#auradon

Slowly you moved further away from the school, towards the gardens. You gasped loud when there was more rustling. “Curious and curiouser.” Muttering to yourself. Approaching. Gently bending through your knees upon the bush.

Humming interested. With a loud squeal, you leaped back when something darted out of the bushes. Eyes twinkling with delight, you went in pursuit. Running after it. Steering away from your destination. 

Max huffed loudly when Félix slapped the back of his hand so suddenly against his chest. Causing him to stop abruptly. Laughing loud, he pointed in a direction. “She’s at it again.” Tone teasing. Max turned his head, spotting Félix point at you. Running towards the gardens. Dropping your books on the way.

“We’re never seeing her to class.” Hazel would sigh out, crossing her arms. Snorting loud when the Smee’s mimicked you. Max shooting them a glare. “She’s a handful.” Félix let out, slipping his arm over Max and Hazel, leaning down on them. Max brushed his arm off. 

“Come on.” Hazel motioned with her head to the building. Knowing they had a class approaching. Max sighed loud, lowering his head. Getting in motion. “M…Max…where are you going?” Hazel called out, throwing her hands up. “I’ll be right back!” Max shouted back.

Bending down to pick up your fallen books. Collecting them carefully in his arms. Shaking his head with a deep sigh. Venturing after you into the gardens. He started picking up the pace as he knew how fast you could run. “Y/n! Y/n!” Calling out with panted breaths. 

Passing the bush figures and flower patches. Rounding around the fountain, through the flowery archway. Nearly dropping one of your books in his haste. Struggling to keep it in his grip. Slapping it firmly against his chest. Arms guarding them tightly. “Y/n!” Calling once more.

Gritting his teeth, he knew he didn’t have time for this. No time to chase you after one of your silly adventures. That curiosity of yours. “Y/n!” Max shouted louder when he saw the last of your dress disappear behind a bush figure. Speeding up, he shot a hand up to his hat to keep it from flying off. 

“Y/n!” Yelling with frustration. Gasping loud, you came to a sudden stop. Max catching up with you, pulling you firmly towards him by your wrist. “Oh, Max.” You said delightfully. Max’s gaze on you hardened, tugging firmer at your wrist. “We’ve got class!” He reminded you. “But…but I was close…you see I was chasing… I believe a rabbit. Brown of fur or a squirrel. I couldn’t really tell, so I wanted to know…” You tattled on. 

Stumbling over your feet when Max pulled harder at your wrist. “Enough!” He called out, coming to a firm stop. Turning around sharply to you. Shoving your books in your hands. “We’ve got class Y/n. Get that head of yours out of the clouds.” Pushing his finger gently onto your forehead. 

You faintly lost balance, leaning backwards before catching yourself. Fluttering rapidly with your eyelashes, you gawked at him. Swallowing softly, tearing your gaze away from him. “I know…” Whispering out. Moving your books up till your chin, you leaned down on them. Following Max quietly to the building.

Stepping out of the gardens towards the building. It was all very clear. VK’s and HK’s snickering and laughing your way. Cheeks flushed with shame that Max was a part of this walk of shame. You weren’t a fool. Everyone knew what it meant. You had once again let your curiosity get the better of you. 

“I…I’m sorry.” You blurted out to Max. Running past him to not have him associate any longer with you. Max sighed, moving his hat a bit up, scratching his hair. You hurried over to class. Appearing abruptly in the door opening. Eyes falling on Max’s friends.

They noticed you, snorting loudly. Burying your head down, you hasted to your seat. Max entered a moment later, going straight to his friends. Glancing over your shoulder, you stared at their interactions. How they toyed around, teasing each other. At ease with each other. 

Pushing your books closer to your chest. You dropped your chin on top. Biting the inwards of your cheek. Blinking rapidly to keep any tears at bay. How insane he must think you were. Always with your head in the clouds. Easily distracted by your curiosity. Chasing after adventures that were not always worth it.

Your curiosity with the need to know, a burden on you. You knew it and they knew it. Wiping your cheeks dry, just in case any tears had slipped. You rather wanted to be someone else. So sick of yourself. Rather wanting to be anyone else. Then you’d be as cool as Hazel. Lovable as Max. Funny like Félix. Charming like Luis. Comparosing, slowly killing you. 

Turning your head, you stared at Red, Pink and Chloe. Tensing your jaw from jealousy. Everyone wanted to be around them. They probably got invited to gatherings every night. Lifting your head up, you pulled the top book a bit up. Sighing saddened.

