Descendants Junior Novel (8 page)

Evie put her hands on her hips and looked away.

Ben grabbed the microphone back. “Mal!” he said. “Will you go to the coronation with me?”

“Yes!” Mal said into the microphone with a huge smile.

“She said yes!” Ben announced.

People in the stands cheered.

Audrey huffed, and she and Chad stormed off.

Jay appeared beside Ben. “Come on, man. Whole team’s waiting for you!”

“Bye,” said Mal.

Ben and Jay ran down to the field.

Mal squealed to herself and checked out Ben’s jersey in her hands. She bit her lips and shrugged. She looked at Evie and saw that her best friend looked awfully upset.

“I feel
really
sorry for Audrey,” said Mal.

Evie looked surprised. “You do?”

“Yeah. I feel like if she were talented like you, and she knew how to sew and do triple flips, then she wouldn’t need a prince to make her feel better about herself.”

Evie chuckled softly and smiled. “I guess I am kind of gifted,” she said.

“Kind of,” said Mal, smiling.

Evie laughed and beamed at Mal. “Thanks, M,” she said.

Below, the players on the field whooped. Mal and Evie waved at them as Jay held the trophy over his head and his teammates lifted him up on their shoulders.

M
AYBE THE WHOLE LOVE SPELL THING WASN’T SUCH A BAD IDEA AFTER ALL….

In chemistry, Evie and her classmates were taking a tough multipage test.

Chad tried to cheat off another student, who blocked his view. Evie frowned at a hard problem. She gave up and reached for the mirror in her purse.

But it wasn’t there.

“Looking for something?” asked Mr. Delay, holding up her mirror.

Evie gasped, speechless.

“Thank you, Chad,” said Mr. Delay, resting a hand on his shoulder. “It’s gratifying to see someone still respects the honor code.”

Chad looked at her smugly.

Evie glared at him.

Mr. Delay rounded on Evie. “It will be my recommendation that you are expelled,” he said.

Doug stood beside her in protest. “That isn’t fair!” he said. “Obviously she wasn’t cheating, since she didn’t have that…whatever it is.”

“It’s called a magic mirror—” said Evie.

“Not helping,” Doug whispered to her.

“Okay, sorry,” said Evie, bowing her head.

“Maybe she needed another pencil,” he told the teacher.

“Actually, I was—” Evie started.

“Really,” Doug told Evie. “Don’t help.” He turned to the teacher. “Please.”

“Please,” said Evie, looking up at Mr. Delay.

“Well, if you can pass this test, I’ll return your property and let the matter drop,” said Mr. Delay.

Evie smiled and Doug sighed.

Chad smiled meanly at her.

She smiled right back at him.

A little while later, Evie ran up to Doug, who was at a picnic table outside doing his homework and eating lunch. She placed her blue Auradon Prep examination booklet in front
of him. There was a red “B+” at the top of the booklet.

“For the first time, it’s like I’m more than just a pretty face,” Evie said.

Doug laughed. “Shocker, huh?” he said with a warm smile.

Evie took a seat beside him. “You were pretty great in there,” she said.

Doug grinned dopily. “So were you.”

Evie beamed. “I bet I can get an A on the next test without the mirror,” she said.

“Maybe we can get together and hang out,” said Doug.

“Yeah,” said Evie, blushing. “Let’s get together!”

Mal appeared beside them. “There you are!” she said. “I have been looking for you literally everywhere.” She slammed her hands down on the picnic table.

“What’s wrong?” asked Evie.

“Ben just asked me out on”—Mal huffed—“a
date
!”

Evie and Doug chuckled.

“We can handle this,” Evie told her with a devious smile. She looked at Doug. “Bye!” she told him. She stood up and turned to Mal. “You’re looking a little
pale, but I can fix that with a lip gloss and some blush—”

“No, no, no…” said Mal as the girls headed back to their dorm.

Before Mal knew it, she was seated on her bed in the dorm room as Evie applied blush to her cheeks, making them rosy. She was dressed for her date in a terrific mix of punk and
princess, with a scarf, dress, and leather jacket.

“Okay! Easy on the blush!” said Mal. “I don’t want to scare him away.” She looked thoughtful and smiled. “Not that I could,” she added.

“Please,” said Evie. “Mom taught me how to apply blush before I could talk.” She carefully finished applying the color. “Always use upward strokes.”

“My mom was never really big on makeup tips,” said Mal. “I never had a sister.”

“Well, now you do,” said Evie, dabbing red lipstick on Mal’s lips. “We’re gonna need all the family we can get if we don’t pull this off. My mother’s
not a barrel of laughs when she doesn’t get her way.” Evie rolled her eyes. “Just ask Snow White.”

“Are you afraid of her?” asked Mal.

“Sometimes,” said Evie. “Are you afraid of your mom?”

“I just really want her to be proud of me,” said Mal. “She gets so angry with me when I disappoint her. And, yeah, she’s my mom, so I know she loves me…in her own
way.”

Evie took her hand and smiled. “Moving on,” she said. “Come see.”

“Are we done?” asked Mal.

“Yeah,” said Evie as she led Mal to the mirror.

Mal looked at herself and laughed.

Evie hugged her. “I know,” said Evie.

“I look…” said Mal.

“Say it,” said Evie.

“Not hideous,” said Mal.

“Not even close,” said Evie, shaking her head and beaming.

Mal giggled and broke into a radiant smile.

Just then, there was a knock at the door.

M
Y DATE WITH BEN IS ABOUT TO BEGIN.

IS IT WEIRD THAT I’M KIND OF EXTREMELY LOOKING FORWARD TO IT? SHHH!

When Mal opened the door, she looked into the face of Ben.

He wore his letter jacket and carried two helmets. “For the first time, I understand the difference between pretty and beautiful,” he said.

