||IF ONLY||

Chapter Seven

As I stepped off of the stage, Evie grabbed me into a hug. "You're amazing, y'know that?" She said as tears soaked my shoulder. I hugged her back tightly as the other rushed over and joined the hug. I listened to them sob softly with a fond smile. I had a clue that this would've meant a lot to them.

"I'm glad I could help the Isle. The people there have lost so much. I know I could never understand their pain but I want to try and make it better," I say smiling brightly as they pull away, not noticing the guilty looks they exchanged, "So, you guys should go get lunch and then head back to your final class." They all groaned except Mal and grumbled under their breaths. "You all know you have to, and your advisors are waiting for you," I inform with a motion watching the three advisors stand to the side. I know Mal's advisor was off today since she was with me the whole day. 

"Yeah yeah. Bye Bri," Evie said planting a kiss on my cheek and walking off.

"Bye bye Elle," Carlos said in a small voice, planting a kiss on my other cheek.

"Bye Princess," Jay said leaving a sweet kiss on my forehead before walking off to the other two. I felt like I was a computer restarting as I stood frozen in my spot. Butterflies were not the animals to erupt in my stomach, instead, it felt as though the door of a figurative zoo had been open in my stomach for all the animals to run rampant. Mal smirked at my frozen state and eventually shook her head with a small smile.

"Do I get to give you one too?" Mal said approaching me.

"I-If you want," I said as I felt my face heat up. She stopped directly in front of me and looked up slightly. I froze as she planted a kiss on the corner of my mouth. I had no experience with things like this. Romance and affection, but could I even call this romance? I stumbled over my words as I tried to speak but I struggled.

"Right. Well we-we," I stuttered watching a smug grin stretch across her face.

"We?" she questioned smugly. Her brow cocking, something I noticed was habit. Her tattooed fingers held my chin gently as she smirked. I don't know why I felt this way. For them all nonetheless. 

"We have to go prepare for the game tomorrow," I blurted and she just smiled and motioned for me to lead the way. We walked in a comfortable silence as we approached the field where the coach stood. "Coach! Good afternoon," I greeted as I approached him with Mal trailing behind me. 

"Your majesty, good afternoon. Everything is set up for the game, don't worry," he said waving me off with a smile.

"I was just making sure," I said with a sheepish smile.

"You always make sure. Sometimes I forget your brother is the one that's going to claim the throne," he said making me smile.

"Well, he is but have no fear, I'll still be running the country in the background as always," I laugh playfully. He laughs a deep laugh and we converse a bit more. Amid our conversation, Mal intertwined her fingers with mine but I just let her do it. "Well, it was good talking to you but it's getting late and the team has practice in about five minutes. Have fun," I say waving him bye.

"Goodbye, Your Majesty," he bids farewell as he begins taking equipment out of the building containing them.

"Where to now?" I ask Mal, wondering if she wants to go anywhere.

"I'm meeting the others later. We're making something for your brother and you, of course, to thank you guys," she says with a sad look in her eyes. 

"Oh, well you go on. I'll just head back and do some work. You guys can pop in and sleep over. There's a key behind the painting outside the door to the office if I fall asleep," I smiled sadly at her, thinking she was sad about thinking about the Isle. How wrong I was.