Bad Romance (Mal x Harry)

Crazy talk

Mal and Evie approached the cafeteria after fifth-period tightly bound together; arm in arm.
Evie had always been very protective over Mal, more so over these past months, for obvious reasons. Mal had basically fled from Chemistry, dragging Evie with her, to put as much distance between herself and Ben. He had kept giving her those stupid, kicked puppy eyes, and it had royally pissed her off. For once, she actually tried to pay attention in Chem.

They pushed through the double oak doors and grabbed their lunches. Mal was having a rough day keeping food down so she just grabbed a bottle of water and some carrot sticks. Evie would obviously give her snacks throughout the rest of the day to make sure she was keeping healthy.

They found their seats at the empty VKs table that the Auradon kids avoided like the plague. The members that sat at the table consisted of the core four, Doug, Lonnie, Jane and if Ben didn't have duties, he would sit with them.

Soon after they sat down, the table started to fill up and the conversation buzzed.
Mal jumped in surprise, when a tray dropped onto the table and Ben placed himself in the chair beside her. Without a word, he flung his arm around her shoulders and easily jumped into the conversation that Jane and Carlos were having.
Mal went completely rigid under his arm and her heavy glare threatened to burst his skull, and yet, he still didn't notice. She looked around to Evie for help but was just greeted with a soft shrug and apologetic eyes from where she sat three seats over.

"Hey," A voice whispered, hot air rushing into her eardrum. She whipped her head around and met Ben eyes with her own angry gaze, "How's it going?"
He Bea,ed down at her, floppy hair in his eyes; he truly looked the picture charm - and yet, all Mal could feel was the slow contempt building within.

She didn't respond, just continued to stare through him.

A frown appeared, creasing his forehead, "You seem to be avoiding me. Have I done something wrong?"

She scoffed, looking away from him, but not directing her gaze to anything in particular.
"Maybe its whatever show you put on at dinner with your parents the other week," Mal whispered, trying to keep her cool at his obliviousness.

"What show? The marriage thing?" He replied, a similar harsh whisper in his own voice, "Look, I didn't think you'd care that much. It's just a natural progression from our relationship now. All couples in Auradon are married by 18. True love and all, you understand right? The public are expecting an engagement soon, that's all," Ben said, nonchalantly, waving off her concerns breezily.

"Go fuck yourself," Mal said, finally losing it. her voice remained at a whisper but it had became stronger as she flicked her eyes back to him.

"Excuse me?" Ben said, raising his eyebrow. His mouth had fallen open as if he was unable to form a reply to someone questioning his word.

"I said: Go fuck yourself," Mal snarled, still keeping her voice quiet. No one had yet noticed, but Mal could see Evie's ears perking up every time they spoke.
"Did it ever occur to you to discuss the topic before bringing it up in front of your parents? Or that maybe I'm not ready for that? Or did it not occur to you to consider where I come from - people don't do marriage in the Isle, Ben.

"What? You're saying that you would never marry me?" He said, his warm eyes suddenly shuttering, "I could give you everything, Mal. You've had nothing for 17 years, and I could give you everything. And what? You're just going to throw it in my face 'cause you're 'not ready' - thats bullshit."

"Don't throw my feelings in my face like they're nothing," she spat, still low with her voice, but the others had quieted around the table - though, neither Mal nor Ben noticed.
"Ben, I'm not one of those prissy princesses that would kneel before you and kiss your feet, okay? I want to make my own decisions. Not you, not the court, and not the public. I don't want to marry a man who is so work-obsessed and oblivious, he doesn't even notice the distress his girlfriend has been in for months. I can't be the perfect girlfriend, the perfect lady of the court, the perfect princess, and I will not be your perfect wife. I've got my whole life ahead of me and I don't want to spend it with a guy who's trying to plan my entire life out before me."
She could feel her chest rising and falling, and a pressure building behind her eyes. The adrenaline from moments ago began to run out as her shoulders sagged.

"Your talking crazy Mal," his arm was no longer around her shoulders - instead, they were now face-to-face, so close they could feel each others breath. The VKs and co. had gone silent, staring wide eyes at the couple, "Let's go talk about this somewhere else."

"No. Stop making me feel like I'm crazy - I'm not crazy," she breathed, her eyes feeling suddenly wet, but no tears fell - "You don't want to marry me, Ben."

"Mal," he rolled his eyes.

"No," she snapped," You don't want to marry me, Ben. You want to marry an idea of me that you can mole into what you want - you told me to dye my hair, change my clothes, change my attitude - all so I could fit in in your stupid Court. You don't want me, you want the image and you want the kudos for taming a VK."

He didn't listen, he just laughed mirthlessly.

"Fine, whatever. Do what you want. Ive tried to do everything for you for so fucking long, but you're desperate to be a VK for the rest of your life," Ben spat.
He stood abruptly. His chair scraping along the tiled floor and echoing throughout the dining hall and he tore away.

The entire table was silent and waiting.
Mal was frozen in place.
Evie stood up quickly, placing a hand on Mal's forearm, "Mal?"

The purple-haired girl looked up rapidly blinking. She looked past her best friend to the neighbouring table who seemed to have heard the interaction; the press are going to have a field day when the gossip starts.

"E?" Mal suddenly breathed - no, that wasn't right - she couldn't breathe.
Her lungs constricted and her breaths became short. The sides of her vision began to darken and she felt her knees tremble. She was having a full-blown panic attack.

"Mal, what is it? What can I do?" Evie begged, trying to get through the fog her friend was in, but it was no use.
Vaguely, Mal could hear Jay and Carlos, but it sounded like they were underwater.

"I can't breathe," she gasped, "I can't-"
She could feel herself being directed towards the exit and into the corridor.

Her vision continued to darken and then, there was nothing.

A collective gasp came from students in the hall as Mal fell to the floor, right in front of the exit.

"Someone get Fairy Godmother," Evie called out, "Quickly."