"𝖂hy aren't you getting ready?"

Rilynn looked behind her to see Razelle entering the room, already dressed in her pretty dress, makeup, and hair. She had almost forgotten her sister was getting ready with one of her best friends, letting Rilynn get dressed in their room while she was gone. However, Rilynn didn't have the energy to do so.

An hour after classes were dismissed early for Ben's Coronation, Rilynn returned to her dorm when Razelle was heading out. Rilynn was initially excited, but after a minute of sitting at her vanity, her excitement dissipated, and she started to feel bummed out.

Today was supposed to be a day of celebration in Ben's honor, yet here Rilynn was, making it about her.

Rilynn couldn't shake off the guilt after turning Jay away, insisting there was nothing to discuss between them. While, at the time, it seemed fitting for their sake, Rilynn didn't like the heavy feeling growing in her chest. Rilynn hates that she betrayed her friends by ditching them out of nowhere, but the princess was stuck in the middle.

"You scared me," Rilynn breathed out. She might've jumped in fright.

Razelle lifts her eyebrows as she approaches Rilynn's slumped figure on her bed. "You were supposed to be getting ready," she scolds with her hands on her hips. Rilynn sighed. She sat up from her bed, still looking torn. Razelle noticed. "You're still thinking about yesterday?"

Rilynn shifts uncomfortably. She'd been avoiding the topic with Razelle, and even though her sister had been respecting it, Rilynn knew she couldn't run from it forever.

"I can't help it."

Razelle frowns as she shuffles to Rilynn's bed. "Riles, they could've hurt you, and I would blame myself for allowing this to get this far," Razelle sits on the end of the bed, taking Rilynn's hands into hers. "They were willing to use a spell on Chad, which could've hurt him. Everyone thinks you were in on it."

Rilynn looks up at the speed of light. "I didn't know anything about that."

"I know, Riles," Razelle assured.

The younger princess pulled away, leaping off the bed in defense. "They wouldn't hurt me either," Rilynn's brows knit together in frustration. "They were doing so good. I don't know what happened or why they had that spray."

Razelle smiled softly at her sister before walking around the bed, leading her sister to her vanity. Rilynn complied, letting her sister sit her down and turn on the bright lights, blinding her momentarily. Razelle allowed Rilynn to continue while she started to style her hair.

"And I know Jay would never purposely hurt someone," Rilynn argued fiercely. She didn't like how everyone seemed to villainize Jay for his reaction. While it's a bit ironic, Rilynn believes his intentions were good. "He means well, but when it comes to his friends, Jay's protective over them."

Razelle stayed silent, but her eyes drifted to the mirror, staring at Rilynn's reflection. "To be fair, Chad deserved it."

Rilynn huffed. "What he did was wrong and humiliating, but that doesn't mean I want to hurt him."

The older princess hummed with a different opinion. Razelle shrugged. "I would."

"But I spent a lot of time with them, and I could see they're nothing like their parents," Rilynn frowned dejectedly. "They had a rough childhood and believed they were only destined to be evil. We're no better if we keep that mindset."

Razelle started braiding Rilynn's golden hair. "You really care about them," she commented. Razelle glanced at Rilynn again like she was analyzing her reaction.

"Of course I do," Rilynn replied instantly without hesitation. "They're my friends. Nobody knows them the way Ben, Doug, and I do. They can be a little tense and hard to converse with, but once you get to know them, they're no different from us. They're actually really nice and funny; they're hopeful and get excited over everything."

Razelle reached the end of Rilynn's hair, long and full; she tied it with an elastic band. Razelle had always known about her sister's hair, similar to their mom's when she was younger. Razelle had always loved Rilynn's hair; her little sister was the only blonde in the family. Razelle grabbed a few flower clips and placed them throughout Rilynn's braid, readjusting some that didn't look right.

"There," Razelle plays with Rilynn's hair. "All done."

