Daughter Of Two Evils

The Date

CHAPTER 20

"Would you like a hot hors d'oeuvre?" Madi asks Ben with a smile.

"Yes, please," Ben answers with a returning smile before Madi feeds him one.

"Mmm! This is the best thing I've ever had," Ben says as he finishes it.

"So, you like it?" Madi asks him in shock things are going her way.

"I more than like it. I, uh...mmm..." Ben answers as he gets another one. "Double like it. Beef ragout?"

"Yeah," Madi says with a smile.

"This is amazing," Ben says before taking a bite of the beef ragout.

"Did I surprise you?" Madi asks.

"Oh, yeah, you surprised me. This is every single dish Mrs. Potts made for my parents," Ben answers her excitedly. "What did it take you? Three days?"

"You know, don't even ask me," Madi says with a smile.

"Yeah," Ben says with a laugh before turning serious. "Well, it means a lot that you stopped and did all this for me. Especially with all the craziness you've been put through." Ben grabs Madi's hand. "I've missed you." Madi smiles big at him before Ben caresses her face. "We don't get much time to be just us anymore."

"I know," Madi tells him sadly before wiping some food from his mouth.

"You can't take me anywhere, right?" Ben says causing Madi to laugh since that was what she had said on their first date.

"I believe that's my line," Madi says as they both laugh.

"Do you have a... Do you have a napkin or something?" Ben asks Madi.

"I do! I packed some," Madi tells him before she starts looking for the basket.

"Oh, there is..." Ben says as he sees the basket.

"I think I stowed them away," Madi says as Ben reaches into the basket. "I can grab them."

"What's this?" Ben asks as he pulls out the Spell Book.

"I actually threw that in there super last-minute in case it rained or..." Madi tries to explain before Ben starts going through the marked pages.

" 'Speed reading' spell. 'Blonde hair' spell. 'Cooking' spell," Ben reads before closing the book and looking at Madi in shock. "And I was giving you props for fitting in so well, for doing your best."

"Take back this moment that has passed. Return it... Reverse it..." Madi tries to remember a spell to fix everything but fails.

"Are you trying to spell me right now?!" Ben exclaims as he stands up.

"Ben, it has been so hard for me!" Madi tells him.

"Yes! Some things are hard! Do you think learning to be king has been easy for me?" Ben explains.

"No!" Madi says.

"I thought we were doing this together!" Ben says as he raises his voice.

"Ben, we are in this together," Madi tells him as she stands up.

"But we're not, Madi. We're not. Y-You've been keeping secrets and lying to me," Ben argues and Madi tries to talk. "I thought we were done with that. This isn't the Isle of the Lost, Madi."

"Yeah. Believe me, I know that!" Madi tells him as she starts to get angry.

"Then why are you doing this?" Ben asks her.

"Because... I'm not one of those pretty pink princesses, Ben. I'm not one of those ladies from the Court," Madi explains to him. "I'm a big fake, okay? I'm fake." Madi then motions to the meal. "This is fake." Madi grabs her hair before dropping it. "This is fake." Madi grabs the spell book before opening it to a spell. "Take this feast, this sumptuous meal, return it back to what is real." Madi moves her finger with blue sparks before the meal disappears to reveal a glass of milk and a peanut butter & jelly sandwich.

"This is who I really am," Madi says as she's on the verge of crying.

"Madi," Ben tries as Madi starts to walk off.

"No. No," Madi says as she moves away from him before she keeps walking.

"Peanut butter and jelly is my favorite!" Ben yells after her causing her to run to her dorm.

"I don't belong here," Madi says as she looks around her dorm room before she changes into her Isle clothes. She then poked holes into a box before putting Maleficent in it. "Let's blow this popsicle stand." She takes the bike that Ben gave her, before stopping by the waters edge. Madi pulls out the spell book. "Noble steed, proud and fair, you shall take me anywhere." Madi puts the spell book away.  "Okay. Whew. Please work." The bike drives across the water before taking her through the barrier. Madi drives through a lot of people making them dive out of the way before she comes to a stop. As she removes her goggles she sees a poster of her and Ben. She tears it down before wadding it up and throwing it. She then continues on to their old hideout. Madi smirks before throwing a rock at the 'danger flying rocks' sign. This opens the door to the hideout.