Hey guys, thank you for sticking with me this far. I know these last few chapters have slowed down in posting but this has been due to trying to also finish one of my main stories. Much love RSD xoxoxoxoxo.
The next morning Sam went to work and Ben was in my bedroom working so this gave me and Evie the time to talk. So we were now sitting on the couch drinking coffee chatting and laughing.
"So how are things going with Ben?" Evie asked as I adjusted myself on the couch so I was now sitting cross legged facing her as she was sitting facing me with her legs lying in front of her.
"Fine" I answered back as I placed my coffee onto our coffee table.
"Just fine?" She asked as she lifted one brow up.
"You both seem happy' Evie noted.
"We are" I confirmed as I looked down.
"Mal" she said which made me look up at her.
"Yes" I replied.
"What's wrong?" She questioned.
"Nothing" I said.
"Mal I can tell that there is something wrong" she prompted.
"E there is nothing wrong" I pressed.
"I can tell there is" she countered. I sighed, maybe Evie could help me try to rationalise mine and Ben's worries about not trying rush things.
"It's just-" I started.
"We both don't want to rush things" I admitted.
"Right" Evie prompted slowly.
"But we seem to have just picked up from where we left off" I said as I looked down and started to fidget with the end of one of my socks.
"Is that really a bad thing?" Evie questioned.
"No" I said shaking my head as I looked back up at her.
"Just at the minute we both seem to be walking around on eggshells with each other trying to make sure that we both are ok with what we are doing" I explained.
"Which is? I know that you slept in the same bed last night" she noted.
"Evie!" I snapped as I looked over to my bedroom door as I hoped that Ben couldn't hear our conversation.
"We only cuddle in bed" I muttered.
"Well then" she stated.
"Mal what you and Ben both need to remember is that you have both been missing each other over the last year. So it is only natural that you both want to be close to each other at the moment. Yes you both are going to worry that you are going to rush things but from where I'm coming from you don't need to worry" Evie said with a small smile.
"How?" I asked.
"You and Ben are made for each other; if you are going to advance your relationship any further than cuddling in bed I know that it won't be a decision taken lightly by either of you. You both will talk about it and only do what makes both of you comfortable and happy. You shouldn't be wasting time worrying; you should be enjoying the time you have together" she further explained.
"Thanks Evie" I said with a smile as her words had started to make me feel better. Of course me and Ben shouldn't be worried about spending time together we should be more concentrating on being together. I can't believe that both of us were letting ourselves get so caught up in worrying about this.
"For snapping you back to reality?" She teased.
"Of course" I replied.
"You're welcome" she added with a grin.
"To the both of you" she added.
"What?" I asked and watched as Evie looked behind me and I turned around and saw Ben standing in the doorway leaning against the door frame with a blank expression on his face.
"Ben I'm so-" I said as I started to panic.
"Don't apologise Mal" he said as he walked towards me.
"I know that you would speak to Evie about this" he said as he sat behind me which made me spin around in the chair so I could look at him properly.
"As I already have" he admitted.
"Oh" I said.
"But Evie is right I don't want to waste our time worrying; I want to spend our time together just doing whatever feels right to us" Ben said as he started to smile.
"Same" I admitted.
"Come here" Ben said and he pulled me into a hug.
"Are you done with your work?" I asked over his shoulder.
"For now" he advised after he pulled away.
"Ok well I'll go and make dinner" I said as I went to stand up.
"You don't need to do that" Ben said stopping me.
"Ben you made me dinner the other night now it is my turn" I laughed as I stood up and started to walk into my kitchen.
"Ben can cook?" Evie laughed as she stood up and followed me.
"Always the tone of surprise" Ben laughed as he stood up and followed me and we all made dinner together.
The rest of the weekend went quickly; when Evie and Sam went on their shopping trip me and Ben spent some time alone. We decided to follow Evie's advice and try to not worry too much about rushing things and instead do what felt right to us. So we decided to go for a walk around Schwatzwald Park; which was lovely until we had to cut it short. When we were on a bench on top of a hill overlooking Schwatzwald Lake we heard a some noise and noticed that the press had found us and was taking photos. So we admitted defeated and we decided to go back to my flat where we could have some privacy.
