Blamed

Chapter 17 - Auradon Prep

Seventeen is an awful number to end on, so I apologise.
Honestly Cloud, seventeen..
I have this weird thing where I like to end on either even numbers or multiples of five, so ending on seventeen is killing me..

All it took was a quick visit to each of our dormitories, along with Fairy Godmother's private quarters - her study, specifically.

A quick trip to Jay and Carlos' dorm enlisted of the three of us quickly grabbing a few of Jay's (not yet returned) phones, some spare clothes, Auradonian currency and, due to Carlos insisting, Dude.
It didn't matter how many times I told him that Dude would become an inconvenience, because dogs can't swim, and don't understand the meaning of stay hidden. Or any other English words.
Eventually, I gave in. Sighing, we moved towards the room I shared with Evie, Dude in tow.

In there, I searched frantically for Evie's Magic mirror.
Initially, she had given it to Fairy Godmother after Ben's coronation, but it was returned to its true owner after Uma's attempted infiltration of the museum.
I guess the authorities decided we were less of a threat than the others who could've gotten their hands on it in there.

However, it didn't surprise me when I couldn't find a trace of it. Auradonians are stupid, but not stupid enough to leave valuable magic items in the possession of 'known criminals'. I only got away with keeping my spellbook because it was hidden in my charms, which Fairy Godmother knew about, but didn't take.
Why didn't she take them? My experiences as Holly are still fresh in my mind; I highly doubt she'd be so careless to forget them.
That must mean that she left them on me purposefully - I guess she always did believe in us.
Finally, I grabbed a few more leather jackets, and the spare knife I used to carry with me during the day's before my charms, from under my bed, concealing it in the supple leather of my right boot. Just in case.

Done with the pink monstrosity that was my room, I pulled Carlos and Jay out, slamming the door behind me.
The three of us made our way up the stairs, towards the east wing, where Fairy Godmother stayed.
There was a surprisingly little amount of personal belongings in there. Nowadays, Jane lives in the school dormitories like the rest of us students, but apparently she grew up in this small apartment.
Photos adjourned the pastel blue walls, of a young Fairy Godmother, a young Jane, and a young man. Presumably Jane's father.
I could almost picture her running around the floor, playing with toys and spending time with a family who actually loved her.

I couldn't help but smile, softly and sadly, as the images flashed in front of my eyes.
I'm glad that there are at least some parents out there that love their children; are willing to support them, and won't force them to do something that is firstly, completely illegal, and secondly, not something they want.
Parents that are willing to give their children a chocolate chip cookie and a big glass of milk when they're down, just like Lonnie said when we first arrived at Auradon.

Both Belle and the late Beast said they would happily adopt me as their daughter, and although this made my heart swell with joy, it still wasn't the same as being loved by the woman who raised me. By Maleficent.

"Yes. That's Jane's father.." I glanced towards the voice, seeing Fairy Godmother's chocolate eyes trained on the same photo my own were just mere seconds ago.
"He was killed-"
"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to-" she cut me off.
"No. I want to tell you. It's about time I opened up about this."
"But-"
"Why choose you?" She looked over to me, and for the first time, I saw the pain and guilt swirling in her irises. The same conflicted emotions I see reflected back at me every day in the mirror.
She turned back to the image of her family. "I don't know, Mal," a soft smile adourned her features. "Why did Belle sacrifice herself for her father? Why did Princess Jasmine trust Prince Aladdin?" She looked directly at me. "Why did you give Ben the love potion antidote?"
I didn't answer.
"Because it felt right." With that, she left me to my thoughts.