So, this idea randomly popped into my mind when I was touring a house that kind of reminded me of a cabin. I know that's strange, but that will tie into this story eventually. I figured since all of you liked 'A Princess's Punishment', you would like 'Our Act'.

You'll understand why it's called that as the story progresses.

Now I have a few ideas for this story, but they will NOT go with the third movie. Those events will not take place in this story, even though we have only seen the trailers. The only thing I incorporated from the 'Mystery Trailer' was Audrey's new hair style/color, but you'll see why I did eventually.

Anyways, be sure to review on what you think about this story. It took me a bit to actually type this first chapter.

Enjoy!

Audrey couldn't believe how handsome the new kid from the Isle was. He had impressive muscles for his age, blondish-brown hair that rested just above his shoulder, and chocolate brown eyes that Audrey could stare at forever—not that she was at the moment. He wore a brown short-sleeved buttoned up shirt, dark blue jeans, and worn-out brown boots that made him even more ruggedly handsome. He couldn't be no more than seventeen, or maybe slightly younger.

Let's take one-step back to explain a few things.

It was the beginning of summer vacation, but also the start of summer school for those who needed it. Students have the choice of staying on campus during the summer instead of actually going home if they so wish. Some students don't get along with their parents so they prefer staying away from them as long as possible.

That's why Audrey was staying at Auradon Prep for the third summer in a row. It's not her parents that she doesn't get along with! It's actually her grandparents on her mother's side. Her grandfather refuses to speak to her unless absolutely necessary. Her grandmother ridicules Audrey on every little thing she needs to change about herself, except in front of the cameras and paparazzi, of course. In front of them, Audrey has to call her grandmother 'Grammy' and act like the perfect family—

Though they never were.

Ben was the only person she told about her family dilemma. They originally became a couple to help Audrey keep up her Act of being the perfect princess to not disappoint her grandparents. She never felt any romantic feelings for Ben and he never felt anything for her. They were both fine with that. When Ben pronounced his love for Mal all over the news, Audrey acted quick by saying Chad Charming—a spoiled prince and son of a famous royal couple—was her new boyfriend, yet she felt nothing for him either, eventually dumping him a few weeks into their relationship. Being with him was almost as worse as being alone with her grandparents.

Each summer, Ben offers Audrey a room at his parent's place so she doesn't have to return to her home kingdom. Each time, Audrey denies the offer and stays in her dorm room on the Auradon Prep campus. She would spend her days practicing for cheer, walking around the campus, helping the summer school teachers with whatever they needed, or hiding out in her secret place.

The day before—Thursday, Ben approached Audrey asking for her help. Three new students from the Isle would be joining Auradon Prep and would take a couple of the summer courses. Although Ben knew about her old distaste for the Isle—Audrey argued it was part of her act—he asked if she would help to lead them around campus and to essentially keep an eye of them for the summer. Him, Mal, Jay, Evie, and Carlos planned on touring most of the kingdoms in Auradon for the summer since the four VKs have only been to the Isle and Auradon Prep. Audrey didn't mind since it would give her something else to do for the summer.

Ben took Audrey on a quick tour of where the new students would be staying. The two boys would be staying just next door from Carlos and Jay, so when the new school year started, they could go to them for anything they needed. The girl would be staying just next door to Audrey in the single bed dorms. Those were usually designated for other princesses, like Audrey, but Ben figured the girl would need her privacy since no one would willingly share a room with her.

Ben explained how each of them would be given a new phone that was already programmed with a list of contacts for emergencies or to ask questions. Audrey's number would be at the top since they would be seeing her more. Honestly, Ben is hoping the trio will trust Audrey since they didn't get along with him or the original VKs. Audrey believed she was fully prepared for whatever would happen when introduced to the trio.

She was sadly mistaken.

Friday afternoon, Audrey arrived just a few minutes before the newbies would arrive. She was supposed to help Ben and Mal lead the trio around Auradon Prep. Ben thought if Audrey was there for the tour, the trio would befriend her quicker. When the limo pulled up and parked in front of the entrance, Audrey mentally prepared herself for who would be exiting out of the vehicle and how they would treat her.

