A Space Between Us


Ben was walking down the hallway going to his next class. While he was walking a girl passed him and just stood there looking at him.

"Are you okay?" Ben asked.

"Oh, yeah I'm fine I just wanted to ask you something." The girl said.

"Oh ok go ahead."

"I am in your chemistry class and for the assignment I thought we could be partners. If that's ok with you." She explained.

"I'm sorry, my girlfriend and I are partners already. And who are you?"

"I'm Hazel. And it's ok if you don't want to be partners. I understand."

"No really, Mal and I are partners. I'm not trying to avoid you or anything." Ben said.

"Oh well I gotta go, see you in Chemistry?" Hazel said leaving.

"Yes?" Ben seemed confused.

When school was done, Ben went to Mal's dorm room to work on their project. Ben wanted to tell her about what happened with Hazel, but he thought it wasn't important.

"I'll see you tomorrow love you, bye." Mal declared.

"Love you too." Ben gave Mal a kiss on the cheek and went back to his dorm.

The next day at school Ben noticed that Hazel was following him around again. He was wondering why and went to go talk to her.

"I don't want to mean but why are you following me around?" He questioned.

"I'm not following you, we just seem to be heading in the same direction." She laughed.

" .ha" Ben laughed sarcasticly.

"Bye bye now!" Hazel waved.

It has been a few days now and Hazel is still following Ben. Mal has noticed it too. Sometimes she sees Ben around campus during some periods and always sees Hazel. She was very concerned and wanted to ask Ben what was going on. Later that day Mal went to Ben's dorm to work on the project. A few minutes into work in Mal had to ask Ben about Hazel.

"Umm...so you know how sometimes I see you around campus from time to time?" Mal started.

"Yeah what about it?" Ben said back.

"Well it's just that...I keep on seeing you with this girl. And every time I see you, you're talking to her. What does that mean?!" Mal burst out.

"Trust me it's nothing. The first time I saw her she want to be my chemistry partner but I told her you were my partner." He explained.

"Ok good. Cause I thought you might've been seeing someone else."

"No way! I would never go with anyone else. You are too good for me to do that. I don't even know what I did to deserve you." After Ben said that he hugged Mal.

They went on with the project and had no worries. The next day, Ben and Mal planned a date to go to the beach. Ben was going to pick her up in his scooter and they would ride there. Mal had her stuff and was ready to go. She had to meet Ben at the front of the school. Ben was waiting and Hazel popped out of no where!

"Hello, again." She greeted.

"Hi. Look, I don't want to be rude but Mal and I are going on a date and want some alone time."

As Mal was coming out she saw Hazel and Ben together. She hid behind a bush to see what they were doing. While she was hiding, Hazel saw her hugged Ben out of no where!

"What was that for!" Ben reacted.

"I just needed a little hug from the king." Hazel said.

Mal was about to pull all of her hair out! She couldn't stand seeing Ben with Hazel and hear him say nothing's going on. So, she had to stop this.

"So there is someone else!" Mal shouted.

"Mal it's not what it looks like, she hu-" Ben was about to explain.

"Oh really, because I think you are seeing someone else. Figures that every girl in Auradon wants to date you!" Mal said trying hold back tears.

"Mal please." Ben said grabbing her hand.

She pulled away and said,"Please what?! Go away!"

"No that's not what I was going to say!" As Ben said that, Mal ran away crying.

Ben turned around to Hazel and continued,"I'm not sure what you're trying to do. But what you did sure ruined my relationship."

"Well, you don't deserve her anyway."

Ben commented,"Wow. Well now since you ruined my relationship-"

"We are now a couple?" She hoped.

"No! I was gonna say you should stop following me and just please leave me alone. If you keep this up, I'll never get Mal back. I need to go." He answered.

Ben went back to his dorm room sadly. When he got to his door there was an envelope stuck in the crack. He pulled it out, went in his dorm room, and then opened it. There was a note that said, You might need this back. He looked in the envelope and found his ring that he gave to Mal. He held it in his hand looking at it then put it on his finger. He was upset and layed down with a pillow on his face. Meanwhile at Mal's dorm, she was in her bed crying with Evie beside her. She explained what happened the past few days. After she was better, they went to sleep.

In the afternoon Mal was having lunch at the tables by herself waiting for Evie. Ben usually sat across from her. He was walking there and was thinking if he should go there. He wanted to fix this problem and went.

"Look, I know you're probably going to run away from me but can you just listen to me?" He explained.

Mal sat there silent looking down.

"Hazel and I aren't dating. She was just-" He got cut off.

"Can we please do this another time. And can you go?" She declared.

"Sure."

When Ben was walking away and saw Evie.

He said,"Can you help me fix this!"

"I'm not sure, are you still going to cheat on her?" She responded.

"Hazel is just this girl who follows me around for some reason. I told her to leave me alone so I could get Mal back. I promise, it's just that Mal will never let me explain.

"Ok, I believe you. Well, I kind of have a plan in mind." Evie revealed.

She told Ben her plan. They agreed on it and are going to go it tonight. Later that day, Mal was studying. Evie and Ben were gone working in the plan. The plan has started. Evie slipped a note under the door that read, Meet me in the lobby. Mal knew it was Evie because of the hand writing.

She went to the lobby and saw Evie there. They went in a seating area that was there. They just chatted and Evie was pretending to make plans for the weekend. She then had to go to the bathroom. She told Mal to stay here no matter what even if Ben comes here trying to go to his dorm. When she left that was Ben's cue. He walked out of the hallways about two minutes later so it's not too obvious what's happening.

"Hi." He started.

"Oh great. Did Evie tell you to come here?" She asked.

"Nope not at all. Anyways, can I just explain what actually happened?" He begged.

"I already know." Mal replied.

"Mal don't leave. You don't know what happened." He confessed.

"Fine, go ahead."

Ben told the story," It all started out when Mr. Delay gave us the partner assignment. She wanted to be my partner but I said I was with you. Then for some reason she kept on following me since that conversation happened. Then the day we were going on a date, she randomly hugged me. When you left I told her to leave me alone or else this will turn worst."

"Mal, I will never cheat on you. Yeah there are lots of girls here but none of them are my perfect match. When I first met you, I felt like I already knew you. I didn't have any feelings for Audrey when I shook your hand. If I were cheating on you, I would've told you. Trust me. I love you no matter what." Ben remarked.

"I love you Ben." Mal stated.

Ben and Mal stood up and hugged each other. Then sealed it with a kiss. Evie came out of the hallway and saw them looking at each other with delight. She wasn't sure what to do because it was very awkward.

"Am I interrupting something." She said.