𝐀𝐂𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐒𝐏𝐀𝐃𝐄𝐒. ❪ 𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒔 ❫

𝟎𝟗▸Goodness Doesn't Get Any Better

☆。*。☆。
★。＼｜／。★
.₊꒰ ✨ ꒱:⩩┆( 𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒔 )⊹.
𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒆 ━━━━━ !

      𝐉𝐀𝐘 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐋𝐎𝐒 excitedly held their strawberries under the chocolate fountain outside as Family Day at Auradon occurred, the two of them groaning in awe as they tasted the sweet milky chocolate. Jay then glanced at Carlos who began jumping up and down as Jay leaned forward, sticking his tongue under the falling chocolate.

      Standing on the other side of the fountain, twirling a strawberry under the chocolate, Elizabeth brought it to her mouth and took a bite. Pausing as she caught sight of Jay, Elizabeth furrowed her brows and made a disgusted face.

      "Ew, Jay!" Elizabeth gasped, going around the table and shoving him back. Carlos stopped jumping as she held onto Jay's arm, glaring at him. "People eat off of that!" Elizabeth continued as Jay went to swipe his fingers over one of the plates on the fountain, hitting his hand quickly.

      Jay scoffed, looking over at Elizabeth. "Oh, come on, what they don't know won't hurt them." Jay replied with a shrug, then looked down at Elizabeth's grip on his arm, raising a brow as a signal that he's waiting for her to let go.

      Elizabeth rolled her eyes, letting go of his arm. "That's disgusting."

      Then, Ashlynn invited Elizabeth to a game of croquet, finding her within the crowd of people in the gardens.

      As they played, Elizabeth stood beside Ashlynn, the two girls laughing. Elizabeth's eyes sparkling with genuine amusement ━ it being a rare moment of lightness for her, and she appreciates the break from her usual worries.

      Just as Ashlynn was about to say something, Chad, his face set in a scowl, approached them with a determined stride. His presence alone causes Elizabeth to tense up, and Ashlynn's smile falters.

      Chad cut straight to the point, glaring over at Elizabeth. She had never spoken to him before, only heard of him from the others. "Elizabeth, I need to talk to you. Now."

       Elizabeth looks up, her face pale with apprehension. Ashlynn glances between her brother and Elizabeth, sensing the tension. "M ━ Me?" Elizabeth stuttered, pointing at herself with a confused look on her face.

      Chad rolled his eyes, nodding. "I don't care what you were doing. Elizabeth, you shouldn't be friends with Ashlynn. It's only a matter of time before you start causing trouble."

     Elizabeth's eyes widen in surprise and hurt. Chad's words are sharp and unyielding, each one landing like a blow.

      "What are you talking about? I haven't done anything ━" Elizabeth questioned defensively.

      "Oh, really? You don't see it? You're the daughter of the Queen of Hearts, Elizabeth. You know, it's only a matter of time before you turn into a problem. People like you ━ villain kids ━ they always end up causing trouble. It's only a matter of time before you're threatening to behead someone or worse." Chad replied, cutting her off.

     Ashlynn stands up, stepping between her brother and Elizabeth with a determined look on her face.

      "That's enough, Chad!" Ashlynn exclaimed, earning a few looks from others around. "Elizabeth is my friend, and she's nothing like her mother. You can't judge her by her family's reputation."

      Chad's face reddens with frustration, but he doesn't back down.

      "I'm just being realistic. You don't know what she's capable of. It's better to be safe than sorry." Chad explains, throwing his hands up.

     Chad's face reddens with frustration, but he doesn't back down.

     Elizabeth's face flushes with a mix of embarrassment and anger. She looks down, trying to hold back her tears as she feels the sting of Chad's words. She's used to people assuming the worst about her because of her mother, but it still hurts deeply.

      "Maybe you're right. Maybe it is best if I just go." Elizabeth cut in quietly, embarrassed at the number of people watching.

     Before Ashlynn can protest, Elizabeth goes to walk away quickly, her head held high despite the tears brimming in her eyes. She heads toward the other side of the garden, going to sit on a secluded bench.

     As she tries to compose herself, a familiar voice breaks through her despair. "Hey, what's with the sad face? Did someone steal your lunch or something?"

     Elizabeth looks up to see Jay, standing nearby with a concerned expression. His light-hearted approach brings a small, appreciative smile to Elizabeth's face.

      "It's Chad," Elizabeth sighed. "He was saying that I'm going to be a problem. A problem like my mother."

      Jay sits down beside her, his expression turning serious but still with a hint of his usual playful demeanor. He knows how much Elizabeth hates being compared to her mother, especially when it's calling her a "villain" or "evil" ━ because she has always tried to be the complete opposite.

      "Chad's got a stick up his you-know-what. Don't let him get to you. He's just mad because he can't stand anyone who doesn't fit his perfect little world." Jay continued, placing a hand on Elizabeth's shoulder.

      Elizabeth nodded, then shrugged. "It's just hard not to let it get to me." Elizabeth replied, looking down at the ground then over at Jay. "It's like no matter what I do, people see me as just a daughter of a villain ━ or as if I'm some type of . . . monster."

      Trying to lighten the mood, Jay smirked. "Well, if it helps, I think you're pretty awesome. And if Chad's going to judge you for your mom, then he's basically saying I should be out there stealing stuff. Which, by the way, I'm totally not going to do."

     Elizabeth chuckles despite herself, the warmth of Jay's words and his attempt at humor bringing a slight relief to her distress. "That actually makes me feel a bit better." Elizabeth said as she laughed.

      "Anytime, Red." Jay smiled ━ using the nickname he had given her when they were younger. "Besides, you're way too cool to let a grumpy prince ruin your day. Just remember you've got friends who care about you, and we're not going anywhere."