𝕲etting your heart broken is crushing, but nothing beats the embarrassment Rilynn was put through than getting broken up with in front of the entire school. It's a strong feeling that punctures your soul, piercing so far into your heart that it's bleeding out all the love and trust. Rilynn felt as if Chad had reached in and ripped her heart out of her chest, leaving her to whither in this pain of embarrassment and mistrust.

Rilynn figured heartbreak would be something to fear after giving your heart to someone you once adored, but she never thought it would feel ten times worse. While Chad angrily threw words at her face, Rilynn wondered what brought them together; sure, they became acquainted when she befriended Ben and were somewhat friends, but Rilynn doesn't remember what attracted her to date Chad. After Chad accused Rilynn of liking Jay, the princess felt guilty when he sneered the words to her face. It was like a slap to the face. Rilynn stood there wondering if she'd hurt his feelings for how she behaved, and all for a boy who was nothing but trouble.

But Chad's words echoed in her thoughts to remind her of her foolishness, springing tears to her emerald eyes again; Rilynn would sob all over again. Rilynn realized how stupid she'd been, especially after being embarrassed in front of the entire school. She cried so much that her eyes were puffy, her nose was runny, and she'd hiccup every few seconds as her shoulders would shake with every inhale. Rilynn couldn't find it in her to hate Chad, nor could she be angry at him for what he did at the game. In a way, she deserved it for the way she'd been treating their relationship the past couple of days, but could anyone blame her? It was fun at the beginning of their relationship, but over time, Rilynn didn't feel that rush she once did.

Oh, geez . . . Rilynn remembers the way her face burned in mortification as several eyes darted toward her and Chad; the gasps and whispers felt so loud Rilynn was afraid to look away from Chad's face. Had she, Rilynn would've faced the judgy looks from her classmates. Who knows what everyone must've been thinking--Chad and Audrey, who were meant to care for Rilynn--were seeing each other behind the princess's back without her knowing. Poor, sweet, gullible Rilynn was too naive to see her boyfriend had always cheated on her.

Rilynn dreamt of a happily ever after like her parents, but this wasn't a fairytale. Love isn't forever, but heartbreak can last forever; it's like someone reaching inside her fragile chest and stealing her broken heart, shattering it. In Auradon, you'd think happily ever after would magically fall in your lap; however, this was where everyone walked around with fake smiles and pretended to be everyone's best friend.

No one was exactly nice in the land of happily ever afters.

Rilynn couldn't bother to wipe the tears that stained her cheeks, dripping from her chin and landing on her lap. The princess wasn't sure what hurt most--the whole thing had her balling all over again.

When the princess had run away, she wasn't sure what she was expecting, but Rilynn had hoped Chad would've chased after her; perhaps Chad would've apologized for his harsh comments and assured Rilynn that Audrey was lying, something other than what happened. Rilynn supposes it's her fault. She distanced herself from Chad for a while, and once the villain kids showed up, the princess devoted her time to them, wanting them to feel included.

"Riley!" a voice shouted from afar, huffing out of breath as he raced across the field. Rilynn recognized the voice calling for her in a rush, worry practically oozing from their words; however, Rilynn couldn't bring herself to look at him. "Riley!"

Rilynn sniffled as she bowed her eyes slightly, emerald eyes swimming in tears as she attempted to shield her puffy face. "Please," she whispered with a broken voice, barely audible had he not trudged closer. "Just leave me alone."

The princess curled her body into a ball, dropping her chin on the top of her knees. Rilynn didn't want anyone to see her like this, especially not Doug; she knew her best friend wouldn't mock or judge her, but Rilynn was mortified.

"Riley, I'm sorry that happened to you," Doug frowned empathetically, barely stopping in front of the pavilion. Doug wanted to approach Rilynn and comfort her, but he kept his distance to not freak Rilynn out as he slowly got closer. "That was wrong of them to do that to you, especially in front of the entire school. You didn't deserve that."

"But I did," wept Rilynn, struggling to keep her composure as another wave of tears rushed down her cheeks, hiccupping and sniffling. Rilynn wiped under her eyes. "You should've heard him, Doug. I was never a good girlfriend to him; I always tried to find ways not to spend time with him, and I always felt like I was trying to be someone that I'm not. I'm a horrible person."

