𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕃𝕒𝕕𝕪 𝕠𝕗 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕌𝕟𝕕𝕖𝕣𝕨𝕠𝕣𝕝𝕕 - ℍ. ℍ𝕠𝕠𝕜

Chapter 3. - Just One Little Mistake

It's not the mistakes that define us.

It's what we do after we made them that does.

----------

THE MOMENT THE WORDS left Evie's lips my thoughts started running wild. She actually went? When I talked to her that morning I thought it would've taken her longer before she would consider it seriously, let alone go the same day. Then again, she wanted a break from the expectations and pressure so it shouldn't have surprised me. She must've thought about it seriously, because I doubted she'd just get up and leave at the slightest setback. Mal was too tough for that. She deserved a life she wanted and if that was on the Isle, I would be happy for her despite how much I'd miss her. A small smile tugged at my lips at the thought of Mal being happy.

But my happiness deflating almost instantly when I turned to look at Ben. He wore a crestfallen expression that made a pit of guilt form in my stomach. I had neglected to take Ben's feelings into account. Mal had left him. Practically breaking up with him. I frowned and looked down in guilt. Ben, the boy who had a heart of gold, the one that was like a brother, was heartbroken because of me. Because of how I had given, and maybe even pushed, the idea of returning to the Isle to Mal. I was the one to make Mal feel like she didn't belong here. My eyes widened at the realization.

I wasn't thinking of Mal's happiness, I just made myself believe I was. I wasn't being a friend to Mal, or Ben for that matter, I was merely trying to please my father. My Lord, what had I done?

"Ben..." I heard Evie say as she approached Ben, snapping me out of my thoughts. She sighed and handed Ben a piece of paper, no doubt a note from Mal, but what shocked me was the ring Evie handed Ben. It was Ben's ring that he gave to Mal during Coronation. That ring practically resembled their love, did she truly give up on that? That was definitely not my intention. Ben read the note and mumbled it out loud to himself. He folded the paper again and took a deep breath and a step back.

"This is my fault," Ben exclaimed with a slightly raised voice. My head snapped towards him with an incredulous look. "This is my fault." He repeated softer than before. "I blew it. She's been under so much pressure lately and instead of being understanding I went all beast on her." He said and slammed his hands on the table. I was at a loss of words. He might've been wrong, but he sure as Hell wasn't the one who gave her the idea to go back there. "I have to go there and apologize." He uttered.

"No, you don't." I deadpanned. Both of them turned to me with confused looks. "You're not the reason she went back to the Isle." Ben was about to interrupt but I cut him off before he could say a word. "I am."

"Wh-what do you mean?" Evie asked.

"No, it's my fault. I have to go there and beg her to come back." He stubbornly insisted. I rolled my eyes at his stubbornness.

"First of all, you'll die. Second, you weren't the one to give her the idea to go back to the Isle. I was."

"What? H-How?" Ben breathed out. I sighed and turned my head away from them, ashamed of my stupid mistake. It was with just one mistake that I had managed to ruin their relationship and chase Mal back to a place that, admittedly, wasn't our home anymore. Just one mistake.

"It doesn't matter right now. Thing is, she went back, what do you think your gonna do about it? Huh? Simply walk through the alleys of the Isle, miraculously find her without being killed and beg her to come back?" I deflected the question and ridiculed his idea to go to the Isle on his own.

"That's exactly what I'm going to do," Ben said with determination. That boy was just too stubborn for his own good.

"Ben, you'll never find her. You need to know the Isle and how it works." Evie tried convincing Ben. Ben had walked to the window and stared out hopelessly. Evie shot me a look and my eyes widened. "You have to take me with you," Evie told Ben. I groaned, but Ben immediately turned around. Lord, I'm such an idiot. How in the Underworld had I managed to convince myself that Mal going to the Isle was a good thing? Of course, Evie was going to follow Mal to the place where they hate us with such a passion in would scare the Auradoniers shitless. I was going to follow her too, she's my best friend. And there was no doubt in my mind that Jay and Carlos would join us as well. Just one mistake and I had landed all my friends back on the Isle.