"Please stop crying…" Meg worried. "Please, Es- you are supposed to take the stage and give your human rights lecture today… you can't do it like this."
"I can't believe it!" Esmeralda wailed. "I cannot believe he broke up with me. The first time he calls me this month… and it's to break up with me? That asshole! It should have been me to do that!"
"This is why relationships are a no-go." Meg smirked. "No dates for me."
Esmeralda giggled and twirled a piece of dark hair around her finger. "Ah-ha… not for long."
"What are you talking about?" Meg questioned tiredly, though she was sure she knew the answer already.
"Wonderboy!" Esmeralda coughed.
Meg flopped onto her bed and groaned into a pillow.
There was a knock on the door.
"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT, ME AND MY FRIEND WERE HAVING A VERY PRIVATE DMC AND YOU CANNOT JUST INTERRUPT US!" Meg stormed, opening the door.
The platinum-blonde girl had run away.
Esmeralda was still crying.
"Aw, you scared off Elsa." Mulan said, appearing in the doorway. "She was about to talk to you. But I am not scared of you, Megara Sarkis, so I'm just going to say that some police tried to raid the college. We had to cover so hard for Elsa- Kida had to practically shove her in a wardrobe- y'know, she's still not convinced of her innocence… so we really have to call that lawyer!"
"It's only Thursday…" Meg trailed off.
"Nearly a week! Do it!" Mulan poked her in the shoulder and stormed off, slamming the door. The brunette turned back to the sobbing gypsy. "Es, chin up. You obviously deserve better- I mean, Phoebus was all right- but you need more than all right! Now." Meg grinned and crossed over to where her iPod was, connected to a small speaker that Quasi had given them freshman year. "This- is a foolproof cure." she informed as she picked the song she wanted.
"You mean… P!nk party?" Esmeralda whimpered hopefully.
"Damn right I do!" Meg cheered, setting the song. "Cheer up girl- you don't need no guy!"
"SO WHAT, I am a rockstar, I got my rock moves, and I don't need you! Guess what, I'm having more fun…"
Two girls, one Greek and one of gypsy origins, were jumping around their dorm, knocking over makeup, slipping on discarded clothes and straining crappy college bed springs. And singing P!nk songs really badly. Like, really, really badly.
As one of the girls (the Greek one) was Megara Sarkis, logic follows that a certain Hercules Strongman would walk into the dorm right about…now!
Meg shrieked and fell over, landing in a messy heap on Esme's bed. She yanked at her green skirt, hoping it hadn't risen up too much. She wasn't in the mood to flash to Wonderboy.
Esmeralda, facing the wall, was still dancing like crazy, oblivious to the entry. "Hey…" Hercules said uncertainly.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN HERE?" Meg raged. However, like Mulan, Hercules was not scared of her.
"Well, I was looking for you."
"Why? Stalk much?" Meg sneered.
"No… it's because you left your charger in the lounge and Shang had early class so he told me to give it to you because he didn't want to disturb you. Here." he handed her the white cord and plug and promptly left.
"Mmmmmnnnnnn…" Meg squashed her face into Esmeralda's pillow.
"Sweetie, that was bad." Esmeralda commented. She had finally stopped dancing. "Anyway, thanks for the P!nk party." She sniffled. "Made me feel better. And I am going to get up there tonight and kick ass with my talk."
"That's what best friends are for." Meg smiled.
"Did someone drown you in cheese?" Esmeralda asked.
"Oh shut up."
"Thank you thank you thank you!" Anna screamed, throwing her freckly arms around Meg's neck. The brunette sighed and peeled the other girl off.
Elsa's reaction was quite different. "Took you long enough."
Meg ignored her and dialled the number into her iPhone. "Hello?"
The deadpan secretary answered. "Hello, this is the Cricket Law Firm, how can I help you?"
"I would like to speak to Mr Jiminy Cricket." Meg asked politely.
"Certainly, Miss Sarkis. I shall put him on the line shortly. Please hold."
A crappy waily tune started playing from the phone.
"Is all hold music terrible or something?" Elsa wondered.
"Yep." Meg smirked. "Written law."
"Ah ha ha."
Finally, Meg got off hold and onto actually talking to Mr Cricket. "Miss Sarkis!" he greeted. "How may I help you? Has that ex of yours been causing more problems for you? Because if he has, then I have no problem with helping-"
"No, Mr Cricket." Meg tried to cut him off, but remain polite. Hopefully she succeeded… "However, Hans- Mr Southern, has been causing problems for a Miss Anna Arendelle. She is currently right next to me- I'll put her on the line."
"Sure then, Miss Sarkis."
Meg handed her phone to the young heiress. "Hi!" Anna squealed. "So, as you know, my dear friend Meg recommended you to me, and basically, the thing is that he framed my sister for a crime she didn't commit."
Mumbling from the other end.
"Attempted murder."
"Yes, I know!"
"But I heard them talking about it!"