Doug could feel his heart breaking. "Yes, you were, Riley," he kept his voice soft and gentle. Doug crept closer to Rilynn. "Stop putting yourself down, Riley; you're an amazing person. Anyone could tell you that. You're better than those two combined." Doug slowly sat beside Rilynn, his chest twisting once he noticed the princess's red, puffy eyes. "Chad was never a good boyfriend to you. Don't get me started on Audrey."

Rilynn sniffled, wrinkling her nose. "But that's it; Chad was so good to me. He used to be so sweet and funny, and we got along so well," the princess accepted Doug's company by laying her head on his shoulder, letting him hold her in his arms as he comforted her broken heart. "I wish I could've been a better girlfriend, but . . ."

"Riley, there's something you need to know," Doug started. Rilynn sat up until she met Doug's gaze, pinching her brows. "I didn't know how to tell you this, but . . . I found Chad under the bleachers with Evie." Doug watched Rilynn's reaction--the princess inhaled sharply. "He bribed her into doing his homework."

Rilynn wiped her tears. "Did they . . .?"

He shook his head. "No, they didn't. Evie might be pretty, but not even she could fool Prince Oblivious."

"Awe, you think Evie's pretty," cooed Rilynn. Doug sputtered a coverup, but it was too late; Rilynn already knew. Then, the princess's mood dropped again. "I didn't know about Evie and Chad."

"Sorry to tell you about that," Doug apologized. "They're villains. They weren't raised like how we were."

Rilynn slouched forward. "No, I know," she sighs. "I don't know how to feel about it."

Doug continued rubbing Rilynn's arm. "Don't be too harsh on Evie. I mean, she was wrong for approaching Chad while you were dating, but Evie is the daughter of the Evil Queen."

Doug was right. Evie is the daughter of the Evil Queen; she also grew up on the Isle, where niceness isn't a thing. For all Rilynn knows, Evie was probably wooing all the boys on the Isle, not caring whose heart she broke. The blue-haired girl is the daughter of a villain, and Evie isn't going to care that the boy she wants is dating her new friend--well, ex-boyfriend now.

It was official; the daughter of Rapunzel and the son of Cinderella were officially broken up. The once Second Best Couple--Chad had exclaimed in victory one day, but Rilynn never cared--probably looked like a joke to the eyes of Auradon students. Rilynn was never one to boast about her relationship with Chad, not the way he did. Chad wanted everyone to know he was dating the golden-haired princess, wanting to take photos to look perfect. Chad had a reputation to uphold, and Rilynn was the ideal person to fill that spot. It never occurred to her how odd it was because she was just happy to see Chad so excited.

Rilynn always wondered why Chad was so adamant about being public with their relationship, but she was even more confused when Audrey made sure everyone knew it, too. The daughter of Aurora didn't seem like the type to be insecure in her relationship, but the princess always managed to bring up their boyfriends like it was a chore. Then, it never occurred to Rilynn why Chad ever asked her out--they were friends in the beginning, and Rilynn enjoyed his company, but things were dating once the two became a couple.

Sure, Rilynn adored Chad and found his little quirks endearing, but the spark she had hoped for was never there. There was never a moment where Rilynn would feel these butterflies in her stomach at any sweet gesture, nor did she ever feel giddy for a new date they would plan. It felt like Rilynn was hanging out with a friend with whom she happened to hold hands.

Jay, on the other hand--

No, Rilynn scolded herself, a little surprised her thoughts somehow managed to bring Jay into the mix. She shouldn't be thinking about Jay when she had just gotten dumped a couple of minutes ago, especially when the reason was because of him--okay, Rilynn knows it's not his fault, but it feels wrong. Rilynn didn't even want to think about it; for all she knew, her little crush on Jay could be temporary, and from the heat of the moment--Jay's your typical bad boy, which so happened to attract Rilynn's attention. The princess supposes he's cute and a little risky, and maybe he makes her heart flutter and her palms sweat, but that doesn't mean anything.

Besides, Jay would never go for a girl like Rilynn.

"I should probably talk to Evie about it," Rilynn finalized. "I'm a little hurt that she would do that behind my back, but I can't find it in me to blame her after what Chad did." Rilynn pulled back, meeting Doug's eyes. "Do you think I'm gullible and naive?"