Rilynn stared at herself in the mirror, admiring her hair. She wished she could feel excited for today since it was supposed to be about Ben, but Rilynn couldn't shake off the feeling. Rilynn was excited to spend this day with the Villains as they celebrated Ben's big day; they seemed enthusiastic about the Coronation, which would be the best day ever. Rilynn wanted to show the Villains all about Auradon.

The happiness was tainted, and it wasn't as exciting as Rilynn had hoped.

Razelle walked toward Rilynn's closet, where the princess's gown hung over the door, encased in a protective cover, keeping the dress in perfect condition.

"Let's get this dress on," Razelle unzipped the bag, slipping it from the dress. "I wanna see how it looks on the final look."

The dress was a soft lilac color with a layer of mesh covering the silk underskirt. It draped long to her feet, longer than Rilynn, but her heels would give her the extra inch. The bodice was shaped like a corset to frame her body and was laced with delicate flowers. They shaped the bodice around the waist, wrapping up to the sweetheart neckline with vines and tiny beads. The flowers were muted pink and purple, soft green vines traveling the flora.

It was a sleeveless dress; a swoop of mesh material drapes over where her arms will be, making her look fairytale-like. The dress was Rilynn's style. It matched it perfectly.

Rilynn's heart suddenly quickened at the mention of her dress; it was almost like her heart was in her stomach. Her reaction was strange, but she knew why. Rilynn was so excited to wear her dress because of how beautiful and intricate the designs were on the bust. But the mere mention of her dress had sent an unforgiving reminder that Rilynn wasn't going with Jay.

It was a horrible reminder because now, Rilynn was sulking at her vanity at the fact. She admits she was looking forward to this day, knowing she would spend the day with Jay, but after recent events, they weren't. It shouldn't be a big deal, but for some reason, it is. Rilynn didn't think she'd be so affected by the realization, but the princess was disappointed now that she let the thought sink in.

"I was supposed to go with Jay," Rilynn barely whispered.

"Hm?" Razelle removed the protective cover.

"He asked me to go with him to Ben's Coronation," Rilynn frowns at the memory, but it felt . . . tainted.

Razelle stopped and turned to Rilynn, surprise written on her face. "He did?"

Rilynn shyly met Razelle's gaze, nodding awkwardly. "Yeah. I didn't wanna say anything because I knew how you felt about them," the princess slumps her shoulders. "But he's really nice to me and was there for me after everything with Chad. Jay is a good person when you get to know him. He's my friend, so I said yes."

The princess was starting to ramble like she needed to explain her reasoning for going with Jay, knowing Razelle would disapprove of the idea. Rilynn loves Razelle and takes her advice to heart, but the princess is afraid of how her sister would react to this. She made it clear that she disapproved of their friendship, and while Rilynn brushed Razelle off, this was different.

"Hey, it's fine, Riles," Razelle kneels in front of Rilynn, flashing her sister a reassuring grin. "I trust your judgment, and if you said he's a good person, then . . . I believe you."

Rilynn paused, a little dumbfounded. "You don't sound like it."

This made Razelle chuckle. "You and I have different perspectives, but you know them better than any of us--better than me," she said. "You've seemed quite keen about this boy."

Rilynn instantly grew red at the admission. "What?" She practically squeaked in surprise. Then, with a wave of awkwardness and a little flustered, Rilynn was taken aback. "No. No, we're just friends."

"It's okay if you are. We don't control who we like. As much as I wasn't fond of your friendship with them, I've never seen you so giddy over someone. You weren't like this even when you were dating what's-his-face."

"You mean Chad?"

"Sure," Razelle hummed.

"No, I . . ." Rilynn stammered for an explanation, trying to get out of this conversation. "It's not like that. He just asked me as friends. He saw that I was upset because of what Chad did, so he asked just to be nice, not because he . . ."

Rilynn blushed at the thought.