"Thanks so much, Mr Cricket. I'll be over tomorrow!"
"I have class then."
"Yeah, that works."
Anna put the phone down. "I'll be driving there tomorrow- 3 o'clock!" she announced excitedly.
"Um." Meg put in hastily, worried for the girl's safety at this point. "I'll- no, I have class- I'll arrange someone to drive you!"
"But I can-"
Meg crawled over from her place on the floor and placed a finger on Anna's mouth. "Shh dear." she mocked. "No you can't." Anna threw her a resentful glare, but did agree to being driven.
"MEG I NEED YOUR HELP!" Anna came charging into the room. "Can you come to the Lincoln Medical Centre with me? I need to go speak to Ling!"
"Ling?" Meg asked, shutting her book and pulling out her earbud. "Who the hell's Ling?"
"Um, he's the stab victim. He isn't dead- Shang knows this guy."
"I can get Milo to drive you." Meg deadpanned, indicating the said person, who was sitting in the lounge as well.
"Hey! No you can't!" Milo protested.
"Shh dear." Meg dismissed, turning back to the desperate girl in front of her. "I could get Esmeralda to…"
"Please!" she begged. "Please please please- how about I take everyone who came to dinner? There's this really great place called the Crackle on the outskirts of town, and-"
"Isn't the Crackle mad expensive?" Esmeralda queried.
"Heiress, remember." Meg put in.
"Oh yeah…" Esme trailed off. "It's so good though… fine."
"Excuse me." said the stern nurse. "Who are you all? Mr Ling has suffered trauma and only family members are permitted to visit him at this time."
"Brother." Shang said hopefully. "I'm Ling Shi. I mean, uh, Ling Li."
"Adopted sister." Anna put in quickly. "Anna…belle Ling!"
"Sister in-law." Meg added. "Megara Sarkis-Ling."
"Um… I'm his girlfriend." Esmeralda shifted awkwardly. "Esme Molton."
"Esme… I do not remember anyone saying…"
"We're dating!" Esmeralda wailed. "Please, Miss… Monroe!" She hurriedly read the lady's nametag. "I need to see him… I've been so worried…!"
"Oh well, I'm a sucker for romance, and though you're not technically family, I'm sure that he'd love to see you…"
"You should have made your major Acting." Meg commented as they walked down to the ward. "Nice one."
"So, who stabbed you that night?" Anna queried when they reached his bed.
Ling scowled. "Hold up! I've never met you guys- well, I've met you, Team Captain." He giggled nervously at Shang's look. "Ah-ha. Anyhow-" he continued, retaining his annoyed tone. "I don't know shit about you three chicks, so who are you?"
"Shh, shh, shh! The nurse thinks that that's your sister in law, Shang's your brother, she's your adopted sister and I'm your girlfriend."
"WHAT?" he asked incredulously. "How the hell… though I wouldn't be opposed." Ling looked up and down at the gypsy. Esmeralda huffed and rolled her eyes.
"I'm Megar-" Meg started, but she was cut off by Anna.
"My sister got framed for your attempted murder and we need you to testify!" Anna rattled off. "Except they wouldn't let anyone who wasn't family in so we had to… improvise."
"I WILL TELL YOU ANYTHING!" Ling screamed, waving his hands wildly in defence. "Just… gah, Shang, an explanation! PLEEEEEAAASE!"
"Tell us who stabbed you and we'll leave you alone." Anna attempted to threaten.
"Hmmph." he grunted. "Well, it was definitely a chick who stabbed me that night. She had platinum blonde hair, kinda tall… wore a lot of blue." He fidgeted nervously. "That was definitely it… that's what I should- I remember! I remember everything!" he proclaimed.
"Something tells me you're lying." Meg hissed through gritted teeth. "What is the truth, Mr Ling? It will not leave this room!"
"Well, we might tell some friends- and a lawyer." Anna murmured.
"A lawyer?"
"I think my sister got framed." Anna bit her lip, sighing.
"She's the platinum blonde one, isn't she?" Ling realised. "Look, it was definitely someone fitting that description, and that's all I know…" Once again, he started fidgeting and coughing.
Esmeralda, Anna and Shang seemed to accept this, but Meg was good at body language. "You're lying." she maintained.
"No way!" But he was fast losing his composure. "I s-swear."
"Liar." Meg deadpanned. "Look, Ling, we need some answers!"
He lowered his voice. "Fine then. But don't you dare say a word about this. I'm being paid." he whispered. "I'm supposed to testify like this and I get my college free, OK? I'm sorry, but…"
"Arendelle heiress." Anna replied. "Change your alibi and I pay your way in return, K? Really, you should do the right thing for free, but…"
The guy sighed, burying his face in a scarred hand. Everyone automatically winced. "Fine." he huffed. "Can we go halfs?"
"Halfs." Anna answered. "Deal."
"So, yet another person in this shit…" Meg muttered.
"To be fair, that was inevitable." Shang quipped.