She never expected to have her breath taken away by the youngest of the group, though he was certainly not the smallest. The 'smallest' was a dark-skinned girl with long turquoise hair, which was quite unusual. Then again, Audrey did recently dye her hair a platinum blonde with light pink and baby blue highlights. For a short while, some of the students bullied her, claiming she was just trying to mimic Mal. They only stopped pestering her because of Ben, who knew the real reason behind her changed hair color.

Anyways, the girl was about a head shorter than the boy that climbed out of the limousine next. He had short unruly black hair that look like he hadn't combed it that morning and wore eyeliner around his eyes, like he was trying to seem tougher than he really was. He stood next to the girl like he was her personal bodyguard.

When the handsome teen came out last, Audrey's heart started beating faster than normally possible. Her mouth hanged open slightly as she gave the teen a once-over. The unnamed teen caught Audrey in the deed when they met each other's gaze. A feint blush appeared on Audrey's cheek as she quickly adverted her attention. However, from the corner of her eye, Audrey could see the teen give her a small smile before turning his attention to Ben.

"Welcome to Auradon," Ben announced to the three new arrivals, his attitude somewhat tense yet trying to maintain a chipper personality. "I'm glad you've finally decided to accept our invitation to join our school."

The girl crossed her arms over her chest stubbornly. "Better than being on the Isle."

"Well," Ben began as he clasped his hands together, "before we start the tour, Mal and I wanted to introduce you to Princess Audrey—"

"Just Audrey," Audrey interrupted without a second thought. Mal stared at her in surprise, so she quickly explained, "If you want me to befriend them, might as well start with them not having to address me in such a formal way."

Ben merely nodded as he introduced the trio, "Audrey, this is Uma, Harry, and Gil."

Huh. So, his name is Gil. An interesting name for someone so handsome as him. It almost didn't fit. She expected a name more unique than that.

"Audrey will be helping you around campus while Mal, her three friends, and I are gone for the summer," Ben continued smoothly. "If you have any questions or need anything, you can go to her."

Uma scoffed. "Are you serious?" She interrogated rhetorically as she gestured to Audrey with her chin. "You expect us to go to that spoiled princess, who copied Mal's Auradon hairstyle, for help? Why is she even here? Shouldn't she be with her family in whatever kingdom they originated?"

"This is the third summer I will spend at Auradon Prep," Audrey defended herself, "so I can stay away from my grandparents. I dyed my hair to anger them,which I always attempt. I love my hair, even more so since my grandparents hate it."

"They do?" Mal questioned curiously. "I thought your grandmother liked your hair."

"She said that for the cameras, like always." Audrey insisted with a sad sigh. "When she got me alone, she scolded me for who knows how long, claiming it was the ugliest thing she has ever seen."

"Audrey," Ben chided. When the princess adjusted her gaze slightly to look at him, Ben gave her a stern look. "You're Act," he reminded softly.

Audrey merely shrugged. "It's my summer vacation too," she retorted. "I'm allowed to slip up now, especially since I don't have to worry about my horrible grandparents."

"I like your hair," Gil complimented sweetly. "It's very pretty."

Audrey hesitated before nodding as a way to say 'thank you' while Uma lightly slapped his arm for saying such a thing. His voice made Audrey swoon, but she discovered something about him with those two sentences.

He has an Act too.

"Audrey is the daughter of Aurora and Philip," Ben enlightened, mainly in an attempt to change the subject, "making her the granddaughter of Queen Leah and King Stefan."

Uma raised an eyebrow. "You're the granddaughter of a famous royal couple, yet you try to rebel against them?" When Audrey nodded in confirmation, Uma held her arm out to fist bump the princess, to which she complied. "You've got my respect, for now."

With that small bond formed, the tour began with Ben giving a small speech about Auradon Prep. "Although normal classes are over," he revealed, "you will be attending a couple summer courses."

"One of them is Remedial Goodness," Mal intervened before any of them could argue or complain. "I hated that class during my first semester, just like Jay, Evie, and Carlos. This way you will only have to take the class for about two or three months instead of five. None of you will have to worry about taking it your senior year."

