"Okay, so you can pick the story tonight, just look through the collection of fairy tales and I'm going to see if Mal and Evie want to join us for at least one," I told Carlos handing him my book as he completely calmed down from his little emotional breakdown. He was to the point that you couldn't even tell that he was just crying. "I'll be right back," I told him as Audrey still hadn't returned from god knows where.
I left my room walking down the hallway and as I was walking I saw Jay walking in the other direction. The both of us made eye contact as he quicken his pace and I was about to turn the corner to avoid him. "Rider wait," he called out and I turned the bend. He grabbed onto my arm gently as I stopped, turning around to face him.
"Jay please, just please leave me alone. You already ruined my day enough," I complained practically whining to him as he held onto my arm.
"Look, I just want to talk. Give me five minutes of your time and then you'll never have to speak to ever again, if you choose so," he stated letting go of my arm and I just crossed my arms waiting for his pathetic excuses to come rolling in.
"Go ahead," I sighed leaning against the wall as I rolled my eyes. What could he possibly say to me, to make me feel sorry for him? Nothing, that's what.
"Ria, what can I say, I was a huge ass to you. There's no denying that. I'm not going to explain why I did what I did with some sappy love crap. Honestly, I thought you were really hot and Mal gave me an opportunity and I took it. A real jerk of a move, I know. I'm villain as you said. I'm sorry for what I did and I just didn't realize what effects that it had on you to after. I'm not going to cry to you about how sorry I am either. I'm genuinely sorry and I want you to know that. Whatever Mal and Evie told you about me at lunch was crap. Why do they need to know I'm sorry? Only you deserve to know that," he rambled and I was really wanted this whole incident to be behind me. "I screwed up, I've screwed up all my life. You're just the first person that's actually made me regret something and that meant something. Wow, that was really sappy. Look Ria, stay mad at me, I don't care but for some odd reason, I feel better for getting that out there. So there it is, bye," he said about to walked off as my inner thought were fighting with each other.
Don't do it Ria, he literally made you insane with those cookies. Come on Ria, like you said, you give people second chances. Ria, I swear to god if you forgive that thief. Ria you know you have to be the bigger person, that's who you are. Don't! Yes! No!
God, I thought was brain was going to exploded. I had to do something and fast. "Jay! Wait," I called out making my decision final. Please don't make me regret this. He turned around with a look of innocence on his face, not a smirk like I expect from him. He wasn't expecting this, slowly my choice was becoming the right one.
"Okay listen up, I'm not going to apologize to you for anything I did to you. You're just lucky I didn't smack you with a frying pan like Evie told me I should. You need to get that you're not Flynn Rider and I'm definitely not Rapunzel through your head. Also, I'm most likely never going to date you, at least not now, so please quit with the non stop flirting. If you don't, I will smack you with the frying pan. I don't need stolen gifts, so I'm instructing you to return my necklace to its rightful owner. If you think I'm being bossy or rude right now, it's because I'm mad and it's going to take more than a simple apology to make it up to me," I told him as he nodded.
"I forgave Carlos and I want to forgive you too, don't make me regret it. Let's just forget this whole thing ever happened. Start fresh, as friends, sound good?" I asked him and he nodded again. "Okay, now give me a hug," I told him as I pulled him in for a hug and I knew that was something all of them needed.
Knowing how badly Carlos broke down, I could only imagine how the others felt. The pressure to be nothing but bad and be unloved. That really had to hurt and I don't think I'd be able to live like that without having a meltdown breakdown every day.
"Do you think you can try and stop with your thieving too? You don't have to be who you were back on the island. I mean, do you really need that ring?" I asked looking down at his hand as I stepped back from the hug.
"I mean, I guess I don't but look how cool it looks," he showed me and I sighed. "I don't need it.." he stated and I gave him a pat on the back.
"Good, you're already making progress. You can just head to my room to pick up the necklace. It's out on the dresser. Carlos is in there so he'll open up the door for you. I'm still mad at you though so don't go screwing up and making me regret all this," I told him and he gave me a nod before walking off in the other direction while I headed to Mal and Evie's room.
As I was approaching their room, Ben was standing in the doorway saying his goodbyes as he closed the door behind him. He just let out a deep breath as he smiled. His hair was all soaked so I was guessing the spell wore off of him. "There's my Benny Boo," I remarked walking over to him.
"Maria, I can't believe that I did everything I did under the potion. Geez, I'm sure glad I did though," he sighed sounding deep in love.
"I'm taking the date went well then?" I asked and he nodded.
"Yes, I'll have to tell you all about it later. I've got to get going though, see you," he said walking off as I knocked on the girls' door.
"Hey, it's Ria!" I greeted them as Evie opened the door with a big grin on her face. "I was just wondering if you guys were up for another fairy tale. Don't worry, I'm still working on the one about a villain's ending. I'm writing about you, Evie and I don't feel bad because Ben was just out there smiling, looking like a little love sick puppy, Mal," I told her and she just laughed.
