Pushed Away

He Knows

Mal
I was walking to go back to Ben's room, but I was taking a detour to Evie's room when I saw Ben. He turned and saw me and I quickly had to think of a cover story for as to why I was heading towards Evie's room. I could tell him I had forgot something, or that I was heading to visit Dizzy, either way I had to think quickly. As he passed me he didn't say a thing. I stopped and turned to watch him walk off.
"Ben?" I said and he stopped as if he snapped out of a trans and turned quickly to face me. His eyes grew angry and he stormed over to me and grabbed my wrist, the same one which was already bruised.
"Ben what's going on?!" I asked but he kept dragging me until we got to his dorm. Ben threw me in and slammed the door behind him, locking it. My eyes widened, I was terrified.
"YOU'RE A LIAR MAL!" Ben screamed approaching me. I tripped on my own foot and was now crawling backwards as he approached.
"FIRST YOU LIE ABOUT THAT PICTURE, THEN YOU LIE ABOUT WHERE YOU WERE LAST NIGHT, AND NOW YOU'RE GOING BEHIND MY BACK WITH HER?!" He screamed getting closer, I hit the wall and couldn't move anymore. I pulled out my phone and dialled Evie's number. Ben continued to scream at me and I saw that she had picked up. Finally Ben approached me enough, what he did next terrified me. Ben raised his hand and slapped me as hard as he could across the face I began crying uncontrollably and all I remember from that point is closing my eyes and eventually opening them to find Evie standing there.
Evie
I answered the call from Mal and all I could hear was screaming. I quickly ran out of my room to go get Ben's parents, Belle anyway, she liked me. I quickly explained what I heard and she and I ran to Ben's room. When we entered I saw Mal on the floor with her knees up and her hands covering her face  she was crying, I could hear her. Ben was standing over her screaming. I immediately ran over and stood in front of Mal while Ben's mother began to yell at him.
"BENJAMIN!" She screamed louder then him and he stopped immediately.
"Mom." He said stunned and turned to face her. I quickly turned around to Mal and kneeled down so I was at her level.
"Mal, hey you're okay.." I said in a partial whisper. She only grew even more tense. I pulled her into me and hugged her.
"Shh... Mal you're okay, I promise.." I said and she slowly became less tense. I was able to convince her to move her hands away from her face, and she immediately wrapped her arms around me.
"Evie I'm so scared." Mal said in a quiet whisper. I ran my hand through her hair and helped her stand up. I wrapped my arms around her and led her past Ben who was being scolded by his mother.
"Benjamin I don't care what she did, there is no excuse for screaming at her like that and slapping her like that!" She screamed and looked towards me and Mal who was crying onto my shoulder.
"Mal, are you okay?" Belle asked and Mal nodded slowly. Belle then looked to me
"Could you take her to calm down, I'm going to call Ben's father and see what he thinks about his behaviour." Belle said and I nodded and led Mal back to my room. I sat her in the chair at my desk and lifted her chin up so I could see what Ben had done. Her face was mainly red, but there was a scratch, from his ring I presume, that was bleeding. I grabbed the emergency aid kit we had in our room and applied antiseptic to her cut then put a bandage on the cut. Mal then looked back to the floor, she looked miserable.
"Mal you can't stay with him, if he did this imagine what else he could do." I said kneeling down so I was looking her in the eyes and taking her hands.
"Mal please I beg you, you can't keep going back to him.." I said resting my head against her hands, which were folded in mine. She moved her hand and ran it through my hair.
"Evie, I... I can't just leave him.. he's trying to get better, really he is.. just.. he's taking a bit." She said and I pulled away from her and looked her in the eyes.
"I see.. but please, please promise me you won't let him hurt you again." I said and she nodded. I stood up and she followed grabbing my arm before I could turn away.
"Evie, I promise you, I won't let him hurt me." She said and kissed me. I pulled away and nodded.
"Okay.." I said and walked out of the room.
Mal
I watch Evie walk away and I knew she was hurting, she wanted me to go to her and leave Ben, but I couldn't, I just couldn't abandon him. Someone knocked on the door and I went over to answer it. I saw Belle and she hugged me upon coming in.
"Are you okay? Ben's being scolded right now by his father, and I found out Ben has been drinking, we'll deal with that as well." Belle said and I nodded. She examined my face, and saw my wrist.
"Did he do this?" She asked and I nodded slowly.
"I'm so sorry, he's going to be 18 soon and so he's experiencing his beast abilities, he gets it from his father, it makes him lash out at random moments. I'll tell his father he needs to help him control it." She paused and then grew a look of realisation on her face.
"I had come to talk to Evie, do you know where I can find her?" Belle asked and I shook my head
"She just walked out, she didn't say were she was going.." I said. It worried me but I didn't let it show.
"Well look Mal, Ben told me you and Evie had had some.. ahem.. relations, and I get it, really I do, but please be careful, I can only control my son for so long.. he is the king and he has rights that I can't do anything about." She warned and I nodded looking guilty. I looked down and Belle took my hand.
"Don't be ashamed dear, being attracted to a close friend is a blessing, and I promise you we wouldn't hold it against you, but I can't promise the same from Ben." She said and I smiled a bit I guess being in love with Evie wasn't so bad after I thought about it, she was sweet and kind and understanding. But Belle was right, Ben is king, and he can be dangerous to mess with, I know he'd never do anything to me, but god knows what he'd do to Evie. I shuttered and then noticed Belle had left I shrugged and sat down flipping through Evie's sketchbook. I saw she had my exact measurements written down next to the dress that she had already made, it was standing in the corner of the room and it was beautiful. I ran my hand over the fabric she had in the book and smiled, it was soft, but comfortable. I continued flipping through the book and in the back there was a blank page, I took a pen and wrote out a message to her.
'We can make this work, I talked to Belle and she helped me see just how lucky I am to have you.. I love you Evie, and I want to be with you, but Ben is dangerous, we have to be careful.. if you want to be with me you'd have to be willing to hide it, I know this is a lot to ask but I really want to make this work..
xx Mal'
I put a small heart next to my name and smiled. The door open and I quickly shut the book, but I was shocked to see who had opened the door.