Almost Perfect~ MAL* BOOK 2

going home

Everyone was too distracted to see Orion slip away with Cori. Going to the back of the ship, Orion cut Cori's ropes. He grabbed onto the chains that held the anchor and had starts to slip when Cori grabbed his wrist.

"Wait, what about the sharks?" Cori asked him. Orion shook his head and her hand away.

"There aren't any, now come on." Orion hurried. Cori didn't have much of a choice and followed. She heard swords clashing with each other. Orion and Cori made it to the water and swim far from the pier. They got out of the water and shivered at the contact with the cold air.

"We gotta hurry to the limo." Orion said, squeezing water out on his pants and shirt. Cori removed her heavy jacket and left it behind to follow faster. Running as fast as they could, they made it to where the limo was parked. At the same time, the VK's, Ben and Lonnie arrived. Ben saw Cori and was the first to hug her, worried that she may have been left behind. Cori hugged back, happy that Ben was fine.

"We have to go now!" Anthony yelled. They all got in the limo with Jay and Lonnie in the front. Mal emerged from the tunnel and got in, unknowingly dropping her spell book. The limo started up and drove off quickly. Everyone was breathing heavily from the fight. Orion looked at the inside of the limo in fascination. It was silent, Cori looked at Mal.

"I'm really sorry that things didn't go the way you wanted them to." Cori apologized. Mal was speechless.

"I mean, as long as you're safe, that's..." Mal didn't finish and took huge breaths.

"Well, I mean, at least I got to see the Isle. They're my people, too. Uma helped me see that." Cori said. The VK's and Ben looked at her like she was crazy.

"Cori, Uma captured you." Mal stated.

"She's an angry girl with a bad plan. That's not so different from you when you came to Auradon, Mal." Cori said. Mal didn't like the way Cori compared her to Uma. They stopped talking to each other, making the space silent.

"Awkward." Dude said.

"Dude, I know you can talk, but it doesn't always mean you should." Carlos said to Dude.

"Do all dogs talk in Auradon?" Orion asked. No one answered. Cori and Mal refused to look at each other the whole way back.

*~*~*~*~*

They arrived back to Auradon Prep and Orion fell onto the ground to feel the grass. Lonnie left the return the swords to its place. Ben and Cori were behind the VK's, Ben had an arm wrapped around Cori to comfort her as a best friend should. Jane and Araina approached them.

"Ben, Cori, there you are. Cotillion's tonight." Araina reminded. She grabbed Cori and looking at her clothes.

"Where were you and why are you dressed like that?" Araina asked.

"It's a long story, I'll tell you later, but for now...Orion!" Cori called. Orion stood up from his place after smelling the grass and walked over. Cori looked at Araina and pointed at Orion. "This is Orion. I need you to the find him some clothes for tonight and enroll him in school. He'll be staying as my guest."

Orion and Araina looked in shock of the young queen's words. Before they could say anything, Jane pulled Cori away.

"Look, this is the stained-glass window for Mal. Isn't it beautiful? She's gonna love it." Jane said, showing Cori's present to Mal. Cori looked at Mal.

"Do you want to cancel?" She asked her. Jane and Araina stood speechless ready to protest after all the work put into it.

"Um, you know what? I can come back. Uh, but, like, really, really soon." Jane said, trying to leave.

"No, no, no. No, no, no. Now's fine." Cori responded to Jane. Cori stepped towards Mal and placed a hand on her waist. "Um... Do whatever you need to do."

Cori left with Ben, Araina, Anthony, and Orion following behind. Once in her room, she quickly locked the door to not let them in. Cori slid down the door and burst into tears. Araina, Ben, and Anthony banged the door and asked to be let in. Cori stood up and walked into the bathroom and washed her face. Wiping her face with a towel, when removing it she saw a figure standing behind her from the bathroom mirror. Cori turned around and stood shocked.

"Uma?" Uma smirked at Cori and pulled out Mal's spell book.

"Surprise." That was the last thing Cori heard before she suddenly fell onto the bathroom floor.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Sorry for errors.