"He went in the enchanted lake and he told me how he wanted to take the love potion. Can you believe it? My plan is coming along greatly and I barely have to try," she remarked realizing that I had no clue what she had planned.
"Hey, still not going to pry. Good life, that's all I want if you're plan works," I told her as Mal became very timid. She realized she screwed up and almost blew her cover. If Ben really liked her, there was no way that she was really evil like her mother. I didn't see evil when I looked at her. Moody and standoffish? Yes. But evil mastermind? Not even close.
"Thanks and since you're so cool about all this, of course we'll join you," Mal responded with a smile as we started heading back to my room. I told them quickly about Jay and Evie just gasped.
"At least tell me that you knock some sense into him, he really needs it," she stated and I shook my head.
"I guess I knocked some sense into him but it wasn't the way you were talking about. You guys deserve second chances because some people don't even give you a first chance. I can't understand why though, like for instance Mal, you can use magic. That's amazing, you seriously have to teach me or something. I'm not asking for new hair or anything because I actually really love my hair, that's extremely not of import right now but can you teach me?" I asked as we were approaching my room.
"Sure, I can teach you, another time though," she shrugged and I jumped up in glee.
"Thank you Mal," I responded by hugging her as she was tense.
"Haha, that's enough with the touching," she stated pushing me off of her. One day she'll learn to open up her heart and accept my hugs. I opened the door and Carlos had Dude in his lap once I returned. I was gone for no longer than ten minutes and he managed to find Dude, that's actually really cute.
"I pick the story. Also Jay came by to take the necklace back like you told him too, are you guys okay now?" He asked rubbing his eyes, probably thinking you could tell the he cried recently but you couldn't.
"As good as you can be with a person like Jay and what he did, so yes. We're fine for now at least," I responded sitting on my bed and I told Mal and Evie they could take Audrey's bed since she still wasn't back. I wasn't worried but she doesn't usually leave the room for this long unless she's out on a date with Ben but that wasn't happening anymore. "What story did you pick?" I asked him as he pointed to the book with the page already opened.
"Rapunzel, great. Carlos, I told you this sucks," I sighed.
"I want to compare, come on. That way when your father tells the story on Sunday it will be like ten times more impressive, please?" He asked giving me puppy dog eyes and there was no way that I could said no to that.
"Alright, you guys okay with that?" I asked and they gave me a nod as I started to read.
"There were once a man and a woman who had long in vain wished for a child," I read as Carlos and I getting in the same position as the nights before. The ending was extremely dull and I couldn't wait for Carlos to hear my father talk about falling in love with mother.
"You're right, that was kind of boring," Mal stated as she started walking around my room looking at me stuff. Currently, she was looking through my drawing right now it was Carlos and Evie that I had in progress. "What am I not pretty enough for a drawing?" Mal asked offended I hadn't asked her yet.
"Wait, you're drawing a picture of me. That's so sweet," Carlos remarked and I realized I didn't tell him about it.
"Mal, I can draw you next if you want. I was going to ask you once I finished Evie's," I told her and she just laughed.
"Ria chill, I was just kidding. These are really good though, you might even be better than me. I'd love it if you drew me though," she told me placing my drawings back as I closed the book sitting up a bit.
"Hey Ria, can you tell us a story about something other than a fairy tale?" Mal asked and I didn't understand what she meant.
"Like what?" I asked with the tilt of the head. I really wasn't a master of creating stories off the top of my head.
"Love is overrated, I want to hear your story with Ben. Carlos was telling me that you two dated and it didn't end too well," Mal said sitting back on Audrey's bed.
"Oh my god, that story is so embarrassing. I will, it's a long story though. You have to tell me about your day with Ben first and then I'll start," I told her and she just groaned.
"Fine, he asked me out on date shortly after the game and then Evie helped me get ready. He drove me on a motor scooter to the place you four went today. It was so beautiful there," she swooned as she told me the rest of her story from the strawberries to their talk after the spell broke. It sounded like she was in love and it was beautiful. "Okay enough about me, you talk now," she demanded as Carlos was resting on my chest snuggled up against me.
"I've got to clarify some things first before I start. Carlos, I don't have feelings for Ben so don't take offense to anything I say please. You're the only adorable little cutie in my life," I told him giving his nose a tap and he beamed back at me. "Another thing we were both young and dumb, we didn't know a thing about love and we practically forced ourselves to work out. We're great friends now so don't get jealous Mal. There's nothing between us," I told her and she groaned again.
"We get it, you don't love him and he doesn't love you. Neither of us are going to be jealous of your past relationship, come on already."
"Fine, so begins the story of Ria Rider and Benny Boo," I said taking a deep breath as I began. "Once upon a time, nevermind. Even I can't be that cliche. Anyways.." I began to tell the story and boy it was a long one.