Here's a long one for y'all

Mal was fed up with it. Ben had locked himself in his private study for almost two months now. He'd been skipping school, his seat in classes normally empty. She'd only been able to see him when he was rushing to and from meetings, papers in his arms. Even during those split seconds, she could see how tired he looked.

In the hallways, she'd tried to talk to him, but he always excused himself after only a few seconds. More then a few times he'd only give her a simple 'hi' or just a nod, sometimes nothing at all.

She missed him, no, she missed the old Ben. The Ben from before all his king duties took over him. That old Ben would always spend time with her, listen to her problems, teach her how to swim, and hold her tightly in his arms.

Mal was heading back from school in the afternoon that day. Ben suddenly ran past her. She grabbed his arm, stopping him and forcing him to look her in the eye.

"Ben," she said.

He shook his arm free. "I'm sorry Mal, I really can't talk now. I'm late to a council meeting."

"The council can wait," she insisted. "Ben, we haven't spent real time together in at least months now."

"Mal, you're not the only one I have to spend time on. There is a whole kingdom that needs its king."

"There's a girl right in front of you that needs her boyfriend back," Mal shot back.

"I can't-"

"Don't you remember what you said to me right after your coronation?!" Mal was near tears. "You promised that no matter what you'd find a way to be with me! No matter how much work you had, no matter how many meetings you had, no matter how much the kingdom needed you! Ben, you still have a personal life full of people who actually know you! It's not all about your work!"

His gaze darkened. "Then, Mal, I'm not the one you want to be with. Find someone who actually cares for you. I can't choose you over my kingdom. I won't. I'll choose my kingdom over you every time."

Every word that was said was a sharp dagger in Mal's already aching heart.

"You told me that you loved me!" Tears ran freely down Mal's face.

"Well, you spelled me! Mal, I'm done. I can't deal with you over everything I already have to do."

Her voice lowered, growing in silent rage and disbelief. "Then we're done, Ben. You go off and run your kingdom. Don't give me a single thought."

"Good," he glared at her. "I don't give a f***, Mal. I never did."

With that he angrily stormed away down the hall.

Mal stared after him, gradually realizing what she'd said to him, and what he had said back. She collapsed sobbing, not caring who saw her there.

The hall was empty anyway. No one would be coming down it for a while, probably.

After a few minutes crying her heart out, Mal felt hands on her shoulders.

"M?" Evie's concerned voice cut through her heartbreak like only her best friend's could. "What happened?"

Mal couldn't find her voice. Evie took her back to their shared dorms, soothing her best friend gently the whole time.

After Mal had calmed down, Evie handed her a few more tissues and a bowl of strawberry ice cream.

"How do you always know what to do, E?" Mal laughed, taking a bite of her ice cream.

"Oh, I just know."

Mal sighed and looked down into her lap.

"So, M." Evie grabbed her makeup brushes and palette off her desk. "First, you're going to tell me what happened. Then, I'm giving you a makeover."

Mal sighed and set down her ice cream. "It's a long story."

"I'm listening," Evie promised.

That simple sentence reminded Mal so much of what Ben used to say to her. It brought new tears to her eyes.

"C'mon," Evie coaxed. "You can tell me, then maybe Jay, Carlos, Lonnie, Jane, and I can beat him up."

Mal managed a slight smile, then recounted everything that had happened. By the end, she was again in tears and Evie was shocked, but more outraged at what Ben had done to her best friend.

"Oh, he's definitely getting what he deserves," Evie growled angrily.

Mal didn't stop her.

An hour and a half later, Carlos, Lonnie, and Jay walked in from their tourney practice.

"You asked us to stop by?" Carlos asked, holding Dude in his arms.

"Yeah," Evie put down her sewing.

"What's up?" Lonnie asked.

"Did someone get hurt?" Jay asked a bit too excitedly.

"No," Evie responded. "But someone's about to."

"So you need us to beat someone up?" Jay asked, even more excitedly..

"Who?" Jay asked, acting like a little kid.

"Ben," Evie answered.

Jay lost his excited look. "What?"

"What happened?" Lonnie asked.

"Mal?" Carlos turned to her. "What did he do?"

"He-" Mal's voice caught in her throat, and more tears appeared.

"Okay, I don't care what he did. He made Mal cry, and no one does that to her!" Jay shouted.

"I want to know," Lonnie sat at the foot of Mal's bed.

"So do I," Carlos set Dude down.

Evie put a hand on Mal's shoulder and told them what had happened. When she finished, they were darn ready to give Ben a beating or two.

"Just you wait," Carlos promised, walking out of the room. Jay and Lonnie followed him.

"What the heck are they doing?" Evie asked.

Mal shrugged.

"We'll wait and see then," Evie sat on her bed.

Mal pulled out her phone. Nothing new anywhere.

"M?" Evie asked gently.

"Mhm?"

"Do you still love him?"

Mal set down her phone. "I think... I don't know."

"Well do you want us to hurt him?"

"Of course not."

"Then we won't," Evie promised. "I'll only yell at him."

"Fine."

"Maybe slap him once or twice."

Mal fake-glared at Evie.

"What? He deserves way worse."

Mal sighed, then looked back at her phone, which promptly began blowing up.

