Choosing Family

Chapter Thirty Five

Mal sighed as she put her books away into her locker. Today was the day. It was the day she was going to give Ben the cookie. She didn't want to but there was no other choice—Ben seemed determined to stick his relationship with Audrey out even though any affection there was clearly one sided. Audrey only cared about one thing-the crown that came with Ben.

Said girl was currently chattering Ben's ear off about makeovers Blueberry had given some of the girls who were sitting out on the quad. Mal had to give the blue haired girl credit where it was due—she was good at the whole fashion thing.

"She did it with Jane too and Fairy Godmother's not happy about it," Audrey said.

"What's the harm?" Ben asked and unless Mal was mistaken, he sounded amused by the whole thing. "Evie's not hurting anyone and it's clear the other girls like the makeovers."

"Oh Bennyboo, don't you see? It's a slippery spiral! First it's the outfits, then it's the hair. Next thing you know it's the lips and the legs and then everybody looks good and then...where will I be?"

Mal ducked her head behind her locker so Sleeping Brat wouldn't hear her snort of amusement. Of course that would be what Audrey took issue with. Not the fact that it was Blueberry doing the makeovers but that other girls looked as good or better than Audrey.

"Listen, Audrey—" Ben started and Mal stilled. Is the cookie not going to be needed? Is Ben actually going to use his spine and break it off with Sleeping Brat?

"I will see you at the game after my dress fitting for the coronation, okay?" Audrey said, cutting off whatever Ben was going to say.

"Okay," Ben sighed. As did Mal. As Audrey walked off, Mal grabbed the baggie that held one cookie. The rest were in a locked box under her bed to prevent anyone else from eating them and accidentally getting spelled themselves. They would be disposed of after Ben broke it off with Sleeping Brat and Mal gave him the antidote.

"Hey Bennyboo!" Mal teased as she closed her locker. "You have pretty good posture for someone without a backbone."

Ben chuckled as he turned to face Mal. "Hey," he said, brightening up as he saw her and walked toward Mal.

"I just made a batch of cookies. Double chocolate chip, do you want one?" Mal asked, holding up the baggie, waving it in front of him as if to tempt him.

"Oh thanks Mal," Ben said. "But we've got the championship game later and I don't eat before a big game. Can I take it for after?"

"Doesn't the team go out for 'victory pizza' after winning a game? That's what Jay told me and something tells me that's definitely the case for if you win the championship. You won't want the cookie then."

"Oh right," Ben nodded. "But I mean, we may not win. No win equals no pizza. So I'll need something to cheer me up. I'll tell you what, if we do win I'll only eat two slices of pizza so I'll still be hungry for the cookie. Deal?"

"I mean...they are fresh from the oven," Mal told him, biting her lip. "But I guess you're being smart, not to trust us I mean. Don't eat treats offered by kids from the Isle after all. I'm sure everyone's saying it."

"No, no, no! Mal, it's not that—"

"No, no, like I said, you're being smart," Mal reassured him before sighing. "Oh well, more for me."

Before she could pretend to go for the cookie, Ben snatched the bag out of her hands. "See, totally trust you," he said as he bit into the cookie.

Mal couldn't help but smile slightly at that. She didn't know why but hearing Ben say he trusted her...Gods Ben was going to hate her when he found out she spelled him. Plus her parents were going to ground her until they figured out a way to kill a God if they ever found out about this.