"However," Ben interjected, stopping in front of his father's statue to face the group, "Gil, you will be taking a test on Monday to determine your grade level while Uma and Harry will start their summer classes. With your age, you are supposed to be a junior, but you may test lower."

Audrey looked back and forth at the two groups. The trio nodded in understanding while Mal didn't seem phased by the conversation, so Audrey decided to speak up. "You didn't tell me anything about Gil's test," she commented. "Why does he even have to take one?"

"Gil's never been to school," Uma informed harshly, almost like she wanted to start a fight. "His father didn't want him in the same school as his older brothers and he couldn't afford tuition for the private school. Not that it's any of your business, Princess."

Audrey flinched at her 'official' title being announced so harshly. She already assumed they would act such a way to her because of Ben's coronation and Family Day. Audrey never thought someone could resent her title more than her.

"Uma," Mal chided like she was scolding a child. "Try not to be so rude to her. Audrey didn't know there was a private school on the Isle. I doubt any Auradonians knew."

The sea witch scoffed before turning her head stubbornly. Ben sighed in slight annoyance before promising Audrey, "I'll tell you more about where you need to take Gil later. For now, we'll continue the tour."

And continue the tour they did. There were a couple things that made Audrey's heart skip a beat. First when they were entering the building, Mal and Ben went first while Uma and Harry barged in front of Audrey, even going so far as trying to close the door in her face. Audrey instinctively tried to catch the door, but at the same time Gil grabbed for it too. Their hands brushed up against one another causing a sort of tingle to spread across Audrey's hand. They locked eyes, causing the princess to blush yet again and hurry inside, not knowing Gil was smiling behind her back.

The second time Ben had been explaining the rules about the dorms and curfew when Audrey felt something looking at her. She turned her head slightly, locking eyes with Gil for the third time that day. This time a blush crept up his cheek as he focused back on Ben. That gave Audrey a little hope that maybe, just maybe, he was infatuated with her too.

The tour ended after the group ate dinner together. Ben led Gil and Harry to their new room while Audrey and Mal led Uma to hers. Uma grumbled about being so close to the princess, but didn't complain long since she fell asleep as soon as she touched the mattress.

Audrey entered her bedroom with Mal following close behind her. Mal calmly closed the door behind her before sighing softly. "Ben told me," she revealed almost sympathetically, "about your grandparents."

Audrey sat on the edge of her bed, eyeing her skeptically. "How much?"

"Just that your grandfather doesn't speak to you and how your grandmother treats you behind the cameras, and how you two were only together to appease them."

Audrey shook her head in relief. She should have known better. There's no way Ben would tell his significant other anything too personal without her permission.

"You're more than welcome to join us on the tour of the kingdom," Mal offered kindly. "It would be better than staying by yourself this summer."

Audrey chuckled at the offer. "No thanks," she denied with a small smile. "This is the only time that I get a break from the cameras and from having to act so much like a perfect princess. I appreciate the offer, really, but the paparazzi's attention will be all on you, something that I try avoiding every summer. I finally get some peace, even if it's only for two months."

She sighed. "Though I do want to apologize," Audrey continued, "for how I treated you when you first came to Auradon. That was no way for me to behave and I'm sorry for it."

Mal smirked. "What happened to not acting like a perfect princess?" She teased good-naturedly. "That sounds exactly like what one of them would say."

Audrey rolled her eyes playfully. "Have fun on your kingdom tour," she insisted before joking, "Maybe Jay will finally find the courage to ask Lonnie out on a date when you return."

Mal laugh gleefully. It seemed like everyone knew about Jay's crush on Lonnie. Even Lonnie knew, but neither have done anything about it.

"Who knows?" Mal wondered with a smile. "Maybe you will have a new boyfriend before the summer ends."

Audrey groaned, falling back on her bed. "Please don't play matchmaker," she begged, turning her head to look at Mal properly. "Ben's been texting me nonstop ever since we separated today. He thinks Gil and I would make the perfect couple."

"We could go on double dates!" Mal exclaimed, essentially agreeing with her boyfriend. "It would be so much fun."

