After taking a trip to Lady Tremaine's Curl Up & Dye hair salon and interacting with the familiar faces of Dizzy Tremaine and Harry Hook, Mal had gone back to the gang's old apartment/hang out to spray paint the walls in content...At least it was in content until Ben and Nevaeh went up to see her.
"At least I don't see myself painted with pitchforks and horns." Ben said, trying to be amusing, announcing his presence. Turning around in surprise, Mal's eyes widened as she saw Ben and Nevaeh standing in the middle of the room.
"W-what are you guys doing here?" Mal asked.
"Please come home, Mal." Ben replied,
"Ben, I am home." Mal shot back.
"I brought the limo. It's a sweet ride." He tried.
"I don't fit in, Ben. I gave it my best shot. And if you think that I can change, I think you're wrong." Mal frowned. That statement made Nevaeh confused.
"Are you serious? No one said you had to change, especially Raelynn." Nevaeh pointed out.
"Then I'll change. I'll skip school, have more fun. You know, I-I'll blow off some of my responsibilities." Ben confessed, the plea in his voice not sitting right in Nevaeh's already unease stomach.
"Ben, you don't have to do that." She said gently.
"No, no! See? I'm such a terrible influence. It's only a matter of time before I do something so up that not only does the turn on me, but they turn on you." Mal explained.
"You mean, like running away and having us come for you, thus putting all of us in danger because rather than go to therapy, you want to be an attention-seeker?" Nevaeh sassed, rolling her eyes and ignoring the glares Mal was shooting her way. Her gaze softens once again when they refocus on Ben.
"I have to take myself out of the picture because it's what's best for you, and it's what's best for Auradon." Mal admitted.
Mal, no, please." He begged.
"Ben...I can't do this. You need to go, Ben. Ben, go. Please leave." Mal urged, unshed tears in her eyes. Sighing, Ben turns to leave the room, looking to Nevaeh to see if she is coming.
"I'll be down in a second." She replied before watching him trudge down the stairs. Turning to look at Mal, Nevaeh became serious.
"What do you want?" Mal asked with a growl.
"I'm just trying to understand you. You're so lucky to have friends who like you, a girlfriend who doesn't care about your past or how you look or act, good food, access to technology...and yet you still return to this horrible place. Not once did anyone tell you how to act or dress, even more now that you are the royal advisor to the king." She explained before sighing.
Meanwhile, when Ben made his way back to the other vks, he held a frown on his face.
"Where's Mal?" Evie asked, not seeing her best friend behind the king.
"She's not back." Ben sighed, slowly making his way down the alley, bothered inside.
"What? I'll talk to her. M? Mal, it's Evie. Let me just talk to you for a second. Mal, come on." Evie said desperately.
"Go away!" Mal yelled on the device used to communicate to the others.
"Honestly, this was a waste of time." Nevaeh sighed before turning her back around, and exiting the room, ignoring the angry fae calling her a bitch.