Chapter 7
Another distraction came when Evie knocked on her door and asked if she wanted to help her get Mal ready for her first date with Ben. Camilla jumped at the opportunity and joined the two in their room. Evie began applying makeup and Camilla added a braid in Mal's hair.
"Okay easy on the blush. I don't want to scare him away. Not that I could."
"Please. My mom taught me how to apply blush before I could talk. Always use upward strokes." Evie said smiling, happy that she finally could do Mal's makeup.
"My mom was never really big on makeup tips. And I never had a sister."
"Well, now you have two." Evie said as she dabbed on lip gloss sharing a glance with Camilla who was fixing the collar of Mal's jacket over her scarf.
"We're gonna need all the family we can if we don't pull this off."
"We will pull this off." Camilla said brushing out the last few tangles in Mal's hair.
"Well, my mother's not a barrel of laughs when she doesn't get her way." Evie continued, "Just ask Snow White."
"Are you afraid of your mothers?" Mal asked.
"Sometimes." Evie said, "Camilla?"
"Not really." She said sitting down on Mal's free side, "Unless you're an animal with exquisite fur there's really no need to be afraid of my mother. Unless she's in one of her moods." She shrugged.
"Mal?" Evie asked.
She shrugged, "I just really want her to be proud of me. She gets so angry with me when I disappoint her. And, yeah she's my mom, so I know she loves me, in her own way."
"Moving on." Evie said breaking the tender moment they'd fallen into. "Come see." She took Mal's hand and led her to the full length mirror.
"Are we done?" Mal asked seeming surprised like the experience should have been more terrible.
"Yeah." Evie replied pulling her along.
Mal stared at her reflection like she couldn't believe the girl she was looking at was really her.
"I look. .. "
"Say it." Evie said appearing behind her in the mirror.
"Not hideous."
"Not even close."
Camilla sat on the bed noticing that Mal was starting to look – nervous? Wow, there's a word she thought she'd never use to describe Maleficent's daughter. Then there was a knock at the door and it took Mal a second to compose herself enough to answer it. When she did open the door Ben was standing there in his Auradon letterman jacket holding two helmets. He paused as he looked at Mal looking just as stunned as she had a moment earlier.
"For the first time, I understand the difference between pretty and beautiful. I hope you like bikes." He said and Mal took one of the helmets, gave Evie and Camila a look then left for her date. Evie shut the door then turned to Camilla who was looking down at the comforter. She noticed the far away look in her friend's eyes and tried to find a way to cheer her up.
"You must miss him."
Camilla looked up and slid her mask back on, "Please." She scoffed looking away from Evie.
"Come on Camilla, don't play this game with me." She said taking a seat next to her on the bed, "Talk to me. If you don't want to tell me his name I won't push you to, I promise."
Camilla took a moment considering her offer. Then she took a deep breath, "Yes, I miss him." her voice almost cracked as she said it. When she thought about the distance between them that horrible crying feeling came back and she hated that. What had happened to the strong impenetrable walls she'd put up around her emotions? Had Auradon really melted through them so quickly? Evie put her hand over hers in comfort. Camilla didn't know what to say and neither did Evie it seemed. For a long time they sat in silence just enjoying the fact that they had someone who they could turn to.
- - ROTTEN TO THE CORE - -
Third day of classes outfit: red casual dress with black leather jacket (cuffs and collar are Dalmatian print) and Dalmatian spot shoes, red leather fingerless gloves. Hair in a low side ponytail, curling it to mix the black and white.
"Children, excuse me." The Fairy Godmother said making them look up from their current 'goodness' assignment. "As you know, tomorrow is Family Day here at Auradon Prep and because your parents can't be here due to . . . distance, we've arranged for a special treat." She said leading them to a large screen at the front of the room. She pressed a button and it lit up with Maleficent's face which made Fairy Godmother jump slightly. Though very quickly they figured out she wasn't trying to be scary, she just couldn't figure out how the video chat worked.
"I don't see anything, nor do I hear." She complained leaning back and revealing the Evil Queen, Cruella and Jafar. "Is it. . is it. . is. . ?"
"Press enter?" Jafar suggested.
"Can I please see a remote?" Maleficent demanded, "Is this thing on? It's broken! I hate electronical. . . "she trailed off as they finally got it to work.
"Evie! Its Mommy!" the Evil Queen waved, "Look how beautiful. You know what they say, the poison apple doesn't fall far from the tree."
"Don't you mean the weeds?" Maleficent mocked.
"Who's the old bat?" her mother shrieked.
"This is Fairy Godmother." Mal said sweetly trying to undo the damage Cruella had just done. Though Maleficent didn't seem to care, in fact she started to make things even worse. Which Camilla thought was fantastic.
"Still doing tricks with eggplants?"
"I turned a pumpkin into a beautiful carriage!" Fairy Godmother said proudly.
"You really couldn't give Cinderella til one a.m.? I mean really? What the hamsters had to get back on their little wheels?" Maleficent continued mocking as the other villains joined in laughing. Camilla wanted to laugh too but instead settled for snickering behind her red leather-clad hand.
"They were mice!" Fairy Godmother said sounding very offended. "They were not. . . they were mice." She whispered into the camera before letting the kids take over.
"Hi, Mom."
"Mal!" Maleficent gasped, "I m-m-miss you."
"You children are never far from our thoughts!" Jafar added and Maleficent waved him off.
"How long must Mommy wait to see you?" Maleficent asked with fake concern, the real question was 'how long until you bring me that wand?'
"There's a big coronation coming up. I think probably sometime after that." Mal replied not wanting to give too much away in front of Fairy Godmother, who was off screen but standing nearby.
"When?" Maleficent demanded.
"Friday. Ten a.m."
"You sure I can't see you before that? I don't know what I'll do if I don't get my hands on that magic. . . " Evil Queen tapped her horns, "You, you little nugget that I love so much."
"Yes I completely understand, mother."
"Carlos! Is that a dog!?" Camilla's mother shrieked jumping as close to the camera as possible. Oh, no. she thought. It had been twenty years since her mother had seen an actual dog and she knew her mother would go overboard about seeing one in her son's arms. She squeaked her stuffed dog and spoke to it like it was real, "Oh, yes, yes baby I do understand it would make the perfect size for earmuffs." She laughed maniacally.
"He's the perfect size for a pet!" Carlos yelled at her and Camilla's snickering stopped immediately as her eyes widened. Carlos had never been brave enough to stand up for himself, especially in front of their mother. She wondered if the fact that she was trapped on the island made his courage grow or if he'd still be as rebellious to their mother in person. "This dog loves me and I love him. And FYI your dog is stuffed! So give it a rest!"
"Ohh, burn!" Jafar exclaimed.
"Oh, why don't you go sell a toaster, you two-bit salesman!"
"People who talk to stuffed animals shouldn't throw stones!"
"Oh well people who sell toasters shouldn't use mixed metaphors!"
"Enough!" The Evil Queen called as Jay ended the call and the screen went black. Fairy Godmother looked at them all with pity. Camilla loathed pity, it meant someone thought that they were better or had something better than you. Her jaw clenched but other that that she kept her cool.
"I'm so sorry."
"Thanks for the special treat." Jay said and she nodded.
"Of course."
Then they collected their things and headed for the door.
"M?" Evie called getting Mal's attention. "What do you think our parents are gonna do to us if we don't pull this off?"
"I think they will be quietly disappointed in us, but ultimately proud of us for doing our best."
"Really?" Carlos asked.
"No, I think we are definitely goners."