𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐑𝐔𝐋𝐄𝐒

13. 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗱

𝕱amily Day had taken an unexpected turn, but Rilynn supposed she should've seen it coming. The Villains were bound to break out of character and do something drastic, just as everyone had predicted, but Rilynn couldn't shake this funk. There was something wrong, and no doubt, Audrey was the source of the problem; however, it wasn't like Rilynn would march up to the princess and give her a piece of her mind.

However, things were tense after everything had gone haywire among the Auradon students. Ben was nowhere to be seen; Audrey and Jane made snarky comments whenever Rilynn passed by. Other students side-eye Rilynn as she passes to different classes, but none approach because Doug accompanies the princess. Doug was always there by Rilynn's side, taking the brunt of their classmates' judgy gazes and their little comments.

"This is ridiculous," Doug grumbles as he and Rilynn walk up to one of the benches in the courtyard. He looked around and saw several people watching him and Rilynn as if they had done something terrible. Doug shakes his head, angrily rolling his eyes. "You don't deserve this."

Rilynn sighed dejectedly, distracting herself with her lunch even though she didn't seem to have much appetite. Going to classes hasn't been easy for Rilynn, especially when all she could hear was people talking about her; everyone believed the princess was a traitor. Rilynn was considered one after Audrey had passed word of such, making the princess look like a bad guy.

There wasn't anything Rilynn could do to make it all go better. Even Razelle tried to do whatever she could to make Auradon a safer environment for her sister; Rilynn's older, protective sister, Razelle, nearly walked Rilynn to every class and almost had lunch with Rilynn and Doug. It wasn't like Rilynn didn't appreciate her sister's effort to protect her from the mean kids, but Rilynn didn't think it was necessary. Besides, it was embarrassing as it is; Rilynn doesn't need to be babysat by Razelle.

"Seriously. If they say something one more time," Doug purses his lips, shaking his head angrily.

"It's fine, Doug," Rilynn assures. "They have the right to be angry."

"But that doesn't give them the right to call you names," Doug turns away from ongoing students, looking at Rilynn with an empathetic frown. "It's not right. You don't deserve any of it."

Rilynn heaves a sigh. "But I do, Doug. I stood up for them. I told everyone they were wrong about them and that they were different," she frowns, shaking her head. "Can we not talk about it? I don't wanna think about it anymore."

Doug pursed his lips as he stared at Rilynn defeatedly. He hated that everyone had turned on Rilynn, silently picking on Doug for siding with the princess; however, after Rilynn's breakup with Chad, the situation became much worse for Rilynn than it was for Doug.

It was as if Audrey and Chad had sought to implicate Rilynn as a traitor to them, wanting everyone to turn on the princess and treat her poorly. It wasn't right, but it wasn't like Doug could make it stop. He's not as popular, nor does he have much of an influence as Audrey and Chad. Those two became Auradon's most entertaining couple and, quite possibly, the most popular.

"Rilynn, we need to talk," Jay approached suddenly.

Rilynn and Doug jumped in surprise, eyes wide as they practically gawked at Jay. The two friends slowly met each other's gaze, seemingly thinking the same thing; they were a little taken aback by Jay's presence. After chaos unfolded in front of them, Jay and the others stormed off before anyone could stop them. No one knew where the villain kids went, nor did anyone seem to care much.

But with how tense everyone has been since the fiasco, Rilynn was squirming in her seat uncomfortably.

"I don't think that's a good idea," Rilynn said with a small voice. Her worried eyes scanned the courtyard, already feeling eyes pointing at them.