The Party And Reprisal

[Tourney Field. 7:00 pm]

Audrey's POV

My party was basically a small get together. A total of fourteen people were there. And number fifteen was about to show up. After talking to Jane and a few other friends, I walked over to a table where I placed a few pitchers of juice, each one having a different flavor, along with some plates of fruits and small sliced sandwiches and a plate of crackers with cheese. After straightening some of the plates, I turned behind me and saw a beautiful girl walking up. Princess Evie. Or at least she is a princess to me now.

"Hi, Evie! Welcome! Glad you can be here!" I said.

"Hello, Audrey. I'm glad to be here." Evie said.

I speed walked up to her and gave her a big hug. After the hug, I looked at her outfit.

"Wow, Evie. You look so beautiful. Did you get dressed up for me?" I asked.

"I did. I always have to look my best when I'm going to a special occasion." Evie replied.

"You always do look beautiful." I said.

I gave her a kiss on the cheek and led her over to the table.

"Would you like a snack, Evie?" I asked.

"Okay." Evie said.

I grabbed a plate for her.

"What would you like?" I asked.

Evie looked at everything. My eyes kept looking at her face. Her hair and her makeup is perfect.

"Aw, no cookies?" Evie asked.

I smiled.

"No, sorry. I only make that for myself. And you." I replied.

I couldn't help but blush after saying that. It's something special I have with Evie. And I would never share that with anyone else.

"I'll have one sandwich and some pieces of pineapple, please." Evie said.

"You got it." I said and happily put some on her plate and handed it to her.

I stood off to the side and watched Evie eat.

"She is so dreamy." I thought.

After Evie finished her snack, the music that was playing changed from a dance beat into a more relaxing vibe.

"Would you like to dance?" I asked, holding out my hands.

"Oh! Um, sure, Audrey." Evie said.

We held each other's hands and slowly danced to the rhythm of the music. And to me, it felt so magical. Me, dancing with the prettiest girl in school. Normally, I'd say I'm the prettiest, but I don't mind at all being the second, if Evie's the first.

"Evie, we should do this more often." I said.

"We should?" Evie asked.

"Yes! Isn't this great?"

"I suppose so."

I know her mind is set on still being with Mal. But I must persuade her heart to be with someone else.

"Evie, I'd like to take you out sometime." I said.

"Oh, um..."

"Now, now. You don't have to say anything. I just want to tell you. But let's be serious about something." I said.

"What's that?" Evie asked.

"Mal." I replied.

Evie let go of my hands and our little dance stopped. She turned away from me and crossed her arms.

"Evie, please don't be upset. I just want to tell you how I feel. Is that so bad?" I asked.

Evie sighed.

"No, I guess not." she said.

"Evie, there is this cute guy who is in my economics class. And he's single and he's looking for a nice classy girl. And I told him I might know someone." I said.

"Audrey! You know I'm not into boys." Evie said sternly.

"Okay. That's okay. It doesn't have to be a guy. I get that and I totally respect that. I'm sure I know a couple of girls who wouldn't mind going out with you. Myself included." I said.

"Audrey, I'm fine with who I'm with. I told you. Mal and I are very close. And I can't just dump her and leave her heartbroken. You may not know it, but she has feelings too. And I can never do that to her." Evie said.

"Evie-"

"I'm sorry, but my decision is final. I'm with Mal and that's it." Evie said.

She walked over to the table and grabbed a cup. I watched her as she filled it with some fruit punch. This cannot be. Evie deserves someone better. There's a reason why she's with Mal. As Evie was looking away from me while drinking her punch, I noticed the scar she got from Mal's sword a bit just below her right shoulder. Her dress was covering the majority of it, but it was still a little noticeable.

"Mal must be somehow forcing Evie to stay with her." I thought.

It's gotta be. If Evie's being forced to stay with Mal, then I'll put an end to it. I walked over to Jane and asked her to keep Evie entertained while I step out for a bit. She happily agreed and started talking to Evie. And I snuck out of the tourney field and headed towards the dorms.

[Mal and Evie's dorm room. 8:13 pm]

Mal's POV

I was in my bed, reading a book, when I heard a knock at the door. I smiled, thinking Evie is playing a little game with me. I closed my book and walked over to the door and opened it. But I got quite a surprise.

"Audrey?"

"Correct."

"What are you doing here? Where's Evie?" I asked.

"Oh, it'll be a little bit before she gets back. She's still at the tourney field. But I thought I'd stop by and pay you a little visit."

"Pay me a visit? You would never do that." I said.

"Normally, no. But I've come by because I have a proposition for you. May I come in?" Audrey asked.

I sighed. I was about to tell her off, when I started thinking that she may want to talk about a truce. So I opened the door and waved her in. Audrey walked in and I closed the door.

"A proposition?" I asked.

"It's simple, Mal. You break up with Evie, and I will never be loathsome to you again."

I couldn't believe what I had just heard. And not in the best ways.

"You're kidding." I said.

"Nope." Audrey said, looking serious.

Well, this isn't what I thought it was going to be.