Audrey huffed in exaggeration. "That's if we even date," she argued. "By how today went, I doubt Uma will let Gil around me unless absolutely necessary."

-0-0-0-

Although she had been told about how loyal Gil was to his pirate captain, Audrey was quite surprised when she received a text from him just a few minutes pass curfew, asking if she was still awake. They exchanged a few more texts which resulted in them meeting in the rose garden outside the dorm building.

Together, they casually strolled together in the moonlight with no one watching them. They were completely alone, just like Audrey and Gil both secretly hoped. However, Audrey did feel slightly uncomfortable because of the clothing she wore. She didn't have enough time to change out of her pink silk tank-top with matching shorts before meeting Gil, so she slipped on a floral kimono robe to cover herself more and a pair of flats for the heck of it. Gil certainly couldn't keep his eyes off her. He merely wore the outfit he had on that day.

"Will we get in trouble for being out here so late?" Gil interrogated. "I mean, Ben stressed about curfew more than once."

Audrey shrugged carelessly. "The teachers are more lenient during the summer," she claimed, "mainly because there's less of them and not that many students to worry about. The first summer I stayed here, they let me stay out pass curfew because they simply didn't care, as long as I didn't tell the other students."

"Why do you stay here?" Gil questioned as they came to a stop at the center of the garden. "Not that I'm trying to get into your personal business, but I just don't understand why you don't want to spend more time with your family."

"And I don't understand why you suddenly dropped your Act," Audrey retorted as she crossed her arms over her chest stubbornly. "Explain that to me and I'll answer you."

Gil gaped at her, but quickly composed himself, claiming, "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Gil," Audrey began in almost disbelief, "when you talked during the tour, you spoke like a young child. Less than ten seconds ago you spoke like an intelligent teenager. You can't tell me there's not a reason for that."

Gil sighed, knowing he was caught. "On the Isle, people assumed I was a brainless oaf because my father is Gaston," he revealed. "In reality, I am much smarter than any of them realized. I didn't attend the public high school because my older brothers went there and my father believed they were a bad influence for me. He fully believed I didn't deserve to be on the Isle because of how kind I act toward others and he didn't want my brothers to taint me. It's true he couldn't afford the private school's tuition, so he grabbed every textbook he could find on the shipments from Auradon. Only Uma and Harry know about that, so I act unintelligent to keep anyone from knowing the good deed my father did for me."

"Your turn," Gil insisted. "Why do you stay at Auradon Prep instead of your home kingdom?"

"Because if I go home, I have to see my grandparents," Audrey answered without a second thought. "They've hated me since the day I was born. They were both hoping for a grandson, not a granddaughter. They hide their disdain for me when the cameras are on us. Behind the cameras, they verbally abuse me, but a couple times it became physical. My mother always takes their side while my father is always on mine. Besides, I can't stand to look at my grandfather because I firmly believe he's a villain."

The declaration surprised Gil. "What do you mean he's a villain?"

"I can't say," Audrey denied with a soft sigh. "I only know the truth because my father told me and he made me swear not to say anything unless absolutely necessary."

Gil shook his head in disbelief. "I can't believe someone as beautiful as you has so many secrets."

"My secrets are what make me dangerous." She hesitated before taking a cautious step forward. "Do you want me to share one with you? It comes with a small price."

Gil actually chuckled at the question. "I'm sure the price will be worth it," he assumed. "I'd love to know a secret of yours."

"Good." Audrey stepped forward again, resting a hand on his arm and gazing intently into his eyes. "Because I think I'm in love with you."

The corner of Gil's lip tugged upward into a smile. "Good," he commented just the same way as the princess did. "Because I think I'm in love with you too."

Audrey smiled. "Does that mean we're a couple now?"

"As long as we keep it a secret for a short while," Gil reasoned. "I don't want the paparazzi to hound you for suddenly dating the new student from the Isle."

She nodded in agreement. "I think the only thing left to do is seal the deal with a kiss."

Although she had just been joking, Gil placed a hand on her cheek and leaned down to press his lips gently against hers. Audrey completely melted into the kiss, sighing contently as she wrapped her arms around his neck to pull him closer.

Their summer vacation was about to get a lot more interesting.