Splitting up for the summer.

About a week before finals, Belle decided to throw a small party for Mal and her friends. They were going to be separated for the whole summer, and she thought a little party might help them destress before finals. So she invited the 6 VK's, Lonnie, Doug, Jane, Chad and a few others.

As Mal and the others arrived at the palace they found the small ballroom filled with tons of junk food. Mal smiled as she entered. Her future mother in law, not that anyone knew about that, loved to throw parties. Evie smiled at all the goodies. The boys headed right for the chocolate.

"Welcome." Belle greeted the kids as they came into the room. "This is really informal. Just eat and have fun. I'll see you kids later." And she left.

"Boy you Auradonians will throw a party for anything." Freddie teased as she plopped a sweet cake into her mouth.

"Well Queen Belle will." Mal pointed out. "Did you two get your housing and internships?"
"We are staying in our dorm, and I am just spending more time at the council hall." Harriet started.

"I am working with Fairy Godmother to organize magical objects in some warehouse." Mal looked at Ben and called him aside.

"I have a feeling she is helping her with my mother's things."

"Is that not a good thing?"
"Well that I know of she never was in my house so I doubt she would recognize anything, but still…"
"I'll find out."
"Thank you." Mal said leaving a kiss on Ben's cheek. They returned to the group. Mal spotted Doug sitting alone in the corner. She called Ben back over, and pointed it out to him. "Go talk to him, Evie said he is so depressed over her leaving."
"I will." Ben crossed to the other side of the room. "Hey Doug, why you over here alone?"
"I really don't want to celebrate Evie's being gone all summer."
"You do understand what an important opportunity this is for Evie right?"
"I do, but this is the last summer before Senior year. Then college. What if Evie and I go to separate colleges?"
"That could happen."
"What if she doesn't come back in the fall, and transfers somewhere closer to Madame Babineaux?"
"That won't happen. Madame wants her to finish school."
"Fine, but she'll go back after graduation, then another summer lost."
"What is really bothering you Doug?" Ben could see through his friend.

"What if she meets someone with money, or a prince? What if….she dumps me?"
"I should have known you'd think that way. Doug, Man, I can assure you Evie loves you. She won't want to dump you. She won't find someone else."
"I hope your right." Doug said looking longingly at Evie, as she talked and joked with Mal and their friends.

"Have faith my friend." Ben clapped a hand onto Doug's shoulders. "Come on and lets just have fun while we can. Trust me Mal is already missing everyone too. We will all be in contact all summer long."

The party went on for a few hours until they had to return to the dorms to study. When they arrived back Audrey cornered Mal and Evie. "Where were you two?"
"Palace. We were invited to a bon voyage party for those of us traveling this summer." Evie said.

"Traveling, where are you all going?"

"Well lets see, Carlos is going to Corona for an internship at a computer school. Jay has a try out for the Auradon Armor. I have an apprenticeship with Madame Babineax and well Mal is going to all the kingdoms with Ben." It wasn't a secret, as the press now had their full itinerary.

"Wait so none of you VK's will be in Auradon?"
"Harriet and Freddie will. Both have their summer internships."
"Well Mal, make sure you don't embarrass Ben and the kingdom too much. On second thought, go right ahead." She laughed and walked away.

A week later finals were over. Ben had everyone in the junior class over and Jane to have an end of the year picnic. He and Mal had a few days before they leave, but Jay, Carlos and Evie were leaving in the morning. At the party, Ben had a few computers set up as kids waited for final grades to post. One by one they lined up to review their grades.

"Mal, how did you do?" Evie asked, afraid to pull her own grades up.

"All A's except governmental history. I got a C+."
"That's ok," Ben said patting her arm. "I had a hell of a time in that one too. I got a C-."
"How did you do Ben?" Mal asked.

"All B's. Dad will be ok with that." Mal kissed his cheek. "Evie, you can look." Ben encouraged her.

"All A's." She sighed with relief. "Dougie?"
"All A's." He said quietly. Mal pulled Evie aside.

"He's gonna miss you, it's bothering him."
"I know I have tried to tell him I would call and text everyday, but he is so sad."
"Go give him something to remember." Mal encouraged. Evie blushed, and took Doug's hand and walked off. "Ben." Mal spotted Audrey. She was staring at the computer with a look of disbelief.

"Wonder what's up?" Ben asked.

"She failed three classes." Jane whispered. "Mom told me earlier, and I wasn't supposed to say anything until she saw the grades. "Audrey is going to summer school." Jane smiled and walked over to see Carlos.

"Oh, wow. That will not go over well." Ben says. Just then Aurora arrived, and walked over to Audrey.

"Guess Mommy found out."
"I guess so." Ben said. "Lets see how the boys did."
Jay got all C's and was ok with that Carlos all A's, as did Jane. Chad was C's and D's but that was passing so he was a senior just the same as the others. In fact everyone passed and moved into their senior year except Audrey. She would be having private tutors at Auradon Prep. Aurora was insisting she stay at school, away from Queen Leah. No phone, no summer vacation, no fun.

The next morning Mal and Ben, along with Doug, Lonnie and Jane saw each of their friends off one their adventures. When the other three were gone, Doug turned to Lonnie and Jane and asked them, "How come you two aren't as sad over the boys leaving as I am about Evie?"
"We know they will call when they can." Lonnie said. Jane nodded in agreement. Lonnie's parents showed up and she left for home for the summer. Doug sadly walked home. Jane turned to Mal and Ben, and added. "I didn't have the heart to tell them that I got accepted to the same program Carlos is going to."

