Rejecting the Evil // Descendants

If Only

Mal's POV:

Ben and I rode his bike to the forest. He parked it and we walked along until we came to a bridge in the sky.

While we walked along, Ben said, "Tell me something about yourself that you've never told anyone."

I thought for a moment. "Um...My middle name is Bertha."

Ben bit back a laugh. "Bertha?"

"Yeah."

"Bertha."

We stopped and looked out at the sights below. "Just my mom doing what she does best. Being really, really evil. Mal Bertha."

Ben smiled. "Mine's Florian."

I turned to him. "Florian?"

"Yeah."

"How princely. Oh, that's almost worse."

We continued walking as Ben said, "I mean, you know, it's better than Bertha. But it's still not..." We got to the end of the bridge and he took my hands. "Watch your foot. Yeah. Are you good?"

I nodded. "Mm-hmm."

"Now step up." I did as he instructed and closed my eyes. "There go go. You ready?"

Again, I nodded. "Mm-hmm."

"Open." He said.

I opened my eyes to see a little gazebo set up for our date next to a lake. Ben smiled. "Go on."

I made my way down and he followed. We sat down for our picnic and immediately, I ate a jelly donut. "Mm..." I started licking my fingers.

Ben, who was laying across from me, asked, "Is this your first time?"

"Mm...We don't really date much on the island. It's more like..." I took a moment to think of the right words. "Gang activity."

Ben laughed awkwardly. "Um, I meant, is this your first time eating a jelly donut?"

As I continued to kick my fingers, I asked, "Is it bad?"

Ben leaned closer to me. "You got a..." He brought his thumb to my lips. "Just a...I mean, yeah, do this." He licked his lips and I followed. "Mm-hmm."

"Gone?" I asked and he nodded. "You can't take me anywhere, I guess."

"You know, I've done all the talking. Your turn. I really don't know that much about you. Tell me something."

I let out a breath. "Well, I'm 16. I'm an only child. And I've only ever lived in one place."

Ben smiled. "Me too. That...we have so much in common already."

I shook my head. "No. Trust me, we do not. And now you're gonna be king."

"Yeah." He said with a distant look.

"What?"

"A crown doesn't make you a king."

I frowned. "Well, it kind of does."

"No, it..." Ben started before changing his words. "Your mother is mistress of evil and I've got the poster parents for goodness. But we're not automatically like them. We get to choose who we're gonna be. And right now, I can look into your eyes and I can tell you're not evil. I can see it."

Maybe he's right. Maybe I don't have to be like my mother. Maybe none of my friends do either.

Ben caught me off guard by saying, "Let's go for a swim."

My eyes widened. "Hm? What? Uh...right now?"

He nodded and stripped down to his shorts. "Yeah, right now."

I remained seated. "I think I'm just gonna stay here."

"No, no, no. Come on." Ben begged, offering his hand.

"I think I'm gonna stay behind and try a strawberry before." I picked one up and put one in my mouth. "Mm!" I looked down at it as my eyes widened. "Mm..."

Ben laughed. "Don't eat all of them, okay?"

"Okay. Mm." I noticed his shorts and called out to him. "Are those little crowns on your shorts?"

He smirked. "Maybe." He let out a roar and jumped into the water. "Whoo! Ha ha!"

As I watched Ben, I found myself wandering in my thoughts. Would he still feel the same way when the spell wore off? Would I follow in my mother's footsteps and become evil like her?

[If Only]

I noticed that Ben had disappeared and panicked. "Ben? Ben? Ben!"

I jumped into the water and made my way deeper in. It got deeper and I struggled to stay above the water. Ben appeared and carried me back onto the gazebo. I glared at him. "Ugh! You scared me!"

He frowned. "You...you can't swim?"

"No!"

"You live on an island!"

"Yeah, with a barrier around it, remember? Ugh!"

Ben grinned. "And you still tried to save me."

"Yeah. And do you thank me? No! All I get is soaking wet!"

"And, uh, this fancy rock." Ben said, picking up a glowing white rock. "It's yours. Make a wish and throw it back in the lake."

I frowned and angrily tossed it into the lake. I stood up and Ben placed a towel around my shoulders. He sat down next to me and ran a hand through my hair. I noticed Ben staring at me weirdly. "What..."

"Uh, Mal...I told you that I loved you. What about you? Do you love me?"

You were spelled. You don't really feel that way. "I don't know what love feels like." I admitted as I looked away from him.

Ben placed a hand under my chin and turned my head to face him. "Maybe I can teach you."