A year ago, if you told Mal she would be going on a date with the king of Auradon, she would have laughed in your face. If you were to tell her now though, she would snort and say, "That usually happens when your dating."

She knew this, but her heart still fluttered a little when he asked if she had a swimsuit.

"It depends. Why do you ask?" She had asked.

"It's a surprise." He smiled, almost smirked. "Are you free Saturday?"

That's how she ended up in her room on a Saturday afternoon, internally panicking. Just slightly, though.

"Mal, you look beautiful." Evie stood next to her as Mal raked her eyes over her frame in the mirror once more. She was wearing nothing but a plum bikini decorated with gems and green swirls.

Mal resisted the urge to cover her stomach. "I'm not sure I can do this. Maybe I can wear a t-shirt and shorts." She smiled hopefully at her friend. The smile became a frown when her friend gently grabbed her wrists.

"Mal, look at me. You'll be fine. I know you're worried, but you shouldn't be. Ben loves you. He's going to see you, and he's not going to know what to do with himself."

Mal groaned but hesitantly stepped away from the mirror. When she finished throwing on her jeans and shirt, there was a knock on the door. Evie rushed to get it, grinning at Mal as she did so. Mal rolled her eyes.

"Hey, Ben!" She chirped, that stupid grin still plastering her face.

"Evie," Ben greeted politely, "Is Mal here?"

"Why don't you see for yourself?"

Mal rolled her eyes at Evie's dramatics before grabbing her jacket and walking to the doorway. She watched, amused, as he scanned her. His face broke into a sappy grin.

"You look beautiful." In the background, Evie squealed, but Mal could feel her eyes saying 'I told you'.

"You say that every time you pick me up."

"Maybe one day you'll believe me. Shall we go?" He offered his hand to her.

Deciding to ignore the first part, she smiled and said, "We shall."

Before she closed the door, she heard Evie shout, "Have fun!"

The ride to the lake was pleasantly quiet. The sun glimmered in the cloudless sky, casting a hazy glow over the dense greenery. The birds sang, and the light breeze carried their songs through the forest.

Mal sighed slightly when the pavilion came into view. The peaceful silence was over.

"You know, when you told me to wear a swimsuit, I was hoping we were going to the beach."

"Nope. Even better. I'm going to teach you how to swim." He looked so certain. As the silence dragged on, his expression faltered.

"How is teaching me to swim — which is hopeless, by the way — better than laying on the beach on doing nothing."

"Because we'll be doing it together." It was so cheesy she didn't know how to respond, so she didn't.

Instead, she pushed him into the lake.

xxxxx

She walked in silence for a few moments, a pleasant buzz under her skin as she reveled in the tranquility of the night. It was not often she found herself with no company but the stars. It was a moment of peace in the overwhelming chaos of her life, and she lived for these moments.

Her heart stopped. Her blood ran cold.

An instinct that had been repressed since the Isle reared its head, and she faltered in its wake.

She surveyed the area, her eyes cold and calculating. If you looked close enough, you may be able to find a hint of fear. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary; everything was silent.

The tranquility, previously soothing, became foreboding. It sank into her bones, and she quickened her walk. Eyes were on her, watching her every move. She did not see anyone, but she knew. She just knew.

She shoved her hand into her pocket, praying she would feel the glass of her phone under her fingers. It was on and in her contacts before she finished pulling it out.

She found her finger in her call history, the call button glaring at her.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

She twisted around to face the voice. She saw a man. Tall, but lanky. His body seemed to tremble under the weight of standing, contradicting the arrogance in his voice.

She didn't relax. If anything, she tensed further. She swallowed the lump in her throat, ignored the weight crushing her chest, and said with a fake aura of confidence, "Why-" she crossed her arms and shifted her weight "-is that?"

He chuckled. "Well, though I know you are not fond of her, I don't think you want any harm to come to Audrey."

"Where is she."

Another chuckle. "Right now she's in her room." Mal relaxed slightly at that. He smirked, a glint in his eye. "Unfortunately, she has left her door unlocked. Let's not make this messier than it has to be."

"Whatever you want with me, leave her out of it." The slight tremble in her voice betrayed her.

He laughed, his body threatening to collapse. "That's cute. A villain pretending to be a hero."

She tried to inch backward; she needed to get out of here. She ran into someone. Without turning around, she could tell this one was the brawn of this operation.

"Where you going, gorgeous?" He whispered in her shoulder, his breath hot on her skin, making her shudder. His fingers trailed up her arms, resting on her forearms as he leaned it again. "The fun is just getting started."

She heard footsteps and snapped her eyes to the first guy, who was reaching into his pocket. She saw him pull out a cloth and instantly tried to pull away from the muscle-head.

He tightened his grip, and the weight on her chest seemed to crush her lungs. He was much stronger than her. She could not fight him.

The cloth was shoved over her mouth. She tried to hold her breath, anything to stop the sweet smell from entering her lungs, but let out a gasp when arms circled her waist and squeezed her stomach.

She smelled the sweetness and felt her eyes water. She wanted to fight, but black dots swarmed the image of the man in front of her, and her limbs began to feel like sand.

As her legs buckled, she saw the first man smile down at her.

I'm sorry.