The invitations for a tea party you had, tugged in there, seemed pointless. You just knew no one would show up. If only you were one of them, everyone would come. Jealousy tasted bad in your mouth. Fairy Godmother walked into class. The last few students hopped down from the tables to their seats. 

“Good morning class.” She happily let out. Almost singing. Jaw tensed, your jealousy got the better of you. Shoving your chair back, you shot up. Books clutched to your chest, taking a run for it. “Y/n…Y/n…where…where are you going?” Fairy Godmother called out. “Chasing clouds?” You heard in a flint when rushing out.

The laughter piercing through your heart. Tears you had tried to keep inside, bubbled out. Sobbing loudly. Books dropping out of your hand, moving the back of your hand against your lips. Lip trembling uncontrollably. Rushing down the hallway to be as far away. 

Max jumped out of the door into the hallway. Panting loudly. Heading in a direction, nearly tripping over your fallen books. Hopping aside, he regained his balance. Kneeling down with a soft sigh. Carefully collecting them.

Brows quirking up at the envelopes sticking out of a book. Slowly he pulled one out. Opening one to read the first sentences for a tea party. Batting his gaze down, he playfully shook his head, tugging them away. Carrying your books by his hip, he could think of a few places where you would run off to. 

Max lifted the low hanging branch higher up, lowering himself a bit to go underneath it. Curling up a relieved smile upon hearing your voice. Walking under the archway naturally formed by tree branches at each side. Leaning against the bark of one of the trees, crossing his arms. “Room for one more?” He asked.

You gasped loud, looking up from the table. Setting the tea cup down you were about to offer to anyone imaginary. “You should be in class.” You let out, tearing your gaze away. Max huffed out a chuckle. “So should you.” Approaching. Pulling a chair back, by your side. 

Sitting himself down, placing your books on the table. He pushed the books over the table to you. “You should have these. You still have to hand out your invitations.” He tilted his head with a cheeky smile. Scoffing loud, you shoved the books with the invitations off the table.

Invitations flying off, scattering around in the grass. Max stared at it with wide eyes. “Why would I even bother?” You responded. “Who would even come?” Turning your head away from him so he couldn’t notice the hurt in your eyes. “I know what they call me… loony.” Eyes swelling up with tears. “Thinking I don’t hear it, but I do…” 

Quickly wiping the back of your hand over your cheek. Setting your hands on the edge of the table, you shoved your chair back. Getting roughly up. “I’m not as cool as you! No one wants to hang around with me cause they all think I’m a lunatic! You’ve got it all, friends, popularity, invitations! I get none of those!” Spilling your guts about all you envied him.

Turning around, you stepped away from the table. “Y/n!” Max panted out, jumping up from his seat as well. “Wait up…” Coming after you. Reaching for your wrist, keeping you in place. “I’d…i’d come to your party.” He let out, tugging you closer to you. 

Annoyed, you pulled your hand free. “You don’t have to pretend. There is no one around. You can stop acting like you care out of pity.” You cried out. “Even I am sick of myself. Sick of how cursed with curiosity I am.” Pressing your fists in distress against your forehead. “Y/n.” Max pulled your hands down, keeping his grip around them. “I’m sorry…I’m sorry you feel this way…but you don’t have to compare yourself to others.” 

Annoyed you scoffed, looking away. Max pressed his thumbs on your hands. “It’s not pity…I promise you.” He made clear. Brushing his thumb up your cheek. “Sure, you give me a run for it.” Batting his eyes up with a cheeky smile. “But I’d chase you to the end of the world if I have to.” Chuckling softly.

“Silly Y/n.” Booping your nose as it made you flutter your eyelashes. He moved away, kneeling down to collect your books and invitations. He held them out to you. You accepted them. Wanting to take a remaining invitation from his hands when Max pulled it out of your reach. “This is mine.” Winking. You smiled bashfully down. 

“Who needs a thousand friends when you have me?” He said, slipping an arm around you. You nudged him hard in the side. “A few wouldn’t be so bad.” You responded with a soft glare. Max ruffled his fingers through your hair, chuckling deeply.

“Don’t worry about the nickname…I’ll make it disappear.” Pressing you closer to his side. Tearing yourself away from him, you ran a bit further. “Did you say you’d chase me to the end of the world?” Perking an eyebrow up. Smiling cheekily. Max exhaled playfully. You squealed loud when he came chasing you. 

