Due to an energy drink wile walking home from work in order to help me with an all nighter for my homework procrastination, the next chapter is up.

I could only narrow my eyes at Natasha Bell. What was she even doing in Auradon?

"It's really you, Octavia." She seemed in a state of shock. "You've grown up."

"Considering the last time we spoke was over ten years ago, I'd say I've gotten a bit taller." I folded my arms as I leaned into the doorframe. "Are you still a liar?"

"Are you still upset by that? It was a long time ago." She tried to brush it off. "Can't we forget about that?"

My tentacles slinked around the floor to grab my cutlass. "Okay, let's forget about it. But what will I tell people when they ask why I was expelled from Neverland?" My own sarcasm drowned my words.

She seemed to go quiet. "I did it to protect Neverland."

"Protect Neverland? Or your boyfriend?" My sword now lay in my hands as I placed it in my special belt in my left hip. "You know that I was never a threat to Neverland. My family put their past behind them. We moved on." I pushed up my glasses. "But you saw us as monsters." I turned on my heel to leave. "Don't get too comfortable here, I'm going to talk to King Ben to remove you as my roommate." I called over my shoulder before marching down the hallway.

I couldn't believe this. I would have taken Audrey over Natasha. Audrey of all people.

Taking a deep breath, I walked outside and made a quick journey to the castle where Ben and his parents lived. I had to keep my cool. I couldn't let my temper get the better of me, not again.

Once I explained to Ben what was wrong, I knew he would kick her out.

I was hoping at least of the school but I would settle for my room.

"You what?"

Ben sat calmly across from me with a small table between us. "When I heard she was transferring to Auradon, I selected her as your roommate." He picked up his tea cup and took a small sip.

"Why? You know what happened in Neverland! I hate her!" I restrained myself from slamming my hands down on the glass table. Instead I just cracked my knuckles (a bad habit I picked up from Elliot Teach).

He put his cup down. "Exactly. You two have a major history together." His eyes went serious. "You need to put this behind you. You can't hold a grudge forever, Penelope. I see the look in your eyes when you tell me the story."

"You're right, Ben. I can't hold a grudge forever." I took a sip of tea. "But I'll always remember their name."

Ben sighed in defeat. "It's not going to happen overnight, I know that. But this will be a step in the right direction." He took one final gulp of tea. "We should get a move on, the students will be here soon." He stood up.

I followed suite. "Well as long as you didn't bring Patrick Pan here, I can handle Bell."

He snorted. "I'm brave, not stupid."

"Man, feels good to be back." Mal dropped onto her bed. She'd really grown up over the summer. Sure she still wore her usual style, but she'd slowly been straying away from it on occasion. Of course, Mal and Ben were still together (see practically engaged).

"No kidding." Evie looked the same, save for the new dress ("I'll be making you one in the future, Penelope."). She and Doug were an item obviously. I think she even went to meet his family over spring break last year and apparently they loved her.

"It's out final year." I chimed in.

"So Ben told me that you have a roommate this year. Who is she?" Mal asked.

"Do you guys remember the story of how I was expelled from Neverland?"

"Yeah, some girl named Natasha or something lied and got you kicked out." Evie confirmed.

I must have given a look because they both gasped. "She's here?!"

I massaged my temples. "Yep. She wants me to forget that it was because of her I got booted from Neverland Academy."

"It's not a bad idea." All of our heads turned to see Natasha Bell herself. She seemed sheepish around us. "You two must be Octavia's friends. I'm Natasha Bell, daughter of Tinker Bell." She smiled. "You can call me Tasha, though."

Mal stood up and walked over to grab her hand a shake. "Mal, daughter of Maleficent."

"M-Maleficent?"

Evie came over next once Mal stepped to the side. "I'm Evie, daughter of The Evil Queen."

Natasha gulped.

I smiled. "Don't worry, Tash. You'll get to meet more of my friends soon enough." I knew I was being a bit mean, but I was mad and upset. Could you blame me? The only way this day could get worse was if Patrick Pan was also a transfer student.

Or the school caught fire, your choice.

She seemed nervous. "I-I was about to go for a walk around the campus, would you three like to join me?"

I looked at the girls. "I'm game." I had to check out the bonfire pit anyway, make sure it was still in good shape.

So there we were, the four of us walking around campus. Natasha was nervous, I was calm. Mal seemed indifferent and Evie was scoping out the new students.

"So, Tasha. Why did you come to Auradon? I thought there was a school in Neverland." Evie was trying to be nice.

She seemed a bit taken back by the question. "Well, I'll be going to Arendale next year for college so I thought I should spread my wings and see what it's like outside of Neverland while I can."

"Really? You'll be going to the Arendale College of Magic?" Mal seemed interested now.

"Yes, I got in with an early submission." She seemed a bit more relaxed. "Do any of you have plans for next year?"

Mal shrugged. "I'll probably be staying here and going to the art school. I've been working on my portfolio for years."

"I'll be going to Oz. Fashion capital." Evie sighed.

