Bridging the Gap

Chapter 12

Mal sighed as she read the latest article about her; once again criticizing her short purple hair and her leather clothing. Couldn't these people come up with any new material to write about?

Well, it could be worse. They could still be writing about the horrible interview she gave two weeks ago. Though, let's be frank, if you're going to ask a stupid question about holiday traditions on the Isle, then you should expect a blank stare in return.

Mal gave an inward shudder as she thought about the hours of post interview lectures she had gone through by people who were supposed to make adjusting to royal life easy. Honestly it just felt like a parole officer. If they had been members of the Learning to be Royal club, that would be one thing.

How had Ben done this his whole life? Mal thought with an inward sigh as she thought about her upcoming trip to Agrabah with Ben. People poking you, prodding you, trying to get you to be someone you're not?

But then again, the perfect prince persona was Ben. Mal couldn't remember a time where he let loose and made a little mischief—unless you counted giving the guards a day off when they went on their date.

"Knock knock," Evie said, breaking Mal out of her thoughts and the purple haired girl turned toward the door. Evie's brilliant smile dimmed a bit as she saw Mal sitting at her desk. "Please tell me you weren't here all holiday."

"No," Mal shook her head. "I spent some of it with Persephone and Hadie, the rest I spent with Rapunzel and Eugene. Rachel and I had a painting contest in one of the dungeon walls—Rapunzel had a friend called Variant who came up with this paint that washes off the wall. Rachel said we might be able to do it in the summer."

Evie smiled and Mal couldn't help but feel happy for her best friend. "I take it your holiday with Snow was uneventful?" Mal asked, taking in the newly tanned Evie. "One would think a princess with skin 'white as snow' would avoid the sun?"

"They make this stuff called sunscreen ," Evie shot back as she flung her suitcase on the bed. "Oh M, the place was amazing! I swear, the sand on the beaches were whiter than anything you could imagine! Emma and I went snorkeling—well after I learned how to swim of course..."

"Wait, you did what now?" Mal asked, sitting up straighter and knocking the paper off her lap.

"I know!" Evie grinned, turning to face Mal. "It took a bit of time before I was skilled enough to snorkel but once I was out there, oh Mal the fish looked like the ones on television. Moana took us on a tour of the reef afterwards—above water that time."

"Glad you had a fun time," Mal said, giving a brief smile while picking the newspapers up, tucking them under some of the books on her desk. Considering how everyone had acted when the first report came out, Mal didn't want Evie to know that they were still going on. "We should go sometime."

"We totally should," Evie nodded as she started to unpack her bag. "Oh! Girl's trip! You, me, Kitty, Emma, and Dizzy of course!"

Mal couldn't help but notice that her friend's good mood had dimmed a bit at the mention of Dizzy. Their younger friend had, for some reason, chosen to go back to the Isle and Mal just couldn't understand it. She would think of all the people from the Isle, Dizzy would be the last to willingly go back.

"Have you spoken to Ben since the holidays?" Evie asked, uncertainty audible in her voice as she continued to unpack her bag. Mal shook her head, turning away from Evie. There was only so long that she could watch someone unpack a suitcase.

Speaking of which, I should really unpack mine from when I visited Rapunzel and Eugene, Mal thought with an inward chuckle as she looked at her bag; half hidden under her bed.