Later that evening, Raelyn left the boys room and headed for her own.
Carlos offered to go with her.
They stood at her door.
"Thanks, for introducing me to your friends." She said.
"They sorta introduced themselves. Sorry if we kept you." He scratched the back of his neck nervously.
"Seriously? What else would I have been doing in a place I didn't know and have no friends in?" She grinned. "Really, thank you." She patted his shoulder. "I'm glad to have made a couple of friends rather quickly."
"Anyone who makes pancakes as good as you are sure to make an army of friends." He stated. He blushed when he realised what he was saying. Why am I talking like a dork?!
"I guess, I should make you some more sometime." She laughed.
His eyes lit up. "Please!"
"Carlos De Vil, what are you doing loitering around the girls' dorm corridor?" A sickly-sweet voice echoed in the corridor. "It is after seven. Either go into her room or go to your own. Be warned that it is two hours until curfew, you should be in your room by then anyway."
The two teens looked to see a beautiful girl with flowing hair and wearing a pink formal dress suit.
"Audrey, I was just escorting the new girl to her room." Carlos spoke to her, it was clear in his eyes that he did not like her.
The girl looked at Raelyn and scanned her appearance. "So, you're what the headmistress dragged in?"
"Dragged in?" Raelyn snorted.
"Yeah, she said that she had found a new student. You're her?"
Carlos looked to Raelyn, her eyes were glowing.
"Do you have a problem with me?" She asked Audrey.
The princess shook her head. "Not at all, just trying to figure out what's going on."
"Well I think that's for me to know and you to… uh… not."
Audrey knew better than to challenge a girl who's eyes glowed in the dark. "Nevertheless, either talk in your room or in his. Not in the corridor."
"Fine." Raelyn opened her door and caught Carlos' hand. "Good night." She flashed a grin at the girl. She dragged Carlos into her room and closed the door. She exhaled heavily, regaining her composure.
"Um, Raelyn?"
She looked to see that she still had a hold of the boy's hand. She dropped it. "Sorry." She put her ear against the door. She heard Audrey's footsteps get further and further away from her door. "She left." She exhaled. "I hate girls like that."
Dude, who had followed them, gave a bark.
"I think we all dislike her." Carlos knelt and picked the dog up.
Raelyn smiled. "Dogs have a good sense of character." She petted the dog in his arms. "You can go back to your room now if you want."
"Nah… I think I'll stay here a little while, if that's okay?" He added, meeting her eyes. "I found you, but I couldn't get a word in edgeways in there." He chuckled.
She nodded. "Your friends are rather forward, aren't they?" She went to her drawer. "Just let me change my pants, all of that junk food has made me grow a second stomach." She pulled out some sweats. "Two minutes, you can make yourself comfortable." She went into the bathroom and locked the door.
She stared at her reflection. Her cheeks were rosy and her eyes sparkled a little. I had so much fun! I never knew humans lived like this. She grinned like an idiot. "This might be a good school after all."
Carlos sat on the sofa, which faced the bed, with Dude. "She's nice, isn't she, Dude?"
Dude gave an approving yip.
"She's kind, pretty, but nothing like the princesses here." He smiled to himself. "And she didn't even look mildly afraid when she found out who we were."
Raelyn came out of the bathroom and sat next to Carlos to pet Dude.
"So, do you want to play 10 questions?" Carlos asked. "I get ten and you get ten. You know, to try to get to know each other a bit more."
Raelyn thought for a moment. "What if I don't want to answer it? What's the forfeit?" She smirked.
He hummed to himself in thought. "I know!" He dug in his pocket and pulled out a paper bag. "For every pass, we have to eat one of these."
Raelyn sniffed the contents of the bag, it nearly burned her nostrils. "What the hell are those?" She asked. "And by the way, that isn't one of my ten questions." She added.
"They're like chilli flavoured candy. I was gonna prank Chad with these." He added.
"Chad?"
"He's Cinderella's son. He's a total jerk." Carlos added. "Okay, can I go first?" He asked.
She got comfortable and faced him. "Shoot."
"Alright, are you a hero or a villain's daughter?" He asked.
She frowned. "Both?"
"So, one parent's a good guy and one a bad guy?"
"You can say it like that."
"Okay, your turn." He petted Dude as he watched her think.
"Um… let's start with an easy one. How old are you?" She asked.
"I'm 16." He confirmed.
"Yay, me too!" She grinned. "Your turn."
He blushed slightly. She's gonna be in my classes?! "Who is your good parent?"
"My mother, she was one of Snow White's huntsman." She replied.
"Awesome! So, you learned how to handle a sword and shoot arrows?" Whoops! That was another question!
