McKenna stood at the edge of the table, watching Ben’s face light up as he took another bite of the carefully prepared beef ragout. His reaction was exactly what she’d hoped for—sincere, excited, appreciative. This dinner was supposed to be a rare, quiet moment between them, something to remind them both of the connection they used to have, back when things were simpler.

“Would you like a hot hors d'oeuvre?” she asked, trying to keep her voice steady despite the nerves fluttering in her stomach.

“Yes, please,” Ben replied eagerly. He bit into one, his eyes widening with surprise and delight. “Mmm! This is the best thing I've ever had.”

McKenna smiled, a sense of pride swelling in her chest. “So, you like it?”

“I more than like it. I, uh... mmm—so like it.” Ben’s voice was playful, and for a second, McKenna let herself believe that everything was fine, that they were still Ben and McKenna, as they’d always been.

“Beef ragout?” she asked.

“Yeah. This is amazing,” Ben said, setting down his fork and looking at her with genuine admiration. “Did I surprise you?” McKenna teased.

“Oh, yeah, you surprised me,” Ben laughed. “This is every single dish Mrs. Potts made for my parents. What did it take you? Three days?”

McKenna waved her hand dismissively, though she couldn’t help but smile. “You know, don’t even ask me.”

But then Ben’s tone shifted, becoming more serious, more intimate. “It means a lot that you stopped and did all this for me. Especially with all the craziness you’ve been put through. I’ve missed you. We don’t get much time to be just us anymore.”

Her smile faltered at that, the truth of his words settling into her chest like a weight. "I know," she replied softly.

There was a pause, the kind that hung in the air with unspoken words. Ben broke the tension with a laugh. “You can’t take me anywhere, right?”

McKenna raised an eyebrow in confusion, watching as Ben dabbed at a spill on his shirt. “Uh…”

“Do you have a napkin or something?” Ben asked, still chuckling.

“Oh! Yes, I packed some,” McKenna said quickly, reaching for the picnic basket. As she rummaged through it, her fingers brushed against something cold and familiar. Ben’s eyes caught the movement, his expression changing as he pulled out a small, leather-bound book.

"What’s this?" Ben asked curiously, holding up her spell book.

McKenna’s heart dropped. "I actually threw that in there last minute... in case it rained or..."

“‘Speed reading’ spell. ‘Blonde hair’ spell. ‘Cooking’ spell,” Ben read aloud, his voice growing harder with each word. “And I was giving you props for fitting in so well, for doing your best.”

She panicked, the words tumbling out of her mouth before she could stop them. “Take back this moment that has passed. Return it—reverse it—"

“Are you trying to spell me right now?!” Ben interrupted, his voice sharp with disbelief.

McKenna's face flushed as she dropped the spell, her heart racing. “Ben, it has been so hard for me! Yes, I know I was born a princess, but I wasn't raised here or... raised to be a princess let alone a queen.”

“Yeah! Some things are hard!” Ben’s voice was rising now, anger and frustration clear in his words. “Do you think learning to be king has been easy for me?”

“No!” McKenna shot back, her own emotions starting to bubble over.

“I thought we were doing this together!” Ben’s words struck deep, his expression a mixture of hurt and betrayal.

“Ben, we are in this together,” she insisted, trying to hold onto the last shred of calm she had left.

But Ben wasn’t having it. “But we’re not, McKenna. We’re not. Y-You’ve been keeping secrets and lying to me. I thought we were done with that. This isn’t the Isle of the Lost, McKenna.”

“Yeah. Believe me, I know that!” McKenna snapped. Her breath was coming in short bursts now, the panic in her chest threatening to choke her.

“Then why are you doing this?” Ben asked, his voice softer now, but no less wounded.

McKenna swallowed hard, the words spilling out before she could stop them. “Because... I’m not one of those pretty pink princesses, Ben. I’m not one of those ladies from the Court. I’m a big fake, okay? I’m fake. This is fake. This is fake. Take this feast, this sumptuous meal, return it back to what is real.”

With a flick of her hand, the elaborate spread on the table vanished, replaced with a simple peanut butter and jelly sandwich. She watched as Ben stared at the sandwich, stunned into silence.

“This is who I really am,” McKenna whispered, her voice barely audible.

“McKenna…” Ben’s voice was soft, but she couldn’t bear to look at him.

“No.” McKenna shook her head, blinking back the tears that threatened to fall. Without another word, she turned and walked away, her heart shattering with every step.

---

McKenna packed her bag hastily, her hands shaking as she shoved her belongings into it. She couldn’t stay here. Not anymore. She needed to go back, back to the Isle where things made sense, where she wasn’t constantly pretending to be something she wasn’t.

As she walked through the darkened halls of Auradon Prep, her footsteps echoing in the stillness, she felt a pair of eyes on her. She turned her head slightly, catching a glimpse of Audrey standing in the shadows, her arms crossed, a smirk playing on her lips.

“Leaving already?” Audrey asked, her voice dripping with satisfaction. “Guess you weren’t cut out for all this princess stuff after all.”

McKenna didn’t respond. She didn’t have the energy. She just kept walking, the weight of her decision settling heavily on her shoulders. She didn’t belong here. Not in Auradon. Not with Ben. Maybe she never had.

And with that final thought, McKenna disappeared into the night, heading back to the only place she’d ever truly known—home.