This is an AU version of 'Fear Of Love'. Please let me know if you'd like to see more AU oneshots in the future!

Mal had never really trusted many people in her life. In fact, she barely trusted anyone. With her father leaving before she was born and her mothers constant pressures to be exactly like her, Mal didn't really even know who she was.

Mal had learnt over the years that it was better to be feared than to be loved. Love always ended up in pain, she knew that, and so she became one of the most feared students in Auradon Prep High, because a shield was always better than letting your guard down. She'd built barriers around her heart so tall and so strong that she'd forgotten how to feel, how to love.

It was like everyone else was on the other side of the window, and she was just looking in. She was watching the world around her move but she couldn't move with it, because she didn't know how. She wasn't popular or considered pretty, she was considered dangerous and scary, and although she liked it, sometimes she wondered how life would be if she was on the right side of the window.

She wanted a fresh start, to move to a place where no one knew who she was and no one could stop her from being who she wanted to be. However, that was a dream that wasn't made to be reality. And so, she walked to school early that day, unlit cigarette between her lips and earphone in her left ear. She didn't smoke, but it was all part of her image.

She'd just made it to the steps of the school when she felt someone harshly bump into her side, the cigarette flying out of her mouth and landing on the floor, also causing her to fall onto the steps. She squeezed her eyes in pain as she felt her hip harshly hit the corner of the step, a gasp of pain falling out of her lips.

"Oh my- I'm so sorry! Are you alright?"

Mal was ready to snap at the boy. She was ready to tear him down with guilt, maybe even get him to buy her a new pack of cigarettes considering hers had just been squashed in her pocket. However, the moment her eyes met his green ones, all thoughts melted away.

She knew the boy. Ben, otherwise known as the head of the student body committee and captain of their football team, was staring at her with wide puppy-dog eyes. She couldn't find it in her to be angry, not when the boy with golden hair was staring at her.

He was gorgeous, she had to admit it. She'd seen him around school a couple of times before, with his soccer jersey and dashing smile. She'd never spoken to him, of course she hadn't, but looking at him now she just wanted to talk the day away with him. Instead, she turned back to her defensive side, the soft look on her face being replaced with her normal harsh glare.

"Watch where you're going," she grumbled, dusting off her sleeves and reluctantly looking away from the boys eyes.

"I-I'm so sorry," he stuttered momentarily, crouching down next to Mal, "Are you hurt? I really should've looked where I was going, this is totally my fault."

Mal was at loss for words. She hadn't expected him to be so... Nice. She was aware of the few people around them watching, yet under his gaze she felt like she was the only one that mattered.

"Let me help you at least," he insisted, standing up and holding his hand out for Mal, "Here."

Hesitantly, keeping her cold scowl on, she grasped the boys warm hand with her own cold one and allowed him to help her up. She hissed in pain as the skin on her hip stretched, ignoring how Ben held onto her hand for far longer than expected.

"Are you okay?" he asked again, picking her bag up for her, "Would you like me to take you to the nurse or-"

"I'm fine," she snapped automatically, pulling her bag away from him, "Just- watch where you're going next time."

With a swift spin of her heel, Mal stalked away from the golden boy, ignoring the pain on her hip and in her heart.

It's not like she was in love with him. Hell, she didn't know him, and so she couldn't explain to herself why she couldn't get the golden boy out of her head. It had nearly been a month since the incident on the school steps, and although she hadn't spoken to him since, she still saw him nearly every day parading around the school with his friends.

She knew he probably didn't even notice her, because who would? Although she was feared, she wasn't popular. People didn't try to be her friend, they tried to stay away from her. All around her, life moved seamlessly, leaving her as the odd one out.

The school bell rung through the school, signalling class was over. Mal slowly made her way out of the classroom, as she wasn't in a rush to meet anyone in the cafeteria. Instead, she made her way to the sports field and to the bleachers, planning on spending yet another day wasting away underneath the white benches.

She sat down underneath the tall white bleachers, her back against the cracked brick wall as she watched the football team practice. Rolling her eyes at the scenes unfolding in front of her, she pulled out her phone and sketchbook and began doodling, plugging her earphones in to drown out the football players.

She'd just added the finishing touches to her newest sketch when something across the field caught her eye. An unfamiliar girl with dark blue hair and a perfectly tailored private school uniform had taken a seat on the bleachers above her, accompanied by the highschool cheerleader team. With a shrug, Mal was about to resume her drawings when she noticed something else. Or rather, someone else.

