Mal's POV.
As I stood there in Ben's arms my head and heart were wrestling with each other. I was so torn about what to do right now. My head was telling me to follow my Mom's plan, if for no other reason then she doesn't punish me for not being evil but me heart was telling me not to betray Ben. I just felt so conflicted. I noticed out of the corner of my eye Doug had gone to stand near Evie and had placed his hand on her shoulder in an attempt to comfort her.
"Why the hell are you comforting them! They've probably been plotting to destroy us or in her case" He said looking straight at Evie. "Plotting to use her looks to snag the richest person willing to give her any attention." I couldn't even look at Evie as I saw her turn into Doug and start crying. This was enough. Time for people to find out how much of an ass hat Chad really is.
Turning to face Chad I moved out of Ben's embrace. "What's the mater Chad? Insulting Evie so she won't reveal your secret? Or are you hoping that by insulting her she will continue to help you?" I asked and I smirked at the colour drained from his face. "What's wrong Chad? Worried I'll reveal your secret?"
"I have no idea what your talking about." Chad stated but I heard his voice waver as he did. I looked to my left and saw what I assume to be his parents looking at him with confused expressions. "Evie doesn't know any secrets of mine." He told me.
"Oh really? So you haven't been promising to spend time with her in exchange for her doing your homework for you?" I asked. This question caused a round of gasps to come from everyone present.
"Your lying." He stated as he looked towards his parents. Although I really didn't expect what he said next. "Your just like you mother and you always will be." He snarled at me. I felt the tears gather in my eyes and I didn't even have the energy to fight them. I looked behind him and an upset expression on Fairy Godmother's face. I then turned towards my siblings and Ben who all wore similar expressions. I couldn't bare to look at them anymore and took off running towards the school, finally letting my tears fall.
"Mal!" I heard various people call out to me but I couldn't stop or even look back. I needed to be on my own right now. I was so focused on getting to mine and Evie's room and locking myself away I didn't notice someone following me.
In a few minutes I reached my dorm and quickly flung the door open before turning and locking it so no one could get in unless I decided to let them. I just couldn't bare to be around them anymore. I threw myself on my bed, face down into my pillow, and just cried. I felt like the past sixteen years of emotions were finally coming out of me and the more I cried strangely enough the better I felt.
I don't know how long I had been laid on my bed crying, it could have been hours or minutes, when I heard a knock at my door. Damn it Ben, why are you so caring. I thought to myself. I had every intention of ignoring it when the person knocked again.
"Go away, Ben!" I shouted through my tears. I wasn't expecting what happened next.
"It's not Ben." A female voice called back to me. "Please open the door, Mal." She said. I sat up on my bed and tried to get my tears under control but I just couldn't. Deciding I was just better off answering the door I got up and slowly walked over. I turned the lock and opened the door, not prepared for the caring facial expression that met my gaze. It actually took me a few seconds to realize who it was that was actually at the door.
"Please come in, Queen Belle." I offered to her, curtsying as I did. Why the hell is Ben's mother here? I'm going to get sent back to the isle I know it. I'm going to be sent back to my mother having failed to get her what she wanted. This would not end well. As Queen Belle passed me, I closed and relocked the door before sitting on the edge of my bed. "You're sending me back to the Isle aren't you." I said.
"Please Mal, when were alone call me Belle and what are you talking about?" She asked me. I could hear the confusion in her voice but I didn't dare look up at her, I couldn't look at her as she told me my worst nightmare was coming true.
"That's why you're here isn't it? To tell me I am being sent back." I stated. I heard movement and looked through my eyelashes at Queen Belle who was now, for some reason, knelt in front of me.
"Mal, look at me please." She gently commanded me. I really didn't want to but her being a Queen I felt like I didn't have a choice. "Now you listen to me okay?" She asked and I couldn't help but nod to her. "You are not now nor are you ever being sent back to the isle. I came up here to make sure you are alright since you felt the courtyard in tears. Was what you said true?" Again I nodded to her. "So your mother has abused and hit you?" The question was probably rhetoric but I found myself nodding anyway as a fresh lot of tears started streaming down my face. "Oh, honey." Belle said as she took hold of my hands and used them to gently pull me down in front of her.
As Belle placed her arms around me to hug me she pulled me a little closer and out of instinct I stiffened my body slightly waiting for a blow to come. "It's okay, Mal. I won't hurt you." She told me. I didn't have to look at her to know there are unshed tears in her eyes, they rang through loud and clear in her voice.
After a while of sitting with Belle I had finally stopped crying and at some point I had leant into her as she hugged me. "Thank you." I whispered to her as another knock sounded on the door. I felt Belle shift, presumably to look down at me.