Doug was furious with Chad for how he treated his best friend. Whatever Chad said to her, Rilynn was torn and doubted herself because of what he did. When Doug met Rilynn, the princess was shy and nervous but excited to meet everyone; she trusted too quickly and wanted to make many friends. However, Rilynn was self-conscious and felt like she wouldn't be able to fit in because she had been homeschooled for most of her life. Doug befriended Rilynn, and the two became inseparable since. But seeing her now, it hurt Doug to see her crawl back into the shell she once hid in when she attended Auradon High.

"No, I don't think you're gullible or naive."

Rilynn pouted. "You're just saying that."

"No, I'm not. Do I think you're too nice and trusting for your own good? Yes, yes I do," Doug corrected. The princess frowned dejectedly, slumping her shoulders in disappointment. Noticing this, Doug bounced his shoulders gently, getting Rilynn's attention. "That's not a bad thing, Rilynn. It's okay to feel like you do, so don't let anyone try to bring you down, especially not someone like Chad."

Rilynn managed to giggle through her sniffles. "Thanks," she tilts her head, bumping her cheek on Doug's shoulder. "I just feel bad, I guess. I like Chad--I know, don't look at me like that."

"He made you cry, Rilynn."

"Yeah, but I hurt him, too. I mean, I think," she frowned. Rilynn was still confused about their argument, but Rilynn wasn't going to tell Doug about that piece of information; she was a little embarrassed. "I made him feel like I didn't care about our relationship because I was always with the villain kids. I think he felt a little jealous because of it."

Doug tilted his head, shooting RIlynn a knowing grin. "Or is it because of a certain villain?"

Rilynn grew red in the face, and an embarrassed smile stretched her lips. "What?"

He chuckles. "Oh, I know about your little fascination for Jay."

Rilynn moves away in disbelief and maybe a little horror. How does Doug know about that? "I don't have a fascination for Jay," she denied quickly, still blushing madly.

"It's pretty obvious, Riley," he laughed.

"Stop laughing!" Rilynn exclaimed, ears burning and feeling a little mortified. "Oh, my gosh." The princess covered her face like she was trying to hide, and her shoulders began to shake when Doug's contagious laughter triggered hers. "How do you know?"

"You always want to hang out with them, but you look at him more than the others. It's adorable."

"That's embarrassing!" Rilynn corrected.

"No, you just have a little crush."

Rilynn shook her head, hiding her smile. "No, I don't have a crush on Jay. I mean, he's cute and witty, but I don't like him like that," she assured; however, Doug looked at her with a doubtful look. "I don't!"

"It's okay if you do. He's got more character than Chad."

"You're so mean," Rilynn nudged Doug's shoulder. "Besides, it would never happen."

"And why not? You like him, don't you? I'm pretty sure he likes you, too," Doug said. "Sure, Jay's a bit of a flirt, but I've seen how he acts around you. I'm no expert, but that guy can't keep his eyes off you."

Rilynn rolled her eyes and turned away, feeling the blush burning at her cheeks. "Probably because he's a flirt," she noted. "I've seen how he acts with the other girls in school, so your theory is wrong."

"Whatever you say."

A sudden knock interrupted the two friends' conversation as they turned toward the front of the pavilion, finding none other than Jay standing at the edge of the steps. Rilynn and Doug sat up in a bit of surprise, but Rilynn was worried that he might've heard them talking about him. If that's the case, Rilynn might die in embarrassment.

Jay offered the two a small smile, waving shortly as if he were trying to ease his way into their little clan. He had seen what happened; Jay had heard pretty much everything Chad said to Rilynn. Jay figured Rilynn would be upset after she ran away in tears. He wanted to run after her to ensure she was fine, but he didn't think the princess would want him around after what happened. He was partly to blame for their breakup, but nothing excuses how Chad treated Rilynn. But then he'd seen Doug taking off shortly after Rilynn ran away, calling for the princess after he scolded Chad for how he ended things.

Rilynn's eyes widened as they stared back at Jay's, and suddenly, her heart began to race, and her stomach twisted almost nervously. The villain boy was leaning against the wood of the gazebo with his arms crossed, a small smile pulling at his lips. Rilynn didn't mean to, but she could've sworn she felt her heart do something she had never felt before. The princess felt frozen in the spot, wondering if she was breathing or looking at Jay weirdly.

"Sorry to interrupt," Jay said.

