Considered Missing

Chapter 4 - About Ben

"Nice place," Mal admired, surveying Ava's room.

It was rather large as college dorms went. A bed when you first walk in with a dresser, bulletin board, and elegant bay window. Off the main room was a smaller one for design. Sketches and loose fabrics were scattered over her desk, a good example of her chaotic artistic process.

"Still into fashion I see," the blonde commented.

Ava took a seat on her bed, ignoring Mal and feeling trapped in small talk.

"I didn't realize you were into photography." The guest continued eyeing items strewn around the room.

"I had a phase a few years ago," Ava finally replied.

"Bring your girlfriend, Caitlin, here sometimes?"

"Sure."

"How long have you been together?"

"A while."

Mal chuckled uncomfortably, "Okay, what the fuck? You're mad that I'm here, but you're happy to see me, and now you're awkward? Maybe we don't have to hang out so much. How about you introduce me to Mona and–"

"No. You're not meeting Mona."

"What's the big deal? I just want to talk to her about–"

"Doesn't matter. End of story."

"You're hiding something, aren't you? I know you, E, you're not the best at keeping secrets... from me at least."

Ava took a deep breath and bit her lip.

"Fine," she gave in, more easily than Mal expected. "I'm with Mona."

"What do you mean you're with Mona?" Mal's eyes widened, her eyebrows raised as if she'd had an epiphany. "Well I'll be damned, Evie Grimhilde. I didn't know you were capable of cheating."

"I'm not cheating."

"Then what do you call being in a relationship while also in a relationship?"

"A throuple?"

Mal laughed, "Oh, is that the technical term for it?"

"Throuple, polyamory, whatever you want to call it. I have two girlfriends, okay? Caitlin and Mona. And you of all people shouldn't judge!" Mal was speechless. "I'm afraid of you being here because of what you do to me, Mal. I'm in a relationship with two women that I'm happy with, but"—the sentence diminished into a whisper—"I'm in love with you... And every second you're here, I'm reminded of what I left behind–what I'm trying to leave behind."

"You want to leave me behind?" Mal asked, gesturing to herself with her hand at her chest. A small fire burned in her eyes, though she couldn't tell if it was anger or passion. Her nose twitched with mild disgust, her eyes glassy. "You want to leave Evie behind, that's it. But I go down with her."

"I have a new life, Mal."

"That can't have me in it."

"That's not what I meant."

"Are you sure?"

"What do you want me to do? What do you want from me, do you want me to welcome you with open arms and go back to the good old days? At least I'm trying to move on, why aren't you?"

Mal inhaled deeply, taking a few steps and tracing her fingers along the wooden frame of Ava's bed. "They found Ben a few weeks ago," she told Ava, emotionless.

"What?" Ava spoke with a hint of hope.

"They didn't broadcast it; I had to do a lot of digging to find the report."

"Report? What report?" Her hope was instantly crushed and she immediately assumed the worst.

"They found his body in the river by the woods where you and I used to go."

"Oh my god," Ava said breathily and softly, bringing her hand to her mouth.

"How can I move on after hearing that?" Tears spilled from the corners of the blonde's eyes. In a desperate attempt to comfort the girl, Ava pulled her into a hug. Mal instantly gripped the fabric of Ava's shirt. The taller girl squeezed her, embracing the hug. She breathed in deeply, the scent of Mal's hair teleporting her back into Auradon. It was as if she escaped into a dream, the blue Auradonian skies clear as day in her mind, the stoney pathways leading around every twist and turn of the landscape.

She was taken back to their first day at Auradon Prep, recalling the first time she stepped into her dorm room and how she was overcome with euphoria. Ava thought about their scheme to steal the Wand, when they fought with Uma, when she attempted to help everyone get along in hopes of stopping Audrey. She wondered where all her friends were now, years after their feats and adventures. The thought of Mal's engagement party crossed her mind for a brief moment, the day their biggest revelation took place.

The first ten minutes or so after the barrier was permanently removed was pure rapture, what could only be described as bliss. Though the reign of overwhelming joy was short as anarchism soon followed, Ava was more than delighted to have had it.

She hugged Mal tighter after remembering her past, which consumed her once again. But this time, she greeted it happily.