Secret in the Heart ||Descendants|| (♡Ben)

27

Kara panted from the adrenaline of running and fighting, relief flooding through her now that Ben was safe. She glanced to her left, meeting his gaze. He was also catching his breath. "I'm really sorry that things didn't go the way you wanted them to," he said earnestly.

Kara tried to respond, "As long as you're safe, that's..." but Ben cut in. "At least I got to see the Isle. They're my people too. Uma helped me see that."

Her mouth dropped open in disbelief. "Ben, Uma captured you."

He shrugged. "She's an angry girl with a bad plan. That's not so different from you when you came to Auradon, Kara."

Kara's frustration bubbled up. How could he compare her to Uma? They weren't the same; she'd been forced into her actions by Maleficent. She turned her gaze to the window, trying to dismiss the uncomfortable feeling rising within her.

"Awkward," Dude remarked, but Kara ignored him, lost in her thoughts. Ben's words echoed in her mind, and she couldn't shake the truth in them. He was right; she had been driven by desperation, just like Uma. The realization hit her hard. Uma had her reasons, even if they were misguided.

"Dude..." Evie began, but Carlos cut in. "I know you can talk, but it doesn't always mean you should."

A wave of guilt washed over her as she thought about the other kids still on the Isle, children like her who felt abandoned and overlooked. How could she have been so blind? Cursing herself for her ignorance, she whispered, "What's wrong with me?" It was deeply uncaring that she hadn't thought more about those who needed help, those who deserved a chance.

"Here we go," Jay announced as the golden strings of the magic bridge came into view.

As they drove over it, Kara made a silent vow to herself. She would do better. She would reach out to those kids, advocate for them, and make sure they knew they weren't forgotten. The time had come for her to take action, not just for Ben, but for all the children who still needed a voice. She would be that voice.

Once they stopped, Kara jumped out of the car and quickly retrieved the box filled with her father's belongings. Lonnie appeared beside her, grabbing the swords from the back. "Thank you for your help, Lonnie," Kara said gratefully.

"Of course," Lonnie replied before walking away. Kara closed the tailgate and followed Carlos, Evie, Jay, Mal, and Lonnie. Ben fell into step beside her, and for a moment, they walked in silence. Lonnie departed, and Jane approached them.

"Ben! There you are. Cotillion's tonight," she said, prompting both Kara and Ben to pause. Kara felt inexplicably tethered to the moment, uncertain why she had stopped.

"Come here. Look," Jane urged, and Ben leaned in to see her tablet. Kara drifted into her thoughts, staring at the box, contemplating the riddle she needed to solve. She felt Ben's hand on her back, bringing her focus back to him. "Do you want to cancel?" he asked, his eyes searching hers.

The question surprised her. He would actually cancel for her? "Uh, you know what? I can come back. Uh, but like, really, really soon," Jane offered.

"No, no, no," Ben quickly replied, nodding slightly. He stepped back toward Jane, then back toward Kara. "Now's fine. Um..." He hesitated, looking at her again. "Do whatever you need to do," he said softly.

Just then, Evie approached, and Kara walked toward her. Evie grabbed her arm. "We need to talk," she said, while Mal joined on Kara's other side. They began walking toward the dorm.

"No," Carlos interjected, making them stop and turn around.

"No?" Evie asked, puzzled.

"You guys are always going off in a huddle, whispering your girl-talk stuff or whatever, and Jay and I are tired of it," he said, his tone earnest. "We're your family, too. We've been through a lot. Together. I'm not stopping that now. Okay?"