"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