MOTHER ONLY KNOWS...FEAR { 2nd - Mother Knows series - ORIGINAL}

SURPRISE

Deep breathes. In out, In out. The music's booming and Rain's trying to match her breath to the bass. It stops and the trumpets that signal her arrival start. She really hopes her parents couldn't make it. She knew it sounded horrible, but she couldn't handle seeing them at the moment.

"The future Lady Rain!" Lumiere's French accent makes her sound posher than she felt.

One of the guard's gestures for Rain to start the walk. Breathe Rain. Breathe. Her walking's choppy and when she stops next to Lumiere, she can feel her own heartbeat.

"You rock it girl," he whispers, and Rain smiles slightly. She preferred this version of the dress. Evie had taken in her ideas, and the flowers were multicoloured, with blacks, red and dark pinks covering the light blue fabric. The red's matched her new hair colour and Rain had grinned when she'd first seen that.

Speaking of her hair, it had some extensions in and was straightened slightly to work with the braid.

"Thanks," it stays silent for all of two seconds before Evie starts clapping rapidly. The others follow her lead. Rain's best friends holler and shout her name whilst everyone else claps politely. The fear slips away for a few seconds before returning.

Rain descends the steps carefully and Ben's dad comes to help her down the last 4 or so steps.

"Hey,"

"Hi," it was so awkward. He pulls her over to him and Belle.

"Ben is on his way," to Rain, that sounded more worrying than reassuring "and you look beautiful"

"Oh, thank you," she wasn't really expecting that. She still felt like the dress didn't really suit her. She felt terrible about it though since Evie had made so many changes. It's beautiful and made remarkably well, but it still wasn't her.

"I know we were shocked at first," Belle takes her hands, forcing Rain to look into her eyes. Eye contact is not Rain's forte, "but you are exactly what Ben needs," I think it's more the opposite way around.

"And lucky for me, she doesn't go by first impressions," Rain appreciated what they're doing. But god, she wanted to jump off the boat. She laughs awkwardly before catching sight of Evie and Carlos in the corner of her eye. They bow before taking her hands.

"Hi,"

"How are you?" They both help Rain down as Evie poses the question.

"Happy to be put out of that conversation,"

"Yeah, I was cringing for you," Rain laughs with Carlos

"But also, like I'm going to throw up," Carlos lets go of Rain's arm and joins Jane, Rain smiles at both of them. Mal takes her hand that Evie isn't holding.

"We're right here with you, okay?" Rain nods at her reassurance.

The trumpets sound again "King Benjamin!" Fear strikes Rain again. What if he realises, I'm horrible and he dumps me on the spot in front of everyone?

The girls stand either side of Rain as she watches Ben gracefully walk down the steps, much quicker than he did at coronation. She claps with everyone else, A bright smile overcoming her face. The feeling like she was going to puke all over her dress was slowly leaving.

"Go get him," Mal pushes Rain forward gently at Evie's words. Ben doesn't look as elated to see her as she is him. The fear all comes flooding back as he gives Rain a look of guilt. They both bow. Oh Hades, what's happening?

"Rain, I wish I had time to explain," Rain gulps as Ben finishes, before noticing the light up the top of the stairs turns back on.

"Uma..." her name gets stuck in her throat as the girl appears. Rain thought she looked too innocent. Ben walks up to Uma and Everyone around is making sounds of shock, talking in hushed tones.

Rain hated the fact that she was admitting that Uma looked beautiful, reminding herself that they did date.

Ben and Uma both walk down the steps together before Ben bows and kisses her hand. Not her hand.

Rain's ring.

Now her ring.

Don't cry, don't cry. Rain felt like someone ripped her heart out and squeezed in in front of her eyes.

"I'm sorry," Ben doesn't sound one bit remorseful "It all happened so fast," all sarcastic comments are knocked out of Rain's mouth "something happened to me, whilst I was on the isle with Uma. A connection." They gaze into each other's eyes.

"Ben, what are you saying?" She knew exactly what he was saying. He's saying he's dumped her. God, she understood Audrey a lot more now. She should get her something else as an extra apology.

"I'm saying..."

"It was love!" Uma giggles obnoxiously "It's just, I realised how alike me and Ben are y'know?"

"We are..." they smile at each other again. Right Rain, Pull yourself together. She sobers up her expression as if she were back on the Isle.

"Yeah, I really see the similarities now!" Uma's smile drops slightly but Ben's brightens, the sarcasm going over his head "you both publicly humiliated me and broke my heart," They didn't even hear her, they're just staring into each other's eyes. Mal steps forward, in case rain fainted or made a grab for Uma. Probably in case of the latter.

"Ben..." he doesn't hear her "Ben!" he finally looks to Rain, the look of love and admiration once in his eyes when he looked at her, was now directed at Uma "did you go back to the Isle for her?!"

"He didn't have to," Rain glares at Uma "I drove through the barrier before it closed and I'm an excellent swimmer,"

"You are..."

"Ironic really," Rain tried to hold back, she did. She wanted to handle this with grace. But her ex-girlfriend just got with who she thought was the love of her life. This was as nice as she was going to get.

"Listen," Uma takes Rain's hand and she jolts away, Mal grabs her hips to steady her "I just really want to thank you, for everything," she hugs Rain suddenly, oh hell no. Rain can't move again. She'd tried to keep up the act, but she felt horrible. Rain was tempted to make a scene. Tempter to push Uma off her, call her all the names under the sun and storm out. Uma finally releases Rain from her arms and tears fill the princess eyes.

"Can't you see Rain?"

"The only thing I can see right now is your head on a spike," several students gasp. She may have just threatened the king of Auradon.

"You knew that we weren't meant to be together. That's why you never told me you loved me,"

"No," Rain shakes her head "That's not true," She no longer sounded strong, she sounded absolutely heartbroken and the tears rolling down her cheeks weren't helping her case.

Ben and Uma just smile awkwardly before moving out onto the dance floor. Music starts playing and they move into a delicate dance. That should be me.

"Come on," Mal pulls Rain back to the group. Evie and Carlos stand beside her, each holding one of her hands to keep her upright.

"Not too thrilled I risked my life for him,"

"We're with you Rain," she looks back at Lonnie, smiling weakly in thanks.

"How did she even learn the dance?" her attempt at a joke sounded pathetic and Carlos squeezes her hand.

"Let's get out of here," she nods as Jay and Mal move her forward.

"Rain!" she looks up at Belle and Beast.

"Honey, we're so sorry, we had no idea,"

"I didn't really handle it well," she tries to apologise for her comments towards Ben

"It's completely understandable," Belle rubs her arm.

"I'll talk to him," Rain shakes her head, continuing her escape. Jane shouts something but Rain can't process it.

"And now, for the unveiling of Kind Ben's masterpiece designed specifically for his lady Rain!" Lumiere announces as a curtain falls behind Rain. 

Edited: April 2021