Bring Her Home (Book 1)

The Party

"Cool." Ben smiled and they continued dancing.

(The next day)

It was around 10:50 and Mal was still asleep. 

"Mal? Mal?" Jane was lightly shaking her.

"What?" Mal mumbled.

"Don't you have a date with Ben today?" Jane checked.

"Yeah at eleven." Mal answered still mumbling.

"It's almost eleven." Jane told her. 

Mal shot up and saw the clock say 10:51.

"Shoot!" Mal yelled and got out of bed. 

"I'm sure Ben will understand." Jane assured.

"Yeah he might, but I don't want to be late again." Mal responded.

She quickly threw on a blue and white dress, grabbed the picnic basket, and ran out.

"Bye Jane!" She called out as she ran.

She rode on the motorbike Ben got her and drove to the enchanted lake. Where Ben was already waiting there. 

"Sorry. Sorry I'm late." Mal was saying to him.

"It's okay." Ben smiled, then sat down.

Mal set the picnic basket down and sat down herself.

"So what did my beautiful fiance plan for us?" Ben smiled at her and opened the basket.

Ben was taking the food out and Mal was setting it up.

"Oh Ben! Try this first." Mal fed Ben something.

"Mhm." Ben said as he ate it.

"You like it?" Mal asked shyly.

"Yeah. It's really good." Ben said "What's this?"

"Try it." Mal told him.

Ben picked up the food and took a bite. "Wow. That's amazing. But I guess I shouldn't be surprised since you it." 

"Thanks." Mal blushed.

"So tell me what made you decide to change your hair?" Ben wondered.

"Thought I would try something different." Mal answered.

"Really? This isn't because Rose told you?" Ben questioned.

"No. And I thought this is what you like." Mal said.

"Why would you think that?" Ben asked.

"You don't like it?" Mal wondered.

"I mean this isn't you Mal. Why would you do that?" Ben was saying.

"I'm not always going to be that same girl. I'm changing Ben! And I'm sorry if you don't like it." Mal stood up and started walking away.

"Wait Mal where are you going?" Ben stopped her.

"I need to be alone." Mal said and pulled her arm away from Ben and kept walking.

"Okay. Let's talk later then!" Ben called to her.

Mal got on her motorbike and drove away. Mal was driving through Auradon and almost ran into Audrey.

"Wow. Jeez watch it!" Audrey yelled.

"Sorry." Mal said. 

"Wait Mal? Is that you?" Audrey asked. 

Mal took off her helmet. "Hey Audrey. 

Audrey could see Mal was crying. "Mal is everything okay?"

"Not really." Mal answered.

"Come on let's talk." Audrey grabbed Mal's hand and pulled her to a bench.

"I thought this is what Ben liked. Pretty pink princesses. No offense." Mal was telling her.

"It's okay, but what happened next?" Audrey wondered.

"I told him I'm changing and he said he doesn't like this new me. Then I left and told him I need to be alone." Mal explained.

"Need to be alone?" Audrey checked.

Mal nodded. "Yeah. Is there something wrong with that?" 

"You mean when you're good you're just gonna go back to him?" Audrey questioned.

"Yeah. Isn't that how it works?" Mal replied and wondered.

"Yeah if you're weak and desperate." Audrey told her.

Mal gave Audrey a confused look. "What does that mean?"

"Mal if Ben can't handle that fact that you are changing and doesn't like the new you. Then you two aren't meant to be together." Audrey was explaining.

"So then what do I do?" Mal questioned.

"We'll worry about that later, but come on." Audrey stood up.

"Where we going?" Mal asked.

"We're going to find this new and improved Mal." Audrey answered and grabbed Mal's hand and ran.