24

The boys arrived at the same time, with Ben wearing a dopey grin that became confused as he glanced between the two girls and Oliver wearing a victorious smirk.

"For the first time, I understand the difference between pretty and beautiful." Ben said, though something in his eyes seemed confused. Margot wondered if he was starting to realize the love spell too, that is, if she was correct, which was looking more and more plausible. "I hope you girls like bikes."

Apparently, the boys would be driving them to their destination via motorbikes, which made an excited grin spread on Margot's face. Yet another new experience to cross off the infinite checklist she seemed to be adding to every day.

As she sat behind Oliver on their bike, she hated the way her heart was beating louder and her cheeks were flushing; she hated that she was giggling, knowing that it was all fake.

Mal and Ben walked into the forest after parking their bike first, and as Margot heard them laughing ahead, she pulled Oliver back.

"Oliver... do you.. Am I..." Margot trailed off, her traitorous body reacting to the love potion making it difficult to say these words. Finally, she forced them out. "Am I under a love potion?"

Oliver stared at her in shock, clearly impressed. "Yeah. You are. I didn't think you'd figure it out until it broke."

"Ben too?"

"Yeah, he has no idea though. That's why I recommended this place. Once you jump in the lake, it'll wash away any enchantments." Oliver explained.

Margot breathed a sigh of relief. "Good. I figured it out this afternoon, and the feeling is horrendous. No one ever said love potions were so uncomfortable."

"Well, since it's so uncomfortable, let's catch up and get rid of it quickly."

By the time they caught up, Ben and Mal were sitting down for the picnic the boys had set up. Oliver watched amusedly as Mal attempted to eat a jelly donut.

"Is this your first time?" He asked, announcing their presence as he and Margot sat down.

"Mm... We don't really date much on the island. It's more like... Gang activity." Mal explained.

Oliver smirked. "I meant, is this your first time eating a jelly donut?"

"Is it bad?" Mal looked to Margot for confirmation, and the girl nodded, wincing as she gestured to the spot covered in icing sugar.

Mal failed to wipe it off, and Oliver reached over with a wet napkin, getting the spot off, while Margot and Ben shifted uncomfortably. Despite knowing she was under a love potion, Margot couldn't stop her body from reacting to the jealousy-inducing scene, as much as she hated it.

The conversation flowed more naturally after that, each of them sharing bits about themselves, except, seemingly, Mal.

"You know, we've done all the talking. Your turn. I really don't know that much about you. Tell me something." Ben suggested.

"Well, I'm 16. I'm an only child. And I've only ever lived in one place." Mal replied, making Margot shake her head at how half-assed it was.

"Me, too. We have so much in common already." Ben grinned.

"No. Trust me, we do not. And now you're gonna be king." Mal contemplated, taking a bite from another jelly donut and managing not to get sugar all over herself this time.

"Yeah." Ben replied numbly.

"What?"

"A crown doesn't make you a king."

"Well, it kind of does." Mal retorted.

Margot looked at Ben nervously, placing her hand on his comfortingly without realizing. "I think he's talking about metaphorically, being a king in character."

"Exactly." Ben agreed. "Your mother is mistress of evil and I've got the poster parents for goodness. But we're not automatically like them. We get to choose who we're gonna be. And right now, I can look into your eyes and I can tell you're not evil. I can see it. Let's go for a swim."

Margot stared at Ben confusedly, but he seemed to be very determined, and Margot wondered if he'd realized.

"You know, Ben, that's a great idea. You know, Margot was just saying how she wanted to learn to swim, but I forgot my swim trunks, so you should teach her." Oliver suggested.

"I think I'm just gonna stay here too." Mal added, eyeing the water uncomfortably. So far, everything was going to Oliver's plan.

As Ben pulled her through the forest, Margot asked, "Have you figured it out yet?"

Ben spun around, staring at her in shock. "You knew?!"

Margot shook her head. "Only since this afternoon. Actually, your mom helped me figure it out."

"Really?" Ben had a cheesy grin on his face for some reason at that, before confusion overtook it again. "God, I hate this feeling. Let's get in the water already."

"Uhh, Ben, this is a cliff." Margot noted, looking over the edge uncertainly.

"Yeah, quickest and best way to get in the water."

"Ben, I can't swim." Margot reminded him.

"Don't worry. I'll help you."

The look in his eyes made her calm down and, after forcing him to turn around, she took off her dress to reveal the green bikini she had underneath. Ben also changed into his shorts, which were quite an amusing design.

"Are those little crowns on your shorts?!" Mal yelled from the spot they'd been eating.

"Maybe." Ben grinned cheekily, then scooped Margot up princess-style and jumped off the edge, whooping joyously. Margot, on the other hand, screamed and tightened her arms around his neck.

The second the water covered her, Margot felt like a heavy cloud was lifted off her mind, and relief filled her whole body. Until she realized she was underwater and started to panic.

It was only seconds later that her head somehow broke the surface and she heard Ben's deep laugh right next to her ear.

"Calm down, Mar. I've got you."

Margot spun her head abruptly, her terrified eyes meeting Ben's as she suddenly calmed down, her arms relaxing around his neck. Her breath slowed, and she could feel his slowing down against her face as well as she stared into his eyes.

"You have some green in your eyes." Margot commented breathlessly before she could stop herself. "I mean-" Margot tried to push him away, then promptly remembered she didn't know how to swim, and grabbed onto him again. "This is terrifying."

Without the love spell messing with her emotions anymore, suddenly her feelings for Ben were just as overwhelming as they'd been before, making her lose her train of thought every three seconds as she noticed how close his lips were.

"Here, I'll show you." Ben swam them to a shallower part further away from the picnic where she could stand and she let her feet float to the bottom. First, he demonstrated the arm motion, then the legs, and soon, Margot was awkwardly able to make her head stay above the water without her feet touching. "Good. You're a quick learner."

Margot felt her face flush fifty shades of red at his words, and she found herself unable to look him in the eyes.

It was only when they heard Mal's panicked yells and a splash that the moment ended.

*********A/N You guys get a double update since I've been getting so many notifications about people liking this fic :)