They were running for fifteen minutes now and Mal was still wondering what exactly happened to the boys because there was no way that they would help Ben corner her. After he had told her, they should talk she was more than ready to run away from the situation but she was sure that Ben was not going to let that happened no matter how nervous she was. Mal was so focused on her thoughts that she didn't notice that she was running straight into a puddle suddenly Ben pull her by the arm and stop her in her tracks. "Ok I know you are not ready to talk but please pay attention before you injure yourself."
He didn't even wait for her to answer before running again leaving her to realize that even though he was the one that ask her to talk he definitely wasn't ready to do it either and that made her feel better. Finally after another fifteen minutes, they both stop in the skirts of the forest neither of them looking at other and for the first time since she saw Ben that morning, she started to wish for him to talked to her because now she thought that maybe he wanted to end things with her once and for all.
"Are you going to say something?" Mal practically shouts at Ben and then stayed in silence noticing that maybe just maybe she should have just tell him that she was ready to talk and not yell at him. He, on the other hand, turned and stared at her for a few seconds with a shock expression on his face and then he laughed at loud and doesn't stop for few minutes. After Ben calmed down a bit he took a few steps towards a frazzle Mal and round her with his arms and proceed to give her a kiss on her head.
"I'm nervous too. Look I know that we thought or, at least, I thought that things weren't going to be easy but now we seemed to encounter a lot of issues that we tried to ignore before. I love you and I want to say this now and I'll tell you forever because I do with all my heart. I'm scared of losing you like I did before because I was not completely honest with you so I'm going to tell you what I'm feeling, but I need you to do the same. If you are mad or scare or anything, please tell me because I would love to be able to be there for you to bring you all the support I can and when I'm the problem I want to fix it. So with that said I want to know why you wouldn't look at me yesterday when I came back with Cora."
Mal raised an eyebrow at him, for someone that honestly seemed to be so clear with his feelings and honest about what he wants he was kind of dumb with the obvious reasons why I girl wouldn't want the boy she like to spend time with other girls and so she told him. To her surprise, he just stare at her asking her if she remember that Cora aside of being her friend was already in a relationship and that he had the night before gone a little beast on a guy that was trying to get near her on stage. After that, she was a bit ashamed for the what she thought and was starting to get mad at Ryder and Azis for feeding her doubts. Her eyes felt to the ground wondering how was she going to explain exactly why she was having so much trouble with everything lately when she wasn't really sure herself.
Ben, who continue to hold Mal gently took Mal's chin in his hand making her looking at him. "Hey, are you ok? Please tell me what's going on with you?".
"I'm sorry ok. I know it doesn't have any logic and I don't know why I felt like that. I'm sure of your feelings but at the same time all the doubts I had before are still there and I don't know if they are ever going away. Is it always going to be this difficult?" She honestly wishes that she was secure of her feelings and his feelings and life in general, he was quiet for a while and his eyes look sad and her heart felt heavy for him.
He took the opportunity to bring her closer to him and put his head over her head and Mal hugged him back trying to convey all her feelings for him but the moment was broken when a voice calling for him came near them and Mal could hear him groaning. " She is got to be kidding me."
"Ben thank god I found you. I was searching for you everywhere there is a delegation coming to Auradon and we have to prepare everything. Oh Hello, Mal." Both teens turned to looked at her wondering how she didn't get that she was intruding an intimate moment finally they let go of each other reluctantly, but Ben holds on Mal's hand.
Fairy Godmother motion for him to follow her while saying goodbye to Mal but he didn't move she turned and asked him again and adding what's wrong. "I'll be there in half an hour" and continue to talk over her when he saw she was going to protest "Anything else can wait thirty minutes except for this" and he raise the hand that was holding Mal's.
He could see that FGM was going to try and make him go so he hold tighter to Mals hand and pull her to walk into the woods with him. After a while of walking in comfortable silent, the both of them were smiling like little kids. She was so proud of him that she needed to tell him "I can believe you just did that."
