If I Wanted to, I Can

(Day 107: Monday Night)

After Ben checks to see who it is and opens the door Mal narrows her eyes at Audrey, "This isn't my room."

"What are you talking about?" Audrey counters, "Of course it is." before she pushes Mal through the door and smiles at Ben. "She's your problem now." She grins in unsureness, "Oh, and— just so you know— she's been looking for a pet, so you're either going to have to start putting out or you and Evie are going to have to find someone who can."

Ben offers a confused look as she leaves, before he shuts the door and turns to Doug, "What did she say?"

It takes him a moment, "I think she was saying that if you can't give Mal heat, then you're going to have to find someone else to do it."

Ben rotates to Mal, "You can sit." and after she does he and Doug sit across from her. "So, you drank wine." She continues to frown at him. "Why?"

"Why do ya think?" she crosses her arms.

Ben slowly shakes his head, "I don't know. That's why I'm asking."

Mal shifts her eyes, "It was there." before she meets his hazel green ones. "And you weren't." She glances at the table, "You're never there."

"I told you this morning," Ben attempts to reason, "I want to spend time with you, but I can't right now."

"Because you're too busy with Chad," Mal finishes.

"No," Ben loudly denies, before he sighs. "Because of homework. I have stuff."

Mal recalls the unanswered texts, "Do you even like me?"

"Mal." Ben leans forward, "I love you." before he takes her hand. "I—" It's cold as ice, "You're freezing." and he covers it with his other hand.

"You weren't there," Mal merely frowns, before Ben shakes his head.

"What about Evie?"

"Evie?" Mal snickers, "I might as well be getting heat from a milkshake."

"She gave you heat all the time," Ben disbelieves.

"Yeah." Mal rolls her eyes, "She used to be a hundred and twenty pounds too. Things change." She twists the gold ring on her finger, "Obviously."

"Please keep that on," Ben uneasily says as he holds it in place. He looks into her eyes, "I love you. I do."

"Then you'll spend some time with me," Mal concludes, "alone."

He lets go of her hands, "I can't right now."

"But you said," Mal fiercely begins.

"And I do," he promises. "But I'm busy."

She leans back and huffs, "You're always busy."

"You really can't give her five minutes?" Doug questions. "For just some heat."

"No," Ben gives him a stern look, before he shakes his head at Mal. "I have stuff too. You can't have me do everything for you."

She lifts her head, "Fine. I won't." before she stands and shuffles out of the room.

"Wait. Mal," Ben calls after her, but by the time he does she's already left.

Doug watches as Ben slams a fist onto the table, "You do know that you just gave her permission to cheat on you, right?"

"Yeah," Ben shifts his eyes in annoyance. "I got that."

"So, why can't you spend time with her?" Doug unsurely questions.

It takes Ben a minute to say, "Reasons."

"Care to share them?" he lowers his head to the side to see Ben's face.

He stares off, "Mal is… She's on top, I guess, and… I would just like say what I mean when she's doing that stuff to me."

"I didn't think you guys were having sex," Doug comments.

"We don't," Ben reassures, before he shakes his head again. "And now Mother and Father think she's trying to eat me."

"Well," he slowly says.

"She's not," Ben fails to even entertain the notion. "She didn't even have rare meat until I gave her it. She's not eating me." He glances down, "I don't think so, anyway."

"But you do know that some hybrids do that, right?" Doug makes sure. "That's part of why the whole donor program even exists."

"Yeah," Ben answers in frustration. "I know."

He hears Ben's stomach growl, "Speaking of eating, how are you?"

"Fine," he bypasses, before he looks back at his psychology textbook and a small growl emits from his throat. He covers it with a cough, "I need to get this homework done."

"Maybe a couple protein bars or beef sticks?"

Ben turns toward him with widened eyes, "I eat enough. I'm sick of it. I have stuff to do."

"Ben," Doug frowns. "I know you say food doesn't make you feel full, but at the least it's keeping you at a good weight. You still need to eat."

"You didn't see me today?" Ben nods to the door, "I ate three times. Now, leave me."

"Maybe it wasn't enough," Doug suggests. "Or not the right things." He meets Ben's eyes, "How much meat did you have today?"

Ben glares at him, "Go or I'll bite you."

"Because," Doug continues on, "I've seen you eat a lot of meat, and I remember how back when the school didn't serve meat on Fridays you would always get moody."

"Are you autistic or something?" Ben furrows his brows. "I said go or I will hurt you."

Doug observes him for a minute, "I don't believe that."

