cookies and love

                                    

                                          
The next day after school, Audrey and Ben walked out together, their footsteps echoing softly through the hallway. They paused near the lockers, and Audrey's eyes zeroed in on a group of girls chatting excitedly at a nearby table. "Look, it's Mal," one of the girls remarked as she spotted Mal exiting the school building, trailing behind Ben and Audrey.
"Hi, Mal! Love my hair, Mal!" another girl chimed in, waving enthusiastically. Mal responded with a polite wave and a tight smile, turning to open her locker just as Jay appeared beside her.
"Are you feeling kind of weird about this? I mean, it's not so bad here, you know," Jay said with a grin, his voice carrying a hint of curiosity.
"Are you insane? Long live evil! You're mean! You're awful! You're bad news! Snap out of it!" Mal retorted sharply, snapping her fingers in front of Jay's face for emphasis.
Jay chuckled, nodding as if he'd just been reminded of something important. "Thanks, Mal. I needed that," he said, laughing lightly before walking off. Mal, meanwhile, closed her locker, her mind occupied with thoughts of Elina and the plan they had in motion.
Nearby, Audrey was still fuming as she watched the girls. "Do you think they actually paid for those?" she muttered to Ben, her annoyance palpable.
Jay, now leaning casually against a fence, called out to the group of girls with his signature charm. "Oh, hello. The name's Jay. You all going to the tourney game tonight?" he asked, his eyes twinkling with mischief.
The girls giggled, blushing as they moved closer to the fence. "Yeah," one of them answered shyly.
"Keep a lookout for number eight, all right? Scoring the winning goal," Jay flirted, his confident smile causing the girls to swoon.
"Okay," the girl replied, her voice barely above a whisper.
Audrey, still glaring, turned to Ben, her frustration clear. "She did it to Jane's hair too, and Fairy Godmother's not happy about it," she said, her voice tinged with concern.
"What's the harm?" Ben asked, trying to keep the situation light.
"It's gateway magic! Sure, it starts with the hair. Next thing you know, it's the lips and the legs and the clothes, and then everybody looks good, and then... where will I be?" Audrey said dramatically, looking at Ben with wide eyes, seeking reassurance.
"Listen, Audrey..." Ben began, trying to calm her down, but she cut him off before he could finish.
"I'll see you at the game after my dress fitting for the coronation, okay?" she said, her tone firm but her smile sweet as she looked up at him.
Ben sighed, knowing there was no point in arguing. "Okay," he replied, forcing a smile.
"Bye, Bennyboo," Audrey said, blowing him an air kiss before walking away, leaving Ben standing there with a discouraged expression.
As Audrey disappeared from view, Mal called out, "Hey, Bennyboo!" She closed her locker and walked over to Ben, teasing him with a mischievous smile.
Ben looked startled but smiled back. "Hey," he greeted her.
Just then, Mal noticed Elina approaching with Maddox trailing beside her, the two engaged in light conversation. "Elina made a batch of cookies just for you," Mal told Ben, her voice laced with false innocence, hoping that Elina wouldn't overhear. Ben's face lit up at the mention of Elina, a hint of excitement in his eyes. "Double chocolate chip, do you want one?" Mal continued, holding up a small bag of cookies, the aroma wafting through the air.
Ben glanced at the cookies, clearly tempted, but hesitated. "Oh, I, uh, I've got a big game. I don't eat before a big game. But thank you so, so much. Next time. Next time," he said, trying to sound polite even as his eyes lingered on the cookies.
Mal sighed dramatically, shaking her head. "Well, then I'll have to tell Elina that her crush didn't like her cookies," she said, feigning disappointment as she picked up a cookie from the bag, pretending to take a bite.
"Wait, crush?" Ben asked, his curiosity piqued by the unexpected revelation.
Mal quickly covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes wide as if she had accidentally let a secret slip. "Oh god, forget I said that," she said, trying to backtrack, but the seed of curiosity had already been planted. Ben stared at the cookies, weighing his options.
"Well, there she is," Mal said, nodding towards Elina, who was now just a few steps away. "I'm going to eat one. Everyone falls in love with her sweets." Mal added, bringing the cookie closer to her mouth, her tone exaggeratedly dreamy.
Unable to resist, Ben reached out and took the cookie from her hand, taking a big bite. "No, no. Wow, she can bake amazingly..." he mumbled, savoring the taste. Just as he was about to compliment Elina, she arrived with Maddox, her eyes lighting up at the sight of the cookie in Ben's hand.
"Oh, cookies! I love them!" Elina exclaimed, her face brightening as she snatched the cookie from Ben's hand and took a bite before anyone could stop her.
"Elina!" Mal cried out, her voice laced with panic, but it was too late. Elina happily chewed on the cookie, oblivious to the tension around her.
"They're great! They're amazing!" Ben began to stutter, his eyes suddenly fixated on Mal with a newfound intensity. "They're, uh... I mean, they're chewy and, and you know, they... is that walnuts? I love walnuts. I mean, uh, you know, the... The chocolate... The... the chocolate... The chocolate chips are... I'm sorry. Um... Uh, they're... They're warm and soft. And they're sweet..." Ben's voice trailed off as he gazed deeply into Mal's eyes. "Mal, have you always had those little golden flecks in your eyes?"
Mal's heart raced as she glanced nervously at Elina, dreading what might happen next. Her eyes flicked to the other VKs for support. Elina, meanwhile, was staring dreamily at Maddox, the cookie in her hand forgotten. "Did I ever tell you that your brown eyes are to die for?" she swooned, her voice soft as she leaned closer to Maddox, who looked like a deer caught in headlights.
"W-w-what?" Maddox stammered, completely overwhelmed by Elina's sudden affection. She reached out, offering him the half-eaten cookie, but Jay quickly intervened, snatching it from her hand and stuffing it back into the bag.
"How are you feeling?" Jay asked both Ben and Elina skeptically, standing behind them as he tried to gauge the situation.
"I feel... I feel... I feel like... Like singing your name. Mal, Mal," Ben began, his voice growing louder with each repetition, until Mal hurriedly covered his mouth with her hand, trying to shush him.
Meanwhile, Elina had taken Maddox's hands in hers, her eyes filled with adoration. "You are never leaving my side again, my sweet Maddox," she whispered, her voice dripping with affection as she gently caressed his cheek, leaning in as if to kiss him. Maddox's eyes widened in panic, and before he could say anything, his knees buckled, and he fainted, collapsing onto the ground with a soft thud.
The four VKs exchanged worried glances, the gravity of the situation sinking in. "We're fucked," Carlos muttered, his voice low and tense.
"We need to keep Elina with us before she does something dumb," Mal said firmly, her mind racing with potential solutions. The others nodded in agreement, knowing they had to act quickly.
Jay and Carlos moved to guide Ben toward the field, trying to keep him focused on the upcoming game, while Evie and Mal gently steered Elina toward the stands to watch, hoping to keep her out of trouble. Elina glanced back at Maddox with a dreamy sigh, her eyes lingering on him even as she allowed herself to be led away.
As the VKs hurried off, Maddox slowly came to, groggily rubbing his head and looking around in confusion. "What happened?" he mumbled, trying to piece together the events as he staggered to his feet and made his way toward the tourney game, still dazed from the sudden turn of events.
A bit short but I hope you like it.