Good or Evil? (Ben Love Story)

Chapter Five: Ridiculous

(Ignore the makeup, and you can imagine the hat if you choose to)

THE NEXT DAY Payton stands at her locker when she hears Audrey and Ben talking. She stiffens when she remembers what almost happened the day before in the woods. She might not like Audrey, but that was wrong of her to even think about going there. Payton tries to zone out of their conversation, but some part of her just won't let her.

    "Do you think they actually paid for those?" Audrey starts as Jay flirts with a group of girls. When Jay mentions the tourney game, Payton smiles as she remembers being handed her jersey that morning.

    "They did it to Jane's hair too, and Fairy Godmother is not happy about it."

    Ben laughs,  "What's the harm?"

    "It's gateway magic!" Audrey snaps back, making the smile fall from Ben's face. "Sure, it starts with the hair. Next thing you know it's the lips and then the legs and then the clothes and then everybody looks good and then where will I be?"

    Payton sighs through her nose. She has to clench her fists to not do something that will get her sent back to the Isle. Turning away, Payton starts to walk away until she runs into Carlos.

    Literally.

    Carlos comes running from his dorm and rams right into Payton. Looking behind her, he sees Mal has taken Audrey's place and is now flirting with Ben and he knows what he needs to do. He looks back toward Payton and smiles hurriedly.

    "Hey, I was just heading to the locker room, walk with me?"

    Payton looks at him in confusion, but nods anyway. Carlos smiles and slowly starts walking toward Ben and Mal. Carlos is rambling on anything and everything that comes to mind to ty and keep Payton's eyes off of them. When Carlos sees Ben take a bite of the cookie, he pushes Payton in front of the prince and pulls Mal out of the way.

    "What the.."

    "Shhh!" Carlos cuts Mal off and points to the sight in front of them. Ben looks up from the cookie and his eyes meet Payton's and his face softens. Mal's jaw clenches when she realizes they have to include Payton in the rest of their plans now, even if it means just using her as a pawn.

    Ben stares at Payton and the latter looks at him in utter confusion. The looks he have been giving her the last few days have now tripled in intensity. Payton can't help but blush as Ben's smile starts to widen.

    "How are the cookies?"

    The question is lost on the two who are staring in each other's eyes. Mal looks shocked. It almost looks like they gave Payton a love cookie too, but she knows they didn't.

    "See," Carlos says. "I doubt a love cookie would be able to break that. She doesn't even need the spell and is looking at him the same way he's looking at her."

    Mal nods absentmindedly as Jay comes up behind Ben and gently puts his hands on his shoulder, "How you feeling, bro? Can I call you bro?"

    "I feel.." Ben starts, "I feel like doing this."

    Ben grabs Payton's face softly and kisses her. It was a short and sweet kiss. So short, that she didn't even have time to react before Jay was pulling Ben off of her. Not because he wanted to break apart what he could see was going to be a cute couple, but because he didn't want the kiss getting back to Audrey and people realizing the prince has been spelled. Then they would all be sent back and no one would get their happy endings. Not their parents, not Payton, and especially not the core four.