Ben narrows his eyes before turning back to his assignment, and he places his elbow onto the table as he rests his head onto his first, "Someone is going to kill you one day."

"Probably," Doug accepts, before Ben shakes his head and attempts to continue his assignment. "Do you feel like biting me?" he asks in curiosity.

"Right now?" Ben continues to stare into the book, trying to ignore the tense pain in his teeth, "I feel like biting anything." A minute later Ben watches as Doug brings back a box of beef jerky strips, and he frowns at him, "But I won't."

Doug sits down, "Come on." before he eyes the label on the back of the box. "It's high in protein and iron. That has to do something for you."

"I ate those at— in the…"

"The hospital," Doug helps.

Ben gives him a look, "I'm sick of them. I don't want them."

"Then how about we go down to the kitchen and get you something better?"

"I'm tired of meat," Ben stares. "I'm not doing it."

"Ben," Doug begins.

"No," he interrupts. "If everyone can not have meat, then I can too."

He offers a serious look, "Ben. You're hybrid, probably a carnivore."

"I don't care," Ben shouts.

"If you're really a carnivore," Doug slowly assesses, "then you need meat."

Ben lets out a heavy breath, "Stop saying that."

"Saying what?" He sees Ben's stress, "Carnivore?" before he watches Ben take the soda, shake it to test its emptiness, before he finishes the last drop and sets it down to open a new one. He gulps down a large portion of the new soda, before he sets it down with his hands rapped around it. His breathing is unsteady, and the can shakes. "Ben?" Doug worries.

"Everyone talks about it," Ben whispers, "but I'm not—" He tightens his grip onto the can and wets his lips, "I'm more than that." He looks up, and Doug can see the tears in his eyes. "Stop acting like it's me. Please."

"Ben," Doug unsurely begins. "All I did was say you need to eat meat."

He looks off, "Forget about that. I'm not doing it."

"You have to," Doug asserts.

"I will die first," Ben swiftly turns to meet his eyes.

"Ben," he seriously continues. "Your body won't let you. It wants to live."

"Well, maybe I don't," Ben counters.

"Ben." Doug lifts a hand to reason, "You're king. You can't kill yourself."

He laughs, "Like that stopped anyone."

"Ben."

He hears the panic in Doug's voice, "Don't worry. I won't." Ben eyes back at the soda can, "I'm just saying." before he traces his thumb over the metal rim. "If I wanted to, I can." He lifts up the can to test the amount, "And no one can stop me." before he finishes it off.

When Jay opens the door Evie says, "Hey."

"Hey," he says back before looking into the room.

"You didn't happen to bring Mal's sleeping bag here, did you?" she questions.

He turns back to her, "Yeah. Of course I brought it."

"I think we need it."

He nods, "Be back." before he shuts the door.

Evie looks down the hallway and sees a group of guys peeking at her as they talk, before a tall one with buzzed brown hair and blue eyes walks up to her, "Hey."

"Hey," she quietly says back.

He places a hand on the wall, "So, the guys and me were wondering if you're single."

She takes a step back, "Um." but he just takes another step forward.

"I mean, you're not still that dragon's sex slave, are you?"

"Sex what?" Evie furrows her thin eyebrows. "No."

"Good. Because, you know, I was thinking that maybe you'd like to go out with me."

"I don't think so."

"Why?" he questions. "It's because I'm not a girl, isn't it?"

"Well, uh," Evie stammers.

"You know, I was also thinking," he interrupts, "that island must have just been filled with horrible guys. It's no wonder you hate them. You just haven't met the right one yet."

"I don't hate guys," she denies.

He grins, "No. Of course, you don't. You still want us, don't you?" before he places his hand on top of her hip. "Do you waist train? It looks like you do." He leans forward, and when she turns her head to the side she can feel the hot breath near her ear. "You know, I think that is just so hot."

"Hey," a loud voice erupts, and Evie sees Doug stride toward them before the guy straightens up enough for Evie to get some space.

"Hey, miner," the guy looks down on him.

"What do you think you're doing?" Doug furrows his brows at him.

"I was just getting acquainted with this beauty."

"Well," Doug adjusts his glasses, "I don't think she liked it too much."

He laughs, "Oh, really." before he leans forward. "And just who do you think you are?"

"Me?" Doug's eyes widen in surprise, and the other guy nods in response as though he's mentally challenged. "Well, uh." He straightens and stares up at him, "I'm her boyfriend."

"Oh. Are you now?" he smirks.

"Yeah," Doug makes a face.

"Prove it."

"What?" he unconfidently asks.

