Monday arrived quickly and the air developed a chill as Autumn eased its way in. September was heading towards a heavy end and the first month of school had taken its toll on everybody. First week motivation and sharpened pencils were just late nights and loose sharpenings now.
Belle had spent the weekend, of course, reading. She'd failed to complete her math homework but she figured she would rush it this morning instead. Her father had been working overtime too which meant his company had been scarce. Usually she enjoyed seeing him, but recently he had been far too stressed. His wages were cut by 5% over the past year which hit the household income for the worse. Belle had suggested she could get a job but at that, Maurice's small face went pink. He insisted she spend all her time devoted to school and enjoying her last few years as a child and making sure she didn't end up like him 'in a dead end job!'. She knew her father wasn't exactly wealthy and they were far from high class. Her mother, Sofia, was a beautiful woman inside and out. She was a dance teacher and a kind spirit with Belle's face and doe eyes but with contrasting golden hair. She had died when Belle was eight and left the house in a state of depression, mentally and financially. Belle supposed that considering they still had the house, things couldn't be too bad, but the paint was chipping, the furniture was old and meals were subsiding to mainly just pasta now.
Belle rounded the corner and opened up her locker, students were bustling everywhere and she sighed as she saw a red head girl approaching. This was always the most difficult part of the mornings, Belle's locker was right beside a few Junior girls. While she was always polite and the girl was sweet, a group of them always crowded and gossiped making it hard for Belle to access her own books.
"Hey so I know it's not in the agreement" a deep voice said, Belle turned quickly and saw Adam. He was leaning casually against the wall by her.
"What?" she asked, confused and a little agitated. She didn't always like how sneakily and irritably he just showed up
"Alright, alright, someones a little grumpy" he said with a smirk
"I'm fine, sorry" she answered, feeling bad for snapping now. Adam's eyes widened and his smug look faced, it was as if he'd never received an apology.
"What's up, anyway?" she asked, closing her locker and walking away from the chirpy juniors.
"Do you fancy helping me with my assignments?" he asked casually. Belle's mouth fell open at even the notion "Are you serious?". Adam blinked, "Of course I'm serious"
Belle was about to reply an angry "No!" when she spotted Gaston down the corridor and her heart sped up with worry. He had caught her eye and formed a twisted smile. Adam glanced at her and followed her eye line to Gaston. He sneered knowingly and Gaston stared back for a moment, but as Adam's shoulders squared, Gaston dragged LeFou down the hall and disappeared.
Belle sighed relieved and turned back to Adam, "What kind of assignments?"
Tiana lugged around her huge back of ingredients and cooking equipment for class today. It was the first lot of cooking they were doing, after weeks of prep and nutrition and watching demonstrations they were finally going to be cooking and Tiana couldn't wait! They were making simple homemade brownies today to start them off, Tiana almost scoffed when it was announced. She had been making brownies since was nine, after all.
Bustling into the room, Tiana began to unload her ingredients beside Kronk who already had pulled on a comically small apron and oven gloves. Tiana found Kronk quite humorous now, a big old soccer player with a small floral apron and particular love of cheeses; he proved a kind friend and good company. Tiana pulled on her own apron and tucked her hair behind her ears, ready to whip through this. Mr Remington sat at the front of the class, going over the timing and oven settings before he clapped his hands and allowed the class to begin. Tiana rushed around and began mixing her dry ingredients when there was a knock on the door. A boy stood in chinos and a green polo shirt with a suede jacket slung over his shoulder and a raised eyebrow.
"Can I help you?" Mr Remington offered as the whole class dropped in speed and turned to stare at him.
"Sorry I'm late" he flattered in a smooth accent "I'm new here, this is home-cooking, yes?"
"It is, but I'm afraid we're mid-task, but please take a seat Mr-"
"Prince" he offered "Naveen Prince"
"Take a seat, Mr Prince"
Naveen clicked and swaggered over, taking up the empty seat on the right of Tiana who was busy whisking and hadn't noticed the boy plant himself beside her or how most girls were gawping at him.
