Conflict (Mal x Harry)

Reminiscence

Mal padded back into her room from the showers. Her soggy feet leaving puddles behind each step she took, her hair dribbling all the way in a similar fashion.
Ashe had been a bit distracted and forgotten to properly dry herself off, likely having now caused a slipping hazard across the whole girls' hallway.
It had been a combination of panic from what Harry had said, very publicly and in front of all her friends. As well as, the images that had been conjured up by a shirtless Harry and what that's shirtless Harry had said (very publicly and in front of all her friends!!)

Maybe they didn't notice.

"Mal!"
Evie's voice broke Mal from her pondering and she realised she'd been zoned out and staring the her toes ( Huh, chipped nail polish) - very much like a crazy person.

"Goodness, you're leaving a Mal-shaped puddle on our rug. Move it," The blue-haired girl chuckled, standing up from her desk and moving towards Mal.
"How has your day been, Love?" She said, giving Mal's towel a rub over her shoulder semi-helping her to dry off, semi-comforting her.
She was aware Harry's presence was taxing for Mal.

Mal groaned, "So so long, E. And sweaty, and hot, and long, And Harry was shirtless playing Tourney," she whined, slapping her palm to her forehead.

"Ah, the trials and tribulations of young love and high school," Even sighed, feigning faintness, before snorting.

The girls burst out into giggles, then.

"What am I going to do, Evie?" Mal laughed humourlessly.

"No clue, M," she hummed, stroking Mal's hair, "No clue."

Evie's eyes lit up then, "Oh! I have something for you."
She rushed off, back to her desk and began to rummage around.

While she did that, Mal grabbed a grey, Auradon sweatshirt and matching joggers and threw them on. She let her hair air dry, leaving patches of dampness taint the back of her hoodie.

"Come on, E," Mal drawled, jumping onto her bed, "You got me on the edge of my seat here."

"Wait one sec, it's here somewhere."
The girls was plowing through stacks of dress sketches and billing lists, needles flying dangerously close to her face in the upheaval. Until, she suddenly stopped, "Here!"

"Gimme," Mal said, holding her hands out like a toddler for sweets. Mal loved presents.

"Do you remember, when we got here and a few weeks in a came back to our dorm to find it turned upside down with you in the middle crying?"

"How do you recount such wretched anecdotes with a smile on your face?" Mal winced at the memory.

"I'm evil," Evie grinned, holding her hands behind her back.

"I hope there was a point to it," Mal narrowed her eyes at her best friend who was stalking closer to her.

"Shush," Evie squealed, "Anyway. And I asked you what happened and then you told me -"

"That I lost my mothers necklace, and it was my dearest item and blah blah. Yes I remember," Mal shuddered, "Big fat lie."

Evie paused then, "Big fat lie?"

"Big fat lie," Mal replied, nodding her head and shrugging.

"You can't big fat lie me," Evie huffed, outraged.

"Sorry, E. Too late," Mal laughed as she rolled into her stomach, "What do you expected, I'm evil."
She grinned.

"You're ruining my surprise, Mal," Evie's narrowed eyes burned into Mal's.

"Okay," Mal conceded (she really wanted the present), "Partial lie."

"Which part was the lie?"

"Wasn't my mum's."
Mal was playing with her finger nails now, not looking at Evie.

"I see where this is going," Evie sighed.

Mal rolled her eyes, "I didn't want to tell you that I had a major magical meltdown over something a boy gave me, alright?"

"I see," Evie hummed, getting lost in her thoughts for a moment.
"Wait, you sidetracked me," She snapped back, "I may have just earned by best friend title ten times over," as she sing-songed her words, out from behind her she produced a necklace, swinging between her fingers, "Wait, I really hope this is it."

Mal was off of her bed in an instant, "Oh my god, Evie," She jumped on her best friend like a koala, "You are the best."

"Wait," Evie announced abruptly, taking a step back and forcing Mal to her feet.

Confused Mal said, "What?"

With a calculated look, Evie crossed her arms, securing the necklace in a head lock, "You can only have it, if you stop all this lying nonsense."

"Okay, whatever."

"No, you have to mean it," Evie snapped, "Pinky promise?" Evie's pinky now sat in the space between them.

Mal softened then, "Evie I am filled with regret at having ever lied to you and hope one day that you can forgive me. so pinky promise to stop," With that her pinky met Evie's and they locked in, "We good?"

"We're good."

The necklace was dispensed in Mal's palm in that instant, clinking gently as its full weight finally rested against her skin one again.

"Oh where was it, E?" Mal voice was soft still, aching.

"Between a floor board, must of got jammed. I found it when I dropped my thimble," Evie, trying to match the atmosphere, had dropped her voice to match Mal's. Reminiscence sat heavy in the air around them.
"What is it, Mal?"

A beat and then,

"It was his dad's ring."