Mal stops with a huge smile facing Ben who started to nod laughing a little "I know right? I was like is now or never and honestly I thought she was going to follow us here."
"Well, I did. Ben is important that we go now you can talk later about whatever is going between you two. Also is time for Mal to go change for class, so now you kids need to move it and I'm not going away until you do." The second the voice of FGM came behind them they both jump scare and shock that the woman was able to be so silent. Finally, they sigh and after giving each other a defeated look they walked behind the woman while she continue to lecture them on the responsibilities of growing up.
By the time they were near the girls dorms she was telling them how she was too old to be chasing kings around, thankfully FGM was so into her speech that she didn't notice Ben pulling Mal to the side making her stop. "Hey, she didn't let me answer you. Things are going to get better but only if we actually talk and in that spirit I'll go look for you the second I…"
"Benjamin! Come on." Mal giggled at the face of annoyment that Ben had and that instantly made him feel better. He reluctantly let go of her hand and walk away with Fairy Godmother. Mal went to change and run to class where she saw the boys looking at her visibly trying to get her attention, but she ignore them, she couldn't blame them for what she thought, but she wasn't in any hurry to speak to them. After class she went to look for Cora, Mal knew that the girl needed to hear from her that she was sorry about her assumptions even though she never mention any of them to her.
She manages to find Cora just after her last class before lunch and both girls were making their way to the cafeteria when Chip appeared out of nowhere calling for Mal. Since she met Chip she had never seen him outside the castle and it definitely make her pay attention to him, he ask her to follow him and Cora smiled and said her goodbyes. To her surprise, he guide her to Ben´s office where he is seated behind his desk reading with a solemn expression. However the second he heard the door Ben drops everything and smile at her. "I'm glad Chip was able to find you."
After dismissing Chip he motion Mal to a little table that was on the left side of the room and took the chair out for her. He explained what he had arranged for them to eat and then motion for her to start, he started asking her about her morning and she did the same to him. After half of the meal was already eaten he drank some water and left his silverware on his plate. "Well, I'm happy that we are able to have some time for us. I wanted to talk to you about what you told me in the morning. I didn't want you to think that I was dismissing your feelings when I said those things about Cora, I do understand the fact that you were jealous. Trust me I felt that a couple of days ago if you remember, but I thought that I made it clear that you were the only girl that I think about. Still I'm sorry for making you uncomfortable Mal I was the one that asked Cora to talked and I didn't want the others to know so she made up that lie."
"What do you need to talk to her about?" She felt a little hurt that Ben needed to talked to Cora about something that seemed important why didn't he just ask her, they were supposed to be building a relationship here. However, just then Ben explained what exactly he talked to Cora and she got it she had noticed that the boys were protective, but she honestly didn't think that it could be making him feel out of place. Ben was always so good about making everybody feel welcome, her mind went back to the first time they saw each other and how nervous he was because he really care that they felt welcome to Auradon. From that point on he was always ready to make any adjustments necessary for them to feel ok, so, of course, he had tried to make friends with the guys but Ben didn't want to push the situation if it meant that he was making anyone uncomfortable.
She didn't comment in what he told her and they finish eating their meal in a comfortable but heavy silence. When they finally finish eating Ben ask her if she was ok and she nodded "You know they are my friends, but you shouldn't worry about them liking you or not. I like you and that is all that matter right?"
Ben smile. "Of course, that is the thing that matter the most but I don't want you to have to choose or being uncomfortable about it. Maybe I'm just overreacting and they just needed time to get used to me being in your life, I didn't want to tell you about it because I don't want you to do anything. Promise me you won't please?"
Mal took the opportunity to lighten the mood and started to make faces like she was really deep in thought making Ben laugh a little. "I don't know King Ben, this matter is way too important to me just to let it go. Are you ordering like my King to forget it?"