Mal’s face broke into a smile.

“I hope you like bikes,” he said to Mal, offering her a helmet. Mal took the helmet and shot Evie a look as she stepped out.

Evie grinned and closed the door.

Mal walked with Ben down the hall and outside the school, where Ben’s Vespa was waiting for them. She and Ben hopped onto it and sped off, cruising down a paved road. Mal, grinning ear to
ear, held on to Ben’s chest as they rode through the beautiful countryside. Sunlight dappled ferns and trees, and birds chirped.

Before Mal knew it, they were slowing through a grove of tall trees. Ben parked the Vespa and kicked the stand down. He helped Mal off it and began leading her through the forest and onto a
suspension bridge high above a rushing stream.

“Tell me something about yourself that you’ve never told anyone,” Ben said.

“Um…my middle name is…Bertha,” said Mal.

“Bertha?” Ben asked.

“Yeah,” said Mal.

“Bertha,” said Ben.

“Just my mom doing what she does best,” said Mal. “Being really,
really
evil.”

Ben laughed.

“Mal Bertha,” said Mal.

“Mine’s Florian,” said Ben.

“Florian? How princely,” said Mal. “Oh, that’s almost worse.” She laughed.

“I mean, you know, it’s better than Bertha, but it’s still not good,” said Ben.

They finished crossing the bridge.

Ben grinned at her. “Close your eyes,” he said.

Mal closed her eyes and allowed Ben to guide her down a forest path. He took her hands and pulled her gently this way and that, over logs and across puddles.

Finally, he stopped. “You ready?” he asked her.

Mal nodded.

“Open,” he said.

Mal opened her eyes.

Ben had brought her to the Enchanted Lake. It was all that and more: Mal looked upon a magical lake that was the color of jade. Into the lake jutted a stone platform with a few ancient pillars
wrapped in ivy with purple flowers. Mal gasped at the beauty of it. Ben smiled at her, and she smiled back.

They walked onto the platform, where a blue picnic blanket and a lavish array of food had been laid out for them, and they sat down.

Mal took a jelly doughnut and scarfed it down. She got powdered sugar on her face as she finished it.

“Is this your first time?” asked Ben.

“Mmm…We don’t really…date much on the island. It’s more like…gang activity,” said Mal. She licked the sugar off her fingers.

Ben laughed. “I meant is this your first time eating a jelly doughnut,” said Ben with a smile.

“Is it bad?” she asked.

“You’ve got a…” He leaned forward to brush the sugar from her lips.

“Gone?” Mal licked her lips. “Can’t take me anywhere, I guess,” she said.

Ben chuckled. “You know, I’ve done all the talking,” he said. “Your turn. I really don’t know that much about you.” He leaned close to her. “Tell me
something.”

“Well…” Mal let out a sigh. “I’m sixteen. I’m an only child. And I’ve only ever lived in one place.”

“Me too! We have so much in common already!” Ben said.

“No,” said Mal. She laughed. “Trust me. We do not.” Her smile faded. “And now you’re going to be king.”

Ben looked down.

“What?” asked Mal.

“A crown doesn’t make you a king,” said Ben.

Mal squinted. “Well, it kind of does.” She laughed.

Ben smiled. “Your mother is Mistress of Evil. I’ve got the poster parents for goodness,” said Ben. “But we’re not automatically like them. We get to choose who
we’re going to be. And right now, I can look into your eyes and I can tell you’re not evil. I can see.” He stared intently into Mal’s eyes. His gaze seemed to bore into her
soul.

Mal was afraid of what he might see in her eyes.

Ben looked at the lake. “Let’s go for a swim!” he said.

“What? Right now?” asked Mal.

Ben stood and held out his hand. “Come on. Yeah, right now.”

Mal glanced at the water. “I think I’m just gonna stay here,” she said.

“No, no, no, no. Come on,” said Ben. His hand reached for Mal.

“I think I’m gonna stay behind and try a strawberry.” Mal grabbed one from a bowl. “I’ve literally never tried a strawberry before.” She took a big bite.
“Mmmmm.”

Ben chuckled. “Don’t eat all of them,” he said.

“Okay,” said Mal, grabbing two more.

Ben walked away. Mal continued to chow down.

When Mal looked over her shoulder, she saw he’d climbed one of the large rocks surrounding the lake and perched near its top. He looked cute, even though his swim trunks had crowns on
them.

He waved at her.

Mal stood. “Are those little crowns on your shorts?” she called.

He looked down at his swim trunks. “Maybe,” he said, smiling. Then, with a beastly roar, Ben cannonballed off the rock and made a gigantic splash in the lake.

Mal’s face glowed. She had a million thoughts in her head; she couldn’t decide what was right and what was wrong anymore. She was having second thoughts about carrying through with
her mother’s plan…and she hated to admit it, but she had actually started to
like
Ben, and not just for pretend.…She found herself wondering if Ben would still be in
love with her once the magic ran out. If only she knew what her heart was telling her, she could find the way to who she was meant to be. Right then, she wasn’t sure anymore. Was she truly
destined for evil?

When Ben had looked into her eyes, had he really seen goodness?

Did she have a choice?

Mal realized Ben had not emerged from the lake. “Ben?” she said, scanning the surface. The water was smooth, with no trace of him. “Ben?
Ben?
” She jumped into
the lake and began walking into deeper water, looking for him. But the lake suddenly became too deep, and she thrashed around in a panic.

Ben appeared at her side and carried her back to their picnic area.

Mal sputtered and coughed. “You scared me!” she said, smacking his arm.

“You can’t swim?” Ben asked her.

“No!” said Mal.

“You live on an island!” he said.

“Yeah! With a barrier around it, remember?” she said. “Ugh!”