" So, is our plan working? " an average sized blonde woman smirked

" You could say so " he paused avoiding any form of eye contact with his step-sister.

" You hesitated? What's gone wrong ? " She shrieked internally

" She still loves...Ben " he sighed " I can't steer her away from him "

" Ryder...you're a moron! You had one job and you are failing. Failing!, our dear cousin, how could you do that to her? Remember what mom says ' you can only get what you want by fighting for it', which you aren't by the way "

" Lynn, is it really worth it? This is ripping apart a family "

" The child isn't born yet, she left on her own free will, Ben and her were never meant to last, you know it, I know it "

" Because of your influence? " he reminded her " you lied to her, you tricked her. They'd still be together if you didn'tget involved"

" Please she was going to fuck it up sooner or later, I just sped up the process " She batted her eyelashes innocently " Ben would have come to his senses "

Ryder sighed, Lynn had her arms placed on her hips aggressively. She only ever did that when she was angry. Ryder knew he was in trouble. Believe me, he may have had a conscious but he wanted Mal for himself. He had loved her from a distance for quite some time.

" Believe me, I know what I am doing. It is up to you whether you want to be apart of this but I am doing this with or without you. Your choice! "

" What makes us different is I will stop at nothing to get what I want for us " She replied smugly

Lynn walked off, her high heels clicking off the floor with every step she took. She left Ryder puzzled. What had happened to the Lynn he loved? Time changed her. She was unrecognisable in his eyes but he wanted to bond with her again. Even if this was the only way.

Ryder has always lived in her shadow since the day they met. His mother left him and his dad when Ryder was six years old. Lynn's parents were divorced. By miracle, her mom met his dad and the rest is history. Elisha, Lynn's mom only acknowledged him when she needed someone to cover the night shift. Ouch.

The world is smaller than you think. Ryder's dad,

Mal stared nervously at her smartphone. She couldn't help but stop to admire her wallpaper. It was a photo of her and Ben. She had robbed them of their future together.

" Can you believe it? Only six months until we leave. It feels like only yesterday I met you for the first time " Ben recalled nostalgically" Time flies " Mal sighed, she couldn't help but feel a bit sad about this chapter of her life coming to an end" It's not an ending remember, just a new beginning " he smiled pressing a kiss against her head" Dork " She mumbled under her breathHe always knew what to say to cheer her up." Oi " he teasedThey just enjoyed each other's company and for a moment, they were the only two people in the world." Mal " Ben said" hmmh " She hummed" I can't wait to graduate " he beamed " my future is with you and that is one story I cannot wait to begin "" You can tell Belle is your mother " She teasedShe laughed" Did I ever tell you how much I love it when you smile? "" Now, you're being really cheesy " She said standing close to him." You like it when I'm cheesy " he flirted" Maybe I do, maybe I don't " She flirted" Besides the point, if there's anything I'm sure of it's you! I want to see the world but only if you are by my side "Mal beamed" I love you " She saidHe kissed her hand and said it back. Nothing lasts forever but in this moment, Mal was genuinely happy and in love. Ben took a selfie with her by his side and that picture has been her lockscreen for as long as she can remember.

Mal reluctantly pressed the call button under his caller ID. She began to sweat as she heard the phone ring.

' This is Ben's voicemail, I am probably away working on king business or out with my girlfriend at the moment but leave me a message and I'll get back to you shortly. '

Mal sighed and felt guilty. Perhaps he was busy but she couldn't help but worry whether she had pushed him too far. Maybe he was fed up of chasing her and maybe he had just given up on her and was working towards finding someone more worthy of the throne than her.

Snap out of thisHe loves youHe drunkenly confessed his love to you only a few nights agoTake a deep breath and just let your heart speak

Mal gave herself a pep talk, something she perhaps should have done weeks ago.

" Hi Ben, it's M-Mal. I know I have done some terrible things, I've hurt you and I will never forgive myself for that but I need to talk. I miss you and I don't know what to do. I understand if this has gone too far and you don't want to hear from me again and I will respect that. I hope to hear from you. I love you, Ben. I always have "

Several hours passed, Ben has just had a long sitting with his council. What were they talking about? He couldn't exactly tell you. He zoned out in the first fifteen minutes. He went straight to bed without a word

Poor Mal thought she was being ghosted by Ben and in complete honesty, she felt she deserved it. Sometimes you make stupid decisions out of fear. Why didn't she trust Ben enough with her secret and why did she tell a random stranger? She was sick of South Riding, she just wanted to be home with her family. Assuming that they still loved her and didn't want nothing to do with her after this instance. She just had to hold onto her hope.

The following morning, Ben woke up with a stir. He checked his messages and felt his eyes were deceiving him. Mal called him? Impossible, right? Apparently not. He listened to the voice mail and realised it had been sent over fourteen hours ago. Mal must have thought he was ignoring her. He desperately started dialing her number but he had no luck in reaching her. It appeared her phone was out of battery or switched off.

Ben sighed trying to figure out what he could possibly say. It was a difficult situation. He had so much to say yet he could barely get a word out. Several draft voicemails were made and scrapped before he hit sent.

" Baby, I miss you. It's never too late. Let's talk and we can fix this. There is nothing you could say that I wouldn't be able to forgive you for. I know you have your reasons but quite frankly I'm lost without you. Call me back, I'll be waiting. I love you. So much. Just tell me where you are and I'll come meet you "

It's always one step forward

and three steps back