"Carlos is going to love you in this!" Evie cheered as pure joy lit up her face once I finished getting ready for the cotillion. I relied so much on Evie for fashion tips since she got here and I thank god everyday for her existence. She's pure of heart, ambitious, and beyond helpful to make girls look their best. "But more importantly how do you feel in it?" She questioned as I looked in the mirror checking out all the angles. The dress was of course styled after my mother's iconic dress which is adorable.
"I feel amazing Evie, thank you so much," I told her giving her a hug as she jutted out her hips so she wouldn't end up pressing up against my dress and risk messing it up in anyway. "How much do I owe you?" I asked as she laughed.
"Ria, are you serious? I let you come to the Isle, this is the least I can do to make up for that mess plus you're my friend. Consider it a gift. Now get going, you don't want to keep Carlos waiting," she stated giving me a slight push outside the door.
With that, I made my way to Carlos's dorm as I felt like an actual pretty princess walking down the halls. It was stupid but it felt so good to be home and in my element as superficial as it may actually be. As I approached their room Jay was exiting as he had a wide grin on his face. He was looking sharp in his leather suit and a man bun always looked amazing on him.
"I'm guessing Lonnie said yes?" I asked nudging Jay before he could walk away.
"Of course she said yes, I am me after all. You look beautiful by the way," he responded being genuine in his compliment and not flirtatious in any way. It's weird hearing Jay say stuff like that but I appreciate it because he's a gentleman to me especially.
"Thank you and you look for handsome. Lonnie is a lucky girl," I told him giving a pat on the shoulder before entering their room.
Carlos was in the mirror fixing up his hair and he didn't notice that I entered yet. I looked to Dude who did see me and motioned to him to keep quiet with a shushing motion. I crept over to his bed taking a seat as I just watched him look at himself in the mirror taking a deep breath.
"I got this. I've just have to show Ria that Harry is nothing compared to me. Oh who am I kidding?" He sighed to himself and it broke my heart to hear.
"Excuse me Prince Charming, you're a thousand times better than some silly pirate," I spoke up as Carlos jumped turning towards me.
"When did you get here?" He questioned as he walked over to me. "Also Prince Charming might not be the best analogy considering that Chad was rolling on the floor earlier today in here," Carlos remarked.
"True and I just got here. You look amazing by way, my very own prince," I stated standing up and wrapping my arms around him.
"You look stunning as always Ria, you have always been my princess," he responded hugging me and holding me close. He always thought of me as royalty from the moment he laid his eyes on me. He greeted me as princess even though I'm not. Now he views me as his own princess. I couldn't ask for anything more.
"Are you ready to go?" I asked and he nodded, taking his hand in mine as we were on our way to cotillion. It's gonna be a night to remember. Hopefully it will be a good memory but at least I know this memory is my own and Carlos will share it with me. Harry can't ever say that.
~~~
Once at cotillon, Carlos and I danced together along with all our friends. Everyone looked amazing in their dresses and suits. Evie did a perfect job on each and every one that she made. She's bound to be rich by the end of her senior year if she keeps this up for the rest of the dances we have annually. Evie and Doug, Lonnie and Jay, Carlos and I, love was everywhere and it was beautiful. The only people we were missing were Mal and Ben who had to basically put on a show for everyone else at the cotillion by making a special appearance.
Speaking of dates though, my cousin Kasper actually scored himself a one. He decided to give up on Chad because Charming is the straightest boy to exist and he instead decided take a friend for a date. He asked Jane since she didn't have someone to take and he wanted her to have a fun time since she worked so hard on planning everything. There is nothing romantic to come from that though. Kasper is way too into guys for that to happen. If our other cousin Erika were to take Jane well that would have been a different story.
The last song finished up as we saw everyone taking their places for the ceremony aspect of cotillion to begin. Everyone got quiet as the six of us stood next to each other waiting for Ben and Mal to come out. The trumpets were blown as Lumiere was about to introduce them from the top of the steps.
"The future Lady Mal," he announced as Mal walked out she looked absolutely terrified but beautiful.
"Whoo!" Evie cheered and started clapping which caused a roar of applause from everyone else. That was her best friend up there and Evie is honestly the best and most supportive friend anyone could ask for. Evie went to grab Mal and walk her back to us as we waited for Ben to be announced.
