Wicked ² ✓

2.02

Chapter 2: Don't You Miss It?

"So, where are we going again?" I asked

Parker turned around to face me so that he was walking backward, "Don't you trust me?"

It was hard not to smile back at the big stupid grin he had on his face, the one that still put butterflies in my stomach.

"And what would you do if I said no?" I asked, matching his own smirk.

"Well, I'd have to fix that."

I couldn't help but quirk an eyebrow at his vague statement, but before I could comment his lips were on mine. It wasn't a deep or passionate kiss, but it was still loving all the same.

He pulled away from the kiss and grabbed my hand, once again leading me further down the dirt path.

"As adorable as that was, it still doesn't tell me where we're going..."

"Calm down, princess, we're almost there."

I couldn't help but watch the trees as we walked. Something about the woods always seemed so... captivating. Maybe it's because we didn't have woods or even many trees on the isle, but something about just watching the green leaves sway in the wind always feels so surreal.

Parker stopped walking, almost causing me to bump into him.

"Ready?" His childish grin made me want to laugh. It was like watching a kid on their birthday, just grinning at a table full of presents and cake.

"Ready for what?" I laughed, "If I didn't know any better I'd say you brought me out here to kill me. I mean, we're in the middle of nowhere, you won't tell me where we're going, and none of our friends know we're out here."

He smirked, "Anyone ever tell you, you talk too much."

"You would be the first,"

He just rolled his eyes at me, "Come on,"

He grabbed my hand once more and pulled me into a clearing within the trees.

To say it was amazing would be an understatement.

There was a small waterfall that led into a swimming hole. The water was practically crystal clear aside from the light blue tint. Off to the side, there was a small picnic blanket and a cooler, probably full of food and drinks.

"Do you like it?" Though he hid it well, I could hear the nervousness in his voice.

"It's amazing," I couldn't help myself from staring at the place in awe.

***

"I know, I know, I'm late." I closed the door behind me as I watched Evie fit Mal for her Cotillion dress.

"You were supposed to be here like 10 minutes ago, what happened?" Evie asked as she worked on the back of Mal's dress.

I shrugged, "I was with Parker, I lost track of time."

I saw Evie smirk, the kind of look that only friends can get away with, "Oh, shut up."

Evie pulled the back of Mal's dress tighter, "Oh! Okay, Evie, I cannot breathe."

"Well, you can breathe after Cotillion." Evie sassed back.

"Well, I sincerely doubt that. I have at least 20 more events directly behind it, and I can't even remember what a single one of them is."

"That's why you have us," I smiled as I took a seat on one of the beds.

Evie eyed the gown up and down, "Impeccable."

"Evie?" I watched as Mal eyed her old isle jacket hanging up in the corner of the room.

"Hmm?"

"Do you ever think about what we'd be doing if we were back on the Isle right now?" Mal asked, an unsure look on her face.

Maybe I wasn't the only one who thought about going back to the isle after all...

"That's funny." The tv turned on and Mal, Evie, and I all crowded around to see what the reporters had to say today, "Ah! Look who's on TV."

''As the royal couple continues their tour of the kingdom, they dined with Aladdin and Jasmine. Six months ago, no one thought King Ben and his girlfriend from the wrong side of the bridge would last.''

"Yeah. No kidding." Mal grumbled.

''Mal must be counting the days until the Royal Cotillion when she will officially become a Lady of the Court.''

I watched as Mal opened up her spellbook and recited a spell, "Read it fast at lightning speed. Remember everything I need."

I nudged Evie and nodded towards Mal, the two of us watching as she spelled one of her books and started flipping through it at a superhuman pace.

I really didn't care whether or not Mal used the spellbook, after all, it's not like she was hurting anyone. But Evie and Ben didn't like it, something to do with being a better person or something.

Evie had a distinct look on her face, one that I've seen one too many times, the disappointed mom look, "I know Mal's secret to fitting in, and Ben wouldn't like it one bit. Haven't you guys had enough secrets between the two of you already?"

"Evie, you remember what I was like before I started using my spellbook. I mean, I was a complete disaster." Mal reasoned, still quickly flipping through the book.

"Well, personally, as your best friend, I strongly believe that this spellbook," Evie grabbed the spellbook from Mal's lap, "it belongs in the museum, along with my mirror."

Mal gave Evie another look I was all too familiar with, one Evie and I liked to call 'the pout'. It was the face she pulled when trying to get her way. It kind of reminded me of sad puppy dog eyes.

"Don't give me the face. Put the pout away." Which only made Mal pout more, "Mm-hmm. You know I'm right."

"You don't ever miss running wild and just breaking all the rules?" Mal asked.

"Like stealing and lying and fighting?"

"Yeah!"

        "No!"

        "Yes"

Evie just looked at the two of us like we were crazy. At least Mal looked semi-relieved with my answer, knowing she wasn't the only one who missed the old days.

Mal looked at Evie confused, "What?"

"Why would we? M, come here." Evie dragged Mal from the bed and back towards the tv where we were standing, "Look at where we are. We're in Auradon! And we're Auradon girls now."

''Since Mal revealed her love of strawberries, she has received hundreds of cartons from her admirers.''

Evie hugged Mal and I, squealing in excitement at the tv. Evie would never understand how Mal and I felt about the isle, that much I knew for a fact. Evie was an Auradon girl at heart, always has been and probably always will be.

But Auradon, it was almost worse than the isle. Sure it had fancy food, fun, parties, and actual education. But between the responsibilities, expectations, and old cranky royals, I feel just as trapped as I did on the isle, if not worse. But Evie would never understand that.

''Here she is enjoying a cozy bite...''

"See, this is the land of opportunity. We can be whatever we want to be here. So, please, let's just leave the past in the past, okay?"

"Besides, I mean, look at the shoes." Evie gawked at the shoes that were sitting on the table, "Look at them."

"Mm." Mal just halfheartedly smiled at our friend, "Severe."