Descendants 1: A New Story

Part 7: Love and Video Chats

Before Mal knew it, she was sitting on her bed while Evie carefully applied blush to her cheeks. She was already dressed in a purple dress and a leather jacket, a look that was part princess, part punk. Across the room, Henry was surprisingly quiet, bent over a sheet of papers at a chair.

"Okay! Easy on the blush," Mal warned. "I don't want to scare him away." She paused, a confident smile touching her lips. "Not that I could."

Henry started to snicker. "Well, about that..."

"Finish that sentence and I will turn you into a frog," Mal said without even looking at him.

"There's no spell for that." Henry chuckled

"Wanna bet?" Mal threatened him.

"Please," Evie said, concentrating. "My mother taught me how to apply blush before I could talk. Always use upward strokes."

"My mom was never big on makeup tips," Mal said quietly. "And I never had a sister... just an annoying older brother."

"You're welcome," Henry teased from his chair.

"Well, now you do," Evie said, dabbing a bit of red lipstick on Mal's lips. She looked at Mal seriously. "And we're going to need all the family we can get if we don't pull this off. My mother isn't exactly a barrel of laughs when she doesn't get her way. Just ask Snow White."

Henry and Mal glanced at each other. "Are you afraid of her?" Mal asked Evie softly.

"Sometimes," Evie admitted. "Are you afraid of your mom?"

"I'd... uh... rather not comment," Henry said, shifting uncomfortably at the chair.

"I just really want her to be proud of me," Mal confessed, her voice barely a whisper. "She gets so angry when I disappoint her. And... she's my mom, so I know she loves me. In her own way."

"Join the club," Henry said bitterly, finally looking up. "I've been a disappointment to that witch since the day I was born."

"Don't call her a witch!" Mal snapped, her eyes flashing. "She's still our mom!"

"And what are you doing?" Henry shot back, standing up. "Exactly what she wants! You're just being her useless little puppet!"

"Hey!" Evie said, stepping between them. "Stop it. Both of you. Not now."

The room was silent for a long moment. Evie took Mal's hand. "Moving on," she said gently. "Come see."

"Are we done?" Mal asked.

"Yeah," Evie said, leading her to the full-length mirror. Mal stared at her reflection, a look of genuine surprise on her face. A small laugh escaped her lips. Evie gave her a quick hug from behind "I know," Evie said, smiling.

"I look..." Mal started.

"Say it," Evie encouraged.

"...Not hideous," Mal finished.

"Well, this has been fun," Henry announced sarcastically, as he grabbed his bag. "But I have to go. Tutoring session."

Mal and Evie both turned to look at him, completely confused. "A tutoring session?" Evie asked. "You?"

Henry started to panic. "Yeah! I'm tutoring... someone," he stammered. "On... uh... how to be awesome. Like me. They're new. Anyway, gotta go!" And with that, he practically bolted out the door and closing it, leaving the two girls staring after him.

A knock came at the door. Mal took one last, nervous look in the mirror before pulling it open.
Ben was standing there, a sweet, goofy smile on his face. He wore his letterman jacket and held two motorcycle helmets. "For the first time," he said, his eyes full of wonder, "I understand the difference between pretty and beautiful." Mal couldn't stop the genuine smile that spread across her face. "I hope you like bikes," he said, offering her one of the helmets. Mal took it, shooting a quick, excited look back at Evie before stepping into the hall. Evie grinned and quietly closed the door behind her.