NEFARIOUS ━ DESCENDANTS

→ six | pursuit

"Right." Ben said softly, he nodded and looked down at the ground for a few seconds. "I can see that you miss your father. And your friends." He stated and Hayden had to bite on her tongue to prevent her from making a sarcastic comment. "I just...why did you agree to come here? It doesn't appear to bring you much joy."

She looked at him with anger this time. She sat up straight and looked him in the eye. "I didn't agree to anything. One of your bodyguards grabbed me and just pushed me inside that limo." She spat, maybe a bit too harshly. She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "I'm sorry. I...I didn't mean it like that." She apologized quickly. "I never agreed to come here, Ben. I was forced. I even punched one of the guards in the face as an escape attempt."

"You were the one that punched Chip in the face?" He asked quickly, his eyes wide. He remembered Chip coming back with a black eye that day. "He said he walked into a lamppost."

"Yeah, no, that one was me. My bad." She shrugged. She didn't feel guilty about punching him in the face.

Ben sat next to her in silence for a few seconds. He looked at her after a few seconds of thinking and shot her a look of regret. "I'm sorry that happened. You were supposed to get a choice in whether you wanted to come to Auradon or not, they weren't supposed to just grab you." He explained but Hayden just responded with a simple hum. "Look, uh, if you really, really hate it here...I can arrange for you to go back if you want. It'll be after the coronation, unfortunately bu-"

"Thanks. But, honestly, I'm not sure if that's much better." She said bluntly. She turned away from him and looked at the church walls again. "I miss the people there, so much. But, Ben, the Isle...it's horrible." She sighed and brushed one of her hands through her hair. "I've been there for only two years and I hate it with my whole being. I cannot understand how they can live there their whole lives."

Ben looked at her with slightly widened eyes. "I-Is it really that bad?" He whispered softly. He didn't have a clue about the Isle's living conditions until now, he knew it was bad, but not that bad. Hayden had so much loathing for the place, it surprised him.

"Murder is legal there." Was the only thing she had to say to make Ben's face as white as snow. "I stabbed a guy in the knee once, no one even blinked an eye." She looked back at him, though he seemed more disturbed at her after she told him she stabbed someone in the knee. "Don't look at me like that. I didn't kill him, he's still alive."

He shook his head. "I'm not sure that makes it better?"

Hayden sighed and adjusted her seat again. She turned to her right to face Ben a bit more easily, their knees touching each other. "Look, what I'm trying to say is...yes, I'd like to go back to the Isle after the coronation." She paused. "But I'd much rather have those people come over here." She saw Ben's skeptic face and quickly spoke up. "Not all at once. Just, a few people at a time, like you did with us."

"I...." He trailed off. He nodded eventually. "I think I can arrange that."

Her eyes widened and a huge smile started forming on her lips. "Really? You're not messing with me?" She said loudly and Ben shook his head. "Oh, thank you! Thank you!" She exclaimed happily and wrapped her arms around his neck to embrace him. She felt him stiffen for a little while, surprised at her sudden show of affection, but eventually wrapped his arms around her waist.

He chuckled at her and pulled back from the hug. "I'll get started on it, first thing after coronation." He promised her with a large smile on his face. Hayden seemed happy, genuinely happy for the first time since she's been here. And it was because of him - that fact made him oddly happy.