"Hey" he grinned leaning into her. Tiana looked over and rolled her eyes at his flirty smile. Naveen didn't push, he shrugged when she looked away and then turned to scan the class, staring at all of the girls who were blushing at him..
"What are you cooking?" he asked after a few moments silence,
"Brownies!" Kronk said excitedly, leaning over Tiana's bowls to look at the new boy "And I got some new oven mitts!" he looked adoringly at his hands to a pair of sky blue quilted oven gloves on his oddly delicate hands.
"How... lovely" Naveen said with a smirk "Nice oven mitts" Tiana shot him a look, unsure whether he was being sincere or mocking. "So, can I help with anything?" Naveen continued.
"I'm perfectly fine, thank you" Tiana said bluntly, but Naveen wasn't even listening for an answer. "So who's that?" he asked, staring to the other side of the classroom. Tiana followed his gaze and saw a blonde, intently whisking.
"Aurora" she told him "She already has a boyfriend so-"
"Is she rich?" he asked
Tiana scoffed, "Are you really that shallow?"
"No of course not... but it helps" he smiled and he shot a flirty wink at Aurora who blushed a serious shade of pink to match her apron, and looked away.
"Mulan I can't- No I won't- accept it!" Jasmine shook her head in disbelief.
"It's not that bad" Mulan sighed, but Jasmine continued
"Not that bad?" she repeated "You want to join chess club!"
"Chess can be fun" Rapunzel mentioned with a frown but no one seemed to listen.
"I agree with Jasmine on this" Ariel said
"Well I can't act, I can't cheer! I'm no good at calculus or algebra or music! So what now?"
Jasmine and Ariel exchanged lost looks, stuck for words.
"Exactly" Mulan said to the silence "There's nothing else for me and I have to join a club! I suck at everything!"
"That's not true" Rapunzel tried "You're great at art!"
"There's no art club this year... I'm doing chess" Mulan said stubbornly
"You haven't even been for the soccer try-outs!" Ariel remembered. Mulan was becoming more and more defensive, "What?" she retorted "So I can run around in the grass with seniors like Hans poking fun at me?"
Jasmine was a little defeated, even her stubborn efforts weren't getting through to the disheartened Mulan. "Fine, go to chess club for all I care" she settled. The bell signalling next lesson rang and the girls headed out of the common room for Geography; Mulan moping and Jasmine a little irritated while Rapunzel and Ariel discussed the purpose of each chess piece. Anna, however, wasn't with them that period or the last. It was unlike her to not want to spend time with her friends but since little encounters with Hans became more and more frequent, she was seeing less of her friends.
Settling into their seats as Mr Milo Thatcher rambled on about the Bermuda, Anna headed towards them. Her skirt was shorter and her attitude was more carefree.
"Miss Winters, that's a tardy" Mr Thatcher warned "On time next lesson"
"Sure, Sir" Anna nodded flippantly. Any other day a tardy would have caused her heartbreak, outrage, confusion! But today she seemed completely un-bothered.
"Hey guys" she smiled, her hair was in a high bun as opposed to her signature pigtails.
"Hey, Anna" Ariel said hesitantly. Jasmine looked her little friend up and down. It was true, Anna had changed quite a bit in the past month and they all knew it was down to that sleazy senior Hans. Mostly now, Anna would spend her free time squealing about him or trying to run into him in the corridor.
"Hey, Anna, your hair looks cute!" Rapunzel smiled, she was rather more oblivious to Anna's recent changes since she had just met her.
"Thanks, Rapunzel, I was searching through Kylie Jenner's Instagram and she had one just like it!"
"Didn't Hans post her as is 'WCW'?" Ariel raised an eyebrow,
"Woman crush Wednesday is the tackiest thing ever" Jasmine scoffed quietly. Anna blushed a bit, "Well... I've always sort of liked her..." she tried, though her friends knew different. The only interest Anna had ever paid in the Kardashian family was when she had asked "Wait, so Bruce was Caitlyn... but who is Bruce? I don't get it. I thought their dad's name was Jenner? Or was it OJ? Who is OJ?"
