Three weeks later, it was Family Day at Auradon Prep. Evie and Beth were still keeping their relationship a secret, though Beth was excited to introduce her girlfriend to her parents, even if it was as her friend.
Meanwhile, Ben and Mal had started dating after he broke up with Audrey, to the surprise of the entire kingdom. Beth was elated, as she had always hated the fact that her brother was dating Audrey and was glad that he'd started dating her friend.
Currently, she was speaking to her parents. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw three familiar figures and turned to see Evie, Jay and Carlos entering the courtyard. "Mom, Dad, I'd like to introduce to some friends of mine." Beth said, looking up at her parents. The King and Queen smiled at their daughter, they nodded.
"We'd love to meet them." Belle said. Beth grinned, turning to the VK's.
"Guys, over here." When Belle and Beast saw Evie, Jay, and Carlos approaching them, they paled for a moment. "Mom, Dad, these are my friends - Evie, Jay, and Carlos. Guys, these are my parents."
"It... it's nice to meet you." Beast said. Evie smiled widely, bowing. "We seem to be missing someone."
"Mal is with Ben. They're dating." Evie replied. While Belle was sporting a surprised expression, Beast's expression was one of pure anger. However, the man did not say anything as he and his wife walked away.
"I have to go pose for a picture with my parents and Ben, but I'll find you after." Beth whispered, smiling. Evie nodded, squeezing her girlfriend's hand. As Beth and Ben posed with their parents, the VK's took in everything around them. Looking around, Mal grinned when she saw an abundance of strawberries - something she'd come to love since arriving in Auradon. When she started to walk over to the fruit, she was stopped by a woman approaching her.
"Have we met?" Mal smiled at the woman standing next to her.
"I don't think so. I'm new, I'm sort of like a... transfer student." she explained. The woman nodded just as Audrey appeared.
"Grammy."
"Oh, Audrey, give Grammy a kiss." Mal frowned as she watched the pair interact.
"Grammy?" she asked, causing Audrey to look at her with disdain.
"Sleeping Beauty's mother?" Mal nodded slowly. "Grammy, I don't think you want to be talking to this girl unless you feel like taking another hundred year nap." Audrey said. Looking at the purple-haired girl, the woman gasped.
"You!" she exclaimed, causing Mal to take a small step back and catching the attention of everyone in the courtyard. Looking over from where she was standing with Beth and Belle, Evie slowly made her way to her best friend's side, Jay and Carlos following her. "How are you here? And how have you stayed so young?" Ben, Beth, Belle, Beast, and Fairy Godmother made their way over to the group.
"Queen Leah, it's okay. Maleficent is still on the island. This is her daughter, Mal." Mal smiled slightly. "Don't you remember my proclamation to give the new generation a chance?" the Prince asked as Chad appeared.
"A chance to what, Ben? Destroy us?" Beth raised an eyebrow, but said nothing as the woman turned to Fairy Godmother. "Come on, you remember, don't you? The poison apples and the spells?" At the mention of their mothers' favorite tricks, Mal and Evie looked down. "My daughter was raised by fairies because of your mother's curse. Her first words, her first steps... I missed it all!" When Queen Leah turned away, Mal reached out.
"I'm so sor-" When she took a step forward, Chad pushed her back.
"Stay away from her." he demanded.
"That's enough, Chad. Mal didn't start this, Audrey did." Beth said, stepping in front of Evie and Mal. Chad rolled his eyes. "Mal was minding her own business when Queen Leah started talking to her. They were having a peaceful conversation when Audrey came over and started the argument."
"They were raised by their parents. What do you think villains teach their kids, huh? Kindness? Fair play?" Beth narrowed her eyes as he turned toward the group of four behind her. "You stole another girl's boyfriend." he said, looking at Mal. Turning his attention to Jay, he rolled his eyes. "You enjoy hurting people." Shaking his head, he turned to Evie with a smirk. "And you. You're nothing but a gold digger and a cheater."