Ben💜: Mal
Ben💜: Mal I'm so sorry
Ben💜: I'm such a f****** idiot
Ben💜: please talk to me
Ben💜: hello?
Ben💜: Mal?
Ben💜: I know you hate me now
Ben💜: Jay is going to beat the h*** out of me
Ben💜: please respond
Ben💜: I didn't mean what I said
Ben💜: you deserve way better then me
Ben💜: please don't tell me you meant what you said earlier
Ben💜: I love you still
Ben💜: nothing will change that
Ben💜: I promise I'll make time for you
Ben💜: please don't leave me
Ben💜: I love you and always will

Mal got annoyed while Evie just thought that was hilarious.

Mal: shut up. I meant it. We're through, Ben

Then she blocked his number.

"That's the Mal I know," Evie said. "Don't let him bother you anymore."

Mal sighed again. Even though it had been three seconds, she was starting to regret deleting Ben's number.

"Do you have anything tonight?" Mal asked.

"Actually I do, I have a design council meeting in a few hours, then I'm planning to go out with Doug for dinner- but I can cancel them! The committee can do without me and Doug will understand-"

"No, go to them," Mal cut her off. "I need some time alone anyway."

"Are you sure? Nothing comes before my best friend."

"I'm sure. I'll be fine."

"Okay..." Evie said as her phone buzzed.

"What is it?" Mal asked.

"It's Audrey. She wants me to help set up the room for the meeting tonight."

"How long does that take?"

"Eh... about two hours if we're zippy."

"What?"

"Hey, not my fault. She always goes over overblown on the decorations."

"Okay... so when are you going?"

"As soon as I fix my hair and makeup."

"I don't see why you need to fix it."

"But I do," she sat at her vanity and pulled out a few more brushes.

In about twenty minutes she was done, including her hair.

"I'll see you later tonight, M," she said, stuffing her phone into her purse. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

Mal smirked. "So basically do nothing but makeup and sewing."

Evie put her hand to her heart in mock hurt. "I'm offended!"

Mal laughed, and Evie left the room.

Mal blew a strand of hair out of her face. "Now what to do..."

She tidied up her side of the room a bit, throwing some old papers into the trash. She opened her desk drawer, where she kept her most precious possessions.

First her diary, which she placed on top of her desk. She'd write in it later.

Then a few photos of her, Evie, Jay, Carlos, Jane, Doug, and Lonnie.

And at the very bottom, one of her and Ben at Cotillion:

It hurt to look at, but she couldn't take her eyes off of it. She remembered that night, it was one of the best nights of her life.

Well, aside from Uma spelling Ben. But other then that, it was one of the best nights of her life.

She tossed it aside into her trash can. She refused to dwell on her old love that started with a spell and lies.

After she wrote and drew in her diary, she put it and the pictures back where it belongs, then pulled out a book and sat on her bed to read.

————————————————————————————————————————————————
Switch over to Ben

Ben couldn't concentrate.

Which was bad, because the council meeting he just attended gave him several huge stacks of paperwork he had to finish in just a few weeks.

Even worse, during the meeting he wasn't really paying any attention. He kept thinking of Mal and what he'd done to her. Torn her heart into pieces just because he was overworked, stressed, and sleep-deprived. He didn't mean a single hurtful word he'd said to her.

He growled in frustration after reading and signing over a few petitions and threw his pen across the room. He had to apologize to Mal.

————————————————————————————————————————————————
Back to Mal

Mal was currently cuddled up comfortably, sketching in her notebook with her purple paint-splattered headphones on and music playing, drowning out her problems and the world.

There was a knock at her door, but she didn't hear it.

Several more knocks rang out, all to no answer.

Eventually Ben just gave up and walked in. He saw Mal with her back to him, and as much as he wanted to just walk over there and hug her, she was probably still mad at him.

"Mal?" he called out.

She didn't hear him, so he walked up behind her and turned off her music. She whirled around and took off her headphones.

"Ben," she glared at him. "what do you want?"

"I just want to talk to you..."

"What part of 'we're done' doesn't make sense to you?"

"Mal, I wasn't thinking straight and I'm really sorry. I can't lose you. I'd pick you over my kingdom."

She sighed and turned away from him. He sat down next to her on the bed and pulled her into his arms. She didn't fight him.

Ben whispered into her ear. "I love you, Mal. Did I mention that?"

Mal blushed. "I haven't heard that in a while."

"I'm sorry. That's all my fault. I promise to make sure you hear that at least everyday."

"Alright..." she sounded mildly skeptical.

"What, you don't believe me?"

"No, not really."

"Why not?"

"You're just so deep into your work all the time."

"I know," he held her tighter. "I'll find some time for you. Even if I get behind on my work. You mean much more to me then that."

"Thanks, Ben," she whispered. "You have no idea how much I missed you."

"I missed you too... I guess I just didn't realize how much I need you," tears formed in his eyes and seeped into her t-shirt.

Mal pulled out of the hug. Ben stared at her eyes.

"If I could share a fraction of your time," Mal leaned in to him. "That would be enough."

"I promise," Ben said, closing the distance between them and kissing her for the first time in forever.

...all of my Bal oneshots up til this point have ended the same way