"I see. That way, you'll be happy, because Evie will be with you. And the only reason you say you'll never be loathsome to me again, is because it's not a deal if it only goes one way."

"I love Evie. There are times I dream about her. Her and I are perfect. Think about it, we're both fabulous designers, that's our biggest thing in common. We're both hot, popular, and totally meant for each other." Audrey said.

"Yeah. Only in your dreams, Audrey." I said.

"Evie hasn't admitted her love for me because she's with you. But if you break up from her, she'll finally be free from your ascendancy."

I scoffed.

"That's what you're calling it?" I asked.

"You're forcing Evie to be with you! And Evie is afraid of you, Mal! You know what you did when she suggested a break. Imagine what you would have done if she suggested a break up."

I started to feel angry. Audrey is crossing a line.

"Listen, Audrey. You don't know Evie like I do. Evie and I have a long history. Most of it not good, but nevertheless, we, her and I, are meant to be! I'm not forcing Evie to be with me! And she is not afraid of me! She loves me! She cares about me! You're just delusional!"

Audrey smiled and looked at the mirror in our room and straighten her hair.

"You know, Mal. Evie told me something earlier at the party. She told me that she hasn't fully forgave you for what you did when you were so called 'spelled'. You almost killed her at the bridge by the lake, and she has nightmares about that time. Except in her dreams, Jay doesn't help her. No. She falls to her death every time." she said.

"You're lying. If Evie was having nightmares, she would've told me." I said.

"There's a lot she hasn't told you. She only confides in me because she trusts me, and she's afraid to tell you because of what you're capable of."

I slammed by hand on the dining table. Audrey stopped checking herself out in the mirror and looked at me.

"You need to leave. You need to get out of this room." I said as I pointed to the door.

"Fine. But remember way back, a few weeks before the end of last school year? When you were at the cafeteria one morning, getting breakfast for yourself and Evie? And you spilt orange juice on me? Remember that?" Audrey asked.

"Yeah, so?" I asked.

"Remember when I said that your relationship with Evie will one day end?"

"What about it?!" I asked, feeling fumed.

"Well, I have a strong feeling that time, that day, is upon us. It's just a matter of time before Evie takes things under her control. She's already tired of you. She has been since she freed you since your, whatever curse you had."

I was trying so hard to control myself. I know Audrey is lying. She's definitely making things up to get me. I kept telling myself inside to calm down and channel my anger like Evie told me. But as Audrey kept going on and on, it became more and more difficult.

"Go, now!" I said.

"Alright. One last thing." Audrey said.

"What now?!"

"Evie deserves better than you. She deserves a girl who will treat her like a princess. The way she deserves to be treated. She needs a girl who can take care of herself. Unlike you, who has Evie do everything for you."

"Evie takes care of me because she likes to! I tried to tell her it's not necessary, but she insists! So I'm not going to hurt her feelings by telling her to back off! Evie loves me for who I am!" I yelled.

"Whatever, Mal! Evie should leave you! She should leave you and be with someone like me! And when Evie and I are together, everyone will be so fascinated by us that they'll forget about you. You'll be all alone in this world. You have no family. No one will love you. You might as well just run away and die. Because who would take care of you? Certainly not your mother." Audrey said.

I couldn't hold myself back anymore. I walked by Evie's bed and grabbed the lamp off the nightstand. I forcefully yanked it out of the outlet and threw it as hard as I could right at Audrey's head. The lamp was glass, so it smashed into pieces as it crashed into Audrey's face. Audrey screamed in pain, as some cuts on her skin was seen. She went for the door, but I ran over to her and grabbed her and turned her around to throw her to the floor. I kneeled down and grabbed her by her hair.

"You disrespected me for the last time! I tried to be nice to you, I tried to make amends with you! I really did! But you made it very difficult!" I said in her ear.

"I take back what I said about you." Audrey said.

"What? What did you say about me?" I asked.

"After we saw the spell leave your body, you were knocked out. We thought you were dead, but after finding out that you still had a pulse, I said that even you don't deserve to die."

"And?"

"I take that back. You do deserve to die! You should've! Yes Evie would've been heartbroken at first, but she would be grateful because she would soon find out what a bitch you are! And I would be there to comfort her! And we would be together right now!"

I lifted Audrey up with my left hand and punched her with my right hand. Audrey fell to the floor, yelling in pain.

"Let me show you what this bitch can do!" I said.

Audrey quickly got up, but I punched her again, causing her to fall back down. I then grabbed her and swung her across the room, causing her to crash into the dining table. I was feeling so much anger. Fuming, vexing, outrage, fury, you name it. I don't believe I was this angry before. Even over ten years ago. Wanting to hurt her more, I looked around the room for something I can use as a weapon. My eyes set on a ten inch, large candle holder. I grabbed it by the part where the candle sits on and whacked Audrey in the head.

Audrey screamed in pain as the force of the collision caused the candle holder to break into two pieces. I threw the piece I was holding at Audrey and grabbed her and threw her across the room once more. Audrey hit the wall right below a window. I stopped and thought about what I could do for the final move. I saw an empty flower vase and quickly grabbed it and stood in front of Audrey. Audrey looked horrible, but good to me at the moment. She had tears in her eyes and had cuts on her face and arms. Blood was seen around all of them. And her mouth was bleeding a little as well.

