Book 1: Another Iife | Malvie

Chapter 9: Family Day

~Millie’s POV~
I couldn’t have been happier as school began coming to a close with the final one of the day. We all sat in our usual spots, the boy’s arm wrestling, Evie freshening her makeup, Mal drawing in her notebook, and I blasting music through my headphones. 
 
“Children, excuse me.” Fairy Godmother called as Carlos busted up laughing, and I ripped an earbud from my ear. “Um, as you know, uh, this Sunday is family day at Auradon Prep. And because your parents can’t be here due to, uh, distance, we’ve arranged for a special treat.” She stepped outside, rolling a TV across the classroom and placing it in front of the chalkboard. 
 
A facetime call with our parents now appeared on the screen. “I don’t see anything. Nor do I hear.” I heard mom call from the screen.
 
Noticing no one had moved, Fairy Godmother coasted us to the front of the room.” Kids!” Jay ran up first, followed by Carlos and Dude, me, and then finally Mal and Evie. I sighed, turning off my music and putting my headphones back into my jacket pocket.
 
“Is it..is it..is..” Mom continued to struggle with the computer on the island. Considering there typically was not an inch of WIFI, I was shocked that they had managed to get a signal through from there to the school.” Can I please see a remote? Is this thing on? Ugh, it’s broken. Ugh! I hate electronic equipment...Oh!”
 
“Evie, it’s mommy.” Evil Queen said as she shared a wave with Evie.” Oh, look how beautiful. Oh, you know what they say, the poison apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.”
 
“Don’t you mean the weeds?” Mom snorted in laughter.
 
“Oh! Who’s the old bat?” Cruella asked, sliding in closer to the screen. 
 
“This is the Fairy Godmother.” Mal and I said in unison.
 
“Are you still doing tricks with eggplants?” Mom jokes.
 
“I turned a pumpkin into a beautiful carriage,” the Fairy Godmother exclaimed.
 
Mom ignored her, just chattering on. “You really couldn’t give Cinderella until one A.M? I mean, really. What, the hamsters had to be back on their little wheels?”
 
“They were mice! They were not..they were mice. They were not..” Fairy Godmother paused and then, in anger, just walked away from the screen.
 
“Thank you so much. Thank you.” I said as she stepped to the other side of the TV. 
 
“Hi, mom.” Mal and I said in unison, walking closer to the screen.
 
“OH! Millie. Mal. I m-m-miss you. How long must mommy wait to see you?” Mom asked.
 
“Um, there’s a big coronation coming up. I think sometime after that.” Mal answered.
 
“When?” Mom asked.
 
“Friday.” I finished.” 10 am.”
 
“Are you sure I can’t see you before that? I don’t know what I’ll do if I don’t get my hands on that magic..you..you little nuggets that I love so much.” Mom said hurriedly.
 
“Completely understood, mother,” I answered.
 
“Carlos, is that a dog? Oh yes, yes baby. I do understand. It would make the perfect size for earmuffs.” Cruella jokes.
 
Carlos shook his head.” He’s the perfect size for a pet! This dog loves me, and I love him. And FYI, your dog is stuffed! So give it a rest!”
 
“Oh ho! Burn!” Jafar laughed.
 
“Oh! Why don’t you go sell a toaster, you two-bit salesman!” Cruella yelled back at Jafar.
 
“People who talk to stuffed animals shouldn’t throw stones,” Jafar muttered back.
 
Great. I thought. Jafar and Cruella were fighting again. Those two argued like an old married couple, and they were at it again now. “Oh, well, people who sell toasters shouldn’t use mixed metaphors. Enough!” I pushed the projector away, turning off the tv.
 
“I’m so sorry.” The fairy godmother apologized, seeing Evie, Mal, and me in a group hug.
 
Jay shrugged it off, thanking her for the special treat as we all left the classroom.” Thanks for the special treat.”
 