Does she like Jay, more than a friend? It was tough to say because the princess enjoyed his company, even when they were at the festival. Rilynn had never felt connected to someone more than she did with Jay, and that's saying something; she was dating Chad, yet she never felt the sparks and butterflies she did for the Villain. He has something special that Rilynn was entranced by.

But there was no way she could like-like Jay. Rilynn admits that she loves hanging out with Jay, and whenever they talk, she's always mesmerized by him. It could be because he's such a flirt, hypnotizing Rilynn and making her think it was sweet and cute. But the more she thought about it, the more it was starting to make sense.

Jay somehow makes Rilynn's heart stutter like it is struggling to stay on beat and releasing butterflies in her stomach. Her palms get slightly clammy whenever they hang out, but she blamed it on the humidity. And sure, Jay was handsome and adorable, protective of his friends, and passionate about Tourney. He is flirty; Jay constantly flirts with Rilynn, and though it makes her smile, she never thinks too hard about it. She never did because she was with Chad, but she was always swooned by his words.

There's no way this means she has a crush on him.

But she was wrong.

Razelle could tell by the look on Rilynn's face that it was true, yet the princess wouldn't admit it. It was obvious to many people; at least, there were assumptions that Jay and Rilynn were already dating. Razelle had heard the rumors, but she would turn them down because, at the time, Rilynn was dating Chad.

Rilynn's eyes widened, practically terrified by the realization, but her lips pulled into a smile. "Oh, my gosh," she gasped like it was news. Suddenly, Rilynn whispered like she was afraid someone might hear. "I think I do like Jay."

"I know, sweetie," Razelle gleamed.

But then Rilynn frowned when reality crashed and burned. "He must hate me," she dropped her head into her hands. "I've ruined everything."

Razelle clicks her tongue. "Puh-lease," she touches Rilynn's shoulder. "Everyone with eyes can see that he had his eyes on you. That boy's practically swooned." Razelle encouraged Rilynn's head from her hands, meeting her eyes. "It doesn't take a genius to notice that he has a little crush on you, Riles."

"I doubt it. He flirts with every girl in Auradon Prep. Besides, he looked upset after everything that happened at the Family Day event," Rilynn's shoulders slumped in defeat. "And yesterday, I brushed him off as if he were nothing. How could he possibly like me after that?"

"Not many will, but some do."

"And what makes you think Jay would be part of that?"

Razelle shrugs, but her smile never falters. "I don't, but if there's a possibility that he does, don't let fear hold you back from what could be."

Rilynn didn't know what to say after that. It was a hopeful wish that Jay would reciprocate Rilynn's feelings, never mind going for it. Rilynn didn't want to go to the Coronation, thinking Jay would swoop in, suddenly confessing he has a crush on her just as she does him. It's a foolish mindset, and Rilynn couldn't bear to let her heart get broken by another boy.

In the meantime, Razelle took Rilynn's silence as a good breakaway from that and went back to the dress.

"Now, get in your dress," Razelle pulls Rilynn out of the chair, pushing her toward the closet. "We don't have all day, and you still need to do your makeup."

The princess nervously reached for her gown and entered her walk-in closet, setting the dress somewhere. Rilynn continued to stare at the beautiful dress as her mind wandered.

Admittedly, Rilynn was nervous about what the Coronation might unfold between her and Jay. There was nothing for her to be so afraid of, but she was suddenly scared after coming to terms with her feelings. While Rilynn swore not to associate with the Villains for Auradon's sake, she also couldn't bear to lose their friendship. Rilynn couldn't bring herself to give them another reason to hate them more than they already did.

Rilynn couldn't shake off the feeling when Jay looked at her, hurt and betrayed, after she brushed him off, pushing him away. Rilynn never wanted to do it, but she also wanted to protect Jay and his friends. Maybe it was the wrong thing to do, but she could do nothing to take it back.

A villain and a princess; now that's a funny story.

