Hi again. Had some spare time and wrote this story. This one is from Ben's point of view and how he comes to the decision to date Audrey. Thanks for reading!
How Do You Know?
Snow fell outside the windows and I burrowed deeper into my blankets. Winter break and I had really needed it. High school was much different then middle school. Mom sat across the library, organizing some books she was donating to the local orphanage.
"Mom?" I called to her, closing my book on tourney strategies.
"Yes, Benny?"
"Um, how did you know that you, uh, that you and Dad, I mean…" My face heated up and I suddenly couldn't meet her eyes.
I heard her footsteps on the plush carpet and then felt her sit next to me on the window seat I was snuggled up on.
"How did I know that I loved your dad?" she asked. I just nodded. "Well, it took a while. You've heard our story, after all."
"But how did you know know?"
"Well, I knew when he was…when he was shot, I suppose." I felt Mom start to shake. "I saw him fall and I was filled with such fear. I was forced to face the idea of living without him and I…I just couldn't. I knew I always wanted him in my life and the idea of him dying…it hurt."
"I'm glad Dad's okay."
Mom smiled softly at me. "Me too. Now, what's this all about? Do you love someone, Ben?"
"I…I…" My cheeks were red again. "I don't know."
"Well, it never hurts to ask her how she feels. And these days you two can date first to find out if you really love her."
"But what if she ends up hating me?"'
"Sometimes love is worth the risk."
Mom stood up and walked back to her books while I stared out at the snow. Was possible love worth this risk?
Every afternoon this winter break, I'd helped Dad in his office, reading decrees, making notes to improve them, suggesting budget changes, any small task that would prepare me for ruling one day.
"Benjamin, honestly, this is the third time you've misspelled Auradon in this official speech!" Dad roared as he proofread my work. "It's the name of our kingdom for godmother's sake. How do you expect anyone to take you seriously if you can't spell the name of this land?"
"I'm sorry, sir, I've just got a lot on my mind and I guess I'm…I'm distracted," I blurted out. Making mistakes made me nervous, especially since I knew I had to get this right one day.
"Distracted by what?"
"I…I don't…"
"If you don't figure it out, you'll keep making mistakes. That's why I have your mother, to talk things through so I can get back to my job."
"Is that the only reason you married her?"
As soon as I asked that I regretted it. Dad's face crumpled into a scowl and his canine teeth looked extra pointy.
"I'm…I'm sorry, sir…I just…"
"I married your mother because I love her very much," he said very slowly.
"I'm sorry. I'm just really confused."
"On why I married your mother?"
"No, I know you two love each other. I just…I don't know how you can know if you're someone's true love. Or if their yours."
Dad's face suddenly turned into a giant grin. "Ah, so you're distracted by girl trouble! Marvelous!"
"What?"
"Honestly, I wondered if you'd ever like her, son. You've never asked me for help. Well, I suppose you wouldn't need to, you two already fit so well!"
"Dad I don't…I don't understand. What are you talking about?"
"Princes Audrey, of course! She is the girl you're thinking about, isn't she?"
"Of…of course. Yeah, definitely."
"Marvelous! You two have been close since you were babies, your mother and I always figured you two would end up together."
"You think she's my true love?"
"I think she certainly could be. Why don't you take her on a few dates, see how it goes?"
"But how do I know if I love her?"
"You're fourteen, Ben. Love will come eventually. For now, just see if you like dating her."
I was getting so frustrated, no answer seemed to help. Audrey wouldn't get shot, this was Auradon after all, and Dad wasn't being helpful either.
"How do I know that?"
"Well do you think she's attractive?"
"She is very beautiful." Everyone at school agreed on that. If I had to listen to Chad go on and on about her hair one more time…
"And you like spending time with her, don't you?"
"She's my friend, of course I-"
"Then ask her on a date! Go, take the rest of the day off, plan something spectacular! I insist."
"Thank…thank you, sir," I said then dashed off. But my head was spinning worse than before!
I coughed as I stumbled down the dirty alley way. Graffiti littered the walls and soot covered children slept in the gutters.
Where was I?
A hand suddenly touched my waist and I spun around to see a purple haired girl holding my wallet. Her green eyes glittered with mischief and I felt my heart rate speed up. But for some reason I wasn't scared.
"Where are we?"
She just winked and ran back the way she came. As she left, I felt my fear come back.
"Wait!" I called after her, trying to run forward but it felt like I was running through sludge. "Wait, please! Wait!"
My eyes flashed open and I sat straight up, my sheets soaked with sweat. It had been a dream. Another one.
I groaned and flopped back into my bed. This was the third dream this week about the strange purple haired girl. Problem was, I'd never met her, and I had no idea where she was. No place in Auradon looked like that.
I turned over and my eyes fell on a picture resting on my nightstand. Queen Aurora had given it to me for my tenth birthday, a framed picture of Audrey and I at a cotillion when we were very little. Audrey was wearing her pink dress and I had a tiny golden crown in my hands, part of the goody bags they'd given to the kids. I remembered putting it on her head and how all the parents called us the little king and queen.
That memory always made me smile.
I didn't know how to find that purple haired girl, but I knew how to find Audrey. And that everyone already thought we were true loves.
Everyone couldn't be wrong…. could they?