Hey guys, I hope you are liking where I am going with this story. This chapter was hard for me to write; so please bear with me. Much love RSD xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo.

*Mal's POV*

A couple of days has passed since I last spoke to Ben and I was starting to get concerned; he wasn't texting back, when I was trying to ring him he just kept knocking his phone onto voicemail then he wouldn't ring me back. As far as I was aware I hadn't done or said anything to upset him; yes he was the busy King of Auradon, but I still thought he would reply.

After another day had come and gone I decided that I needed to put an end to this; I had obviously done something, and I couldn't put it right until he told me what I had done.

So with this thought in mind I went to Auradon Castle and walked into his office to find him doing some paperwork. When I saw the amount of paperwork that was on his desk I started to understand why he hadn't answered - but I then saw the stern look on his face when he noticed that I was there, and my stomach started to panic.

"Ben" I stated as I stood in front of his desk.

"Hi" he muttered as he threw the paperwork down in front of him and he glared at me.

"What are you doing here?" he snapped, and I couldn't help but note how distant he was being with me. I must have done something really bad to warrant this kind of reaction and I was starting to get worried in case I was about to lose Ben again.

"To see you?" I advised.

"Why?" he asked as he glanced back down at the paperwork that was in front of him.

"Ben have I done something wrong?" I questioned hoping to address the obvious elephant in the room.

"Why would you think that?" he snapped as he lent back in his chair and he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Well I know you don't have to text me back or ring me, but we have went from talking all the time to nothing" I explained.

"Yes" he said harshly.

"Yes what?" I questioned.

"Yes, we have gone from talking to not" he stated.

"Ok" I nodded.

"Can I ask why? If you want to end whatever we had you can" I offered. Yes, it was hard for me to say this but Ben had obviously distanced himself from me; he had made it obvious that he didn't want anything to do with me. A very insecure voice in the back of my mind started to rear its ugly head and started to tell me that I should have known better. Why would Ben ever want someone like me? I was broken, worthless, pathetic and someone who had far too much baggage that he probably didn't want to get involved with.

"Mal you know why" he advised.

"I honestly don't" I said confused and I watched as he sighed.

"I know we weren't exclusive; but you could have told me that I was the only man you are seeing" he said as he dropped his arms from his chest and placed his hands on the table in front of him.

"What?" I asked in shock. How could Ben think this? Since we started dated again I hadn't given any other man another thought; I needed him to see that I couldn't do that to him. He meant far too much to me for me to cheat on him.

"Ben I'm not seeing anyone else" I urged.

"Mal don't lie to me" he warned me.

"I couldn't bear it" he advised as his voice broke.

"I'm not" I stressed.

"Ben I wouldn't do that to you" I urged further.

"Well it would appear you have!" he snapped.

"I don't understand Ben" I said shocked.

"Mal I saw you!" he snapped again, and my eyes widened. I didn't know what Ben had saw but it wasn't what he thought; I could never go near anyone else if I was involved with Ben.

"I know I probably don't have the right to act like this; but you know how much you mean to me" he stressed as he pursed his lips together.

"I know you don't have to tell me; I know I just have contradicted myself" he amended.

"It just hurt to see that's all" he noted.

"What have you seen?" I asked in disbelief.

"I saw you with some guy; walking out of work-" he started.

"He had his arms around you; kissing your cheek" he growled, and my eyes widened. This was really getting out of hand; and I could only hope that he would give the chance to explain.

"What were you doing there?" I questioned.

"And that is what concerns you!" he exclaimed.

"Not that I found you out!" he snapped for the third time.

"Ben babe" I said hoping to calm him down.

"Don't babe me!" he spat.

"Ben that was Sam that was-" I started.

"Don't Mal!" he warned me cutting me off.

"You have already said that you and other men don't mean anything to you" he reminded me.

"Ben you have the wrong end of the stick" I stressed.

"It doesn't look like I have" he countered.

"Sam is just a friend" I returned. I needed him to see that there was no way that me and Sam could be a thing. I was definitely not his type.

"I don't believe that; you looked more than friendly from where I was standing" he sighed.

"I'm sorry Mal but I don't think that we should continue this" he advised as he looked away from me.

"You were right; we are not meant to be together" I added, and I watched as he threw an awkward look in my direction.

"Ok" I muttered as I started to feel myself fall into despair. I was stupid to think that I could ever be what Ben needed; this is always how it was going to end. I shouldn't have let Ben get so close; I had just proved to myself that I was right to break up with him in the first place.

"If that is how you feel" I muttered.

"It is" he confirmed.

"Ok" I repeated.

"Well it was nice when it lasted" I noted as I started to stare into space.

"I'll not bother you any further" I stated, and I quickly left the room not giving Ben a second glance. He had made his feelings very known; and as my mind spitefully shown me our recent dates together I knew that it was going to take a very long time before I got over Ben this time.