Later that day, Elisa was sitting at one of the picnic tables eating lunch with her friends. They were all quiet and tense from what happened at Family Day earlier Elisa couldn't shake off the events from her mind. She felt a heavy weight pressing down on her chest, a mixture of guilt, anger, and frustration. She glanced around at her friends, seeing the same emotions reflected in their eyes.

Mal sat next to her, her usually confident demeanor replaced with a somber expression. Across from her, Evie picked at her food, her usual bubbly energy dampened by the day's events. Jay sat on the edge of the picnic table, his jaw clenched as he stared off into the distance, lost in his own thoughts. And Carlos, who was usually the one to lighten the mood with his jokes, sat quietly, his gaze fixed on his plate. No one spoke for a while, the silence heavy and suffocating. Elisa wanted to say something, to break the tension that hung in the air like a thick fog, but she didn't know where to start. She felt responsible for what happened, for not being able to control the situation better.

"Guys, I hate what happened earlier." Ryder sighed as he walked over to the table with Krystal and Parker. The three felt awful about what happened and wanted to offer their support to their friends. Elisa looked up at him, grateful for the distraction from her own thoughts.

"Yeah, it was a disaster," Parker chimes in, taking a seat next to Mal. "But we're here for you guys. To be honest, we always disliked Audrey and Chad, so we're not surprised by what they said."

"And she's also an idiot," Krystal scoffs as she stood by Jay. "So is Chad." Her face turns sympathetic as she looked at the four. "They had no right to say what they did. They're wrong about you guys. We know you're not evil and you don't deserve what they said."

Mal lets out a dry chuckle. "You have no idea." She says, a hint of bitterness in her voice. "I wish I could prove that we're not evil. Show them that we're not like our parents." Parker placed a comforting hand on Mal's shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. Mal tensed slightly at the contact but soon relaxed and allowed the boy to comfort her. She couldn't deny that his touch was comforting and made her feel less stressed. She found herself leaning into his touch and was surprised at how nice it felt.

"It's not your fault, Mal." Elisa speaks up, giving her friend a reassuring smile. "You did nothing wrong. None of us did. It's their fault for not understanding and being so narrow-minded." She sighs. She glances around at her friends, her heart heavy with empathy for each of them. "But you're not evil." She continues, her tone firm. "No matter what anyone says, no matter what anyone thinks, we know the truth. We know who we are and that's all that matters."

Evie nods, sending her a thankful smile. "You're right, El. Thank you. Oh, hey, do you want your ring back?" She asked curiously, opening her purse and taking out the ring that she wanted her to hold earlier that day.

Elisa smiles a little and nods, taking it from her. "Of course. Thanks, E." She slid the ring back on her finger and sighed. It felt nice to have it back. The ring meant a lot to her and was important to her. After getting back with Ben, it felt better to have it on again. She jumped, startled when she suddenly felt hands on her shoulders. But she quickly relaxed after realizing it was Ben. Her heart skipped beat as she felt him kiss the top of her head.

"Hey, guys. How is everyone?" Ben questioned with a small smile.

"Did you forget what happened earlier?" Krystal narrows her eyes at him, placing a hand on her hip. "Or do you just not care?" Jay wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her closer to him.

"Hey, chill." He muttered, sending her a warning look. Krystal pouted but remained quiet. She tried to ignore how her heart raced at the sudden touch and she couldn't help but lean into his warm embrace. She was surprised by her body's reaction to him, but she didn't want to pull away. She was enjoying the feeling too much.

"Of course I care. That's why I'm here. I wanted to see if you guys were alright." Ben replied to Krystal's question, taken aback by her sudden attitude. He had expected her to be supportive, like the rest of their friends. He understood that she was probably just frustrated, like the others, but it still hurt a little.

Elisa looks up at him, offering him a reassuring smile. "We're doing the best we can."

Ben nods, his face softening as his hands gently squeeze her shoulders to comfort her. "I get it. But I'm here for all of you, no matter what. I'm sorry for what Chad and Audrey said, they were out of line and had no right." He glances around at the other four. "It's not true. You guys are not evil and you're not like your parents. Tomorrow after the coronation, I promise that everything will be okay." He looks back down at Elisa, leaning down to kiss her cheek. "I have to go, but I'll see you guys later." He whispered to her before turning to walk away.

