Hi everyone! I'm back with my longest chapter so far! I've got some Jay and Audrey (sorry, we all know it's gonna happen) and some general senior stuff in here. Enjoy!


On Monday, Mal felt well enough to attempt to go to her classes for the entire day. She hadn't had a cough attack since Saturday and she was no longer contagious, though she did still feel stuffed up and gross.

When she came down to breakfast, she was surprised to see Audrey beside Evie. Evie and Audrey were getting to be friends due to all their time spent together working out arrangements and all the technical music stuff Mal didn't really understand. They both liked glitter and nail polish and it had seemed like a matter of time until they were more than just tolerant of each other, still, Mal was surprised Audrey had voluntarily sat at their table.

"Good morning, M." Evie said pleasantly as Mal sat across from them.

"Morning," Mal replied.

"Are you feeling better?" Audrey asked.

Mal swallowed her sarcastic remark. If Audrey was genuinely trying to be nice, being rude to her wouldn't get them anywhere. "Sort of. Thanks for asking."

Audrey smiled.

"Well, you look better at least." Evie observed. "Are you going to be able to stick around all day?"

"I'm going to try."

Audrey shoved toast at her. "Well then, eat. If you do have to go back to your room, I'd rather it be because you're still sick, not because you didn't have breakfast. And don't give me that look, Mal. I'd rather not have you passing out on my consciencetoday."

"...thanks, I guess." Mal replied, picking at the toast. She didn't really feel up to eating. "How was the dance?"

Evie looked confused. "Mal, I told you-"

"Yesterday, I know. But I was falling asleep. Sorry."

"It was a lot of fun." Audrey told her. Evie glanced at her with a sly grin and the princess may as well have burst into flames for how red her face turned. Evie giggled.

Mal raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"Jay spent practically the entire time talking to somebody." The blue-haired girl looked pointedly to the girl next to her.

Mal almost choked on her toast. "Jay? Our Jay?" Hadn't he just recently said he had no interest in Audrey when she cracked a joke? What happened?

Evie smiled and nodded. Audrey was pushing eggs around on her plate with her fork and staring at it like it was the most intriguing thing she had ever seen.

"Audrey,"

Audrey looked up to Mal.

"Do you really... like him like that?" Jay could be a butthead and obnoxious and loud and that didn't sound anything like what Audrey would ever be interested in.

"I... yes?"

"You don't sound too sure." Seeing Audrey squirm was actually kind of entertaining. She was usually so sure of herself and in your face about her status and beauty. But Mal wanted to make sure she wasn't leading him on or anything, because that wouldn't end well for her if she was. Jay didn't need protecting, not really, but Mal was practically his sister, and she'd be damned if she let him get hurt.

"I am sure! Really."

Evie had jumped in. "I feel a but coming, Audrey."

Audrey tucked a perfect curl behind her ear. "...my parents..."

"What about your parents?" Evie asked.

"They wouldn't approve. They're fine with having the four of you here, but they wouldn't like it if I got any closer to Jay than I am right now. They hardly like that I'm spending so much time with you, Evie. I'm pretty sure they still think you guys would be bad influences on me. And it's not fair! It really isn't. I wish they'd get past the villain part and just see the kids..." She sighed heavily.

"Who cares what your parents think?" Mal asked her.

"I do!" Audrey glared at her. "I know you'll never be able to understand that they love me and I love them back! I don't hate them like you hate yours... they're amazing and I want them to be happy with my decisions." Audrey took a shaky breath, looking almost ready to cry.

Evie started talking before Mal's disgust at Audrey's words could spill over. She put her hand on her friend's. "Your parents can't make your choices for you, Audrey, even if they think they can. This is your life to live and you have as much right to happiness as they did. I know our situations were different, but Mal, Jay, Carlos, and I chose our own happiness over our parents' and it was hard, but we wouldn't change anything."

"It's not going to be that easy for me." Audrey said, standing up. She grabbed her purse. "See you guys later." She walked out of the room.

"What a conversation to have over breakfast." Mal shook her head, still picking at her toast.

Evie shrugged.

Mal changed the subject. "Did Carlos ever ask Jane to dance?"

"No, but he did manage to tell her she looked beautiful."