Well, at least, I got to the doorway when Evie stopped us, pulling me back and grabbing Mal’s hand.” Mills, what do you think our parents are going to do to us? If we don’t pull this off?”
 
I sighed.” I think they will be quietly disappointed in us but ultimately proud of us for doing our best.”
 
“Millie! No time for jokes, be serious!” Mal yelled, frustrated.
 
“Okay. Okay. No, I think we are definitely goners.” I admitted, and with that, we followed into Jay and Carlo’s dorm.
 
~Jay’s POV~
“Okay.” Mal started as we all gathered around the table in Carlo’s and I’s dorm.” We all know what this looks like. So it’ll be up on the dias under the beast’s spell jar, and we’ll be coming in from here. Millie will be in the very front. The rest of us will be on the balcony. Okay, Carlos?”
 
“Okay, so I’ll find our limo so that we can break the barrier, and uh, get back on the island with the wand,” Carlos said.
 
“Perfect. Evie?” Mal turned to her girlfriend and threw her a small potion spray bottle.” Use this to take out the driver. Two sprays, and he’ll be out like a light.”
 
“Okay.” Suddenly, Evie noticed Millie flipping through the spellbook. She paused, looking over Millie’s shoulder, and gasped. “Mills? You want to break Ben’s love spell?”
 
Millie nodded. “Yeah. You know, for after. I don’t.. I’ve just been thinking, you know, when the villains finally do invade Auradon and begin to loot and kick everyone out of their castles and imprison their leaders and destroy all that is good and beautiful, Ben still being in love with me just seems a little extra..cruel.”
 
~Evie’s POV~
Sunday had finally arrived. I woke up and grabbed something to eat with Millie and Mal the following day, then hung out with Doug. That night: We walked down finally to a show and dance number from Ben and a few of the other AKs in the courtyard below.
 
“Ma Cherie Mademoiselle, it is with our deepest pride and greatest pleasure that we welcome you here tonight. And now, we invite you to relax, let us pull up a chair as the dining room Your dinner! Be our guest! Be our guest! Put our service to the test! Tie your napkin ’round your neck, Cherie, And we’ll provide the rest!
 
Soup du jour!Hot hors d’oeuvres.Why do we only live to serve? Try the grey stuff. It’s delicious! Don’t believe me? Ask the dishes. They can sing, sing, sing. They can dance dance dance. After all, Miss, this is France. And the dinner here is never second best! Go on, unfold your menu. Take a glance, and then you’ll Be our guest! Oui, our guest! Be our guest! C’mon, yeah, be our guest, guest guest!
 
Beef ragout.Cheese souffle.Pie and pudding en flambe. We’ll prepare and serve with flair—a culinary cabaret. You’re alone, and you’re scared, but the banquet’s all prepared.No one’s gloomy or complaining. While the flatware’s entertaining.
 
We tell jokes. I do tricks. With my fellow candlesticks! And it’s all in perfect taste That you can bet. Come on and lift your glass; you’ve won your own free pass! To be our guest. If you’re stressed. It’s fine dining, we suggest! Be our guest! Be our guest! Be our guest! Be our guest! Be our guest!”
 
Finishing, Ben went to meet his parents across the way.” Oh, that was lovely!” Belle exclaimed, hugging her son, and the beast gave him a high five.
 
“Oh, by the way, I have a new girlfriend!” Ben exclaimed.
 
“Well.” Belle started.” I never wanted to say anything, but I always thought that Audrey was a little self-absorbed. Fake smile, a bit of a kiss-up.”
 
“Do we know your new girlfriend?” Beast asked his son.
“Sort of. MILLIE!” Ben shrugged, looking over to where we were, and calling to her.
 
~Millie’s POV~
For a moment, I parted ways with my sister and friends, running to Ben’s voice.” There you are!” He exclaimed, holding me in his arms.” I want to introduce you to my parents.”
 
Oh no. No, I couldn’t meet his parents. Not now! Ugh, why me? I had to get out of it, but how? “Ben, I don’t know if..”
 
