𝐀𝐂𝐂𝐋𝐈𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐄─𝐁𝐄𝐍 𝐅𝐋𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐀𝐍

ten.

LILLIA AND AMEERAS DORM

Ben walked her back to her dorm, jacket still hanging over her shoulders helping her dry off. Once they made it to her dorm, she looked at him. "Thank you for this, Ben. Despite getting wet, I really had fun." She thanked him, a light smile on her face. 

"I did too, and don't mention it." Ben waved her off. "That's the least I could do, and you deserve so much more." 

She's never said 'thank you' this much in one day before. "You're so sweet," she spoke as a substitution for it. She took out the key to her dorm and unlocked it. "I'll see you soon," She walked in but quickly turned back around. "Oh! Your jacket..."

"No, no, it's fine. Keep it if you want to. Give it back to me when you'd like, okay?" 

"Alright, thanks again, Ben." She waved, closing the door. Lillia turned around and met Ameera looking up from her book with a knowing smile. "So, how did it go!? Tell me everything!" She spoke with curiosity, closing her book and shifting to sit beside the bed. 

"It was so...nice. He took me out on a little picnic, and he had all my favorite snacks and foods. We talked and everything was perfect. Even though I thought he was drowning so I jumped in the water then I started drowning." 

"Now why would you jump in the water knowing you can't swim? Has love made you stupid?"

"Shut up," Lillia waved her off. "no it hasn't." She sighed in admiration, thinking about the date again. "But it was amazing. It was like a break from it all." 

"I'm so happy for you, which is why I'd hate to remind you bout this. Family day is this Sunday, you only have a couple of days left to prepare." Ameera informed her, and Lillia groaned in response. 

"Right. Uh, the menu is set, there are decorations, and I'll find something to wear. I might just have to make some last-minute changes with Jane and the other planners. Then I still have to make my coronation dress considering that--" Her face fell. "I'm his girlfriend. Or something close to it, at least. And he asked me to be his right and woman way before he asked me out!" She sat on her bed. "It's still so weird, you know?"

"Yeah, I get it. It's like when I realized that my aunt had powers...except way more complicated. It sounds like you have family day down, now it's just the coronation. And if he's going to be king, then that makes you..." 

"Don't even fix your lips to say those words." Lillia quickly cut her off. "I cannot handle that type of responsibility."

"You overthink everything, and you doubt yourself. Pick a struggle." 

"I don't like you," Lillia stated, rolling her eyes. Ameera laughed. "Love you too, girl." Lillia stood back up. "I gotta go thank Evie and Mal for helping me with my clothes and makeup."

MAL AND EVIES DORM

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Lillia knocked on the door to the dorm and was soon met with Evie's face. "Hey, Lillia! How'd it go?" She gasped. "Is that his jacket?" She looked back into the room. "Mal, she's wearing his jacket!" Evie squealed. "Come in! Tell us the details!"

"Okay, okay." She walked in. "It was so...nice. Took me out on a little picnic date, and he had all my favorite snacks and foods. We talked...everything was perfect. Even though I thought he was drowning I jumped in the water then I started drowning...but then he helped me."

"You can't swim? Me neither." Mal added. "That's sweet--so sweet that it's sickening." 

"And then he gave you his jacket? Awe, I'm so happy for you! M is too, she just doesn't like to say stuff like that."

"Well, thank you both for helping me. It really means a lot." She smiled. "You guys are nice, and you're easy to talk to. That's what I think, at least. Hopefully, everybody else can see that soon." She turned around. "I'll let you get back to whatever you were doing. Thanks again." She spoke before closing the door and walking off. 

Mal and Evie looked at each other. "Are you sure we're doing the right thing, Mal?" 

"We have to do this for our parents, E. If we don't, the next time we see them, it's over for us." Mal tried to reassure her, but she sounded conflicted. It was becoming difficult for her to listen to her mind and not her heart. 

CULINARY CLUB

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"Alright, so the majority vote is the strawberry cheesecake bites from team two. That'll be something that's added to the snack table for family day. Great job to you, team two, and to everyone else as well. Everything was great!" Lillia spoke to the members of the culinary club. "Back to our main focus--" 

There was a knock on the door, and Lillia looked over to see who it was through the window of the door. "Hold on," She walked over to the door and opened it. "Hey, Ben. Do you need anything?" 

"Sorry if it's sudden, I just wanted to ask you something. Is your father going to make it to Family Day this year? I know he's busy with being king." 

"I don't know. I just assumed he wasn't. Why?" 

"Well, I'd like him to be there. I want to tell him about us--in person." Ben spoke, and Lillia had a surprised look on her face. She was taken aback by his question, and when she saw the serious expression on his face she realized he was truly going to make an effort to prove it to her. "Oh! I can ask him about it, or tell my mother to call him. I didn't even tell my mom about us yet, so maybe my aunt told her." She shrugged. "Family Day is a good opportunity to tell both of our parents." 

"Yeah," She nodded. "I'm so glad I already know your parents. I would've been a lot more nervous if I didn't."

"Even if you didn't know them, everything would still be okay. You've got nothing to worry about." He took her hands into his, smiling softly. "I'll let you get back to the club. I'll see you later."

She smiled. "See you later."