That made him laugh out loud but also blush a little, he loved hearing Mal calling him her king even though he knew she was using the proper term for someone that lived in Auradon. Part of him prefer to think that she meant it in a possessive sort of way that truly made him excited. "I would rather you take it as a request from your Ben but as you wish my Mal."
She blushed getting exactly what he was saying, he took this opportunity to intertwined their fingers over the table. "You know Mal I really love being alone with you."
He leaned a little and even though they were seated on either side of the table she could see that he was trying to get as close as possible to her and Mal started to lean too. Sadly again a knock on the door broke the moment and Ben growl making Mal laugh. Chip appeared at the door apologizing for the interruption and diverting his eyes from their hands as soon as he noticed them, it seemed that Fairy Godmother and Ben's dad were requesting his present immediately at the studio to finalize the details for the visit of the delegation. Again Ben tried to dismiss him but he informed her that he was there as a request of his mother who was attempting to stop Fairy Godmother to interrupt them nonetheless she was to make an appearance at any minute.
"Aren't Fairies supposed to be all about letting couples be with each other?" Ben said more to himself, but he immediately realize his mistake and looked at Mal to see if she was mad.
Luckily she was smirking at him with an amused look in her eyes "Well not the one I'm related too and as far as FGM goes I don't think your love live is her priority. Come one I bet I'm already late for my afternoon class so you better just write me an excuse so I can be on my way, my King."
Now he was sure she meant it in a possessive way and he loved it, if Chip weren't there he would try to make a move but he didn't want any audience when he finally attempted to test his luck with his Mal. "So now that I gave you food you are done with me Mal?. Do you just want me for my connections?"
She laughed at the comment, "Pretty much King, so how about you give me my note before FGM comes here and start telling us more about how we are irresponsible with the future of the kingdom. If she gets mad, I'm going to have to go to detention you know?".
Ben walked over to his desk wrote a simple note and gave it to her, their fingers touch and he look at her straight in her eyes conveying how much he wish she could stay. Chip clear his throat and they said their goodbyes, Mal walked to the door of the castle with Chip making small talked and he apologize for interrupting their lunch "I'm really sorry Miss Mal. I'm really glad you two are back together you make him really happy."
Mal didn't correct him about the being together part because she was hoping it would be a reality soon, sure they had things to worked out but as much as things were difficult the moments they share like the one they just had made everything worth it. She was walking away when he heard Ben calling her name and she turned to see him run out of the castle and next to her. "Hey, I forgot to ask you if I could send Chip for you in a couple of hours so we could talk a little more.?"
She nodded and he smiled, the voice of FGM broke the moment again and they could hear her coming near. Ben rolled his eyes. "I swear she is testing my patience lately."
"Go on. I'm sure she is just stress about the delegation that is coming, we will talk later." Ben gave her a kiss on the cheek and run back into the castle leaving a blushing and smiling Mal to make her way back to her afternoon classes. Once she arrived she deliver the note to the teacher and went to sit down next to Evie, who was more than a little curious about where her best friend had wondered off. Sadly before she could ask anything Audrey's voice interrupted the silence of the classroom.
"Well, it seems that attending classes isn't mandatory for everybody. I guess when you are dating the king you are not required to follow the same rules the rest of the students do." The majority of the class stay silent already used to her comments, but some of the students started whispering until the teacher made them stop. Mal turned to see Audrey, who had a triumphant look on her face noticeably happy to have accomplished making her uncomfortable.
Evie tried to reassure that she was just jealous, but Mal´s mood was already sour but the moment so she just focus on her school worked. True to his word Chip appeared two periods later with a note that excuse her from class but she declined telling him that she had a lot of work to do, he seemed surprised but promised to deliver the message to Ben.
After classes had ended, she and the rest of the gang went to their after hours activities. Mal was painting a new portrait in art class when the door open and Ben appear at it looking a little nervous. She saw him and putting her brush down she went to the teachers desk and asked her permission to go outside for a bit which was granted immediately. She was walking to the door when she passed one of Audrey's friend who make a comment about people having perks for who they were dating. Even though her mood had improved a little that comment brought her back to being mad, she walked outside the classroom and walk to where Ben was standing "What are you doing here?"
