the door opened and uma walked through. cordelia jumped closer to carlos, grabbing his hand. her eyes went between uma and ben, what had he done?
as whispers spread throughout the crowd, all eyes fixated on the aqua haired girl. mal gasped, her shock evident as uma nervously paced around. "what is he thinking?" cordelia whispered to carlos.
"i wish i knew cordie." he whispered back, holding tightly onto his hand. they watched as ben ran up the stairs, practically sprinting towards uma and grabbing a hold of her hand. mal gasped again, a mixture of shock and hurt on her face.
"hi." belle offered a unsettled smile, not too sure how to react to the particular situation that was unfolding before her eyes.
"hi, hi." adams voice echoed, looking at uma and ben as they walked down the stairs together. ben bowed to uma, kissing the ring that he had given to mal. uma giggles, while cordelia's expression remained blank, wishing in this moment that uma was fish bait.
"i'm sorry," ben apologised to mal, although it seemed fraudulent. "it all happened so fast." cordelia couldn't help but roll her eyes. "something happened to me when i was on the isle with uma- a connection."
"what are you saying?" mal asked, mustering up the courage to confront him on his actions.
"i'm saying.. it was love." uma interrupts, her voice filled with amusement. "it was. i just realised how alike ben and i are, you know?" she finished with a giggle.
"we are." ben confirmed, turning away from mal and facing uma.
"i know!" uma smiled back.
"you're so beautiful." ben whispered, but his words were heard by just about everyone.
"ben." mal began but he didn't even glance at her. "ben." she spoke again, and this time he looked at her but without those loving eyes he used to, it was different. "did you go back for her?"
"he didn't have to." uma spoke. "i dove through the barrier before it closed and i'm an excellent swimmer."
"you are." ben complimented, earning another eye roll.
"aw, thank you." uma smiled. "listen, mal." she said, walking over to mal. who flinched when uma grabbed a hold of her hand. "i just really want to thank you, i do, for everything. thank you. thank you so much." uma hugged mal, leaving her shocked.
"don't you see, mal?" ben says, coming up from behind uma. "you were right. you knew that we weren't meant to be together. that's why you never told me you loved me."
mal sighed wanting to say so much but couldn't, as ben let go of her hand. tears threatening to fall from her sad eyes watching him dance with uma.
"come on."evie said, bringing her purple haired best friend towards her other best friends.
"not too thrilled i risked my life for him." carlos spoke through gritted teeth.
"we're with you, mal." lonnie spoke softly, walking up from behind mal, cordelia and evie.
"let's get out of here." jay whispered to mal, guiding her towards the exit by holding her hand. the group all agreed and followed behind the two. carlos grabbed cordelia's hand as they followed and kept her close to his side.
they all walked past ben and uma dancing, reaching the stairs where belle and adam were standing. "mal." adam began, ready to shower mal with apologises.
"honey, we're so sorry." belle said kindly, her voice aching for the poor purple haired girl. "we had no idea."
"i'm gonna talk to him." adam said, with a apologetic smile. suddenly cordelia locked eyes with jane, she ran down the stairs careful, leaving carlos a little shocked and made her way towards jane.