☼☼☼

Rilynn and Doug arrived at the Auradon Chapel together. They walked the carpet together as cameras flashed in their eyes, but the best friends posed together.

It might've been a difficult couple of days, but Rilynn knew Doug was trying to boost her energy. The two friends made the most of the first half of the Coronation, and they would keep it that way.

For now, Rilynn wasn't going to worry about her or Jay--at least, she'd try to; this day was meant to be for Ben. It was wrong of Rilynn to make this all about her. Until the next day, it was a drama-free zone. Rilynn hopes to meet up with Jay after the Coronation and talk about everything, but she might dread this a little.

Eventually, everyone drifted inside the Chapel after the carpet, where the King and Queen of Auradon's chairs reside with Fairy Godmother's wand perched in the middle. The powerful and iconic wand lay in the center of the room, hidden from curious eyes, with a singular drape on top of the case. Upon entering the building, Rilynn had yet to see it, but she hoped to squeeze into the front with Doug to get a better view of Ben's ceremony.

After enjoying the party and sipping a bubbly drink, Rilynn stood silently with Doug as they awaited the big moment. Rilynn cast her eyes across the room, searching for Jay in the crowd. She hadn't spotted him since they arrived, but she suspected he might've been running late or he wasn't planning on coming anymore. Rilynn tried to hide her disappointment from Doug.

Rilynn must've looked pathetic searching for Jay, hoping he would show up. A small part of her imagined Jay strutting inside with his friends, walking over to Rilynn, and declaring he was her date. But of course, not everything was a fairytale, and life doesn't work like that. Rilynn practically deflated whenever someone walking in wasn't the handsome thief.

"Looking for someone?" Audrey wondered as she approached the duo.

Almost as if she were mocking Rilynn, Adurey also searched the crowd.

Rilynn blinked back into focus before glancing at Audrey, finding the princess looking back at her with a tight smile. The blonde princess froze. Rilynn quickly looked at Doug before going back to Audrey.

"I was just--"

"Looking for your date," Audrey cuts Rilynn off. Suddenly, she burst into laughter, causing Rilynn to turn pink in embarrassment. Audrey had no issue mocking the princess. "Sorry to break it to you, Lynnie, but . . . he's a no-show."

Embarrassed and hurt, Rilynn felt dumb for thinking any better; she knew Jay wouldn't show up, especially after what she did, but a small part of her hoped Jay would be too stubborn to take no as an answer. However, Rilynn knew that was far from happening. Jay was visibly upset, so why would she think anything different?

"That's not cool, Audrey," Doug frowned.

Audrey turned to Doug. "Oh, are you the replacement?" Promptly ignoring Doug, Audrey directed back to Rilynn. Audrey took Rilynn's hands into hers. "He's a villain, and you're a princess." Audrey lifted a brow as she watched as Rilynn dipped her head, frowning to herself. "It was never going to work."

She let that soak in before someone called for her from afar, so Audrey dropped Rilynn's hands and rushed after them.

Rilynn hated that she just stood there and sulked, pouting while her eyes swelled with tears. On the brink of crying from embarrassment and frustration, the princess willed herself to keep it together. Rilynn wasn't going to let Audrey be the one to push her over the edge, creating a scene that would take the attention away from Ben.

"Don't listen to her, Riley," Doug rolled his eyes as he glared at Audrey from a distance. "She's just trying to get under your skin."

"I know," Rilynn cast another glance over her shoulder. She immediately caught herself and turned her attention back to Doug. "She's right, though. It was never going to work."

"You don't know that."

"Look at us. They're never going to accept them, and they're never going to want to be like us. We're too different. I wanted things to be different, but maybe it isn't meant to be."

"I don't think so," Doug shared with a big sigh, smiling gleefully. "I'm positive that they'll come around sooner or later. Although I don't know them all as well as you do, but I've helped Evie with her chemistry class, and well . . . I think things are different."