"Carlos called her beautiful without stumbling over his words?"

"Well, he actually said 'really nice', but the feelings were all there."

Mal laughed. "He tried."

"He did,"

"Are they at practice?"

"Yeah. So's Doug."

"How did things go with him?"

Evie responded with a smile.

"Spill, E."


Mal was in her Government class taking notes (and doodling) when her teacher halted her lecture to answer a knock on the door.

"Mal?"

She looked up.

"Bring all of your things, you won't be back." her teacher said.

Oh great, what did she do? Was making a princess nearly cry worth a call down to the office?

Mal closed her notebook and shoved it into her backpack before slinging it over her shoulder and heading towards the door.

Waiting in the hall was her Guidance Counselor; a chipper twenty-something with a pixie cut and the kind of voice that dripped with the kind of kindness you'd use on second graders.

The door closed behind Mal.

"You aren't in trouble, I just wanted to talk to you in my office."

Great. Being trapped with her overbearing counselor in a room for half an hour or more was exactly how she wanted to spend the rest of her morning.

When they got to her office, Mal sat down across from her.

"So, why am I here?"

"To talk about your future."

Lovely.

"You're the only one of my kids to not have started a college app yet, I'm a little concerned. Do you want to go to college, Mal?"

"I don't know."

"That's not a good answer."

"Why does everyone care about what I do with my life? Where were you when I was seven and had to steal food?"

"Things are different now that you're here-"

"You're only nice to me because you're afraid that if you weren't, I'd tell Fairy Godmother or Ben and you'd loose your job." Not everyone was like that, but it hadn't taken the VKs long to figure out who was who. Especially since most of the fakers used baby voices and gave them a wide berth.

The woman's eyes flickered.

"I'm not a child and I'm not stupid." Mal finished.

"I know you're not." Something in her tone of voice had changed. "Where do you see yourself in five years?"

"Sharing an apartment with Evie." Because she was realistic and as much as she adored Ben, she figured if anything, they'd still be only dating then.

"And how did you get there?"

"Art school,"

"So you do have an idea on what you want to do." The woman smiled.

"Art is the only thing I'm good at."

"Nonsense, I've seen your grades. You're amazing in History and English."

"But art is the only thing I really like."

"Then you need to go to an art school, Mal."

"I can't get a job that way."

"Sure you can. Art teacher, animator, illustrator, graphic designer, video game designer."

"I never thought about that..."

"Just because they're hard to come by doesn't mean they're impossible. I've seen your work, it's beautiful. You'll have no problems getting a job somewhere. I promise. And I'm not just saying that because I want to keep my job. I'm saying that because I believe it."

Mal smiled. It was a nice feeling to have someone be confident in you.

"Now," her counselor typed something into her computer. "There's a great deal of art schools in Auradon, Mal. Do you want to stay close?"

Evie didn't want to go far, neither did Carlos or Jay, Ben had to stay close. "Yes,"

"Hmm, there's three that I know of off the top of my head that I think you would like. I'm going to email you links to all of their websites as a starting place, but don't be afraid to look outside of my parameters. College is about choosing where you're comfortable."

"Awesome,"

"Anytime. It's my job, really." She smiled. "Feel free to ask me as many questions as you need about anything, it really is my job to be pelted with questions. And when you want to start applying, let me know and I'll help you. Oh, and one of the schools invited us to bring some students there on a field trip next week, should I put your name down?"

"Yes please,"

"There will be more of those and I'll keep you in the loop if you keep me updated, deal?"

"Deal?"

"Well, that's it. You can go straight to lunch, there's only three minutes left in the period anyway. Thanks for coming down, Mal. See you soon."

"Thank you. Bye."

For the first time, Mal felt like this whole Art School thing wouldn't be a waste of time.


A/N: Chase your dreams, Mal.

I totally understand Mal's point of view on this. I want to be a teacher and I've been ridiculed because they don't make a lot of money. But to me, being passionate about your job is more important than how much money you make (but I know that's different for everyone). I know I was wreck when I was applying to college, but things are better now. I was accepted to all 5 colleges I applied to! I'm passed the point Mal is at, but I remember it very well.

I hope you liked Audrey in this!

Let me know your thoughts!

See you soon!