(2) The Space Between (Evie/ (Fem) You)

-Chapter 10: Girl Talk-

I walk back to the others, smiling at Evie who offers a small smile back. Mal turns to me, frowning. "We need to talk." She says. "Yeah." I say as Evie and I begin walking to our dorm. "No." I hear from behind us. I turn, raising an eyebrow. "No?" Evie asks. "You guys are always going off in a huddle, whispering your girl talk stuff or whatever, and Jay and I are tired of it." Carlos says. "I'm not." Jay clarifies, holding his hands up. "We're your family too." Carlos says, frowning. "We've been through a lot together. We're not stopping that now, okay?" He asks before sitting. "Everyone, sit." He says. We glance at each other before doing as he says, sitting on the soft grass.

After a moment of silence, Carlos speaks. "I-I don't know how to start girl talk." he says. "What up?" Jay tries, making Mal laugh. "Uh, well....I'm a mess. I was a mess." She says, tearing up. "I mean, six months ago, I was, you know, stealing candy from babies, and now everyone wants me to be this Lady of the Court." She says before looking at me. "We're a mess." She corrects this time. I smile sadly, nodding as I look to the floor. "Y/N?" Carlos asks.

"I...I was going to leave with Mal." I admit to the boys, earning light gasps. "I was going to run away with Mal, back to the Isle, and....and ditch all my responsibilities." I say, looking them in the eye. "As a Queen, as a leader, as a friend....as a girlfriend." I say, stopping at Evie. "The pressures of being expected to lead a place like the Isle, to help the King of Auradon in bringing peace. Being expected to know what I'm doing, and succeed in doing it." I say, feeling my own eyes tear up. "It was too much. I wanted to go. Wanted to leave." I say. There is a moment of silence before Jay speaks. "Why doesn't Evie look surprised...or upset." He asks. "Because I know." She says.

Mal, Carlos and Jay look at her in shock. "She knows?" Mal asks, confused. "I...after you guys left before we met with Uma, I dropped my goodbye note onto the floor and Evie got it and read it." I explain. "And you don't care?" Carlos asks. Evie looks at me, tilting her head. "I do care. I feel hurt that Y/N hid this from me. Not share her feelings and fears with me.... But I also understand where it came from, and I care about Y/N more." She says, taking my hand. I smile, letting the tears fall as Evie reaches to wipe them away.

"I have no idea how to keep up the act." I say, earning a nod from Mal. "Then don't" Carlos says. Jay laughs, shaking his head. "Okay. See? This was dumb." He says, moving to stand. "Maybe it wasn't." Evie says, making Jay stop, look at her, and sit again. "We're always going to be the kids from the Isle." Evie says, making us nod. "I tried to forget it." Evie says sadly, running her thumb over my knuckles. "I really tried, but those are our roots." She says. "And we all did what we had to do to survive...but it made us who we are." She adds, looking at each one of us. "And we're never gonna be like anybody else here...and that's okay. That's okay....and we can't fake it."

"Yeah, I mean, especially without our spellbook." Mal says. "Wait, what?" I ask. Mal flushes, scratching the back of her neck. "I...uh, seemed to have dropped it on the Isle." She says. I groan, smacking my forehead. "Mal!" I say. "At least the barrier closed. Meaning magic can't be used." Mal adds, smiling awkwardly. She then sighs. "I can't fake being perfect anymore. Not for Auradon or Ben." She mumbles. "Mal, if Ben doesn't love the real you, then he's not the one." Carlos says, smiling. "Take Evie and Y/N. Y/N showed how she truly felt to Evie after lying to her. Instead of getting mad or angry, it showed Evie the true Y/N. Helps her understand her more and now..." He says, gesturing to how Evie cuddled up to me. "She is able to show Y/N she understands and cares for her even with the issues."

"I like that..." Mal says, smiling. "Give him a chance." I say, patting my sister's leg. Evie stands, smiling down at us. "I'm gonna make some changes to your dresses. If you're both up for it, only if you're up for it...it will be waiting for you. Okay?" She asks us. I nod as Mal speaks. "Alright."