“This is Millie. From the island.” Ben went on.” My girlfriend. I was thinking maybe she can join us for lunch.”
 
The king smiled as we three finished shaking hands.” Of..of course. Any friend of Ben’s..”
 
“Actually. I came with some of my friends and my sister,” I added.
 
“Well, you should invite them. Because the more, the merrier.” Queen Belle suggested.
 
“Yeah, I’ll go grab them.”
 
Ben and I were able to find Jay, Evie, and Carlos quite easily. Now the challenge, finding my sister in the sea of AK’s was appearing to be challenging. We looked for a bit, then eventually returned to the king and Queen for a game of croquet and lunch, hoping and praying she was okay and that no harm would come to her.
 
~Mal’s POV~
I stood there a minute, alone from the group as I needed to think. That’s when I found Queen Leah(Audrey’s grandmother)standing beside me now. “Now, have we met?”
 
I shook my head.” No, I don’t think so. I’m new around here. Sort of like, a transfer student.”
 
“Oh yes. Oh, Audrey!” Leah called as Audrey walked over to her. “Give grammy a kiss, dear.”
 
Audrey?Grammy?Was that who I thought it to be?” Grammy?” I asked.
 
Audrey rolled her eyes toward me irritatedly. “Sleeping Beauty’s mother. Grammy, I don’t think you want to be talking to this girl. Unless you feel like taking another hundred-year nap.”
 
“What?You! How are you here? And how have you stayed so young?” Queen Leah asked, rather loudly getting everyone’s attention, and Ben and the others ran over to me. Then she gasped, noticing Millie too. “There’s two of them!! How is there two of them!”
 
Ben stepped between us, and Evie pulled me back behind her.” Queen Leah, it’s okay. Maleficent is still on the island. These are her twin daughters, Mal and Millie. Don’t you remember my proclamation to give the new generation a chance?”
 
“A chance to what, Ben? Destroy us?” Leah muttered.” Come on, you remember, don’t you? The poison apples and the spells. Spells. My daughter..was raised by fairies because of your mother’s curse. So her first words, her first steps, I missed it all. You mustn’t trust either of them! Or any of them, for that matter.”
 
“Mam..if you would..” I started, but Chad had other plans.
 
“Get away from her!” Chad yelled, pushing me back as Audrey pulled 
herself and Leah behind him. 
 
“Ben. Their parents raised them. What do you think villains teach their kids?Huh?Kindness?Fair play?No way, okay?Uh-uh. You stole another girl’s boyfriend.”
 
I wanted to punch him. I ran full speed, but Jay pulled me back.” Easy now, tiger.”
 
Chad wasn’t done. “Oh. You enjoy hurting people.” He then turned his gaze to Evie. ”And you. You’re nothing but a gold digger and a cheater.”
“Evie, don’t!” I watched as Millie tried to stop her, pleading, but failed.
 Evie reached into her jacket pocket, pulling out her mirror and holding it directly in front of Chad.” Mirror, mirror, in my hand, who’s the biggest jerk in the land?”
“What? Come on!” Chad yelled again.
“Back off, Chad. All right? Back off.” Jay said. Chad distracted; Evie sprayed Chad with the potion, and then throwing me over her shoulder, ran after Carlo’s, Millie, and Jay.
 
~Ben’s POV~
I tried to call after Millie, but she and the others were already gone.” I feared something like this would happen.” I heard my father sigh.
 
“This isn’t their fault!” I yelled angrily.
 
“No. Son. It’s yours.” Dad looked at me, sighed, and walked away, followed by mom.
 
I had to check on them. Eventually, I found them in the Picnic Area. “Hey, guys. How is everyone?” I asked. No answer. “Yeah? Hey, listen. Forget about it. All right? Let it go. Tomorrow after the coronation, I promise everything will be okay. I have to go. But I’ll see you guys later.”
 
~Millie’s POV~
Ben ran off, and Doug strolled in to talk with Evie. “Listen, Evie. I wanna talk about earlier today. I just.” Doug started.
 