"But you saw them at the party," Rilynn frowned at the recollection. "Why would they have a spell powerful enough to knock out Chad? It wouldn't make sense."

"I'm not sure, but we'll just have to wait and see."

Rilynn didn't say much but didn't want to rely on hope.

Amongst the crowd, Rilynn spotted a flare of purple hair.

"I'll be right back, okay?" Rilynn informed Doug before slipping away, not allowing him to process what she'd said.

"Wait, where are you going?"

"Mal is here," Rilynn looks antsy. "I just wanna talk to her."

"Are you sure you wanna do this now?" Doug asked.

No, that's what Rilynn should've said. Now wasn't a good time because it was too sudden, but it wasn't the time for theatrics. Rilynn wasn't trying to ruin anyone's day, but as soon as she spotted Mal, Rilynn couldn't help herself.

"Yeah," the princess felt herself nod. "I think so."

Whisking away through the crowd of princes and princesses, eyes trained on Mal's uncomfortable figure standing awkwardly by herself. Ben had dismissed himself shortly for the ceremony, giving Rilynn the perfect opportunity to talk to Mal. The evil fairy stuck out like a sore thumb, probably because almost everyone avoided her in either fear or disgrace.

Rilynn noticed Mal growing shifty in her shoes, fiddling with her fingers to distract herself from whatever was stressing her. The princess frowned at the sight, quickening her pace.

"Mal," Rilynn called out once she approached.

The evil fairy gasped, and her hand shot to her chest, practically jumping into her skin. Mal turned around to find Rilynn frowning at her. She lets out a nervous laugh, trying to even out her breathing.

"Rilynn," Mal greeted. Her eyes searched Rilynn's, unable to hide her discomfort. "You scared me." Mal studied Rilynn briefly before her smile slowly disappeared. "Is everything okay?"

"What was that potion for?"

Mal was stunned by Rilynn's bluntness. She wasn't expecting Rilynn to be so upfront about something, nevertheless, about what happened. Rilynn hasn't spoken to any of them since the day of the accident, and the princess has never checked up on them.

Not once had Rilynn been a friend.

But Mal couldn't blame her. Not really. The longer to stand there, thinking about what to say, Mal understands Rilynn's dilemma. The princess gave her trust to a group of lying and manipulative villains; therefore, Rilynn was allowed to feel betrayed by them. The princess was allowed to leave the group, avoiding them like they were infected.

However, that didn't stop Mal's hope that Rilynn would come to their aid. Defend them against the people who were always out to get them. Call it weakness, but Mal was starting to feel like everything was . . . wrong. This didn't feel right anymore, and Mal was struggling to know which was right.

"Rilynn, you don't understand," Mal tried and failed.

The princess ignored the blow to her heart. "You lied to me," Rilynn frowned when the hurt settled in, making home in her chest. Rilynn told herself she wasn't going to get emotional, not today, but standing in front of Mal was making it a lot harder than she anticipated. "You all lied to me."

Mal struggled to find the words to explain what happened on Family Day, but the words got stuck in her throat. There wasn't a good enough excuse Mal could say to reassure Rilynn. For as long as Mal knew Rilynn, she never thought she would consider the princess a friend. Strangely enough, this princess decided to overlook their parents' history and see them as anyone else. Mal hated that she felt so bad for lying to Rilynn, using the princess's friendship for her benefit.

"Rilynn, please," Mal tried to approach Rilynn to comfort her. Mal wasn't even sure where to begin. But Rilynn moved back to avoid Ma's attempt. It didn't go unnoticed by the evil fairy; she pursed her lips to hide the fact that they were nearly trembling.

Rilynn's forest eyes darted across Mal's face, searching for something on her face before they connected. Mal's breath hitched pathetically when she realized Rilynn's eyes were swimming in tears, daring to trickle down her cheeks.