"I said, enough, Chad!" Beth yelled. Normally, she was a lot like her mother, but there were times when her father's temper came out and this was turning into one of those times very quickly. Before she could say anything else, Evie appeared at her side.
"Mirror, mirror in my hand, who's the biggest jerk in the land?" Seeing his reflection in the mirror in his face, Chad rolled his eyes and slapped Evie's arm away. Immediately after, he was being pushed away by Jay.
"Do not touch her again." Beth snapped, standing in front of her girlfriend protectively. Looking at the blonde, Evie barely refrained herself from smiling. "We're done here, Chad. Walk away."
"Beth-"
"Walk away." the Princess snapped, leaving no room for further arguments. When Chad, Audrey, and Queen Leah walked away, she turned to her friends. "Come on, guys." Beth said, gently placing a hand on Evie's back and guiding the girl. Making eye contact with her girlfriend, the blonde sighed as she moved the group to the side, with her brother following. Pulling Evie away from her friends, she sighed. "Evie, I am so sorry." she whispered. Evie grabbed her hand.
"Nobody has ever defended me like that before." she said, smiling slightly. Beth chuckled.
"Get used to it, pretty." she replied, leading the girl back to their friends.
"Sweetheart, wait a moment." Feeling a hand on her arm, Beth turned to her mother as Evie continued walking.
"What's up?" she asked, smiling. Glancing behind her daughter at the kids speaking with her son, Belle sent her daughter a soft smile.
"Are you and Evie... together?" the woman asked, her daughter's eyes going wide at the question. Staring at her mom, Beth stammered out a response, earning a chuckle from the Queen. "I thought so. Why did you introduce her as your friend?"
"We're keeping it quiet right now." the blonde whispered. The Queen nodded thoughtfully. "How did you figure it out?" Beth asked. Belle smiled.
"You're my daughter, Bethany, I know you." she replied. Beth nodded slowly. "Why are you hiding it?"
"We just want to explore our relationship ourselves before everyone in Auradon starts giving us their opinions - and you know they will." Beth said. Belle hugged her daughter. "Please don't tell Dad. I saw his face when Ben told him about Mal and you saw it when he found out that I was friends with them."
"I won't tell him, sweetheart." Belle promised. Smiling up at her mom, Beth hugged. "Get back to your friends. We'll see you and your brother at dinner next week."
"Bye Mom." Beth said, waving at the woman before walking away.
That night, at dinner, Beth chose to eat with Mal, Carlos, Jay, and Evie, despite the looks she received from her friends. When Chad noticed, he immediately walked over.
"Beth." The blonde rolled her eyes as she heard Chad's voice. "Beth."
"What?" she hissed, looking up at him. Placing his hand on the table in front of the blonde, Chad sent Evie, Jay, Mal, and Carlos a glare.
"Why are you eating over here with them?" he asked. Beth glared at him.
"They're my friends. What does it matter to you?" she snapped.
"They physically assaulted me, completely unprovoked." Chad said. Beth raised an eyebrow.
"Unprovoked? Chad, you insulted each of them to their face. In what world is that unprovoked?" she said. Chad rolled his eyes. "Chad, what makes you think that you have the right to tell me what to do?"
"Well-" Beth held up a hand.
"The last time I checked, Chad, I was the Princess of Auradon. The last time I checked, I was second in line for the throne, not you, so I'm going to go ahead and eat wherever and with whomever I choose. Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to get back to my dinner." she said, turning back to her food. Rolling his eyes, Chad walked away. Ten minutes later, Beth finished her dinner. "I have to go." she whispered, reaching for Evie's hand under the table. When the blue-haired girl pulled away, she sent her a hurt look as she stood up. "Evie..."
"People are watching, B." Evie whispered. Scoffing, the Princess stepped away from the table. "I'll call you later." the taller girl mumbled. Beth shook her head.
"I don't think I want to talk to you tonight." she said, walking away. As she watched her girlfriend's departing figure, Evie pushed her tray away angrily.
"Great." she mumbled, rolling her eyes at herself as she stood up and walked away from the table.