Doug jumped to his feet, puffing his chest and attempting to be intimidating. "What are you doing here?" The dwarf stood beside Rilynn protectively.

"I just wanted to check up on Rilynn after what happened," he assured, slowly stepping on the platform. His eyes shift between Rilynn and her knight. "Is that okay with you, dwarf?"

"Hey--"

"Jay," Rilynn shot him a warning look, to which he complied. "It's okay." Rilynn rose to her feet, placing a hand on Doug's shoulder and offering him a reassuring smile. "I need to talk to him anyway. He was kind of there when it all happened."

Doug nodded, and Rilynn appreciated it. With one final warning look from Doug, he turned and left the two alone, leaving the atmosphere tense and awkward. Rilynn could barely meet Jay's gaze, though she didn't know how he must've felt about the ex-couple fight, especially in the middle of it. Jay heard what Chad said to her, even while they tried to talk privately. It must've been uncomfortable for Jay. This is so humiliating.

"Hi," Rilynn chirped awkwardly, flashing an uneasy smile.

Jay chuckles. "Hi," he greeted. Jay noticed Rilynn's blush, and though he wanted to say it was because of him, he knew why she felt flustered. "Mind if I join you?"

Before checking on the princess, he stopped by his crew briefly before heading toward where Rilynn ran off, expecting tears and shouting. He didn't know what he would've done if he found a crying girl alone because what was he supposed to say? Jay isn't the hugging type, and comforting is not his expertise, no matter how much he'd love to sweep in and finally get the girl. But when do villains ever comfort crying princesses?

"Oh, uh," Rilynn stammered, feeling her heart quicken. Why is she so embarrassing? "Yeah. Of course."

Jay nodded curtly and stepped further into the pavilion, eyes roaming along the bottom edges of the structure toward the top, eyeing the hanging flowers and fairy lights above. The pavilion was unlike anything he'd seen on the Isle; they never even had flowers on their little island, and something about them was . . . nice. Gross.

"That was an awesome game," Jay said casually as if he was trying to sway from the topic he knew Rilynn was dreading. He eyed almost nervously, afraid the princess would burst into a fit of tears, and Jay really didn't want that. "The guys are stoked."

Rilynn wrapped her arms around her torso. "At least someone's happy," she tried to smile, but it looked uncomfortably strained. Rilynn could feel the awkward tension. "Um, about what happened . . ."

But Jay clicked his tongue and waved his hand like it was no big deal. "Don't worry about it, Blondie," his lips quirked into a lopsided grin. He slowly crept closer to the princess without scaring her. "I just came to check on you, see how you're doing after what happened." Jay lifted his brows. "You good?"

Just thinking about it all over again had Rilynn's eyes tearing up for round two, but the princess somehow smiled through the pain. She shrugged and desperately tried to avoid Jay's gaze, but the villain wouldn't look away. Rilynn feels overwhelmed by the amount of attention Jay gives her, which is ridiculous because the thief is a known flirt.

Rilynn turns away, keeping her eyes on the flowers before her. "I'm not sure, honestly," she replied shaky. "I've never . . . gotten my heart broken by a boy before, but . . . it hurts." Rilynn tried to explain with a short laugh, though it was a way for the princess to cope. Suddenly, she dropped her head back in her hands. "I've never been so embarrassed in my life."

This was exactly what Jay was hoping to avoid--tears. Geez, what was he supposed to do?

Jay shifted uncomfortably. "If it makes you feel any better, neither have I," he admitted randomly, taking himself by surprise. The princess hadn't noticed his discomfort, but Jay was relieved the princess lifted her head and wasn't crying. But as soon as Jay and Rilynn's eyes met, Jay almost forgot to breathe. He clears his throat. "On the Isle, I mean. We don't exactly do relationships, so no one's feelings ever got hurt."

Rilynn frowned. "So, you've never been in love?"

"Nah," he hooked his head. "I don't believe in it."

"At all?" wondered the princess.

The villains were an exciting group, and Rilynn felt like she learned something new from them every day. Their lives are drastically different, but the teens don't have the same general ideas or particular perspectives.

Jay shrugs. "Well, when you're the son of a villain, who would ever love you?"

"You don't believe that, do you?"

"Not everyone can have happy endings, Blondie. Only the good guys are allowed to have endings," Jay eyed Rilynn. "So, are we gonna talk about me, which I