"Was, um . . ." Rilynn wet her lips when they suddenly went dry, and her voice grew thick. "Was it ever real?" Mal couldn't do anything but stand there, staring at Rilynn helplessly. "Did Jay ask me to Coronation for--for fun?"

That got Mal kicking. "No! No, of course not, Rilynn! Jay . . . he cares about you more than anyone else," she practically cried out in panic. Mal wasn't sure if she should be saying this, but she'd never felt this . . . frantic before. "He was actually really excited to go with you."

Rilynn's brows furrowed together, morphing into a frown as she fought to keep her composure. "I risked everything for you guys," her voice sounded fragile. Rilynn could barely hold her voice as it diminished its power, weakening to a whisper. "I told everyone they were wrong about you. But I was stupid enough to believe it."

"Rilynn, please--" Mal ushered frantically, battling with the voices screaming at her head.

The princess gasps for air while pulling away again, eyeing Mal cautiously. Rilynn couldn't look Mal in the eyes anymore because if she didn't, she swore she might break down. She thought she could confront Mal about everything that happened, but Rilynn didn't realize how hard it was. She cherished their friendship and did everything to help them feel like they fit in.

No words passed between the two, and to fill the void, the choir came alive, and their angelic voices echoed in the room. A reminder to Rilynn that she was at Ben's Coronation, the princess tried her best to offer Mal a smile, wanting to keep whatever peace that was left. The hurt made it nearly impossible, but Rilynn managed.

"This day is about Ben," the princess reminded them. "Let's just enjoy what we've got."

Rilynn sent one last nod before turning her back to Mal, quickly retreating to where she last left Doug. Her face crumbled once she lost the tough facade she had built for the sake of her heart, but Rilynn knew she couldn't hold it in much longer.

"You okay?" Doug questioned worriedly when Rilynn stood beside him.

But the princess could only nod. "Yeah," she responds, small.

Two servants of the King opened the double doors on cue, revealing Ben on the other side. Ben strutted down the blue carpet with his head held high, a proud grin plastered across his face, embracing the new feeling. All eyes were suddenly on Ben.

Rilynn brushed her earlier troubles aside as she smiled adoringly at her best friend, filled with a burst of emotions--pride was one of them. Rilynn was so happy for Ben and knew this day would come. To see it first-hand made Rilynn stop and realize how quickly they were growing up.

She waited until Ben was in front of her when she plucked the ends of her dress, bowing her head and curtsying in respect. Rilynn lifted her gaze and fell on Ben, catching his brief grin as he shook his head knowingly. It was like they silently teased each other with their eyes, a communication no one else would've noticed. Rilynn adored Ben like he was her brother; Ben was her first friend when she arrived at Auradon Prep, and he will always have a special place in her heart.

Ben approached the King and Queen as they rose from their seats, beaming gaily at their son. As Ben neared the front of the stage, he paused. Headmistress, Fairy Godmother, springs forward, standing before King Adam as he bowed; Fairy Godmother retrieved the crown and turned away, walking around the vase that stood center, holding the iconic and powerful wand she once possessed.

Fairy Godmother waited before Ben, allowing him to lower to one knee, bowing his head. She glances behind her, nodding briefly to Adam. The King lifts the glass vase while the Queen reaches for the powerful wand and stands beside the Fairy Godmother.

"Do you solemnly swear to govern the peoples of Auradon with justice and mercy as long as you shall reign?"

"I do solemnly swear," Ben promises.

Fairy Godmother taps the wand on the new King's shoulders, blessing him as the prince grins happily.

"Then, it is my honor and my joy to bless our new king."

With a swish of her wand, Fairy Godmother felt the wand snatched from her grip suddenly. An echo of gasps and shrieks of surprises erupted from the guests, many taking cautious steps backward when the wand pointed toward them. Uncontrollable and too powerful for Jane, the wand released a sudden wave of power through the chapel.

Fairy Godmother's eyes widen. "Child, what are you doing?" She shrieked in horror.