"King Benjamin," he announced as Ben appeared and stood at the top of the steps.
"That's my boy!" I shouted clapping. Ben was Mal and I was Evie, best friends that wanted nothing but the best for each other. God, I love him so much.
Mal and Ben approached each other bowing towards each other as Ben had a weird look on his face for this occasion. You'd think he'd be overjoyed to be with Mal and celebrating this moment. Something doesn't feel right and Carlos could tell I thought something was wrong.
"Mal, I wish I had time to explain," Ben simply stated as Uma walked out by the stairs. What in the world is going on? Please, please don't let Harry be on Auradon as well. I don't know what I'd do if I saw him and I don't trust myself and my emotions that I'd want to find out. Ben walked up towards Uma taking her hand and that's when I knew things didn't add up. This is a load of crap.
"Did Ben tell you about this?" Carlos asked shocked taking a hold of my hand as I shook my head. Once they reached the bottom of the steps, Ben kissed Uma's hand and I noticed his ring on her hand. Ben would never do that. When we dated it took him more than a month for him to offer for me to wear his ring. I smell a spell.
"I'm sorry. It all happened so fast," Ben told Mal as I saw from the side her facial expressions and her heart was breaking. I felt like I was going to be sick seeing Mal like that. It hurt me more than anything. "Something happen to me when I was on the Isle with Uma; a connection."
"What are you saying?" Mal asked.
"I'm saying..." Ben started to say.
"It was love. It was. I just -- I realized how alike Ben and I are, you know?" Uma answered her as I was rolling my eyes.
"We are," Ben responded.
"I know," Uma laughed as I looked to Carlos who was absolutely disgusted.
"You are so beautiful," Ben told Uma as Mal was standing there in shock.
"Ben... Ben. Did you go back for her?" Mal questioned as I needed to intervene but Carlos held me back.
"Don't, I don't want Uma saying anything to you. That's the last thing we need," he whispered to me and he was right. One comment about Harry might put me over the edge.
"He didn't have to. I dove through the barrier before it closed, and I'm an excellent swimmer. Ria, Harry would have came along if he could have made it here by swimming, but since he couldn't he wanted me to give this to you. He said you'd know what he meant by it," Uma stated turning to me as she pulled out his hook from her bag and placed it in my hands.
"Uma take this back, now. I... I don't want it," I responded as my hands shook trying to give it back to her nearly breaking down as Carlos knocked the hook out of my hand. Harry gave this to show me how much he cared about me. He loved me and I knew he wouldn't give this hook up for a second for anyone if he didn't. Carlos pulled me away from the whole crowd as Uma was talking with Mal.
"Hey, Ria look at me. You're okay. He's messing with you. It doesn't mean anything," Carlos told me placing his hands on the sides of my face.
"But you don't know him like I do, he would never do that to someone he didn't care about. How could he be messing with me?" I questioned as Carlos looked beyond shocked from what I was saying. As this was happening, Uma and Ben started dancing together as everyone else was starting to leave.
"There's other hooks on the Isle. I bet you everything I have that he's got his actual hook gripped tight in his hand as he's laughing at the thought of you crumbling like this. You're freaking Ria Rider; are you going to let some dumb villain treat you like that?" He shouted at me as Jane was shouting at Lumiere to unveil the glass artwork Ben had made for Mal.
"Carlos I don't want to think this way anymore. I want to be with you. I know that deep down but I don't know how to stop him from invading my thoughts. I don't want him there. I wish I never even met him," I told him as Carlos wrapped his arms around me as I was on the brink of crying and ruining all my makeup that Evie helped me with.
"And now for the unveiling of King Ben's masterpiece, designed especially for his lady," Lumiere announced as everyone turned to the beauty that Ben made sure was perfect for Mal. It captured her for the way she was, a girl from the Isle, not a fake prissy princess. It was beautiful and if this wasn't a love spell with Uma I would literally have to murder Ben for that decision.
"True love's kiss," I mumbled to myself as Carlos looked to me.
"What are you talking about?" Carlos questioned as I started making my way over to Mal and then rest of them as Carlos followed.
"Cover that back up!" Uma shouted and that's when I knew there was no possible way Ben would have fallen in love with her.
"I will not!" Lumiere snapped back.