"Yes, my bow is my pride and joy. Although the headmistress believes that it is safer in the vault." She sighed. "Since it's you, I won't class that last one as one of the ten."
"That's very kind of you."
"What's your fear?" She asked.
He swallowed thickly. "Apart from my mother… well, I'm Claustrophobic and in the past, my biggest fear was dogs."
"Was?" She frowned.
"Yeah, until I met Dude then I realised that they aren't vicious pack animals that eat little boys who misbehave." He stared down at his loyal companion. "We're best friends now, right Dude?" He received a lick on the cheek as confirmation.
Raelyn felt the sadness coming from him. She had the urge to comfort him, but he lifted his head up and smiled.
"My turn."
Raelyn cleared her throat.
"Who is your father?"
I was afraid of dogs… His statement lingered in her memory. She grabbed a sweet from the packet.
"Are you okay, Raelyn?" Carlos stared as she coughed on the hot sweet.
She nodded. "Just need some water, that's allowed, right?" She tried to smirk but the burn of the sweet going down her throat made it look like a pained expression.
"Yeah, sure." Carlos chuckled. "Is your dad really that bad?"
Raelyn came out of the bathroom with a glass of water, taking sips. "I just don't like to talk about him. He abandoned my mother when she was pregnant with me, he doesn't even know I exist."
Carlos nodded understandingly. "Don't worry I won't ask any more about him."
She smiled at him. "Thanks." She dropped on the bed in front of him. Laying on her side so she could face him. "My turn. What was it like on the Isle?"
He kicked his shoes off so he could put his legs upon the couch. "The good parts or the bad?"
"Whatever you want to tell me. I'm curious." She snuggled a little into her pillow.
"Well… Mal was like the princess of the Isle, obviously because of her mother and Mal herself was pretty mean. Jay had the muscles and charm to keep himself out of trouble. Evie had her looks, and her mother's reputation to get by. Me? Well… I had nothing… I was more my mother's slave than anything. She used to make me clean her furs every day and touch up her hair. I slept on the floor in her closet and wasn't allowed to touch any of her furs, even if it was to keep warm at night. I got picked on at school and kicked around because I was physically weak. Out of the rotten four, I was their weakest link. But they still stood up for me."
Raelyn could feel her eyes sting with unshed tears. "Hey, you're in a better place now, and your friends are with you, no matter what." She reached out and took his hand and squeezed. "For what it's worth, I'm now your friend too." She smiled warmly.
He nodded. "Who else would make me delicious pancakes?" He smirked.
"Exactly!" She dropped her hand and flopped back on her bed. "So, it's your turn again."
"How bad was that candy?" He asked.
She sighed. "I can still feel the burn!" She whined.
"I hear milk is what cools down chilli, or ice cream."
"Shame I don't have those in here."
"So, do you think they'll work on Chad?"
She nodded. "Definitely." She yawned.
"Your turn."
She stared at the ceiling. "Alright, do you have a girlfriend?"
He raised a brow. "Me? Never!" He laughed.
She looked over to him. "What's with that answer?"
"I just never had a girlfriend, and I doubt I'd ever will. I'm not athletic like Jay, or charming like Ben. I'm just…"
"You're Carlos."
"Yes, I'm just Carlos."
"No, I mean, you're you. Don't compare yourself to others." She added. "You've got your own defining qualities. You don't need to be fit or charming for a girl to like you."
He stared at her as she looked up.
Her eyes were swirling with colours of amber.
"You… have a way with words." He smiled to himself. "My turn."
"Mmmhmm…" She hummed.
Dude jumped upon her bed and laid his head on her stomach.
She absentmindedly petted the dogs head.
"What is it like in the forest? I've never been."
"It's beautiful, endless footpaths, secret enchanted lakes, lots of friendly animals, it's on the edge of a mountain too, so it's easier to get to higher ground for mothers and cubs hiding from predators in the caves." She had her eyes closed. "I sure miss my home." She breathed.
Carlos looked up to see that she had fallen asleep. He sighed and looked at his watch. "Crap, it's past curfew!" He panicked. He jumped up and picked up his shoes. "Gotta get back to my room."
Raelyn sighed in her sleep and rolled over, curling into a ball.
Carlos couldn't help but stare at her. So, this is what they mean by sleeping beauty. He grabbed the blanket from the back of the couch and covered her with it. "Good night." He whispered. He looked to Dude. "So, are you coming or are you just gonna stay there like a little traitor?" He asked.
Dude grumbled and repositioned himself next to Raelyn.
"Fine, but you better guard her." Carlos hissed. He snuck out of her room and sprinted to his.