Rilynn gasps when she and Doug duck down when the wand is suddenly aimed at them. Her eyes instantly grew wide like saucers, staring back at Jane, who was desperately trying to get the wand under control but was failing.

"If you won't make me beautiful, then I'll do it myself!" Jane declares a little anxiously. "Bibbidi-bobbidi-boo!" She lets out a surprised squeal as she twirls on her toes, feeling the strong push of the powerful wand.

"Take cover!" Rilynn barely heard the voice shouting over the screams of terror.

"Rilynn!" Doug shouted urgently.

She turned to her friend, who was urging her to leave, but just as she was about to follow, Rilynn saw Mal running toward Jane.

"Wait," Rilynn stops.

Rilynn wasn't sure what she was expecting when she witnessed Mal snatching the wand away from Jane, who stood like a deer in the street. And it was like the entire room had gone silent. All eyes were directed to Mal, watching the daughter of Maleficent hold the most powerful wand in the world. A girl who's considered a villain in their books.

But Mal merely froze as her frantic green eyes danced across the intricate designs of the wand; hesitation suddenly bore her as she stood frozen in the middle of the chapel.

"What is she doing?" Doug whispered to Rilynn, not expecting a response.

Rilynn didn't have one anyway. She wasn't sure what Mal's intentions were anymore. While she knew Mal wasn't considered to be good, Rilynn also didn't believe that Mal was entirely evil.

Jane wasted no time before scurrying away when she realized who had stolen the wand from her grasp. Fear struck her soft blue eyes, and a chill rained down her spine. Rilynn watched as Jane was instantly shielded behind Lonnie.

"Mal," Ben's voice broke the eerie silence. Unlike everyone, Ben wasn't afraid; he showed so much compassion it threw Mal for a loop. "Give me the wand."

Things took a sudden turn when Mal pointed the wand at Ben, who used his body as a shield in front of his parents. In her attempt to look as threatening as she could, Mal couldn't shake off the feeling in her chest.

"Doug, we have to do something," Rilynn whispered worriedly.

He frowned. "And do what?" Doug leans closer to Rilynn. "She has Fairy Godmother's wand."

"We can't just stand here and do nothing. Mal wouldn't hurt anybody--"

The doors behind them suddenly slammed open, and a stampede of feet pounding against the ground were approaching them. Rilynn and Doug, as well as everyone else, turned around to see Evie, Carlos, and Jay rushing inside.

Rilynn felt a sick, twisted feeling in her chest, the way her heart was pounding hard against her ribcage. Her eyes scanned between the rest of the group but stopped when they landed on Jay.

"Oh, no," Rilynn frowned distraughtly.

"Ben, I said stand back!" Mal screams in warning.

"I told you so," Audrey narrows her eyes at the evil fairy but instantly cowers away when Mal shoots her a threatening glare.

Carlos nods his head toward the door. "Let's go," he urges.

"Revenge time," Jay muttered flatly.

"Jay," Rilynn tried to walk forward, but Doug kept her beside him. Jay met her eyes, and it was almost like she could read what he felt--regret and misplaced. Rilynn felt her chest hurt. "Don't do this."

Rilynn didn't know what Jay could've been thinking in those seconds, but she hoped maybe he'd realize their actions wouldn't solve anything. After the past few weeks of being friends, living in Auradon, Rilynn thought they liked it here. Rilynn saw how happy and explorative they'd been. But when those seconds felt like minutes, Jay pursed his lips, and his brows furrowed together in frustration; he shook his head as if ridding whatever thoughts flooded his brain.

It hurt more than it should've. Rilynn enjoyed their friendship, being the only people, other than Ben and Doug, who seemed not to mind Rilynn's company. They were nice to her and practically adopted her into their little friend group. It pained Rilynn to consider that it might've all been a facade, a front for their true intentions.