"What about you, Octavia?" Natasha asked.

Truth be told, I never really thought about where I wanted to go after Auradon. I pretty much lived everywhere so I never really called one place home. "Haven't thought that far ahead yet."

"Really? You'll have to decide soon."

"Yes, yes I know."

"Well, well, well." Our heads turned to see the boys. Doug had adopted the art of the contact lenses, Carlos got super tall, Ben was sans crown and Jay was a bit bulkier than I last saw him. "What do we have here?" Jay asked as he came to my side.

"Why do you think you are, the big bad wolf?" I asked as Evie and Mal joined up with their respective boyfriends.

"Only if you can be what I have to chase." Okay, you are probably wondering what is going on here. The answer is nothing. Jay and I are just friends. All throughout last year we did this whole back and forth thing and it kind of made us closer. Evie and Mal joke how Jay and I are dating but I can assure you that we are not. I'm pretty sure he has a thing for Lonnie.

Besides, if he were to ask me out (which he wouldn't because he doesn't like me like that) he would have to go through my brother and my father. Trust me, they are more than enough to intimidate anyone.

"Back off. You smell like you just got out of a Neverland swamp." I stepped back and held my nose. Mal soon backed away from Ben and covered her mouth.

"We just had a quick Tourney warm up." Carlos lifted his arms and I swear that somewhere a bunch of plants just died.

"She's right, you guys smell like the Crocodile in the sun." Natasha kicked in and we both giggled. Until I realized who I was laughing with and stopped.

Once the smell died down, I lowered my hand.

"Who's your friend?" Carlos asked.

Natasha seemed to straighten up a bit. "I'm Natasha Bell. I just transferred from Neverland."

The name must stuck with Jay because he seemed to have a hard look on his face. "You're the reason that Penelope got expelled then."

She shrunk back a bit.

"Is there a problem here?" We all turned to see Jamie. He actually looked like a teacher and not some scruffy buccaneer. I was impressed.

Natasha seemed to freeze and blush once she saw Jamie. It was no surprise, considering that almost everyone back in Neverland saw Jamie as a puckish rogue.

"It's all good, Jamie." I assured my brother. I noticed he still had his cutlass on his hip. Looks like he was as prepared as I was.

"Good, because I don't want to have to tell you to break it up." Still overprotective.

By the end of the day, I was exhausted. I almost collapsed into bed.

I saw that Natasha was fully unpacked and even occupying half of the shoe rack. She seemed to have a large bottle of pixie dust on her desk.

For the rest of the day (after Natasha left complaining of a headache), we all hung out at one of the lunch tables. Jay and I pretty much did our 'we're not really flirting' thing all day and even played footsie under the table. I managed to check out the bonfire pit and make sure it would still be able to withstand another year of students roasting marshmallows.

Jay made me promise to show him how to start a fire.

After I changed into my pajamas, threw my clothes into my hamper and put my shoes on the rack, I realized that my alarm clock was still broken.

"You've got to be kidding me." I walked over to where the broken contraption lay. It was one of the older wind up clocks and it was beyond busted. I doubt that even the Mad Hatter could fix it.

"What's wrong?" Natasha peered over my shoulder.

I held up the broken machinery in defeat.

"Oh, hold on!" She went to her jar of pixie dust and pulled a pinch out. "Hold it in your hands." She instructed.

"Doesn't pixie dust only work for flight?" I questioned.

"That's all the Pan and Darling family uses it for. But is has many other uses. It's like fairy dust times one thousand." She sprinkled the dust onto my clock and it slowly started to glow. I had to close my eyes due to the brightness.

When I opened then, there in my hands was a brand new clock. It was no longer a wind up contraption but a digital masterpiece. It resembled a large conch shell and had small numbers etched into the ridges.

"All you have to do is speak into the opening and let it know what time you want to be woken up. You should be okay from there." She started to crawl into bed.

I was perplexed. Why did she help me?

"Why did you help me?"

She seemed surprised by my question. "Because you needed it." She smiled. "Besides, I want us to be friends again. I know I screwed up when we were kids and I regret every day when I don't tell the truth. I want to put the past behind me like you said your parents did. Can you at least try?"

It took all of my will power not to say no. "I won't come around by tomorrow, you know that right?"

"I didn't think you would. But it's a start."

I got into bed and put my new clock on my stand along with my glasses. "As long as Pan isn't here, I'll be okay."

"He's not so bad once you get to know him." She defended.

"You say that because you're in love with him." I smirked.

Despite my bad eyesight, I could tell she flushed. "W-What about your boyfriend, Jay?"

"We are not dating." I mumbled.

"But you want to." I felt heat rising in my cheeks for some reason, was I getting sick?

I flopped my head onto my pillow. "Goodnight, Tasha."

I could tell the pixie was smiling. "Goodnight…Penelope."

And there you have it. I have procrastinated enough. So I am off to do some homework (is is just after 2 am where I am).

Cheers

Rae2themax