Empty Belly Confessions

(1/?)

An ongoing series of short drabbles...Stay tuned!

A low rumble reverberated through Mal's bones and she grimaced sourly, glancing about.

"Ugh, my stomach is howling. Is it dinner time yet?" Carlos moaned, his leg dangling listlessly off the edge of the bed as he stared up at the dorm room ceiling.

"Mine too." Mal mumbled "Just be patient. Jay will be back soon, and then we'll go down to dinner."

Carlos let out a heavy sigh, rolling himself onto his belly and glancing at the young enchantress. "Can't you like…just 'magic' us up some food?" He wiggled his fingers and arched an eyebrow in poignant mockery of Mal's concentration face.

"No, magic doesn't work like that. I can't make something out of nothing." Mal huffed, her tummy rumbling in protest. "We just have to be patient…"

As if on cue, a heavy kick sprang the door of the girl's dorm room wide open. "Didn't keep you waiting did I?" Jay laughed cheekily, his eyebrows arching in a playful smirk.

"Oh, not very long..Only forever and a day." Evie teased, smiling as she set her book down on the bed.

"NOW can we go?" Carlos whined, jutting out his lower lip in a pout.

"Sure let me just set some stuff down real quick. I'll be ready in a sec." Jay said, waving off the pleading eyes as he set a bag down on the floor.

A comical groan broke the silence as Carlos sighed dramatically. "But we've been waiting for HOURS!"

Jay rolled his eyes at the younger boy and turned back to unloading his backpack. Mal set down her sketchbook and rose from the bed. "It's fine, guys. Carlos, you and Evie go ahead, Jay and I'll catch up. Save us seats at our usual table."

Carlos let out a whoop and dashed for the door, calling for Dude as he ran. Evie laughed and raced out, hard on his heels, while the door slammed behind.

As the thudding of footfalls and joyous shouts receded, Mal turned to Jay, fixing him in her cool green gaze. "So, what's in the bag?"

"Uh...nothing...just some stuff from the kitchens is all." Jay mumbled sheepishly as he pulled piles of poorly wrapped foodstuffs from the pockets of his backpack.

"You stole...food?" Mal asked, perplexed. "You know that dinner is literally in less than five minutes, right? There'll be tons of food downstairs."

"Yeah, I know I just.." Jay sighed and rubbed the back of his neck bashfully. "Old habits I guess."

"Old habits?" Mal arched an eyebrow, pressing for more.

"I'll tell you some other time." Jay said, brushing off the question as he turned towards the door. "C'mon. Dinner's probably getting cold."