"Ben," Elisa calls out, quickly standing up and grabbing his hand. She gently pulls him back and cups his face, kissing him deeply. He's surprised at first, but soon melts into the kiss and wraps his arms around her, pulling her closer. When they pull away, their foreheads pressed against each other. They were both breathless, and their hearts were racing. "Thank you. For everything."

As Ben walks away, Elisa's friends exchange looks of surprise and amusement. Parker lets out a low whistle while Mal grins mischievously. Evie nudges Elisa playfully, her eyes twinkling with excitement. "Looks like someone's got it bad." Ryker teased, earning a light smack on the arm from Elisa.

"Shut up, Park," She replies, cheeks flushing pink. "I just...Wanted to thank him, that's all."

"Mhm, sure," Mal smirks. "Just admit it. You're head over heels for him."

Elisa rolls her eyes, fighting the smile threatening to spread across her face. She knew there was no point in denying it, but she didn't want to give her friend the satisfaction of being right. "I will admit no such thing."

"Whatever you say, Lisa." Krystal giggled, looking at her cousin with amusement.

Elisa shakes her head and turns her attention back to her food. But no matter how hard she tried to concentrate, her thoughts kept drifting back to Ben. She couldn't help the smile that formed on her face or the way her heart fluttered at the thought of him. She knew she was in deep, and she didn't care. Being in love with Ben was the best feeling in the world, and she never wanted it to end.

"Listen, Evie, I wanted to talk to you about-"

"Doug!" Chad interrupted Doug, who had came over to try to talk to Evie. Doug glanced back at Chad, who sat at a nearby table. He had woken up after a few moments passed from when he was hit with the knock out perfume but Elisa wished he would've stayed knocked out longer. Chad sent him a warning look, gesturing with a nod of his head for Doug to sit with them. Doug hesitated, glancing back at Evie, who look upset and apologetic.

"It's my fault, Doug. I'm so sorry." She murmurs, frowning when he started to back away. "Doug..."

"Sorry, I can't." Doug apologized, avoiding her gaze. He turned and went back to the table where Chad was sitting, leaving Evie staring after him as her shoulders dropped in defeat. Elisa frowned, looking at Evie with sympathy. She knew how much the two cared for each other and that Evie was starting to have a crush on Doug. The last thing she wanted was for Evie to get her heart broken.

"Hey, cheer up, E." Ryder said, trying to lift her spirits. "You're better off without him. Trust me."

Evie sighs, shrugging a shoulder. "It's not just him. It's the whole school. Everyone thinks I'm a cheater and a gold digger. And who's going to want to date someone who's the daughter of the Evil Queen?" She shook her head sadly, looking down at her lap.

Ryder's heart clenches and he places a hand on her shoulder. "Don't listen to them. They're wrong. You're beautiful and smart, and any guy would be lucky to date you. And you're not a cheater or a gold digger, so don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

Evie is surprised when her heart fluttered at his touch and words. She looks at him with a shy smile. "Really? You mean that?"

"Of course," He replies, returning her smile. "You're an amazing girl, Evie. And anyone would be stupid not to see that."

The compliment warms her heart and makes her blush. She looks at him with a small grin. "Thanks, Ryder." She reaches over and takes his hand, squeezing it. Ryder's heart skips a beat and he returns the squeeze, smiling at her. "I really appreciate that." She added.

Elisa watches the exchange with a knowing smirk. She wasn't surprised by her friend's reactions. It was obvious to her, and to the rest of the group, that the two were interested in each other. She knew for a fact Ryder had a crush on Evie, but with Evie hanging out around Doug more and having a crush on him, she wasn't sure if the feeling was mutual. But from what she was witnessing, she could tell the feeling was definitely mutual. Or at least starting to be.

"Well, well, well," A snooty, condescending voice interrupted their laughter and teasing. They all turned and saw Audrey walking towards them with a smug grin Jane. "Look who it is. The little ice princess and her band of misfits." Audrey sneers, her tone dripping with disdain. "What are you doing here, Elisa? Shouldn't you be back on the Isle where you belong?"

Elisa clenches her jaw, her grip tightening on her fork as she glares at Audrey. She was tired of her constant taunts and insults. But before she could respond, Mal stood up from her seat, her eyes blazing with anger. "Back off, Audrey," Mal growls, stepping in front of Elisa protectively. "You have no right to talk to us like that."

Audrey scoffs, rolling her eyes. "Please, like I'm scared of you. You're nothing but a bunch of losers."

