Into the Depths

Chapter 22

Evie could still remember the first time Jay had come back from a practice session with just Lonnie.

"You replacing me?" Mal joked, looking up from the book she was reading as Jay plopped on his bed, completely drenched in sweat and potential bruises but still grinning from ear to ear.

"No one could replace you as a sparring partner Mal," Jay told her with a small chuckle. "But Lonnie was in town for the weekend and wanted to practice and I had nothing to do."

"Uh huh," Mal smirked and looked over at Evie.

"I know that look," Jay sighed as he sat back up. "Whatever you're thinking, stop it. Mal. Lonnie and I are just friends. Besides, she's going back to school on Monday. Even if I wanted anything to happen, which I don't, it won't."

"Sure Jay," Mal nodded as she went back to her book. It was another one of Ben's birthday presents that she had swiped from him. She'd give it back, besides he'd gotten way too many books that day. He wouldn't miss this one just yet.

"How did you guys even get in here by the way?" Jay asked as he propped himself up on one of his pillows. "The door was locked since I was at practice and Carlos is off with Jane."

Mal and Evie held up copies of the key to Jay and Carlos' dorm.

"Chad made us a key," they said with smirks on their faces.

"They were his last made pair from the viewing. You know, the one where he kept breaking into your dorm?" Mal said, chuckling at the shock on Jay's face before putting her key back into her pocket. "He wanted us to have 'em in case Anthony found them while snooping through Chad's room. I have to say, you get Chad away from Leah and I guess by association Audrey and he's downright tolerable to us VKs. Ava's told me he's actually pleasant to her the few times I've had a chance to talk to her."

"Probably because his mom was raised by a villain. She probably raised him to not cast judgement on the VKs. He more than likely just got caught up in Leah's drama at Family Day. Or at least the Chad in the future at the first viewing," Evie pointed out, putting her key back into her pocket. "Lady Tremaine is Queen Cinderella's step mother after all."

"Anyone else want to note the irony that Mal, a VK, is the only one with a non-wicked stepmother?" Jay chuckled.

"Yes the irony is not lost on me," Mal said, rolling her eyes and going back to her book. "That joke is as old as Zeus himself Jay."

"Has...has anyone heard from Audrey?" Evie asked, biting her lip. "The last time you saw her was at the yearbook photoshoot, right Mal?"

"Yeah," Mal nodded, looking up from her book. "It was...it was weird. She called Ben 'Bennyboo'."

"Even though she didn't do that when we went to the last viewing?"

Mal shrugged. "Maybe she forgot? She could have been excited and it slipped out. I mean they were dating for a year before we came along. That's a long time to call someone a nickname."

"You know you have your own room to read in, right?" Jay asked as Mal went back to her book after a few minutes of silence from the group.

"Yep."

"Yet you choose to read here?"

"Glad to see your eyes work," Mal said with a smirk, putting her feet underneath her as she continued to read.

Doug's snort brought Evie out of her thoughts and she couldn't help but smile before gently removing his tilted glasses. Setting them on the table in front of them, Evie grabbed one of the pillows and set it behind Doug's head.

"Mmm....Evie? Wha...what are you doing?" Doug asked, sleep clearly evident in his voice.

"Did I wake you?" Evie asked him, keeping her voice soft.

"...I fell asleep didn't I?"

"You did," Evie nodded. "That's okay, though. You needed the sleep. Mal told me that Ben's been doing the same thing on their dates too."

"He's been working with Fairy Godmother to have an official early graduation ceremony for him. Everyone else will walk at the end of the year," Doug said softly. "They asked me to play Pomp and Circumstance on my trumpet."

"Do you know how to play that on your trumpet?"

"Hey, I provided Ben with an impromptu beat for his musical number. How hard could it be to learn Pomp and Circumstance?"

Evie gave a soft giggle. "Well, you can practice tomorrow after you've had some sleep."

"Okay. I'm sorry I ruined date night."

"You didn't ruin anything," Evie told him, brushing some of his hair out of his eyes. "You need a haircut."

"Eh, I like it long," he said softly. "It's a nice change."

"Okay," Evie chuckled, a soft smile gracing her lips. "I should go though. Let you get your sleep. We can finish the movie tomorrow."

"Hmm...it's a date then," Doug said as he slowly started to fall back asleep. Evie shook her head slightly before grabbing her bag and going to leave. Turning back, she couldn't help but smile again as she saw Doug fast asleep on the sofa.

Gods I love him, she thought for the second time that night. Evie wasn't going to lie, it was rather unnerving. She had grown up with the idea that love was something to be loathed, that upward movement was more important than liking the person you'd spend the rest of your life with.

After all, that was the reasoning her mother would use whenever she tried to pair Evie with one of the few princes who were on the Isle. She knew the AKs thought it was cruel, to try to force Evie into a relationship with someone who was at least twice her age.

But Evie knew better, or at least thought she understood where her mother was coming from. Evie's father, Daniel, had been a stable hand in her grandmother's employ who had passed away before everyone was brought back to life and whisked to the Isle. Beast had at least done her mother the kindness he had not done Anastasia and allowed Evie's parents to live together.

Maybe he was working off the same logic as the Enchantress who cursed him way back when but regardless, her mother and father were permitted to live together.

And together they had, until Evie was about eight years old. That was when a virus ravaged the Isle, killing numerous villains. Including Evie's father. As her mother had been put into isolation by Maleficent when Evie was six, her father was unable to get any assistance as he slowly died for the second time.

Since that day, the Evil Queen was more adamant than ever that Evie should marry a prince. Evie could understand why—a prince meant better access to the limited supplies the Isle had. A prince wouldn't have suffered like her father did.

But then Evie was invited to Auradon, a land where anything was possible, and there was no longer a need for her to marry for stability. She could take her time in a relationship. She didn't have to act like a flirt. Even if, as Audrey had said when Evie had first arrived, she had no royal title or status.

That was okay. She didn't need it. Because she had her friends, and her business. And Doug.

She knew now, in her heart, that she loved him. But that was also terrifying. Because what if she loved him but he didn't love her?

She thought she had that with Chad, back when she was still jumping from prince to prince. She even looked past him using her to get his homework done. But it was clear that Chad didn't have the same feelings Evie had had.

She couldn't go through the same thing with Doug. Evie wasn't sure her heart could take another rejection like that.