Wicked Ones ♛ MAL [✓]

➣ six.

I sighed softly, refusing to meet her gaze. "It's just different where we're from."

"Yeah, I know," Lonnie said. "I just, you know, I thought... even villains love their kids..."

We all remained silent, unable to admit it aloud but knowing in our hearts just the same. Our parents didn't love us. At least, not the way a parent should.

"Oh..." Lonnie said, placing a comforting hand over mine as a tear slid down her face. "How awful."

We were all quiet for a moment before Mal quickly leaned forward, swiping the tear off of Lonnie's cheek and flicking it into the batter. Then she began ushering the girl out the door, rushing out quickly, "Yeah, well, big bummer, but we have to get these into the oven, so thank you so much for coming by. Really, really have a good night. I'll see you tomorrow. Evil dreams."

Lonnie called a good night over her shoulder before she left, and once she was gone Mal said she'd see her tomorrow and then turned to us.

"Okay, boys, Freddy, cookie sheet," Mal instructed. "Evie, oven."

We all nodded, rushing off to make the cookies for the spell.

━━━ ✥ ━━━

Jay, Mal, and I watched from the balcony as the Auradon prep girls waved to me, telling me how much they loved their new hairstyles. I hadn't been too thrilled about doing hair like I was some kind of stylist, but the more I did it, the more comfortable I felt about it. Maybe Auradon wasn't so bad after all.

"Are you feeling kind of weird about this?" Jay said to Mal, seeming to share my opinion on Auradon. "I mean, it's not so bad here, you know."

Mal looked at him like he'd lost his mind. "Are you insane?" she asked. "Long live evil! You're mean! You're awful! You're bad news!" Snapping her fingers in front of his nose, she added firmly, "Snap out of it!"

Jay gave her a relieved smile. "Thanks, Mal. I needed that."

He walked towards the balcony and started flirting with the girls below, and I turned to Mal before saying in a low voice, "So are we gonna talk about it?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Mal told me, shaking her head as she put her books in her locker.

"Yes, you do," I said. "You know exactly what I'm talking about."

An emotion flashed across Mal's face, one I had never seen before on her features: fear. But it was gone as quickly as it had come, and was replaced with guarded indifference as she said, "There's nothing to talk about."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing; was she was really denying what she'd done? "Mal, you tried to kiss me," I whispered harshly. "And you say there's nothing to talk about? Are you insane?"

Mal glanced around before taking my hand and leading me away, practically dragging me into the building. Once she had pushed me into a broom closet, she shut the door behind her and looked at me with an expression that looked like a mix of being angry and being in awe.

I huffed. "Mal, why are we in here?"

Because I want to explain, but I don't want anyone to hear us, Mal said through our link.

Realizing what she meant, I nodded and relaxed. Alright. So explain.

I almost kissed you because of my mom. Mal looked away, almost as if she was ashamed. She wants your mom's spellbook, so she told me to trick you into thinking I was in love with you so you'd wind up giving it to me. But I can't do that to you. You're my friend, and I would never stoop that low. So I bailed last minute.

I would've been upset, but I wasn't because I wasn't surprised. Maleficent had been after my mom's book for years, but my mom was just a step higher than Maleficent in regards to her cleverness, so the horned witch had never got the book. I was surprised, however, that Mal had ditched her mother's plan for my sake.

I get it, I said to her. When she looked at me in shock I explained, Your mom's been trying to get that thing for a long time. I'm not surprised that she tried using you to get it.

Mal visibly relaxed, leaning back against the wall. I'm so glad you're not mad. I was worried that you were gonna turn me into a cat or something.

I chuckled. Nah, that's my mom's thing. I'd turn you into a narwhal.

Mal giggled. Why a narwhal?

I shrugged. They're the unicorns of the sea, and I know how much you hate unicorns and that you can't swim.

Mal punched my shoulder as I covered my mouth to muffle my laughter. I hate you.

I smiled. We been known. Next question, please.

She punched my shoulder again, then took my arm and opened the door. Come on, loser. We've got a prince to put a spell on.

━━━━━━━ ❃ ━━━━━━━

A/N: Me: i wanna make this story slow burn

Inner Me: ha bitch you thought

Me: but–

Inner Me: YOU THOUGHT