Across my memory | Ben Beast

chapter thirteen - cookies

"So, you read all these books over and over again?" Ben asked Ana in shock.

The girl just smiled and shrugged, munching on a cookie.

"Well, I didn't really have a choice now, didn't I?" Ana jokingly asked him, she pulled her legs together to the armchair.

"I mean, those were the only books I found on the Isle. Most of them were burnt or destroyed completely. Those were the only books, I got to read."

Ben smiled sadly at her, feeling like it was unfair.

How he got to live in a fancy castle, wearing clean clothes, eating good food, while other kids like Ana starved on the Isle, doing everything just to survive.

Ana grabbed another cookie from the plate. "By the way, what are these?" Holding up the treat. "They're delicious, I never had them before..."

Ben looked at her surprised, before he noticed how she gave him a clueless look.

Right, they never had cookies in the Isle either.

Despite the heavy heart, Ben smiled and grabbed one for himself. "Oh, these? These are called cookies." He said, taking a bite. "More specifically chocolate chip, my favorite."

Ana nodded, looking at the sweet treat with an amazed look. "Cookies, huh?"

Ben hummed, chuckling. He pulled another book from Ana's pile.

It was a familiar book, one of books he got to know by heart, but this copy was very old, and barely hanging on.

It was Tangled.

Its cover was stained and ripped, though it looked like it was taped together. Its pages were hanging on by a thread and some even missing.

"Oooh! That's my favorite one." Ana told him excitedly, taking a sip of the warm milk. "I love to read it before going to sleep." She then looked at it, realising how it looked next to his books that were clean and kept maintained over the years. "Sorry about that... uhm- I usually accidentally fold some of the pages since I hide it under my pillow."

Ben frowned and asked her. "Why do you need to hide it under your pillow?"

Ana bit her lip, looking down at her hands. "My mom doesn't like me reading..." She explained softly. "She really doesn't think girls who read get anywhere in life. Because in her books, an only way a woman can succeed is through her rich husband."

Ben scoffed, shaking his head. "But that's not true!"

Ana chuckled sadly at him. "I know... that's why I hid it."

Ben huffed, wanting to defend how girls can do whatever they want, but was stopped by Ana who asked.

"What happened to your arm?"

Ben looked at his arm who had a red patch on it, from the hot candle wax from earlier.

"Oh this? It's nothing, just some candle wax burns." He shrugged it off, not wanting her to worry that much about him, though a part of him wanted to.

"It's from earlier isn't it?" Ana asked him, but Ben kept silent. "I knew it."

"I didn't say anything!"

Ben tried to move his arm away from her view, but Ana refused. "You didn't have to."

Ben smiled at her, trying to reassure he was okay. "Look, it's fine okay? I'll put some ointment later." Ana was about to protest when he smiled and placed a hand on her face. "I'm fine alright?" Ana huffed and nodded in defeat.

The two of them were together in silence for a moment before Ana spoke up.

"So what's your favorite part of the book?"

Ben sent her a warm smile, proceeding to tell her about the part where all the pub thugs helped Rapunzel and Eugene escape.

Ana laughed saying that, no matter how many times she read it, she couldn't control her laughter.

Ana then proceeded to tell him, that her favorite was when Rapunzel and Eugene were in a boat together, watching the lanterns float above them.

They spent the entirety of the night, discussing their favorite books and sharing their favorite moments with a almost empty plate of cookies and two half glasses of milk.

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

It has been two weeks since the VKs arrived.

All of Auradon was starting to prepare for the prince's coronation in two weeks.

Ben stood in the tourney field with Carlos on his side.

He wore a yellow shirt with blue shorts, a blue whistle around his neck. He held a clip board and pen as he looked at Carlos reassuringly.

"Okay, Carlos. We're gonna do some sprints, you ready?" Ben called out to Carlos who nodded, ready and already in position.

Ben looked at his stopwatch and was about to yell something to Carlos, when Carlos screamed himself, being chased down by a small dog.

"Ah! No! Wait!"

Ben looked at Carlos amazed by his speed, checking the stop watch as he watched him go.

But when he looked back to tell Carlos about his record, he noticed he was still running away.

"Carlos?" Ben asked confused before yelling. "Carlos!" He went after him and the dog.

Carlos quickly climbed up a tree, wanting to escape the dog's clutches. The dog barked, looking amused to chase him around.

"Carlos?" He heard Ben call out and approach him quickly.

"Ben! Ben, Help me!" He yelled, tearfully. "This thing is a killer! " He exclaimed, pointing at the canine. "He's going to chase me down and rip out my throat!" He cried, while Ben carried the dog off the ground. "This is a vicious rabid pack animal!"

"Hey! Who told you that?" Ben asked, genuinely wondering who taught him to hate dogs or rather fear dogs that much.

"My mother."

"Cruella?"

Carlos looked at him like he had grown a head. "She's a dog expert! A dog yellerer."

The prince laughed hearing his explanation, looking down at the dog in his arms.

"Why are you holding him?!" Carlos freaked out. "He's gonna attack you!"

"Carlos...you never actually met a dog, have you?"

"Of course not."

Ben chuckled, petting the dog lovingly. "Dude, meet Carlos." He looked at Carlos with a reassuring smile. "Carlos, this is Dude. He's the campus mutt."

Carlos looked at Dude then back at Ben who didn't lose his smile.

"Doesn't look like a vicious rabid pack animal..." He said, slowly coming down the tree. "Jeez, you are a good boy aren't you?" He stared at Dude, curiously.

He moved closer until Ben passed Dude unto him.

"You're a good boy..." He said, holding Dude with a smile.

Ben chuckled at the sight, before his smile turned sad. "I guess you guys have it pretty rough on the island."

Carlos looked down at Dude, muttering a 'Yeah' he continued to pet Dude. "Let's just say we don't get a lot of belly rubs." He sighed sadly.

Ben nodded before placing a hand on Carlos' shoulder. "Good Boy, I mean- you're a good runner! Yo-You're fast and-"

"Oh... Thank you." Carlos said, shocked at the compliment.

"Yeah-uh, hey listen, I'm gonna give you guys some space...yeah?" Ben offered while Carlos smiled, excitedly. "You guys get to know each other and just, you know..."

Carlos smiled gratefully at him. "Yeah, okay."

Ben smiled, backing away. "Come find me when you're done, okay?"

"Okay."