The Gladers from the Isle (ABANDONED)

Ben and Audrey

Ben stepped forward, clasping his hands together, an excited smile on his face. "It is so so so good to finally m- eet you all." He smiled nervously at Jay who had just punched him in the chest as a greeting. He and Mal shook hands as he spends a second staring into her emerald eyes, "this is a momentous occasion." He moved to Carlos, "and one that I hope will go down in history... and chocolate?" He asked, licking some from his finger. Carlos sucked his thumb, there is chocolate smeared around his mouth. "As the day our two peoples began to heal!" He shook Evie's hand, and moved on to Teresa's.

"Or the day that you showed eight peoples where the bathrooms are," Mal stated cockily, swinging around with her hands on her hips. Ben laughed, looking over at her as he shakes Thomas' hand. Minho punches him in the chest - just as Jay had done, and nods proudly. "A little bit over the top?" He asks Mal as he rubs his chest, shaking Newt's hand as Newt glares at Minho.

"A little more than a little bit," Mal laughed, not looking directly at him. Jay looked over at Minho and they shared a laugh about their punch-joke.

"Well, so much for my first impression." They both shared a moment of laughter until Audrey leaned forward.

"Hey! You're Maleficent's daughter aren't you? Yeah, you know what I totally don't blame you for your mother trying to kill my parents and stuff." The Gladers looked over as Mal widened her eyes in shock.

"That was uncalled for," Thomas thinks to Teresa. She nods.

"Oh, my mum's Aurora, by the way: Sleeping-"

"Beauty!" Mal cut in. "Yeah, I've heard the name." Thomas smirked; in spite of being in Auradon now, people could (and would still be nasty); holding grudges and being petty for what the VKs' parents did many years ago. "You know, and I totally do not blame your grandparents for inviting everyone in the whole world, but my mother, to their stupid Christening."

Audrey laughed through a bitter smile, "water under the bridge."

"Totes!" They both laughed falsely as Ben struggled to maintain a polite smile. He clapped his hands together.

"Okay! So how about a tour? Yeah?" He extended his blue-sleeved arm to the building. "Auradon Prep!" He gave a bit of history as the group walked along the topiary-barriered path until they reached a bronze statue of a kingly-looking man on a stone plinth. The group paused momentarily as Ben clapped his hands twice. The statue seemed to growl as it morphed into a beast-like creature and Carlos yelped as he jumps into Jay's brawny arms. Newt and Thomas looked at him sympathetically; even though he was away from his mother, he was still terrified of anything that might cause him harm. "Carlos, it's okay; my father wanted his statue to morph from beast to man, to remind us that anything is possible."

"Does he shed much?" Mal asked thoughtlessly. Ben thought she was being genuine and replies with:

"Yeah; mum won't let him on the couch." Audrey was still clinging possessively to his arm as his hands are clasped in front of him, as though he was trying to ignore her. Mal gave him a humoured look, before turning back to the other VKs, rolling her eyes. Jay dropped Carlos and he whimpers, before clapping twice at the bronze beast above him. The statue remains static.

"I don't think that'll work for you, Greenie," Newt said. They hurry to catch up with the others.

~

Upon walking into the building, the Gladers and VKs look around in awe at the grand-looking interior design: any banners or flags are blue and yellow with the initials 'AP' inscribed on them (for 'Auradon Prep'). The wood of the columns, stair bannisters and skirting boards look almost gold and there are various similarly-coloured chandeliers strung from the ceiling or attached to the columns, giving the vicinity a warm yellow glow. Or would have done, if it weren't for the large partially-stained-glass windows that were allowing a refreshing white light into the room. In spite of all this, Mal's focus was intently on something else: "So, you guys have a lot of magic here in Auradon?" She began, clapping her hand to her bicep, "wands and things like that?"

Ben and Audrey turned around to face her again, Audrey still holding Ben in her grasp. "Yeah, it exists, of course," he said casually with a smile, "but it's pretty much retired. Most of us here are just ordinary mortals."

"Who happen to be kings and queens," Mal replied, probably trying to deflect her disappointment according to Teresa. Thomas refused to agree with her:

"She's probably just interested in magic."

"So was her mother, I'm sure," Teresa replied.

"That's true!" Audrey exclaimed, almost showing off, as she slings Ben's arm over her shoulders, gazing at him lovingly, "our royal blood goes back hundreds of years." Ben laughed awkwardly, trying to stay professional. He looked up at the staircase to see one of the boys from the marching band walking down it; his hair is shaved on the right and swept over to the left. He was wearing glasses and focusing on a clipboard in his hands. He looked 'a bit geeky' according to the Gladers.

"Doug!" Ben called. The boy raised his head and nods curtly with a wide smile upon noticing the prince. Audrey and Mal share awkward looks, although Audrey's is more of embarrassment. "This is Doug," Ben introduced to the group, seeming to be a lot more comfortable to be touchy-feely with him than his own girlfriend. "He's gonna help you with your classes and schedules and show you the rest of the dorms." He steps forward, seeming to only talk to Mal now; "I'll see you later, okay? And if there is anything you need, feel free to-"

"Ask Doug," Audrey cut in, laughing awkwardly with Mal once more, before leaving the building with Ben following after her.