Secret in the Heart ||Descendants|| (♡Ben)

13

The group made their way towards the back of the school, where they peered over the ledge at the lively scene below. Many people had gathered, and a performance of a modern version of "Be Our Guest" was underway, featuring students like Ben and Connor. Nearby, a party tent offered an array of food on tables.

Descending the stairs and onto the grass, they wove through the crowd of dancers. Kara spotted a table laden with various fruits and called out to her friends. "Guys," she said, waving them over.

They joined her at the table, and Kara pointed to a dish of strawberries. "You have to try these," she urged.

Skeptical, they each took a strawberry and sampled it. "Hmh," Mal remarked, clearly impressed.

"I know, right?" Kara agreed. Her attention then shifted to a dish of small purplish oval-shaped fruits. She grabbed one and tasted it, savoring the sweet, rich flavor. It was even better than the strawberries.

"Kara!" Jay's voice called out, snapping her from her thoughts. She looked up to see her friends moving away from the table. Quickly, Kara scooped up a handful of the fruits and jogged to catch up with them, munching as she went.

Evie took Dude from Carlos, who, along with Jay, was eagerly indulging in a chocolate fountain. Kara watched them with amusement, noting how their antics sometimes made them seem like children.

"Kara!" A familiar voice called out. She turned to see Ben waving for her. Her friends exchanged glances. "Looks like somebody is about to meet the parents," Mal said with a teasing edge.

Kara rolled her eyes and walked over to Ben. "Kara?" he said, approaching her. "I want to introduce you to my parents." He enveloped her in a hug.

"Yeah, sure. Just one quick question. What are these?" she asked, holding up the last piece of fruit.

Ben laughed. "They're called grapes."

"They're delicious," Kara said, popping the grape into her mouth.

"Ready?" Ben asked. Kara took a deep breath and nodded. Ben took her hand and led her towards his parents.

"This is Kara. From the island," Ben announced. His parents looked somewhat surprised. "My girlfriend," he added.

"Hi," Belle greeted with a warm smile.

"Hi," Kara responded, feeling a wave of nervousness. After all, Ben's parents were the King and Queen of Auradon.

Ben's father raised his hand. "I was thinking maybe she can join us for lunch," he suggested.

"Of course," Belle agreed, though slightly hesitantly. "Any friend of Ben's—"

"Uh, I actually came with my friends," Kara interrupted, pointing towards them.

"Well, you should invite them," Belle said, glancing at Kara's friends. Mal and Evie were waving from a distance, while Carlos and Jay were still by the fountain, their faces smeared with chocolate. Kara chuckled, feeling a bit embarrassed by her friends' antics. "Because the more, the merrier!" Belle continued.

"Yeah, I'll go grab them," Kara said, turning to leave.

"How about a game of croquet before lunch?" Ben's father suggested, stopping her.

"Of course," Kara agreed, though she was unsure what croquet entailed.

Ben gave his father a fist bump and draped his arm over Kara's shoulder, leading her back towards her friends. "Have you played before?" he asked.

"No. I've never heard of this game," Kara admitted.

"No? You will," Ben said, his enthusiasm palpable.