When Maia and Tiffany opened the door to their dorm, they weren't surprised to see Hallie counting her money from winning the street race the night before, Ronan reading on Maia's bed, Ally watching the fish tank  and Avery studying.

Over the past two weeks, Maia had gotten quite comfortable with the group and even sometimes spent more time with them than she did with the others. It was nice having people her own age, apart from Ally and Lilah who were still only 16.

"Can you get off my bed please?" Maia asked Ronan, who she had surprisingly become the closest to throughout the group. "And put my book down as well."

"No." He smiled sarcastically but moved over so there was enough room for her to sit, which she ended up doing.

Tiffany sat down and began studying with Avery. "Rough day?" Maia asked him when she saw the look on his face. 

"Three words; Audrey and Ben," He told her. "I still don't get why he's dating her. She's such a snob."

"I've been telling everyone this." Hallie joined in the conversation.

"And we've been listening." Ronan snapped back.

Maia put a hand on his arm as the boy sat up quickly. "Alright, alright. She definitely doesn't like me much either if that helps."

"Apart from us and Mal, Evie, jay and Carlos - Maybe Ben - I doubt anyone likes you," Ronan joked but he got pushed off the bed. "Ow!"

"You deserved that," Maia replied and glared at him but everyone went back to doing their own thing. "Have you read that book before?"

He handed her the book back before sitting on the end of her bed and facing her. "I have actually. My favourite line will always be 'Don't try and make me grow up before my time'. Although I think we've already grown up faster than we should have," He told her with a small smile. "Where are you up to?"

"Beth just got sick again," Maia told him. "Which is kind of upsetting considering she's my favourite character."

"Well when you've finished, I'll be more than happy to listen to what you have to say about it." Ronan replied and the two chuckled and looked at each other for a moment.

Suddenly, Lilah came bursting through the door in her cheerleading outfit. "Lilah, are you okay?" Ally asked in concern.

Lila's eyes stopped on Maia and the blonde smiled brightly. "Maia! I've been looking everywhere for you."

"Uh...why?" Maia questioned, looking to the others who shrugged.

"Daisy just sprained her ankle in practice," Lilah told her but everyone still looked confused. "And a little blue birdie told me, that you can do a few flips. So Maia, I am begging you-"

"Absolutely not!" Maia laughed in disbelief. "I am not putting on one of those skimpy little outfits and flipping in front of the entire school."

"Please, Maia, I am begging you." Lilah literally begged. Lilah had that face that you often couldn't say no to. "I'll do anything you want."

"Will you stop rambling?" Maia asked and Lilah nodded eagerly. "Alright. I'll do it."

"We officially have another cheerleader!" Ronan spoke up in amusement. Maia just huffed and rolled back onto her bed. 

❤︎❤︎❤︎

Making cookies with a love potion the night before had been easier than they imagined, the tear they needed for sadness came from Lonnie when she found out that they had never made cookies with their parents before. Maia had to remind her that not everyone had perfect, happy families.

"Are you feeling kinda weird about this?" Jay asked Mal as him and Maia walked over to her locker with her.

Maia sighed and looked at her friends all sitting on a bench down below and they waved at her. "Jay has point," She agreed. "it's not so bad here."

"Are you two insane?" Mal asked them quietly. "Long live evil. You're mean, you're awful. You're bad news. Snap out of it!"

"Thanks Mal, I needed that." jay told her, suddenly back to his old self while Maia just nodded. Still feeling slightly weird and suddenly guilty when she caught Ronan's eye and they smiled at each other.

Maia watched and laughed as Jay walked over to the edge and all the girls laughed and walked over to him. "Well hello, the name's Jay," He introduced himself with an overconfident smirk. "You guys coming to the Tourney game tonight?"

After Audrey walked off, Mal closed her locker. "Hey Benny Boo!" She called out and Maia chuckled.

"Hey." He replied and walked over to them.

"I, uh, just made a batch of cookies," Mal held up the plastic bag with a cookie in. "Double chocolate chip. Do you want one?"

He sighed. "I can't, I've got a game. I don't eat before a big game. But thank you so, so much. Thank you. Next time."

Maia urged Mal to go on by kicking her in the back of the leg. "No, yeah," Mal continued. "I completely understand. 'Be careful of treats offered by kids of villains'."

Maia and Evie stood there looking in shock and amusement at her words. Mal continued, "Yeah I'm sure every kid in Auradon knows that."

"No, no, no, it's not that. I really do have to...I really have-" Ben stuttered.

"No I get it," Mal kept playing. "You're cautious, that's smart. Oh well, more for me I guess."

As Mal went to put the cookie in her mouth, Ben snatched it from her and took a bite. Suddenly Maia's, Evie's, Carlos' and Jay's attention was on Ben.

"Totally trust you." He told her with a mouth full of cookie.

"How are they?" Maia asked, pretending to be casual.

"They're good," He told her but his eyes stayed on Mal. "They're great! They're amazing! They're...they're chewy and what is that? is that walnuts?" Mal nodded. "I love walnuts. I mean you know the...the chocolate chips are...I'm sorry."

Everyone took a step closer.

"They're warm and soft," Ben continued. "And they're sweet. Mal have you always had those little golden flecks in your eyes?"

Mal took the cookie off him before he could take another bite. Maia put a hand on Ben's shoulders. "How are you feeling Ben?" She asked.

"I feel...I feel," Ben tried to say. "Like singing your name. Mal!" He tried singing but they quickly covered his mouth.