"Um, why don't you tell everyone the present you have for me, Ben?" Uma told him as I reached Mal.
"Love spell. Definite love spell, trust me I'd know," I told Mal placing my hand on her.
"I have an announcement to make!" Ben stated as everyone turned to him. "Uma will be joining the court tonight as my lady."
"Son..." Adam started to say.
"Not now dad!" Ben screamed actual anger in his voice as it broke my heart to hear him like that. He's never snapped like that.
"How do I fix it?" Mal asked me as I shot her a look.
"You know how."
"Uh, so as my gift to her, I'm bringing down the barrier once and for all," he declared as everyone gasped and I was just waiting for Mal to intervene in this whole situation. "Fairy Godmother, bring down the barrier."
"I most certainly will not," she stated.
"I am your King," Ben responded shouting a bit before.
"Obey him!" Uma interjected.
"Mal, here's a hint. True love kiss breaks every spell, go," I whispered to her as she nodded and started making her way towards Ben.
"Ben. Ben, look at me," Mal interrupted them as I held Carlos's hand praying that it worked. It had to.
"No, look at me. You love me remember?" Uma told him as Mal surprisingly didn't get angry at her, she was only focused on Ben.
"No you don't," she simply responded.
"Yes, you do," Uma tried to tell him before shouting at Fairy Godmother. "Bring down the barrier now!"
"I do not take orders from you!" Fairy Godmother snapped back and did I mention how perfect she is?
"Ben I never told you that I loved you because I thought that I wasn't good enough for and I thought that it was only a matter of time before you'd realize that yourself. But Ben, that's me! I'm part Isle and part Auradon," Mal motioned to the picture behind Ben as Ben turned to see himself.
"Ben, eyes over here."
"And Ben you always known who we were and who we can be."
"Don't listen to her." Uma has to give this up. Ben looked terribly confused but there's no way he wouldn't realize how he felt about Mal.
"I know what love feels like now. Ben, of course I love you. Ben, I'd always loved you," Mal told him before kissing him and the whole crowd "awed" including me. They are so beautiful together. If only I was able to love Carlos as much and as fully as Mal did Ben. Stupid spells and voodoo. God, I hate Harry. Wait a second. I hate Harry. This is progress. This is good.
"Mal..." Ben said and you could see him falling for Mal even harder. Now I am officially over magic, first Carlos and Jay with the love potion, the whole Harry incident, and now Uma.
"Give it to me!" Um snapped reaching for Fairy Godmother's wand as she pulled the wand back from Uma.
"No! Guards seize her!" Fairy Godmother shouted as I grabbed onto Carlos's hand. I was beyond terrified of what Uma was planning and knowing her she wouldn't give up that easily. Once she failed at grabbing the wand, she ran to the edge of the boat and was ready to jump overboard.
"Stop!" Mal yelled standing in front of everyone as she went to talk to Uma. "Uma, I know you. You are so much more than just a villain and you have to believe me because I've been there. Do not let your pride get in the way of something that you really want," Mal tried to tell her as Uma's mother's necklace started glowing and she jumped into the water below. "No! Uma!"
By the time I rushed over to the edge with Carlos, Uma was transforming into a her octopus humanoid form. I knew that she could do it, she was Ursula's daughter after all but there wasn't a single memory of me on the Isle actually seeing her transform. Once she was fully transformed she soaked the boat getting everyone drenched in water.
"True love's kiss won't defeat this," Uma stated with a smile on her face as she treaded in the water. "The world will know my name!" With that she began whipping her tentacles at the boat as Carlos wrapped his arms around me pulling me back out of harm's way. I looked over to everyone else and noticed that Mal was off by herself, eyes glowing green as she started fuming with rage.
"Mal..." Ben called out as all of us were concerned for her. Before we could reach her, a purple cloud of smoke swarmed her and once it cleared we were faced to face with a dragon. Am I dreaming? Are you serious? Mal's a freaking dragon. This is the most amazing moment of my life. The dragon, I mean, Mal made her way towards Uma breathing fire at her. Is it weird that this is the most attractive I've ever been to Mal? I know it's not the right time to say that but I just had to say it. Ben had to be going nuts seeing this. All the times he's called her a dragon jokingly like he did with me being a fairy, he had to be loving this.
