers through my hair. I started to sob against her shoulder as she continued to play with my hair and rub my back. I don't know how long we lay like that; but I managed to slip into a peaceful slumber - eventually.