He was taken aback by her tone she used with him so he stood straight and told her that he was wondering if everything was ok. She tried to dismiss him telling him that she was in class and this was not the time to be talking about anything personal "You should be focusing on what you need to do and I'll do the same, ok?"
His demeanor change in a second and he nodded to her before turning around and walking away, she cursed under her breath and run towards him and once she caught him he took him by the arm making him turned. "I'm sorry. Is just Audrey made a stupid comment and I took it way too personal and I'm sorry."
Ben eyes soften and he nodded. "Is ok, thanks for telling me. You are right though I should be focused on the delegation and you should be in class without me interrupting you. I need to practice boundaries, if not I'm sure your teachers are going to report me to FGM and I do not want any more lectures from her, at least not for today."
Mal smiled at him as he leaned and gave her a kiss on her forehead. "See you tomorrow Mal, take care."
She saw him walked away and hated that Audrey almost got her to pick a fight with him, she needs to put that chick in order before she actually succeeds in making them fight. Mal went back to class and "accidently" bump into Audrey's friend making her stain her shirt with paint, after apologizing she gave a girl a look that made it clear that it wasn't an accident.
That night in her room the girls gather to hear about her lunch date and Lonnie asked her how much time will have to pass until they finally got together for real. Mal had no answer, but she hoped it wasn't much because as much as she enjoyed getting to know more about Ben and clearing their issues she missed being able to kiss and being more affectionate with one another.
Between Ben meetings with the delegation and his homework and Mal's schoolwork they barely got to see each other for the rest of the week and every time they did manage to sneak around to be alone someone would interrupt them. Ben even wonder if there was a competition to see how many times could they interrupt them when they were on a date. If that were the case FGM would be the winner, he was investigating a way to send her to visit other kingdoms just so he could get a moment of peace.
Mal took it better than he did still she was getting piss off about it too, especially with the boys and their constants warnings about being in places alone with Ben. She swore that if they made one more comment about it she was going to go search for a spell on her mom's book, that made them stop for a day at least.
One night after another fail attempted to spend some alone time Ben was laying on his bed tossing a ball when his mom came into his room. She had noticed how annoyed he seemed recently and she asked him about it after he explained the situation to her and told her that he just wished to be alone with Mal for a while she felt sorry for him. The next morning she searched her library all morning until he found what she was looking for then she called Evie to the castle and proceed to tell her about what she was planning.
A week later Ben's and Mal's mood were just getting worse, as much as they tried to spend time together it seemed that they would never be able to spend time alone with so many people unintentionally ruining their moments . On Friday night, while Ben was getting ready for bed, his mom knocked on his door and gave her what Ben most wanted. The boy howled making his mom laugh and alarming half of the castle but after the excitement had died down he put his mom's plan in motion. Queen Belle in all her graciousness had arranged for a weekend away for Ben and Mal, she convinced her husband that Ben was needed in a small town on the border of Auradon and that the visit should be low key so he could see the problems of the people.
Her husband was a little apprehensive about the trip, but she had put her foot down and of course, he didn't argue anymore, on the other hand, FGM was a bigger problem that she had anticipated, but she had sent her on a mission outside of Auradon just to make her quiet. Evie and Cora had pack everything Mal needed for the weekend without her even noticing and everything was ready in a car that would take the couple to the train station. Now the only thing that was needed was for Ben to convince Mal to go away with him but for some reason, she didn't think that would be an issue.
Just a little after midnight and dress in casual clothes Ben knocked on Mal's door and Evie open with a big smile making him come inside. Mal was sitting on her bed dress in casual clothes but with a confuse expression on her face. "Ben? What are you doing here?"
The boy smile at her "Run away with me Mal."
Notes
Hi! sorry for the delays but time is flying for me. I hope you enjoy the chapter, tell me what you think.
Thanks for reading!