Making his way to the bleachers was none other than Ben himself, sweaty and clad in his football jersey. He didn't notice her sat alone under the bleachers, because who'd notice her anyway, and instead sat himself next to the mysterious girl with blue hair, talking to her in hushed whispers like lovers would.

Mal took her sketchbook and left.

"I don't know what to do E. I see her everywhere, and she's just so-"

"Ben, I think you're lovesick."

Mal had stopped her regular visit to the bleachers. It had been a few weeks since she'd last sat underneath the tall metal structure. She didn't know why the spot had lost its appeal, but watching the endless football practices had just become painful really, yet she couldn't explain why.

Classes had finished for the day, leaving Mal to walk home alone once again. However, rather than returning home straight away, she decided to take a quick stop in a convenience store, looking for something sweet. She knelt down to the chocolate bar shelf when the sound of heels clicking approached her, a gentle unfamiliar voice flooding her ears.

"I wouldn't have pinned you for a milk chocolate kind of girl."

Mal stood up immediately, coming face to face with none other than the blue-haired girl she'd seen a week prior, still clad in her private school dark blue blazer. Her face was decorated with a gentle smile, the flawless complexion complementing her princess-like aura. Mal had to admit the girl was gorgeous, she could see why Ben would take such an interest in her.

"Have we met?" Mal snapped automatically, her eyes squinting into a harsh glare.

However, the girl simply smiled back, "Not formally, but I've heard a lot about you."

Mal raised her eyebrow doubtfully, crossing her arm, "You have?"

Instead of responding, the girl simply held her hand out.

"I'm Evie."

Over the few weeks Mal had known Evie, the girl had wormed her way into her life far quicker than Mal would've liked. The day they'd met, Evie had swapped numbers with her with the promise of texting, yet still refused to tell Mal the one important detail she wanted: who'd been talking about her.

Evie was charming, smart and gorgeous, and Mal soon found out that rather than dating Ben, she was head-over-heels with another boy on the football team, Chad. She'd become good friends with Ben over the summer through their summer jobs, and instantly took a liking to him.

It was weird for Mal, to have someone to talk to. Evie was like a breath of fresh air in her life, and although she refused to open up to her or even crack a smile, she was still glad to have met the blue-haired girl, even though she'd never admit it out loud.

It was a wednesday morning when she spotted Evie at the front of the schools, no longer dressed in her private school uniform. Instead, she wore a look of confusion on her face, her lips immediately turning into a bright smile when she spotted Mal.

"Hey!" Evie greeted, rushing towards Mal, "Guess what?! My parents transferred me here!"

Mal made sure to stay away from Evie over the few days she'd been in the school. She couldn't bring her reputation down, not when she had the chance to start over. She knew how precious that opportunity could be, and so she stayed away, once again resuming her place under the bleachers.

She'd just finished a sketch of a smoking blue caterpillar when a set of unfamiliar shoes appeared in front of her. She removed her headphones and looked up, only to be met with gentle green eyes once again.

"That's really good," Ben told her shyly, smiling at the drawing of the caterpillar, "Any reason why he's smoking?"

"Creative flare," she shrugged, unable to meet the boys eyes, "Why are you down here?"

"You looked lonely," he shrugged, taking a seat next to her, "I thought I'd join you."

Although she couldn't comprehend why the boy had taken an interest in her, she couldn't find it in herself to snap at him or tell him to leave. Instead, she silently handed him one of her earphones and started a new drawing, this time of a rose trapped in a glass.

Days passed, yet Ben never left. He spent his lunches with Mal, sometimes in silence and sometimes in conversation. Evie soon joined them, the three creating something close to a friendship. However, Mal had yet to let her walls down, but that changed one day when Ben approached her at her locker.

"Mal!" He greeted happily, making his way towards her, "I wanted to ask you something."

"Shoot," Mal grumbled, rubbing her eyes tiredly.

"Do you want to go to the movies with me saturday?"

Mal's eyes shot open in shock, turning to stare at Ben in a mixture of disbelief and confusion.

"Why?" She blurted, "Wouldn't it be better to take Evie? She loves stuff like that."

Ben smiled, "Well, I don't want to take Evie on a date if I'm completely honest."

Mal didn't know what made her say yes, and she didn't know why she said yes the second time. She didn't know why she lead herself to believe that Ben liked her, but unknowingly, Mal was slowly opening herself up to love.

And she was okay with that.

A/N: I don't know about you guys, but I'm loving the idea of the Descendants characters in real-world situations. Please let me know if you enjoyed the AU version of 'Fear of Love', and if you'd like me to write more AU Bad Habit oneshots. Also, as always, please feel free to leave any prompts in the reviews. Thank you! x