cordelia heard someone walk in, she turned around and smiled when she saw carlos. "hey." she smiled, taking her headphones off and placing her paint brush down."
"hey." he replied, taking notice of his sweatpants she was wearing. "i was um," he felt himself grow nervous. "i was looking for you, i uh figured you'd be here."
"yeah, i completely forgot about the painting ben had asked me to do for mal. luckily, my mother taught me well." cordelia chuckled, taking one last look at the painting. "do you think i need to make her eyes brighter? are they too dull? i used the good paint." she rambled off nervously, checking the bottle of paint. "or do i need-"
"-cords."
"maybe i should of done that differently?" cordelia kept rambling, pointing to a spot on the canvas.
"cords?" carlos tried again.
"ben trusted me, i shouldn't of rushed it-"
"this is going to be hard." carlos mumbled, reaching out for her hand successfully getting her attention. "cordie." cordelia looked at him with her big green eyes, filled with her worry as she stressed about the painting. "would you go to cotillion with me?"
"yeah, we're all taking the carriage over at 6:00, we told you this last week silly." she chuckled, it completely skipping over her mind what he really meant.
"no, i, i mean.. with me." carlos added, it finally clicked in her mind and a million butterflies fluttered about within her stomach.
"oh! ohh!" cordelia spoke, covering her mouth with her hand. "yes, i would love to go to cotillion with you!" she smiled, wrapping her arms around him embracing the boy in a hug.
"and if you don't absolutely hate me by the end of it, um, would you consider maybe being more than friends?" carlos spoke, a small hint of worry in his voice as he spoke.
cordelia felt herself go red, her smile lighting up the room as she replied. "i would love that." he wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her even closer to his chest.
carlos cupped her cheek, gently turning her face towards him and placed a kiss on her baby pink lips. they both pulled apart, there faces just centimetres apart before cordelia pulled him in for another by the collar of his shirt. they both smiled into the kiss, both unbelievably happy with the conversation from a few moments ago.
"i feel like the luckiest girl in the world right now." cordelia whispered, their face's mere centimetres apart.
he smiled. "i feel like the luckiest girl- i mean, guy. luckiest guy in the world." carlos chuckled. cordelia laughed softly, her arms still wrapped loosely around the white headed boy. "are those mine?" he teased playfully.
"hm, i don't think so." she teased back, the two of them laughing.
~
cordelia and jane arrived at the boat where cotillion was being held. jane looked around, making sure everything was still perfect, while cordelia looked around in amazement it was all beautiful.
"jane, you have really out done yourself. this is.. it's breath taking!" cordelia gasped, looking over at jane who smiled.
"thank you cords." jane smiled.
"i think you've really got a talent for this sort of thing." the blonde gushed, looking around at everything from the lights and the banners. cordelia finished talking with jane and began looking for carlos amongst the boat full of people.
a small pout on her lips when she couldn't see him anywhere, but even though she didn't see him, he saw her.
he saw the golden shine from her long hair, and felt the positivity she radiates. the more he looked at her, the harder it became for him to put his feelings into works and tell them to her. the white headed boy took a deep breath, walking over to her.
"i was looking for you!" cordelia said, smiling when she saw him.
"yeah?" carlos smiled. "your absolutely beautiful." cordelia blushed, not knowing how to say thank you.
"aw, carlos." she smiled. "thank you." she turned to face him, adjusting his jacket and running a hand over it to flatten it out. "and, you look.. super, super handsome." carlos felt his cheeks turn red, even more so when she placed a soft kiss on his cheek.
he wrapped his arm around her waist, this time causing cordelia's cheeks to flush a bright shade of pink before they began to make their way towards evie, doug and jay.
cordelia's dress was a beautiful shade of pale pink, that not only complemented her and her features but perfectly complemented her favourite freckled boy. evie knew her stuff, knowing cordelia's signature purple would clash with the red she went for a pink and it was perfect.
as trumpets blared loudly, everyone's attention was drawn to the stairs. "the future lady, mal!" lumiere announced, stepping to the side to reveal mal who look absolutely stunning at the top of the stairs.
mal stood proudly in the yellow and blue dress evie had designed and made for her, with her purple hair in a braid with a tiara on the top of her head. evie looked at mal with pride at not only the gorgeous dress she had designed but her beautiful best friend.
"you work it, girl." lumiere said, earning a smile and a laugh from mal and cheers from all of her best friends.
"yeah, mal!"
mal made her way towards the bottom of the stairs, adam waiting at the bottom to help guide her down. "hi." mal politely, smiled.
"hi." he responds. "hey, ben is on his way."
"okay." mal nods, before finding herself between ben and adam.
"and you look beautiful."
"oh, thank you." mal said with a nervous chuckle.
"i know we were shocked at first, but you, you are exactly what ben needs." belle says, taking a hold of mal's hands.
"and lucky for me," adam interjects, nodding his head towards his wife. "she doesn't go by first impressions." they all shared a laugh before evie walked over, bowing to the past king and queen before extending her hand to mal.
"hi." evie said. "how are you?"
"uh, sort of feel like i'm gonna throw up." mal answered truthfully. they walk together hand in hand to their friends.
"we're right here with you, okay?" the blue haired girl reminded her best friend, who nodded gratefully.
"okay." mal replied, before the fanfare played drawing everyone's attention back to the top of the stairs.
"king benjamin!" lumiere announced proudly as ben ascends from the stairs, greeted by cheers. the music stopped and everyone bowed, cordelia making sure her bow was extra special for her best friend.
it was at this moment cordelia felt like the proudest best friend ever. the little boy who once got scared after being chased by a butterfly was now a king, the little boy who once got stuck climbing a tree was in charge of a kingdom. she had never felt prouder.
"go get him, mal." cordelia chuckled, prompting the purple haired girl to laugh. mal walked forward watching as ben descends the stairs, he bows to her, confusing mal for a moment but she returns the gesture.
"mal.." ben began, before pausing. "i wish i had time to explain."
