What If Chapter 11

Authors note… Sorry for the long pause, I have had a major case of writers block. Thanks for coming back to the story. That's to all who reviewed and who are following the story.

First kiss.

After Evie had calmed down over Mal sleeping with Ben's tourney shirt, she brought her attention to Mal's trip to the palace.

"So how was it?"
"I…I have never felt so welcomed. We had a nice dinner, the conversation…Oh E, they really are happy I am with Ben." She stopped and a look of shock crossed her face.

"M? Whats wrong?"
"I…we kissed." The realization hit Mal as she remembered Ben had kissed her in the hall way to stop her from talking. To stop her from doubting herself.

"Mal, what's wrong with that?"
"I was scared. Scared my mother had cursed one of us, mainly me. Worried that true love's first kiss would trigger the curse."
"Mal….you just said true love's first kiss. Do you love Ben?"
"Yes. Oh hell I do. Evie, I have to talk to him." Mal said, worried that even admitting she loved him was a cause to worry.
"Its past curfew, you can't talk to him now."

"I can with this." She pulled out the cell phone Ben had given her.

"Well, I think you can. But M you can't tell him you love him for the first time over the phone."
"I know, I just need to make sure he's ok. I admitted out loud, I love him. I just need to make sure, he's ok. I seem to be fine. My mother had time on the roof to say plenty of curses, I need to make sure he's ok."
"So how do you call him?"
"No idea. We need to sneak down to the boy's room." With that Evie used her mirror to make sure the hall was cleared, and they headed into the boys room.

"Ok Carlos, how do I call Ben with this thing?"
"Ok there is no password on this thing, we need one in case anyone ever gets it. Give me a set of 6 numbers you can remember, and not 123456." He joked.

"231345. That is my locker combination."
"Ok, that works. Now, looks like Ben has preprogramed his number and ours?"
"Yeah, about that he has phones for you guys too. He's giving them out tomorrow."
"Cool." Evie thought.

"Ok, so just touch Ben's name and it will call him." So Mal touched Ben's name and a picture of him showed up on the screen as the phone rang. Mal moved into the hall and back to her room. Evie let her go make this call alone. She stayed and explained the reason for the call to the boys.

"Did you miss me already, or just trying out the new phone?" Was how Ben answered the phone.

"Both, and well…you kissed me."
"I wondered when you would figure that out. I am fine by the way." He teased.

"That wasn't funny Ben, you knew that was a huge concern for me."
"That's why I did it how I did it. I knew otherwise you would never try it."
"I…Ok I'll give you that one. So you feel fine?"
"Better than fine. Mal, I meant it the other day and still today, I love you."
Mal wanted to say it back, then she remembered, she had already admitted to being in love with Ben, to her mother. 'Love is not weak or ridiculous. It's actually really amazing.' And both she and Ben were fine, so she risked it. "Ben?"
"Yes, Mal."
"I love you." She waited to make sure he was ok.

"I know Mal. I have known since the day we met." She sighed in relief, he was joking and ok.

"I had better go. Thank you."
"For what?"
"Everything. I am so glad I listened to my heart."
"Me too." They ended their call, and Mal turned to find Evie had entered the room.

"I thought you weren't going to tell him on the phone?"
"It just happened, but I remembered that I had already told my mother I loved him and nothing happened. And nothing happened to him just now either. I…if she cursed me, I guess I can't live every day afraid to try something new, worried it will trigger a curse."
"That's true. Ok spill how was the kiss?"
"I…I had been so worried about a curse, I had refused him so many times, that he knew I would never consciously allow it, so he just did it when I wasn't thinking about it."
"and."
"I liked it. I want one, that I am ready for now."
"What?"
"Ok, so I was rambling on worried about not being able to live up to what everyone expected the girlfriend of the King should be like, I have no idea how to be a perfect princess, and he just kissed me to stop me from talking. Then he said, 'Stop worrying, I don't want perfection. I had a 'prefect princess' in Audrey and I hated it, every minute of it.'"
"Oh, M he is too good to be true." She teased. "But really, that's a great way of stopping you."
"Yeah. Oh and all 4 of us are invited for Sunday dinner at the palace."
"All of us…to the palace?"
"Relax, I promise, Belle and Adam are really nice."

"You…call them by their first names?"
" At their request, and only in private."
"But still…Oh I don't have enough time to make us outfits for Sunday, that's tomorrow."
"Oh, I forgot what day it was. Look Belle knows we aren't educated in that type of stuff. I had dinner with her dressed like this."

"But, Sunday dinner is a big thing. I have heard a lot of kids talk about the big meals they have on Sundays."
"Ok, so I'll call Ben again." She looked at the clock, it was only 10:45, surely still awake.

"Hello, Mal." He said.

"Did I wake you?"
"NO, I think you like having a phone though?" Ben teased.
"It is helpful. Especially when your friend is melting down after hearing we are invited to Sunday dinner, and tomorrow is Sunday."
"Tell Evie, that Sunday dinner at Beast Castle is a casual affaire, unless we have a party. So she's fine."
"You tell her." Mal handed Evie the phone.

"Ben?" Evie had never used a phone before.
"Hi Evie, I promise, we are quite casual in my castle. My mother insists on it, unless we are entertaining a bunch of other royals."
"Oh. What time?"
"We eat at 4:00."
"We'll be ready. Mal take the phone back now."
"Bye Evie." He said but no one heard as Evie passed the phone back to Mal. "Mal?"
"It's me. Ok so how casual?"
"What you wore today casual." Mal looked at her tights, and printed dress. "Ok so every day school clothes?"
"Perfect, just one thing?"
"Anything?"
"Have Jay wear something with sleeves."
"Oh that's easy."
"We have a few young maids that will swoon." Ben joked. Mal laughed. "Night my love, no more calls tonight, we should both be sleeping."
"Dreaming?"
"Yes."

"Night Ben, Love you." And she hung up.

"School clothes casual?"
"Yes, E. And Ben said Jay needs to wear sleeves, just because of the young girls who work there." They both laughed.