Krystal steps forward, glaring at Audrey. "Oh yeah? Well, at least we don't spend our time talking bad about people and spreading lies. That's the sign of a true loser." She shot back, trying to take another step closer, but Jay gently pulled her back to his side. His thumb was rubbing soothing circles on her hip and she couldn't help but relax a little. The touch effected her so much that she almost forgot how angry she was. Almost.

"Excuse me?" Audrey snaps, looking at her incredulously. "What did you just say?"

"I said, you're a liar and a coward," Krystal repeats, her voice steady despite the anger simmering beneath the surface. "You have no right to judge us or anyone else. You don't know anything about us, so why don't you just mind your own business?"

Audrey's face turns red with rage, and Elisa can see the vein pulsing in her temple. She looks like she's about to explode, but before she can respond, Jane steps in, placing a hand on her friend's arm. "Come on, Audrey. Let's not waste our time on these losers." She shot a condescending smirk at Elisa and her friends before dragging Audrey away.

Krystal continues to glare at Audrey's retreating figure, trying to pull away from Jay to chase after her. Jay tightens his grip on her waist, keeping her close. "Relax, Krystal," He whispers, his voice low and soothing as he leans over to whisper to her. His lips brush against the shell of her ear, making her shudder and her stomach flip. "She's not worth it. You're better than her."

Krystal closed her eyes, trying to calm herself down. She could feel her body slowly relaxing under his touch, and her anger slowly melting away. She let out a sigh, leaning back against his chest. She can't deny how safe and comfortable she feels in his arms, and she allows herself to enjoy the feeling for a moment. She opens her eyes and finds herself staring into his, her breath hitching. She had never noticed how beautiful his eyes were before, but now that she was so close, she could see the flecks of gold in them, and the way they seemed to shine with warmth and understanding. Her heart skipped a beat and she quickly tore her gaze away, trying to calm herself down.

"I'm sorry," Krystal mumbles, looking up at Jay apologetically. "I didn't mean to lose my temper."

Jay smiles softly at Krystal, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "It's okay, Krystal. I understand. Audrey can be really infuriating sometimes." He pauses, his thumb gently caressing her cheek. "But you handled it well. I'm proud of you." His voice is gentle, filled with sincerity, and Krystal feels her cheeks flush with warmth at his words.

"Thanks, Jay." She murmured, leaning into his touch. She feels a sense of comfort and safety in his embrace, something she hadn't felt in a long time. Despite the chaos of the day, being with him made everything feel a little bit better. Elisa watched the exchange between Krystal and Jay with slight amusement but also with a small smile on her face. She knew they liked each other, and she was happy to see them getting closer. She could tell their relationship was growing and changing, and it was clear they had a connection. She was excited to see where things would go. 

But her anger for Audrey and the other girls was still simmering beneath the surface. Elisa took a deep breath, trying to let the anger dissipate. She glanced around at her friends, who were all still dealing with their own emotions from the day's events. The support from Ryder, Krystal, and Parker had been a balm, but the pain and frustration from Audrey and Jane's cruel words lingered.

"Beware, forswear, undo Jane's hair." Mal mumbled after opening her spell book. She did the spell easily and soon a terrified shriek is heard from a group of girls nearby.

They glance over to see Jane's new curly and neatly done hair style was changed back to her original haircut that was a simple bob cut. She had a look of horror and shock on her face as the others stepped back with a laugh. Elisa rolls her eyes, not understanding why the other girls thought the haircut was horrible. She thought it was cute.

Mal stands up with her fellow VK friends, turning to face the other students near them. "There's a lot more where that came from."

"Excuse me, who do you think you are?" Audrey sneered, putting a hand on her hip.

"Do I look like I'm kidding?" Mal glared at her and opened her spell book, startling the others. They quickly backed away and then started to leave, afraid of the girl.

Mal closes the spell book and glances over at Parker, Ryker, and Krystal, who looked at her with a mix of surprise and impressed looks. "We're gonna head out, you guys...But thank you for your support." She tells them. They all nodded and voiced their understanding. Elisa stands and follows her friends as they began to leave. "I'm really looking forward to tomorrow. Let's grab that wand and blow this popsicle stand." Mal suggested once they were out of ear shot from anyone else.

Elisa suddenly felt a sense of dread and fear. The weight of their mission suddenly dawning on her. Tomorrow was the big day. It was either going to be a success or a complete and utter failure. Her hands started to shake and she tried to swallow the lump in her throat. She had to do this. She couldn't let the others down. They were counting on her.