Timeless Legacy

break

Elina walked confidently with Maddox towards Mal, who was leaning casually against her locker in an open hallway outside the school. Mal's eyes narrowed slightly as she took in the sight of her friend with someone new. "Who's that?" she asked, her tone cautious.

Elina smirked, a playful glint in her eyes. "This is Maddox Hatter, my new friend," she introduced him, her voice laced with mischief. Maddox gave Mal a nervous wave, and she rolled her eyes but didn't comment, trusting Elina's judgment.

As the three continued their conversation, Chad Charming, the blonde-haired son of Cinderella, trailed behind Audrey and Ben as they walked outside, laughing. When Chad spotted Mal and Elina with Maddox, his expression soured. "Those kids are trouble," he said, pointing at them while they casually talked.

Ben shrugged off Chad's comment, his usual kind smile in place. "Come on, Chad. Give them a chance," he said optimistically.

Audrey, holding Ben's hand, scoffed and leaned in closer. "Oh, Bennybear, you're just too trusting. Look, I know your mom fell in love with a big nasty beast who turned out to be a prince. But with my mom, the evil fairy was just the evil fairy. That girl's mother," she whispered, nodding discreetly towards Mal.

Ben shook his head, clearly unconvinced by Audrey's skepticism. "I think you're wrong about them. I'll see you later," he said, leaving Audrey and Chad behind as he made his way over to the trio. Audrey huffed in annoyance, turning away sharply, with Chad trailing behind like a dutiful follower.

"Hey!" Ben greeted Mal and Elina, leaning casually between their lockers. Elina exchanged a glance with Mal, who responded with a practiced, polite smile.

"Hey," Mal replied coolly, while Elina gave him a friendly nod.

Ben's eyes shifted to Maddox, his expression curious. "I'm Ben, and you are?" he asked.

Maddox offered a polite smile, extending his hand. "I'm Maddox Hatter," he introduced himself, though he seemed to sense Ben's attention wasn't fully on him. He quickly looked at Elina for reassurance. "Uh, I think it'd be best if I—" He gestured towards the school, indicating his departure.

Elina nodded with a sweet smile. "Sure, see you later?" she asked, her tone light.

Maddox nodded, his cheeks flushing slightly as he hurried away. But as he turned, he stumbled over his own foot, performing an accidental somersault before scrambling back to his feet. He shot a brief, embarrassed look at the girls, who watched in shock, before sprinting away.

Elina turned to Mal and Ben, eyes wide and hand covering her mouth. "This poor boy," she murmured.

"Seems like he's clumsy," Ben added, glancing at Elina before his usual smile returned. "How was your first day?"

"Super," Mal replied with a nonchalant nod, while Elina added, "Pretty nice."

Ben's attention was drawn to Mal's locker, where she had painted her mother's insignia. "You should really think about taking this talent off the locker and into art class. I could, uh, sign you up. What do you think?"

Mal's eyes followed Jane as she hurried past with a nervous squeal, then she turned back to Ben. "Way to take all the fun out of it," she teased, flashing a grin before she walked away, her eyes meeting Elina's in a silent message. Mal's look was clear: connect with the prince.

Elina rolled her eyes, watching Mal disappear after Jane before turning back to Ben, who was already looking at her. "So..." he began, a bit awkwardly, "Do you have any special talents?"

Elina grinned. "Well, I have many. I would show you, but only after the first date."

Ben blushed, shaking his head with a smile. "Are you always this..." He hesitated, searching for the right word.