"Any last words?" I asked.

"Mal, please stop. I'm sorry." Audrey said.

"Not sorry enough." I said.

I raised the flower vase in the air, preparing to swing it down at Audrey full force.

"Mal, don't!" a voice said.

I looked behind me and saw Evie in front of the closed door.

"Baby, don't. Please. She's not worth it." Evie said.

I looked back at Audrey, who was panting from exhaustion. I lowered my arm and let the vase drop to the floor. Audrey got up and ran over to Evie.

"Evie, thank god you're here! She was trying to kill me!" she said.

"I know. Are you okay?" Evie asked.

"I'm fine. My back hurts by being thrown around, and I have cuts, but I'm fine."

"You should go, Audrey. Get yourself taken care of." Evie said.

"What? After what Mal has just done to me? What are you going to do to her?"

"I'm going to talk to her."

"No. That's not enough! She deserves to be punished for what she did. Evie, she just beat up your best friend!"

"I know!"

"And you don't seem to care."

Evie sighed and rubbed her forehead.

"You need to break up with her. She's dangerous and you know it. After everything she's done, why are you still with her?" Audrey asked.

"Because I love her. More than anything in the world. She's wonderful and attractive. And unlike you, she's charismatic. She doesn't boast and she's not egotistical. She has a caring and loving heart. And she tried to make things right. But when people like you make things hard and irritate her, she has no choice but to retaliate back."

"But I was trying to make things right. I came here to offer a truce, but she got angry and started attacking me for no reason!" Audrey said.

"Bullshit!" Evie exclaimed.

Audrey and I looked up in shock. Evie never swears like that, and not only did it scare Audrey, but it kind of scared me too. Evie grabbed Audrey by the collar of her dress.

"Listen, Audrey. I heard what you said to Mal. I was standing outside the door listening. I heard you say that I was afraid of Mal. And I was having nightmares about her. And telling my baby that no one will love her and she should die. I heard it all!" Evie said.

"Then you heard me get beat up." Audrey said.

"Yes. I came in the room after Mal threw you to that window. I wanted Mal to express her feelings. Nothing wrong with that."

Evie let go of Audrey and pushed her back.

"What would you do? What would you do if you were in my position and Mal beat you up like she just beat me up?" Audrey asked.

"Mal would never hurt me." Evie replied.

"Right. But let's say after you had your argument that night, Mal came back and beat the crap out of you? What would you do?"

"I don't know. That never happened. So there's no reason to think about that."

"So you have no care about what Mal just did to me?" Audrey asked.

"I'm not going to answer that, but you need to leave now." Evie said.

"Fine. But hear me, Evie. Mal is not going to get away with what she did. Tomorrow morning, I'm going to tell Ben and no later than Monday, Mal will be punished. She assaulted me. She assaulted a royal member, and that is a capital offense. And that is something she will definitely not get away with it. Enjoy your final days of freedom, Mal. Because on Monday, you will be in a world of punishment!"

Audrey walked out of the room and slammed the door behind her.

Evie's POV

After Audrey left. I walked over to Mal and put my arms around her. Mal put her arms around me and our foreheads touched.

"I'm so sorry, baby. I should've known this whole party was just a setup to get you." I said.

"Don't worry about it, Evie. What's done is done." Mal said.

"Yes. I'll never forgive her for provoking you. You did the right thing, Mal. You taught her a lesson." I said, winking afterwards.

Mal smiled.

"Sorry for beating up your best friend." she said.

I smiled.

"No worries. Besides, she really wasn't. All she wanted was to be together with me. You're my best friend, Mal. And my girlfriend." I said.

I gave her a kiss on the lips and made sure Mal was okay and we straightened the room back up and cleaned up the shattered lamp. Afterwards, we changed into our nightshirts and went to bed. Mal fell asleep before I did. I fell asleep later on. But shortly after three in the morning, I woke up and started thinking about what Audrey told me.

"Enjoy your final days of freedom, Mal. Because on Monday, you will be in a world of punishment!"

There's no telling what will be in store for Mal. Indeed what Mal has done was wrong, but I couldn't help but feel that Audrey deserved it. However, Mal's punishment will no doubt be very unmerciful. And I can't let her be around for that. Mal's been in a lot of depression lately. Ever since she was freed from her spell, nothing has been the same since, which makes Mal very depressed. The only thing I can think of now to make her happy again is to take her to Canada. I got out of bed and looked out the window and saw the moonlight reflecting off the ocean's waters in the distance. I have less than three days to get things prepared.

I looked back at Mal, who was still fast asleep. I then glared at the door. My decision has been made. Mal and I are going to run away. I grabbed a piece of paper from my school bag and started to write Mal a note.

"Mal, I'm not feeling well, so I'm out for a walk right now. Call or text me if you need me."

I left the note on the dining table and changed my clothes. I straightened my hair, put my shoes on as well as my jacket, grabbed my phone and quietly left the dorm room.

"It's time. We're going to Canada." I whispered to myself.