Wicked Ones ♛ MAL [✓]

➣ twenty-three.

023. | JUST THE BEGINNING

A content smile appeared my lips as I looked at my reflection in the mirror. Picking up the brush on my vanity, I began to run a brush through my hair in a rhythmic pattern while I hummed to myself. Then, my eyes slowly drifted to the newspaper by my makeup kit — the one that read, VK Day Is Here! 4 More To Go Ashore!

After the big fight against Uma, Ben had sent word to the Isle that the villain kids were going to be allowed to live in Auradon. Mal, Evie, Carlos, Jay, and myself had (obviously) been deemed the ones to travel to the Isle and choose who would be allowed to go first, and to say I was excited about it would be an understatement.

But I was also just as nervous. We hadn't received any activity from Uma ever since Mal and I had fought her, and we all knew she was out there, waiting for her next chance to strike. So we had made sure Ben had doubled the guards, and kept the security as high as it could get.

Still, through all that nervousness, I had never been happier. I loved my life in Auradon, I loved my girlfriend, and I loved the people around me — including my friends. And I would do anything to protect it.

Suddenly I felt a pair of hands cover my eyes, and a soft voice whispered, "Guess who?"

I grinned, turning my head and causing my guest to uncover my eyes. My smile only widened when I saw it was Mal, who was grinning back at me in happiness.

"Hi," I said.

"Hey," Mal replied. "You almost ready to go?"

I nodded, turning back to the mirror and tying my hair into a low ponytail before standing up. As soon as I was on my feet, Mal inhaled sharply, and I frowned at her, tilting my head to one side. "What? Is something wrong?"

"No, no, no, nothing's wrong." Mal shook her head. "It's just... you look–"

"I know, it's the hair, isn't it?" I said quickly, taking my orange ponytail in my hands. "I know it looks weird, I tried dying it but it didn't work and I've been looking for–"

"Fred," Mal cut me off, shaking her head with a soft laugh. Taking my hands, she smiled warmly. "I was going to say you look amazing."

Ever since the fight with Uma, my hair had slowly started to turn from a deep auburn to a bright orange — the same color hair as my mother — and now it was pretty much entirely orange with a few auburn streaks. I hated that I was beginning to resemble my mother in many ways, but all my attempts to reverse it had failed.

"I look like my mom," I mumbled, refusing to meet her gaze.

Mal put her hand under my chin and turned my head so I could look at her. "Frederica Sanderson," she said, her voice quiet but firm. "You look like you. And you are absolutely beautiful. Okay?"

I took a deep breath and smiled. "Okay."

Mal squeezed my hands encouragingly. "C'mon, let's go. I bet they're waiting for us."

We left our house and walked outside. After climbing onto our motorcycles, we put on our helmets and rode off down the road to Auradon.

When we got there, Evie, Jay, and Carlos were there waiting for us. They were all smiling and chattering excitedly, but fell silent as we approached.