"Well that feels familiar?" I stated as I closed our flat door after me.
"Sorry" Ben said as he leant against my kitchen bench.
"Ben please don't tell me that you are apologising for what just happened?" I warned him.
"It's not something that you can control" I said stepped towards him.
"So please don't feel bad" I said with a smile as I tried to reassure him.
"Anyway" I started after a few seconds of us in silence which made Ben pull one brow up in confusion.
"The world had to find out at some point I suppose" I said as I pursed my lips together.
"Yeah" he agreed.
"What?" I questioned as I could tell that there was something on his mind by the dismissive tone that he had just used.
"I wish that it was private a little bit longer" he admitted as he looked down.
"Why?" I questioned. In all honesty I didn't really care whether the kingdom knew or not; what mattered was that we are together and we are happy.
"My whole life is public; our relationship should be able to be private" he stated sadly.
"It should" I agreed.
"But Ben I honestly don't mind. It's part of being with you; being with you will always mean more to me than people knowing about us" I admitted. I needed Ben to know this so that he didn't continue to feel bad; I didn't want him to feel bad about something that he can't control. And was it really such a bad thing that the world knew now anyway? Yes it was better when things were private but surely now it was out in the open we didn't have to hide. Yes we weren't hiding in the park; we were only sitting and talking but the press will only misconstrue it.
"Come here" Ben said and he pulled me into a hug and we stood like for a few moments just enjoying being close to each other. I felt Ben press a kiss to the top of my head and I looked up at him and smiled. Yes the world might know but Ben was what mattered and he would always be my number one priority.
It was now the early hours of Monday morning and we all had a six hour flight back to Auradon; however we were going by Ben's private jet so this would help. We were all now stood saying our goodbyes to Sam at the airport and it was hard; however I knew that this wasn't going to be the hardest goodbye - it would be the next one in a few weeks.
"Go and knock them dead in them interviews" Sam said as he pulled me into a hug. As he pulled me to him I noticed that tears had started to gather in his eyes which told me that he was close to crying like I was. I had spent the last few years with Sam and now it was starting to become real to the both of us that it was getting closer and closer to me moving back to Auradon.
"I'll try" I said over his shoulder as he gripped me tightly for a few seconds.
"Mal we all know you can do it" he answered as he stroked my back.
"Thanks" I replied sadly.
"I'm going to miss you" I said which made him pull out of our hug.
"I'm going to miss you too, we all are. It won't be long before your living the high life in Auradon" he said and then his eyes fell onto Ben, which made Ben step forward.
"I know you'll take care of her; I'm glad things worked out the way they did" Sam said as he shook Ben's hand.
"Same" Ben replied politely.
"Sam I don't think I ever thanked you properly for looking after her when-" he said and then he stopped himself.
"Well you know" he quickly added. Neither anyone in our group needed Ben to finish the sentence to know what he was talking about.
"Yeah" Sam said.
"Goodbye Sam" Ben said.
"Goodbye Ben" Sam replied as both me and Ben both stepped to one side so Sam could say goodbye to Evie.
"Now come here" Sam said as he opened his arms to her and Evie quickly pulled Sam into a hug. I loved the close relationship that Sam and Evie had built up over the short space of time. I also loved how all of my friends had taken to both Ben and Evie, which made it both easier and harder to leave my friends here.
"Sam you can always visit" Evie suggested.
"Just you try and stop me" I heard Sam say into Evie's blue curls.
"Another trip to Auradon soon" I teased as they broke apart.
''Hell yeah!" Sam said looking at me as Evie wiped her eyes.
"See you later Evie" Sam said sadly.
"See you later Sam" Evie replied.
"Mal text me when you land; well that's if you beat Evie to the punch" he teased as he playfully shoved me.
"I'll try" I said as I slid my hand into Ben's.
"Bye" Sam said again to the three of us.
"Bye" we all chorused. We all then turned and gave our passports to the check in staff and when our bags were checked in I couldn't help but steal a glance at Sam who was still watching us.
"In a few weeks it will be the last time that you have to do this" Ben said which made me steal a look at him.
"I know" I said as I smiled happily at him. I still couldn't believe how everything had changed over the last couple of months. But I knew one thing for definite I didn't want anything to change for the world!