Chad spotted them talking, and after that moment earlier in the fields, once again, the AKs were avoiding us like stray cats on the highway. ”Doug!”
 
“It’s my fault, Doug. I’m sorry.” Evie added.
 
“Doug! What?” Chad called again.
 
“Doug..” Evie started.
 
Doug sighed, sliding over into the AK’s table. “I’m sorry.”
 
Everything was already at a downpour, when Audrey strolled in. “How long does she think that’s gonna last? Millie’s just the bad girl infatuation.”
 
That new hair had gotten to Jane’s head. She had turned into one sour grape. “Yeah. I mean, he’s never gonna make a villain a queen.”
 
Mal noticed my eyes begin to glow.” Millie, don’t.”
 
It was too late. Before I could stop myself, I had chanted the spell to undo it all. “Beware, Forswear, undo Jane’s hair. And there’s a lot more where that came from!” I yelled in their direction.
The AK’s all turned to us, and Audrey exploded. “Excuse me, who do you think you are?”
 
“Do I look like I’m kidding? I’m really looking forward to tomorrow. Let’s get that wand and blow this popsicle stand.” I whispered back to the group. They nodded, and with that, we retreated off back to the dorms.
 
  
~Evie’s POV~
Once we got into the dorms, Mal went and sat on the bed looking down, doing nothing. Then I noticed that Mal was crying, so I walked over to her. I sat behind Mal and put my arms around her. 
 
She started to lean into me but then turned around. Mal sat on me, wrapping her arms around me as she laid her head on my shoulder. I then wrapped my arms around Mal, pulling her a little closer to me.
 
“What’s wrong, Mal?” I asked her as she continued to cry.
 
Millie came over and mouthed, “Is she crying?” to me, and I nodded my head to Mille. 
 
“She hardly ever cries,” Millie whispered. 
 
“Yeah, I know she’s very upset,” I whispered.
 
“I feel like we should’ve never come here, and everything would have been so much better,” Mal said.
 
“Mal, we can’t help it if Audrey and her grandma don’t like us. But, we can’t let that hold us back. We’re here for a reason, and once the mission is over, we can go home.” I said
 
“I know it’s just… It’s kinda nice living here because we don’t have to worry about a lot of stuff like we had to do at home..” Mal said. “I think we could stay because, honestly, I don’t know about ruining the whole coronation.” She added
 
“Are you crazy? Look, I get it. This place is so rad!” Carlos started. “But Mal, you saw how they treated us down there. They don’t want us here. Not to mention how our parents are going to flip if we don’t get the wand. I hate to say it, but we don’t have any other choice.”
 
“Don’t worry.” Millie added, sitting down to help me comfort Mal.” Everything is going to be just fine. I will make sure of it. I will get that wand, and then..everything will go back to normal. Those AKs will be sorry that they ever messed with the core 5! Heck, you have a girlfriend now; everything can only get better from here, right?” 
 
Mal smiled lightly.” Yeah, thanks.” I wiped the tears from her eyes.
 
Jay punched Carlo’s arm, noticing the time on the clock.” We’re going to check out on y’all. Stay strong, Malsie, okay?”
 
Mal laughed lightly, nodding at Jay’s remark.” Okay, fine. If I have to.”
 
“Night, girls!” Jay and Carlos hollered, and with that, they raced down the hall. 
 
“Those boys are weird sometimes. I think it’s time to go to bed now.” I said
 
“Well, they are boys, and boys are very weird sometimes, E. Yeah, let’s get ready for bed.” Mal said
 
Mal looked at me and nodded her head; she got off of me and got some pjs out of the dresser. I did the same thing, and we both went into the bathroom and changed. Then Millie got her pjs on and turned off the lights. We all crawled into bed, and Mal came and cuddled up to me. 
 
“Good night, everybody. I love you.” I said.
 
“I love you more,” Mal said.
 
“Love you, E! Night!” Millie said.