"What the hell did we put in that thing?" Maia asked the others.

❤︎❤︎❤︎

"Lilah, I don't know if I can do this." Maia told the blonde as they were about to step out onto the field.

"Yes you can," Lilah told her. "You have to. We made an agreement."

"She's right." Tiffany agreed with Lilah as her and Ronan walked over.

"Yeah and what happened to all that confidence?" Ronan asked.

Lilah looked at her seriously. "I have to know if you can do this so I can decided whether or not you're fit to be captain." All of their heads snapped towards her. "Listen, I get that we haven't known each other that long but I don't want to do cheer anymore and none of the other girls have the right qualities to be captain. But you do. Please."

They all looked at Maia who sighed and nodded. "Okay." She agreed.

Tiffany and Ronan kissed her on each cheek. "I love you!" Tiffany shouted as she ran off to the bleachers.

"She means we love you!" Ronan corrected her as he ran off to join the team.

Those three words were exactly why she was unsure about continuing the plan.

The game started and it was neck and neck between Auradon Prep and the Falcons in the last 23 seconds. Maia did her final backflip as Ben finally scored, winning the game in their favour. Maia and Lilah began hugging each other and cheering while everyone else was doing the same.

"And it was the new guys, Jay and Carlos, who set up Prince Ben for the win!" The announcer said.

Lilah and Maia waved their hands at Ronan, Jay, Carlos and Ben who smiled back. Jay and Carlos ran over to Maia who hugged them.

"I knew you guys could do it!" She told them and they all laughed.

The next thing she knew, arms wrapped around her waist and Ronan swung her around as he hugged her out of joy. Lilah joined the hug after a few seconds.

"Is Ben supposed to do that?" Maia asked him, one of his arms still wrapped around her waist and her hand on his shoulder, as they watched Ben stand on the podium and take a mic.

"No," Ronan shook his head and the two looked at him in confusion. "What the hell is he doing?"

"Excuse me, can I have your attention please!" He asked them all. "There's something I'd like to say!"

Maia's eyes snapped up towards Mal who shrugged. Ben looked around in confusion. "Give me an M!"

Everyone made an M with their arms and Maia had a feeling she knew where this was going.

"Give me an A!"

Everyone made an A and Maia laughed while everyone else looked slightly confused.

"Give me an L!"

Everyone made an L.

"What does that spell?"

"Mal!"

"Come on I can't hear you!" He told them.

Everyone shouted again and Mal looked embarrassed while Audrey ran off. "I love you Mal, did I mention that?" Ben continued. "Give me a beat."

"Oh my god." Maia muttered and Lilah laughed with her.

The band started playing and everyone began clapping. "Did I mention that I'm in love with you?" He sang. "Did I mention there's nothing I can do? Did I happen to say I dream of you everyday? Well let me-"

"Shout it out loud!" Everyone yelled. Lilah and Maia had begun dancing with each other.

"If that's okay hey, hey. If that's okay."

"Hey!"

"I met this girl who rocked my world like it's never been rocked, and now I'm living just for her an I won't ever stop. I never thought that it would happen to a guy like me but now look at what you've done, you've got me down on my knees."

Everyone screamed in laughter as Ben dropped to his knees.

"Because my love for you is Ridiculous! I never knew-"

"Who knew?" The Tourney team joined in singing.

"That it could be like this. My love for you is ridiculous! My love is R-I-D-I-C-U-L-O-U-S!"

The cheer team got into position. "R-I-D-I-C-U-L-O-U-S!"

"It's.."

"Ridiculous!" The crowd shouted.

"Just..."

"Ridiculous!"

"And I would give my Kingdom for just one kiss. Well did I mention that I'm in love with you? And did I mention there's nothing I can do? Did I happen to say I dream of you every day? Well, let me-"

"-Shout it out loud!"

"-If that's okay, hey, hey. If that's okay. I got to know which way to go come on give me a sign..."

The singing faded out as Ronan grabbed Maia's hand after Lilah was dancing with another cheer girl. "You know you want to." He laughed and he spun her into his chest and out again as they laughed together.

"My love for you is ridiculous! I never knew-"

"Who knew?" Maia, Ronan, Lilah and Avery all shouted together.

"-That it could be like this. My love for you is ridiculous! My love is R-I-D-I-C-U-L-O-U-S!"

"R-I-D-I-C-U-L-O-U-S!"

"And I would give my kingdom for just one kiss come on now!"

The band just played a few beats while everyone danced. Ben took his shirt off and threw it to Mal in the crowd. Taking Maia's moment of distraction, Ronan pulled her in and dipped her down for fun. When he pulled her back up, she had a smile on her face that no one had ever seen before. The laughter that followed made his heart skip two beats more.

Their faces were close enough for them to look like they were kissing but Maia was too busy laughing and smiling to notice. They were pulled out of their moment when they spotted Ben walking over to Mal.

"That was your fault we missed the last part of the song!" Maia told him but they stayed holding hand with one of his arms around her waist.

"I love you Mal, did I mention that?" Ben said as he reached her.

Audrey grabbed the mic off Ben and had Chad next to her. "Chad's my boyfriend now!" She announced quickly. "And I'm going to the coronation with him. So, I don't need your pity date."

She kissed Chad and Ben quickly asked, "Mal, will you go to the coronation with me?"

"Yes!" Mal answered.

Everyone cheered and began cheering again when Jay was lifted by the team and held up the trophy. 

a/n: listen, I'm not writing any of the songs down, but that song is too good to miss out on