The Fire Dragon Goddess

Cotillion

Hadley's POV

Arriving back at Auradon Prep felt crazy, I was wet and cold still and undoubtedly going to get pneumonia but my mind was more focused on the fact that I'd left behind Harry once again and this time I knew there was definitely no way he was going to forgive me after this one which meant I had to let him go.

"We need to talk!" Evie suddenly said grabbing Mal and I's hand and started dragging us towards the dorm buildings.

"Yeah" Mal agreed but I frowned since I really didn't want to talk, I had no reason to confide in them cause they would never understand.

"No!" Carlos suddenly said and we stopped turning to him.

"No?" Evie asked him.

"You guys are always going off in a huddle whispering your girl-talk stuff or whatever and Jay and I are tired of it"

"I'm not" Jay argued making me smile a little trying to keep from shaking as the breeze hit my wet clothes.

"We're your family too, we've been through a lot...together, we're not stopping that now, okay?" Carlos asked us and I smiled softly at him since he had a point, after everything we've been through we were closer than most siblings, hell I was closer to Evie and the boys then I was with Mal and she was my actual sister. "Everyone sit" he commanded sitting and I raised an eyebrow at him...what did we look like dogs. "Come on" we all sighed and took a seat on the grass in an almost circle with me hugging my knees to my chest as we all looked at Carlos. "I don't know how to start girl-talk" he pointed out seeing our stares.

"What up?" Jay suddenly said and I was unable to hold in the small laugh.

"Um...well...I'm a mess, I'm such a mess" Mal spoke up making the humor in the situation dissipate instantly despite her nervous chuckle since she choked on her tears and Evie reached out to comfort her. "I mean, six months ago I was...you know stealing candy from babies and now everybody wants me to be this Lady of the Court and I have no idea how to keep up the act"

"Then don't" Carlos shrugged like it was that easy.

"See this was dumb" Jay spoke and I sighed.

"Maybe it wasn't" Evie argued stopping his attempt to stand. "Were always gonna be the kids from the Isle, I tried to forget that I really tried but those are our roots and we all did what we had to survive" she added and I didn't miss the not so subtle look my way. "But it made us who we are and were never gonna be like anybody else here and that's okay, that's okay"

"And we can't fake it" Carlos added making me frown keeping my eyes locked on the ground below my feet.

"No" Evie shook her head with another not so subtle look my way.

"Yeah I mean especially without my spell book" Mal added making my frown deepen since she'd noticed Mom's spell book was gone on our way back from the Isle meaning she'd left it on the Isle, hopefully in the hideout.

"Well if Ben doesn't love the real you then he's not the one" Carlos replied and I looked up at him.

"I like that" Evie smiled reaching for my hand squeezing it and I knew what the meaning behind it was and I furrowed my brows angrily.

"Give him a chance" Carlos smiled at Mal.

"I'm gonna make some changes to your dress and if your up for it, only if your up for it it'll be waiting for you okay?" Evie said looking at Mal and she nodded before Evie hugged her mouthing something at Carlos who nodded back.

"Come on buddy" Carlos said to Dude standing up with Jay following him, I sighed getting to my feet as well since I'd very much like a hot shower and to get out of my wet clothes but I stopped noticing Mal didn't move and Jay stopped before sitting back down in front of her.