"What for?" She asked.
"For being here and comforting me. The only other person to ever do this was Evie." I told her. Christ! What was it about this woman that just got me admitting things!? I looked up to her and found her smiling at me with tears in her eyes. I stood up after another knock sounded on the door and held out my hand to her Belle up. Gently she took my hand and I pulled her up off the floor.
Belle walked over to the door with me and I unlocked it to find Ben stood there. His eyes flitted between me and his Mom before his Dad came up behind him. King Adam help out his hand for her, she quickly hugged me as she whispered "If you ever need someone to talk to or a shoulder to cry on, I'm here okay." into my ear. As she leant back she took King Adam's outstretched hand and they left before I gestured Ben into the room.
I wiped my face well aware I had tears stained cheeks. "What are you doing here Ben?" I asked him. First his Mom shows up and now him, this is just too much right now.
"I was kinda hoping we could talk." Ben stated. Before adding "About us." What the hell. Is he going to break up with me!? He's still supposed to be under the love spell, this can not be happening right now.
I took a deep breath before I answered "Okay, what about us?" I could here my voice wavering and mentally kicked myself for allowing myself to appear this weak. Jeez if my mother saw this it would not go down too well.
"I know about the love spell Mal." He said. I think my heart honestly stopped in that moment. He actually knew, how the hell did he know!?
"How?" I managed to breath out. I couldn't believe this. If I wasn't going to be sent back to the isle for what I said to Chad and Audrey then I certainly would be for this. I spelled the damn Prince of Auradon. Now I'm doomed.
"Your spell washed away in the enchanted lake." Ben told me. I felt my eyes widen at the realisation that he had known for a week and not mentioned it. As I studied his features I relaxed a little as I noticed there wasn't a trace of anger on his face. It was then it hit me that he hasn't been under the love spells effects for a week.
"So, what? You've been faking it since then?" I asked, I really didn't know if I wanted to hear the answer but I had already asked now.
"No." He responded. I couldn't help but look up at him with hopeful eyes. Maybe there was still a chance I could be with him after all. "I haven't faked anything and I didn't need the love spell to know my true feelings for you. I've loved you since the first time I saw you and I still love you now. Everything I've said this to you is the truth, even that oh so embarrassing song I sung after the tourney game." Ben told me. I couldn't help but laugh as I remembered him declaring his love for me through a song. After a few seconds Ben started laughing with me.
As I looked into Ben's humour filled eyes I knew then that I couldn't betray him like I had planned. Hell, I actually think I loved him. I needed to tell him the truth and let him decide after that whether or not he still loved me. As I was about to tell him however Ben cut me off. "I still want to be with you, Mal." He stated. "So without the help or influence of a love spell, will you be my girlfriend and got to the coronation with me?" He asked.
I couldn't stop the smile spreading across my face even if I wanted to. He still wanted to be in a relationship with me. I mean how is that even possible. I nodded to him and he returned my smile before pulling me into a hug. What I hadn't noticed until he pulled back from our hug and took hold of my hands was that he didn't have his ring on. I couldn't help but stare at the finger that used to hold it and feel a little sad. Evie had told me the other day that the only time a guy took it off was when he placed it on a girl's finger symbolising to everyone that he intended to marry the girl. I couldn't help but drop my smile a little.
Ben must have noticed as his gaze followed mine before he smiled at me. Although I have no idea why he is smiling. He let go of my left hand and reached into his blazer pocket, pulling out his ring. Okay now I'm confused. Why would he put his ring in his pocket. I must have been lost in thought as the next thing I knew I felt something being slid onto my ring finger on my right hand. I looked down at the hand which was still cradled in Ben's slightly bigger hand and found his ring sitting there. My smile quickly returned, larger then before, at the sight of it. Ben then leaned forward and kissed my forehead.
"I'm sorry, Mal but I have to go. I need to stay at the castle tonight." He explained. I could only nod to him. I didn't trust myself not to cry of I tried to speak. "I'll be back at ten in the morning in the carriage. You'll ride to the coronation with me, okay?" He explained. I nodded my acknowledgement to him before he hugged me and left. I took and watched him leave fully aware that I needed to come up with a plan so that I didn't betray Ben, his parents and even Fairy Godmother. But how I would do that I had no idea right now.
Author's Note: Thank you to everyone for the suggestions and support with this story. I have decided to continue it (obviously) but this story will only cover family day and an alternate ending to Ben's coronation. Anyway, I hope you like where I go with the story and I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please review and let me know what you think. x