But Rilynn refused to believe it. After all this time, Rilynn doesn't think there wasn't any real friendship.

"You really wanna do this?" Ben questions, eyeing Mal.

"We have no choice, Ben," Mal cries out; she feels lost. "Our parents-"

"Your parents made their choice. Now, you make yours."

There were only the sounds of soft breathing and faint whispers carried across the chapel. Rilynn watched and waited, anxiously waiting for Mal to say or do something.

Mal looks around, from the people to her friends. "I think I want to be good."

"You are good," Ben argues with a soft smile.

"How do you know that?"

"Because . . . because I'm listening to my heart."

Mal began to lower the wand slowly; something in her changed as she felt the warmth return to her chest. "I want to listen to my heart, too," then, the dark fairy turned around to face her friends. They wore solemn looks, which was like an internal battle. "And my heart is telling me that we are not our parents."

"No, we're not," Evie agreed softly.

Mal glances at Jay, and she looks at him with a sad smile, yet a happy one. "I mean, stealing things doesn't make you happy. Tourney and victory pizza with the team makes you happy."

Jay couldn't contain his grin as he thought about the things he loved; Carlos grinned at him. The thief didn't want to admit it, but he loved being in a team environment. Jay is happy about being on the Tourney team, and it made him who he is now.

Then, Mal turns to Carlos; she chuckles as she sniffles, trying not to cry in front of everyone. "And you, scratching Dude's belly makes you happy," immediately, Carlos's smile bursts onto his face as he beams at the thought, chuckling a bit. "Who would've thought?"

Finally, the dark fairy turns to her best friend, the girl she finally took the time to truly get to know and grow with. "And Evie . . . You do not have to play dumb to get a guy," the evil princess shakes her head, growing emotional. She chuckles to herself. "You are so smart."

Mal sighs, tipping her head back as she flutters her wet eyes. "And I don't want to take over the world with evil. It doesn't make me happy. I want to go to school. And be with Ben. Because Ben makes me really happy," the girl turns around and flashes the Beast ring; the new king raises his head at the confession and smiles happily. Then, Mal turns back to her friends once again. "Us being friends makes me really happy. Not destroying things. I choose good, you guys."

Mal raises her fist in the middle; she glances at her friends nervously as they hesitate to jump in. They merely stood there quietly, but then Jay put his fist next to the evil fairy's, and he met Rilynn's gaze.

"I choose good, too."

Jay flashed Rilynn a smile in hopes the princess could see that he was trying to be different. For some reason, Jay cares about Rilynn much more than he'd realized, and he wants her to know it, which she did. Rilynn reciprocated the smile, just as relieved as Jay was.

Evie grins, placing her fist with the other two. "I choose good."

Then, the three glanced back to Carlos as he was the last one, but the boy needed to get something off his chest first. "So, just to be clear, we don't have to be worried about how really mad our parents will be?" The group of villains burst into laughter. "Because they're gonna be really, really mad."

"Your parents can't reach you here," Ben reassures, capturing Carlos's gaze, who instantly relaxes.

"Okay, then," Carlos puts his fist with the group, and he beams. "Good."

Mal beckons Ben over, to Rilynn's surprise, her, too. The princess beams sheepishly as she approaches the group and is tugged into their group hug. Rilynn awkwardly met Jay's soft brown eyes, immediately growing warm to the face from the sudden eye contact; the princess quickly looked away, hoping Jay didn't see her embarrassment.

Jay discreetly bumped his shoulder against Rilynn's, earning her stare. The princess grins before bumping back into his softly.

But every happy story has to have a villain to ruin their parade. The booming thunder pounded into the sky, echoing across the chapel and emitting a moment of fear and panic across the people of Auradon. A sea of dark green clouds flooded the chapel, eating at the light and encasing everyone into darkness. A sensation of eerieness crept through the room.

It was the one and only the Mistress of Evil, and no one in Auradon was safe.

"I'm back!"