"So Mulan" Anna said, changing the subjects "Soccer try outs are later! Are you excited?"
Jasmine sighed. "Mulan isn't doing soccer" Ariel explained.
"You'd know that if you bothered to spend any time with us anymore" Jasmine said bitterly. She wasn't usually one to sugarcoat or to allow herself to be fooled or used. Anna had been changing, she had been dishonest and uninterested and Jasmine was sick of it. Anna went red, Rapunzel's eyes widened at hearing her sudden change of tone and Mulan went pink, uncomfortable in the tension.
"I- I was just asking... I suppose... I mean-" Anna began, but trailed off.
Jasmine didn't even know what to reply, she had put her foot in it this time and made her friends all feel uncomfortable. She had to remind herself she wasn't scolding a child or yelling at her cousin. This was Anna. Her friend. She could guess she'd gone too far, but as Rapunzel and Ariel slumped in their seats and Anna shifted uncomfortably, she found herself lost for words.
"It's fine" Mulan said quickly, attempting to ease the situation "You're right Anna"
"I am?" she asked, watery eyed
"Yeah... try outs are tonight. I'll do it, I'll try soccer"
Jasmine gaped "You will?"
"What?" Ariel asked
Rapunzel giggled "No way!"
"Yeah" Mulan said shakily, "And I'd love you all there to support me"
Jasmine caught Mulan's eye and smiled slightly. Mulan knew that if her friends were near falling apart, she could at least scrutinise herself in a soccer try out in an attempt to bring it back together. If their rekindling meant her humiliation then so be it.
"Mulan are you sure- " Jasmine started, completely aware of what Mulan was doing
"I think its for the best" she agreed,
"Well then, I'll be there" Jasmine said
"We'll all be there" Rapunzel smiled. Ariel nodded enthusiastically and looked over at Anna. "I wouldn't miss it for the world" Anna grinned with a glance at Jasmine and the two shared an awkward and yet relieved smile.
Pocahontas had her feet up and was nibbling on a tuna sandwich, awaiting her friends to arrive for their lunch. Hercules was already there, he had babbled on a bit about how he was almost certain Hades was failing him and Aladdin showed up and explained how Jafar picked on him in his first year. Pocahontas attempted to explain that teachers didn't try to dislike students and that maybe the two boys should study harder; they both disagreed. Finally Phoebus and Flynn swaggered in, with plates of cafeteria chips and happy, fed, faces.
"Which freshman did you steal those from?" Aladdin raised an eyebrow,
"Sun God here, paid" Flynn gestured toward Phoebus who grimaced at the nickname.
"Have you guys seen Esmeralda?" Pocahontas asked. She hadn't seen her best friend since Friday and Esmeralda hadn't phoned her all weekend. She wasn't entirely worried as such, but she just had to gush about the gorgeous British man she met on Saturday and there was no way she'd tell the boys about it. At that moment, her bushy haired friend ran through the doorway, her hair in its usual purple band and today she was wearing an off-shoulder top and jeans.
"Esmeralda!" Pocahontas waved her over, already with the image of the handsome John Smith in her head ready to tell her everything, but Esmeralda had similar intentions.
"Pocahontas where have you been? I met the cutest guy!"
"You did?" Pocahontas asked
"Oh he's just gorgeous! He's from Maldonia and he has the greatest smile- he was a total flirt of course!"
"Is he new?" Phoebus interrupted them,
"Stop eavesdropping!" Esmeralda scolded, but continued to answer "yes he is new, if you must know!"
"Why haven't we see him about?" Phoebus asked
"Oh I don't know, do I?" she said, and then turned back to Pocahontas, "So anyway, he was super flirty! Dark skin, dark hair- just like me! He had the best smile!"
"What's his name?" Pocahontas grinned. Esmeralda stared blankly for a moment. "His name" she repeated "Why didn't I get his name!"
Phoebus let out a hoarse laugh, "You love this guy and you don't even know his name?"
"I don't love him! I think he's cute! Oh why didn't I just ask his name?" Esmeralda pouted,
"Well why don't you ask him?" Pocahontas smirked and she pointed to the common room door where a boy was stood in beige chinos with a slanted grin and dark features.