"Come on Mal, let's finish this once and for all!" Uma shouted at her as the two of them began fighting. Their fighting caused the boat to rock back and forth and cause a ton of water to be splashed on deck. Ben wasn't having any of this as he roared in rage. What in the world is he about to do? He handed me his crown and Jay took off his jacket as he started running towards the railing of the ship.
"No! Ben wait!" Carlos shouted at him.
"What the hell are you doing?" I screamed at him as I ran over to the railing but Carlos held me back. He thought I'd jump in and honestly he wasn't irrational for thinking that. I'd do anything to protect Ben. That's why I went to the Isle in the first place. "Ben!"
"Mal! Uma! Stop! Back down!" Ben yelled at them as soon as he came above water as Uma just laughed at him.
"What are you gonna do, Ben? Splash me?"
"That's enough. It's got to stop! This isn't the answer," Ben responded. "The fighting has got to stop! Nobody wins this way. We have to listen and respect each other. It won't be easy but let's be brave enough to try. Uma, I know want what is best for the Isle. Help me make a difference," Ben offered as Uma just remained silent. A few moments later she reached out her tentacle to him and gave Ben his ring back. After that she swam off without saying another word. Ben did it. I don't know how but he managed to break up a fight between a giant octopus and dragon.
Jay and Carlos let down the ladder for Ben to climb up as he swam over the side of the boat. As soon as he made it up back up to us and had his feet on the ground I wrapped my arms around him and held him tightly.
"Don't do that to me again, you had me terrified," I told him letting go of him so glad he didn't get hurt as I handed him back his crown. Once he had his crown back on his head, Mal came soaring over landing down safely as she transformed back to her old self but now with a beautiful purple dragon inspired dress. She looked absolutely fabulous. Okay, maybe all magic isn't bad.
Seeing the way Ben and Mal looked at each from afar melted my heart. They are absolutely beautiful and perfect. Once Evie brought Mal to Ben, he immediately grabbed her and pulled her in for a kiss as they were both smiling like a bunch of idiots.
"I owe you guys so much," Ben stated as we all teased him with "you sure do" and "you got that right." "If there is anything that you need, or anything that I can for you..."
"Um, actually there is, Ben," Evie spoke up. "I know a girl who'd really love to come to Auradon. It's Drizella's daughter Dizzy. She's like a little sister to me."
"Then she should come," Ben told her as her face lit up. Dizzy from what Isle Ria remembers was an absolute sweetheart and didn't deserve to be on that Isle at all.
"Okay great! Actually... Ben there's a lot of kids who would really love it here in Auradon. Kids just like us, who also deserve a second chance. Can I maybe get you a list?" Evie questioned.
"Yes, yes absolutely. Please," Ben stated and Evie's smile on her face made it that much better that Ben was going to fulfill his proclamation and it will be for the better.
"M'lady Mal, we found your spell book below deck. Uma had it," one of the guards came in to tell Mal handed her the book which made sense on the love spell.
"You know this seems like the kind of the thing that belongs in the hands of Fairy Godmother. Fairy Godmother?" Mal called out as Fairy Godmother appeared behind Ben.
"That's me! Thank you."
"This belongs in the museum."
"It does yes and I'm going to take it," she said practically darting off with it.
"Go for it, I'm not going to be needing it anymore," Mal told Ben specifically as they both smiled at each other and Mal, the cheeky thing she is, splashed him with the water on the ground. Ben did the same thing back before he moved forward to wrap his arms around her waist and she tilted his crown as the crowd cheered.
"Well it looks like everything is back to the way it used to be. I like it this way. I like having my special kind of prince by my side," I told Carlos as music started to play again as everyone grouped off together. I kissed him pulling him in close as I heard Ben cheering behind the two of us. He's such a dork.
"What about Harry?" He asked me and for once I wasn't upset at the mention of his name. I knew Carlos knew I will be able to get over him and I did too. I am a Fitzherbert, I am strong. It may take time but in this moment Carlos was the only thing in the world that mattered.
"Who? Carlos, I rather be with you and only you," I told him with a smile, kissing him once more. Yeah, I'll definitely be able to get over that stupid pirate. At last I see the light and I have Carlos De Vil to thank for that. Carlos is my new dream and I'm his.