"Jane that's great. I didn't know you were into computers?" Mal said, hugging the younger fairy.

"I'm not, but they have a few other areas of study and I got accepted into their administration program."
"I think it's great Jane." Ben said hugging her. "Does Carlos know?"
"Yes. We agreed sharing it wouldn't be fair to the others."
"I can see that. Have a great summer." Mal said seeing Fairy Godmother waving to Jane.

"I'll see you when you come to Corona."
"Absolutely." Ben agreed. Jane walked away. It was just Mal and Ben. How it would be for the summer, well with Hayley around too.

They had a few days before they started out on tour. A few days of just them, Belle and Adam. And Ben decided to make the best of it. He knew there was one thing he had been dying to do, and now he had no choice. They were going to the Sea of Ariel to visit with Ariel, Eric and meet King Triton. Mal needed to know how to swim, just in case. He had made sure Evie and his mother had purchased an appropriate swim suit for Mal to wear. It was waiting in the dressing area of the pool. Now he just had to get Mal down to the pool to learn to swim. He had just under a week to get her somewhat able to survive if they fell overboard.

Ben took Mal to the pool. She walked into the pool room, and tried to walk right back out. "Mal, I get that your first experience wasn't the best, but you have to understand, you need to know how to swim. We are going to see Princess Ariel and Prince Eric. And while we are there we will be going out on the boat the meet King Triton. If anything happens on the boat you will need to know how to swim."
"I can stay behind." She teased, knowing that wasn't an option. "Fine, but I will hate every minute of this." She protested. "I have nothing to wear." But Ben was already pointing towards the dressing rooms. He walked into one, but not before holding the door for Mal first. She walked into it reluctantly. "Ben, there is no way I am putting this thing on. There is nothing to it." Ben was shocked. He knew there was no way his mother would have purchased a bikini for the summer tour, let alone a tiny one.

"Please just put it on. If it isn't right we'll go get another one." Ben said hoping she was exaggerating. He put on his bathing suit with the little crowns on it, to help her relax. Then jumped into the pool to wait for her. Just the thought of her in a bathing suit was affecting him in a sexual way, and he needed to relax.

Mal came out in a one piece bathing suit. Bright purple. It was actually very respectable. While Ben had wished for a bikini, he knew that other royals wouldn't like it, nor would Mal feel comfortable about showing off her scars. Ben smiled at her. "I like it."
"I do not. I am bare. My scars, can they be seen?" She asks turning around. Ben saw no signs of the jagged marks.

"No, Sweetheart, you are fine. This is a very proper swim suit I promise. " He said, thinking back to the one piece Audrey wore the summer before Mal and her friends came over. All pink, and cut outs on the side and low cut in the back and front. Thinking back to even then, Audrey in that suit never caused his body to react the way seeing Mal in hers did. He really regretted his wasted time with Audrey. "Come over here to the stairs. This is the low end, I promise you can walk in."
"At least I am not ruining one of Evie's creations or my favorite boots." She half joked and was half serious. "Fine, is it cold?"
"No the pool is heated." He encouraged. "Come in Mal, you really need to know how to swim."
"I am well aware of that fact Benjamin. Pressuring me isn't helping your case what so ever."
"Just come down the stairs slowly." Ben waited as Mal stuck her feet into the water, and slowly descended the stairs into the pool. Once in the pool, mal stood there, water at her hips. Ben ducked down and got his whole body wet. Mal just looked at him. She was about to turn around, when he grabbed her and pulled her close to him. She was shocked at his actions, but then realized two things, his mother was entering the pool room, and he was sexually aroused, and using her to block his mother from seeing it. She wanted to laugh, but couldn't. "Just till she leaves, or it goes away."

Mal just shook her head. She knew one thing if she could swim, she would have swam away and left him in that situation, but she was still to petrified to move, so she stayed there being his wall.

"Hi kids, didn't know you were in here." Belle said swimming over. "How do you like the suit Evie and I picked out for you Mal?"
"It's nice. Still not liking this swimming thing."
"oh, I couldn't swim until I came here either. It's fine, you'll learn. Ben will show you. Go on son, swim off and show her how easy it is." Ben took advantage and dove away as soon as his mother's eyes were adverted. "It's going to be fine Mal. I promise you." Belle said taking her hand and leading her into deeper water. She took over Mal's lessons. Ben hopped out of the pool for a cold shower.

Later that night, Adam cornered Ben. "Son, your mother was telling me about the pool today, I understand how the male body can respond to a lovely female, but you will need to get that under control."
"Mom, saw?" Ben was so embarrassed. "I…crap."
"Son, I understand Mal means the world to you, but you have to understand, a king can't walk around that way."
"Fine how do I fix it?"
"You need to think about something else, something you hate. That should help."
"Thanks Dad. I…"
"Yes, son, we are aware of how you feel about Mal. We love her too."

Author's notes:

The summer will be coming soon. I will try and cover everyone's summers including Audrey, Freddie and Harriet, along with Evie, Jay and Carlos.

Thank you to my wonderful readers and reviewers. Especially mionegranger17, Kingson24601 , boothbonesrule, jaleftwich, Anna, pinksakura271, and more! I thank you all for your input, and hope you keep reading.

I would especially like to thank biankies and sister for their effort to complete my vision in seeing Mal's wand come to life. Coming soon with their approval as my picture icon!