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it had to stop. someone had to do something to stop this. this girl whose name you didn’t even know had been chatting up ben for a little over 10 minutes now. five minutes too much, in your opinion.

you could see everything play out from the lockers, where you were standing. her touching his arm and laughing extra hard at anything he said. she really couldn’t have made it more obvious. and you guessed that ben, being the sweetheart that he is, didn’t want to hurt her feelings.

you knew full well that he made sure she knew that he had a girlfriend and still, she acted like the boundary was nonexistant. you just had to shut it down.

you had been clearing your throat so much in the last five minutes that lonnie, looking for her stuff in her locker next to yours, became increasingly worried about your health. if it wasn’t for her asking if you were okay, you wouldn’t have pushed yourself off of your locker and went to deal with the problem yourself.

you tried to control your breathing on your way over to them. okay y/n, you can't freak out in front of them. don’t freak out. don’t freak out. don’t-

"hi baby" you came up behind ben with the softest tone and your arm snaking its way around his waist. you did not acknowledge her once of course.

"y/n!" ben looked down at you and you could feel her eyes on you as his arm came around your shoulders. ben’s hand waved towards the girl as to introduce her. "i don’t think you two have met yet. y/n, this is nadia. nadia, this is y/n. my girlfriend."

you reluctantly took your eyes off of his face and acknowledged her with raised eyebrows. as if you hadn’t been staring at her for the past 10 minutes or so.

"ohhh, so she is the girlfriend. don’t worry, i’ve heard only great things about you. it’s really nice to finally meet you." she said with a fakeness that was typically communicated between auradon princesses. you succeded in letting a small smile seep through the tight lines that your lips formed.

"nadia is replacing jane as head of the party planning commitee while she’s away." ben clarified.

"right, well it’s nice to meet you too." before your eye started to twitch, you brought your eyes back to your boyfriend’s face.

"i came to take you up on your offer of helping me with maths." you murmured close to ben’s ear and with a snarky smile. "we can go to my dorm if you want? evie won’t be there for another two hours." ben cleared his throat and his ears went a pink-ish color. you were having trouble keeping your smirk to yourself.

"right uhh, bella, can we talk later?" he spat out with a breathless voice.

"absolutely. yeah, we’ll talk later." you didn’t even let her mutter out something about how nice it was seeing you since you turned around without paying her another thought.

you were sitting on the edge of ben’s bed looking at him getting ready. he was looking at himself in the large body mirror and as he reached for his tie you stood up.

"i can tie it for you if you want.." you said as you stood right behind him while looking at him in the mirror. ben smiled at you through the mirror.

"yeah..yeah that would be nice. thanks. my hands are a bit shaky right now." he let out a nervous chuckle and you turned so you’d face him.

"i know i noticed. if it’s because of that council meeting, i’m telling you, you have nothing to worry about. they won’t have a choice but to accept your proposition. it’s a well rounded project. " you tried to ease his stress as best as you could.

"you’re right." he sighed softly. "i’m just worried they’ll think my ideas are too unrealistic, you know. i want to prove that i can handle it." his shoulders relaxed a bit, like a weight physically got lifted off of him.

you finished tying his tie and looked up at him through your eyelashes only to find him looking right back down at you. your hands went to his shoulders and his own came on top of them.

"i know you’re going to do great because your ideas are great. you are great, ben. they’ll see it sooner than later." you nodded positively, making sure he understood that you meant every word.

a small smile played on ben’s lips as his hand came to hold your chin and brought your lips closer to his. your lips were about to touch when you heard a knock on the door.

you sighed. "if that’s doug again, i’m kicking his butt all the way back to charmington." ben snorted as he went to open the door.

"ben, hi! i was hoping to find you here." you secretly hoped it wasn’t who you thought it was. her voice irritated you greatly. so cheerful and for what, it was 10 am on a thursday.

"nadia…what’s up?" there was your confirmation. that girl wouldn’t back out in front of anything, it seemed. you crossed your arms and scoffed to yourself while shaking your head. then you stepped to the side so you could see her better.

"we actually need your input on some of the activities for the spring festival back at the commitee, and i thought i’d come here to get you." ben opened his mouth to answer but no words came out. he looked back at you and nadia acknowledged you.

"y/n! i didn’t see you there!" you only waved your hand with a polite smile. ben returned to nadia.

"sure, let me just get my keys." you were annoyed. you knew that this was a temporary arrangement so you didn’t want to get too upset, but it still bugged you.

ben came to you and paused with his hand on your back, and a look in his eyes looking for confirmation that you were okay. you looked back at him and offered him a small smile. his eyes lowered to your lips as he squeezed your arm and started to walk away before you grabbed him back by the arm.

"ben wait, you forgot something."

with that, you held the back of his head with your hands and kissed him deeply. you really wished you had kept at least one eye open to see nadia’s reaction.

"for good luck." you managed to get out with a breathy voice. he cleared his throat and you waved both of them goodbye as they left.