Choosing Home

Chapter Twenty One

It had been a week since their fight. A week since Mal had entered Ben's office and now she stood outside his door, Estelle by her side; about to enter to say the three words that were burning her tongue yet she knew she had to say them.

She was wrong. She'd put too much pressure on Ben and it wasn't fair to him, especially since he was right. Eric had offered the chance for other suggestions for punishment and she'd kept mum.

Of course, it hadn't really been obvious to her at the time. It'd taken a group effort to get through the brick wall that was her fury and annoyance.

"Ouch!"

"Seriously? You could have gone to the nurse or even called Apollo down here!" Uma told Mal as she wrapped up her arm. "This tough act thing isn't because you're upset that Ben called you 'Audrey' are you?"

"Of course I'm upset!"

"You were acting like her," Akiho's voice called out and both Godlings whipped their head toward the door to see both of Ben's shadows standing there.

"What do you mean? You weren't even there!"

"Lonnie texted us, told us what happened," Emir said as they walked in. "You went full steam ahead on Ben, Mal. Think about where he's coming from. As much as we despise the Banshee, she was one of Ben's oldest friends and he just watched her get sentenced to the Isle. Now his fiancee is berating him for something he knows he can't change, seemingly not listening to him, and insulting his family?"

"...the Le Be—."

"I. Don't. Care. You didn't have to say Ben didn't care about the Isle kids Mal," Emir stated, crossing his arms.

"You do know Freddy tried to kill me right?"

"He also tried to kill Ben and yet Ben gave him mercy. Because that's what Auradon does."

Akiho sighed and sat down next to Mal. "Mal, I get it. I'd be peeved too if Elle called me by the name of her toxic ex while we were fighting. But you know what my grandparents once told me?"

"That they're rocks and your father should really look into whether or not he was kidnapped as a child?"

"Strangely enough no," Akiho said as Emir snorted in slight amusement. "They taught me that people make bad choices when they're mad or scared or stressed. And I get that saying that Ben was like his father probably came from a place of hurt and exhaustion but Ben's...keeping all that hope in him is not an easy task."

Mal sighed. "He called me Audrey, Akiho. He compared me to the girl who was prepared to marry him solely for his crown. The girl who didn't care about his health, the girl who dragged him on weekly shopping dates even though I'm sure she had more clothes than she knew what to do with."

"If I may?"

The four teens whipped their heads toward the door once more to see Persephone standing in the doorway.

"Mom? What are you doing here?" Mal asked.

"Eileithyia reached out, said that you were injured," Persephone said. "She also said that there seemed to be a bit of tension in the room when she arrived. Emir, Uma, Akiho. Do you mind if I have a word with my daughter?"

"Not at all your Ladyship," Akiho said. "I'll go check on Elle."

"And I'll go check on Emma," Emir nodded.