"Prove she's your girlfriend," he asserts, but Doug's mouth opens wide without response.

After Evie steps toward Doug and spins him around she places her hands to his cheeks and kisses him for a long minute, so long that he's actually given the opportunity to kiss back and bring his hands onto her shoulders. She lets go, and he releases a breath, "Heigh-ho, um." before turning back to the tall guy. "I'm not really one for public displays of affection, but, uh, there you go."

"Figures a lesbo would go for the skinny guy," he complains before taking a step back and raising a finger. "Don't gain any muscle. She might kick you to the curb."

After they watch him walk away another voice chimes in, "Nice job." and Evie turns to see Jay's surprise.

"The blanket," she reminds him.

"Right." He hands her the grey and lavender rolled up bag, "Here."

"Thanks." Jay nods, but before he shuts the door Evie makes a noise in remembrance and he opens it again. "You should know… Mal slipped up again."

He shuts his eyes for a moment, "Is she okay?"

"Yeah." Evie thinks, "She's just really opinionated right now."

He nods, "I'll talk to her tomorrow. Thanks for telling me."

She attempts to smile, before the door closes and Evie notices the guys continuing to stare at them, "Okay. Seriously. Who is that?"

"Oh, um, Lucas," Doug informs. "He has a thing for princesses."

"I think he's in my English class," Evie recalls.

Doug takes her hand, "Well, he won't be bothering you anymore." before they start down the hall.

She lets out a breath of relief, "Thank you. Really. I don't know what I would have done if you didn't show up."

"It seemed like Jay was ready to step in if I couldn't," he supplies.

"Still. Thank you."

He smiles, "No problem."

When they get to the stairs Evie questions, "What were you doing anyway?"

"Oh, um." He remembers, "I was going to make Ben a protein shake."

"And what?" Evie questions. "Slip blood into it?"

He halts, "No. Um, I want him to trust me." before he gives her a look. "Why would I be putting blood into it?"

"Because all he's eaten all day is fruit and bread," Evie answers, "and you can't exactly hide meat in a drink."

Doug scratches his head, "I was just thinking a lot of peanut butter."

"Hmm," Evie hums. "I guess that works too."

"Blood doesn't even have nutritional value for humans," Doug recalls.

"Yeah. For humans," Evie points out. "Mal's mother used to drink a gallon of it a week." Her eyes shift, "And that doesn't even count whatever she was doing with Jafar."

"Yeah, um," he uneasily states, "I would rather not think about two villains mucking around with each other."

"My point is," Evie continues, "are you sure peanut butter is going to work for him?"

"He has protein bars," Doug justifies.

"So, why isn't he just eating those?" Evie questions.

"Well," Doug begins, and it takes him a minute to continue, "maybe a drink would just be easier for him right now. I mean, you get those days, don't you?"

"I still think you should put blood in it," she counters.

He sighs, "And what if he doesn't like it? What am I supposed to do, tell him?"

"And if he does like it?" Evie contradicts. "Would you tell him, then?"

He shakes his head, "I'm not doing that."

She smiles, "You're his roommate." before she continues down the stairs.

He follows her, "Hey. It's not like he's a vampire."

Evie's smile widens, "Uh huh." before she kisses him on the cheek. "Night, boyfriend."

Doug watches as she enters the girl's hallway, and he whispers, "He's a carnivore, not a vampire. There's a difference." before he continues down the stairs to the main floor and heads to the kitchen.

Mal feels the shaking and leans on her arm to get a better view, "Evie."

"What?" she says with shut eyes.

"You're too cold. You have to go to bed."

"No. I'm fine," she denies.

"Even your voice is shaking," Mal irritably points out. "You have to go."

"What about you?" Evie worries.

"I'll be fine."

She doesn't move, "I don't want to leave you."

"Do I have to hypnotize you?" Mal asserts.

Evie sighs, "No." before she tiredly gets up from Mal's bed and heads to hers. "Night."

- Okay. I really need to come up with more ways to show someone is mad or frustrated other than just them narrowing their eyes or furrowing their brows. Any suggestions? Also, sorry for using the phrase "points out" so much in this chapter, but I have a headache and couldn't be bothered to change them.

Next Up: Ben's breakdown, Ben's mother confronts him about phone call, and Ben asks Chad to stay... you know, because he doesn't sleep... Sorry if these are spoilery. When I do these I sometimes just put what I have literally written as the summery of the chapter. And no, that does not mean it's already written. It just means I've been attempting to outline it.

-Have a great day/night. Thanks for reading. I hope you've been enjoying it.