Book 2: A New Start | Malvie

Chapter 11: Worth Fighting For

~Evie's POV~
"Evie, you look beautiful!" One reporter pointed out, stopping me as we began to make our way from the limo towards the ship, "Did you design the barrette?"

"It's beautiful, isn't it? Uh, no, it's not my creation. This evening, many hair accessories are by a fabulous new designer, "Dizzy of the Isle." I said, smiling at the camera, as I had a strong feeling Dizzy was watching back on the Isle.

I was right. She had been watching back at her grandmother Tremaine's house. "That's me! I made that! Eeeee!"

"Knock it off!" Lady Tremaine yelled from upstairs.

"I'm sorry, Granny!" Dizzy apologized but squealed in a quieter tone.

~Carlos POV~
Jane and I parted ways from Evie and Mal and headed onto the ship. "Jane! There you are, my dear. "Fairy Godmother said, spotting us. "Well, everything looks beautiful, my love. But we just need to ladle out the punch before the sherbet melts."

"Mom, I have a date." Jane hinted, looking over to me.
"A date? Really? Do you have a date, too?" The Fairy Godmother asked me.
I chuckled it off, smiling back at Jane. "Yeah."

"Really?" Fairy Godmother exclaimed.

"Mom." Jane started, grabbing my hand in hers.
The Fairy Godmother looked from her daughter then back to me, smiling at the two of us. "Bippity boppity."

~Millie's POV~
"The future Lady Millie!" As I heard my name being announced by Lumiere. I headed out, and as I made my way to Ben's parents, I heard Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos chanting my name and cheering me on. Which today, I especially appreciated their high spirits.

"Millie! Hi." Ben's folks greeted me. "Okay, Ben's on his way." Belle started, smiling back at me.
"And you look beautiful."

"Oh, thank you," I said.

That's when Adam spoke up. "Look; I know we were shocked at first, but you-- you are exactly what Ben needs. And lucky for me, she doesn't go by first impressions."

"Hey, Millie!" I heard the sound of Evie's voice holler from across the ship. After looking about for a moment, I spotted her, Mal, and the others and walked over to them. "Hi," I said; as Evie and Mal each hugged me.

"How are you feeling, sista?" Mal asked.

I mean, it should've been obvious, right? To Mal, at least. I thought. "Uh, sort of feel like I'm gonna throw up."

Evie's smile was always just the right thing to lighten the mood that a girl like me could really appreciate. "Yeah? Okay. That's okay. Look, we're right here with you, okay?"
"Okay."

~Ben's POV~
"King Benjamin!" Lumiere called my name or what they thought had been me. But it was not me, but another spell had taken over my body.

"Whoo! Go get him." Mal said, pushing me closer to where he now stood at the bottom of the staircase.

"Millie, I wish I had time to explain." I turned around, and there was a gasp from all the ongoing party members. Uma waved at me, said hi, and then wrapped her arm around my waist. "I'm sorry. It all happened so fast. Something happened to me when I was on the Isle with Uma. A connection."

I was so mesmerized by Uma's spell that I couldn't tell the amount of hurt in Millie's voice. "What are you saying?"
"
I'm saying.." I started, but by that point, I had lost my train of thought.
Uma continued on, "It was love. It was. I just-- I realized how alike Ben and I are, you know?

"We are." I had to agree. "You're so beautiful."



~Millie's POV~
"Ben... Ben. Did you go back for her?" I asked Ben as he began to receive cold stares from Mal and my friends at this moment in time.
Uma shook her head, gripping his hand, as I saw Ben slide the beast ring onto her finger. "He didn't have to. I dove through the barrier before it closed, and I'm an excellent swimmer. Listen, Millie, I just really want to thank you, I do, for everything. Thank you. Thank you so much."

"Don't you see, Millie? You were right. You knew that we weren't meant to be together. That's why you never told me that you loved me."

"Come on," Evie whispered, pulling me back.

Ben pulled Uma onto the dance floor; "Not too thrilled I risked my life for him." Carlos groaned, rolling his eyes at Ben.

"We're with you, Millie. Let's get out of here." Mal said in a huff, pulling Evie and I to run up the entryway steps, followed by Jay in the way of giving Jane and Carlos time to enjoy the dance together.
But that wasn't it. I did love him dearly, as he had been the one to show me what true love truly had felt like. But now; now it was too late, like my worst nightmare had become a reality. Uma was here and dancing the night away with Ben.

It seemed as I watched the two gaze into each other's eyes; that he could care less about me now. But he couldn't have been a player, could he?

I mean, he always said repeatedly from the very beginning how much he loved me, but how was I to know how true that statement was.

Was it even worth being back here? Did he really share these same feelings for me that I shared for him? Were we going to make it through this night? Was any of this truly worth fighting for?