Evie kisses my cheek then leaves and Carlos stands. "I've got to talk to Jane." He says, walking off and encouraging Dude to follow. Jay sighs, standing. "Come to Cotillion tonight, all right?" He tells us. He turns to Mal, a sad glint in his eye. "If Ben isn't smart enough to love you and you can't stand another day, I'll drive you back tomorrow myself." He says before looking at me. "Evie cares about you. You don't need to hide." He says. "You may be being crowned Queen...but none of that matters when you have us to support you." He says.

He stands, brushing his pants off before smiling. "Think about it." He says before leaving.

I lay on the grass, sighing as I rub my face. "She loves me. But to what extent? I will keep on breaking down and she'll get tired." I mumble. "She loves you for you, Y/N." Mal says, sighing. "I love Ben..." She starts. "I just hope he loves me...for me." She says. I stand, shaking myself. "I need to talk to Evie." I say. Mal nods, standing too. "I'll find Jane to finish planning the party." She says, smiling. We share a nod before walking off.

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I step into our dorm to see Evie finishing my dress. "Y/N!" She says, smiling. "Hey" I say. "I wanted to ask you something." I say. Evie stops, looking at me. "Yeah?" She asks. "I'm not going to name you at Cotillion." I say. Evie looks at me, shocked. "Wait, what? Why not?" She asks, confused. "I don't want you to need to feel all this pressure. All the stress that comes with being or being with a royal. I mean, look at Mal. I don't want you to need to deal with what she is. What we are." I say. Evie crosses her arms, frowning.

"That isn't your call to make, Y/N." She says. "I have a say in this too. It's my voice, my face you're hiding." She adds. "I know, but I think it'll be safer-" "No, Y/N! I'm ready. Ready to tell the world. Ready to shoulder the responsibility, ease it off you and help you." She says. "Y/N...." She says, stepping towards me and taking my hands. "Let me help you." She says. I glance at her eyes, admiring the dark colour before frowning. "I...." I trail, not having words. "You need someone to help you. Keep you above water. Rule side by side." She says, not knowing she had echoes Uma.

"Please?" She asks, hope filling her voice. I don't say anything, just watch the love of my life as she steps forward, taking my face into her hands. "Let me help you..." She repeats, a whisper this time. Before I can answer, she leans in and kisses me, pouring her heart into the kiss as if telling me she's ready to take on anything. She will stay by my side. I kiss her back with just as much passion, letting her know that I promise to stay by her side. Once we pull apart, I feel her thumb stroke my cheek as she looks into my eyes. I smile softly, stepping backwards and clearing my throat.  "I need to find Jane." I say, standing and heading to the door. Evie sighs as I leave, watching before returning to her work.

I find Jane walking from the gardens, smiling to herself. "Hey, Jane." I say, making her turn. "Y/N! What's up?" She asks. "You seem happy." I say, smiling. Jane blushes, chuckling. "I am. Carlos asked to go to the Cotillion with me!" She says. "He did?" I ask, smiling. The girl nods her head, grinning from ear to ear. "Anyway! What did you want?" The fairy asks me. I rub the back of my neck, chuckling awkwardly.

"So, about what we talked about earlier...."

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"Of course!" Jane says, smiling. "Thanks so much Jane. You'll be surprised." I say grinning. Jane nods, scurrying off on yet another phone call. I turn, feeling something in my pocket. I take it out to see the crown that I had bought. The gems glistening in the sunlight of Auradon, reflecting into my eyes.

I can't wait for Cotillion.

I pocket the crown, decide to take a stroll to clear my head first. I plan a route from the gardens to the forest out back, to the hill Mal and I planned to run from, back to the enchanted lake then back to Auradon Prep. Just in time to put on the dress Evie made.

She told me earlier that she didn't want to help me put it on. Wanting to see it for the first time at night. It was a sweet thought. She put the dress in Lonnie's room so I can go there instead of my own dorm.

Cotillion, here we come.

Word Count: 1625