The Archer's Legacy

★彡01|12 - "What's going on, Carlos?"彡★

The school was bustling the next day after classes. Y/n, along with everyone else, was heading to the tourney field, for a big game was soon to begin.

She decided to take the route around the lockers because she thought it would be less crowded but she was proven wrong, for as soon as she rounded the corner, she bumped into Mal. In front of Mal was Ben, chewing on a cookie.

Y/n looked at the bag in Mal's hands. "Are those the cookies from yesterday? They look delicious." She looked at Mal, secretly hoping she'd get offered one, too.

Mal shrugged casually. "Yeah, Ben's taste-testing them right now. How are they?"

"They're good! They're great," the prince nodded, staring at Mal and Mal only. "They're amazing! They're, uhh... I mean they're chewy and, you know..."

Y/n backed up, suddenly not liking the idea of getting a cookie anymore. She backed right into Carlos who instinctively brought a hand up to her shoulder, steadying her. Neither of them said anything or paid mind to the matter, their eyes nailed to Ben whose eyes suddenly seemed a bit dazed.

"Mal, have you always had those little golden flecks in your eyes?" the prince suddenly asked before going to take another bite of the cookie.

Mal quickly grabbed it from him and stuffed it back inside a plastic bag. Jay came up behind Ben, grabbing his shoulders. "How are you feeling, bro?"

"I feel... I feel..." the prince trailed, still staring only at Mal.

There was a suspense in the air and Y/n took a step away from Carlos just so she could look up at him. "What's going on, Carlos?"

Carlos looked a bit regretful. "Oh, Y/n, I wish I could tell you," he rushed out, reaching for the girl's shoulder.

She backed up. "What do you mean?"

That's when the prince made up his mind, saving Carlos from answering the question. "I feel like singing your name! Mal! Mal..." The second time he called the girl's name it was a bit muffled, for Mal had clamped a hand over his mouth.

Y/n frowned, images flitting through her mind. Observe and notice, her mother had always told her. Unfortunately, that also meant remembering. She remembered the terror in the four's eyes when Lonnie had tasted the cookie dough and the little unnatural bump under a handkerchief beside the bowl. Y/n narrowed her eyes in thought. Why would they hide the recipe book? She looked at Ben, recalling the dazedness that had taken over his eyes seconds after biting into the cookie.

Then everything clicked into place. Y/n's eyes widened and she took a step away from everybody, her hands grabbing the place where her bow would've usually been. She froze when she remembered she'd left it back in their dorm.

Evie and Carlos looked at the girl and suddenly, her eyes seemed to stare straight into their souls. There was a trace of betrayal on her face, a faint shadow of sadness as she took another step back and walked away from the people she'd dared to call her friends.

Carlos dragged a hand down his face. What have we done?