The breaking of the Pact.
Chapter 4 We control our tempers.
Carlos' voice broke into Mal's thoughts about Ben.
"Family day was a nightmare. And really everything that happened was Chad and Audrey's fault. Audrey started it by the way she introduced Mal to her grandmother. And if Chad hadn't fed into it, hadn't over-reacted when Mal had actually tried to apologize for her mother. Evie wouldn't have pulled out the mirror or the atomizer. Jay wouldn't have almost slugged Chad, and Mal wouldn't have reversed Jane's hair and threaten to spell Audrey." Carlos added. "I was on my way to get into that fight on the croquet field, just lost Dude. We all broke the temper rule that day."
"Chad was way out of line." Jay admitted slamming his fist into his other palm. "And what he said about all of us, he was way off base."
"Actually, in a way he wasn't wrong." Mal admitted. They all looked at her. "I am sure it is how they see us, we are a boyfriend stealing, gold digging, want to hurt people, group." They were all quiet for a while.
"Mal, did you really steal Ben from Audrey?" Carlos wanted to know.
"No Carlos, not really. I mean yes it started out that way, but Ben told me on our second date, he had wanted for a long time to dump Audrey, but she never let him get a word in." They all laughed in agreement.
"See. Evie, did you ever take any money from anyone, aside from Mal's hair make overs?"
"No. I did ask Chad about his castle, but…"
"That was how Evil Queen raised you, and you have grown since then." Mal finished for her. Carlos could hear it in Mal's voice she was coming back around.
"Jay, you never touched anyone, not even Chad that today, other than playing Tourny, and those guys have pads on." Evie added. "In fact all you did was protect me when I shoved the mirror in his face."
"Chivalry class." He joked. "Oh man that stuff has started to sink in. Mal we gotta get out of here."
"I know we just have to make it a few more hours and everything will be different." Mal reminded them.
'How, though?' They all wondered.