"That's him!" Esmeralda cried quietly and her whole group of friends looked over at the confident new student.
"Go on then! Go get his name!" Pocahontas encouraged, all thoughts of John Smith had dropped completely by now. Esmeralda half laughed and stood up, ready to strut over and flirt her hardest but she was beaten to it.
Charlotte La Bouff had scampered up to him and was already clinging at his upper arm, "Oh Naveen! Remember we met at the office on Friday?"
"Ah, yes! Of course!" he grinned but he scanned her intently and seemed to have forgotten.
"Well why don't you come sit with me, sugar?" she said and he nodded, allowing her to drag him away. Esmeralda sat down with a huff, "Ugh! Of course Charlotte would get her little pink hands on him first!"
"Oh Es, we both know you weren't that serious about him anyway" Pocahontas said. Esmeralda groaned, "I know I know. But he's so cute... I just wanted to go on a date with him... maybe even a kiss" she giggled
"Gross! I didn't want to hear that!" Phoebus said dramatically.
"Well then stop eavesdropping!" she repeated and swatted at his arm before glancing over at the new boy and Lottie, who was babbling away to him. "It's fine" Esmeralda said, assuring herself more than anyone else "I'll get my chance with him... just wait"
By the end of the day senior year was buzzing with the news of the exotic and handsome new student who had charmed most of the ladies in his year already. Gaston and Hans had already tried recruiting him to be their friend, claiming they were the coolest guys to be hanging out with, but Naveen was indifferent and hung out with different girls all day. He even tried getting on with Phoebus and Aladdin in science but Phoebus seemed grumpy and something told Aladdin that Naveen was going to try and infiltrate their group, as if they needed any more new members destroying his self esteem.
As the day drew to an end, Esmeralda found herself more confident than when the day began, she couldn't wait until tomorrow to steal Charlotte's thunder. It was true what Pocahontas had said. She wasn't serious about Naveen and she definitely didn't have a problem with Lottie but she had a certain competitive streak and it was getting the best of her for sure.
Red dress she thought as she headed down the corridor, home, I'll wear that tomorrow, denim jacket... make it casual... red lipstick! Boys can't resist red.
"Esmeralda!" Clopin stopped her "Remember rehearsals start tomorrow!"
"Yes, yes, I know. I won't forget"
"And don't be late" Clopin raised an eyebrow "I've been talking to the headmaster about your punctuality- or rather lack of it"
Esmeralda tutted, "You won't regret casting me" she assured him. Clopin grinned and then began walking away, but Esmeralda suddenly remembered something.
"But, Sir!" she called to him, "Who's playing, 'Ryan'?"
Clopin chuckled and then animatedly began hopping down the school corridor "All in good time, my dear!"
Mulan sat in the girls changing rooms with a strong feeling of de ja vu. She was reminded heavily of the cheer try outs and gulped. She desperately picked at a thread on the sleeve of her khaki sweater, waiting for exactly 3:10pm when she was expected on the school field.
"It's nearly time" Ariel said with a click of her phone,
"Let's go then" Rapunzel smiled
"Oh guys, they're all going to be out there laughing at me" Mulan said nervously
"They won't laugh" Anna assured her "You're going to be so great!"
The five girls stood up and headed out for the field, sandwiching Mulan, they walked towards the centre where a large group of guys were stood. As they approached, they noted Gaston, Kronk, Lyle, Hans (who Anna giggled with when she saw him) Hercules, the lanky boy Ling and some more that the girls didn't know, stood around- including the boy with the defining V shape torso and a serious expression who had announced try outs.
"Are you girls trying out?" a short boy with a black eye sneered
"No, just out friend" Anna said meekly
"Hmph" he gruffed "the captain won't like that"
"I won't like what?" a harsh voice called. The short boy just pointed at the junior girls.
"I'm Captain Shang" he announced importantly, "What did you girls want?"
Jasmine folded her arms angrily "OK, I'm not liking this sexist attitude. Why shouldn't us girls be here?"
"There's no sexism here" Shang replied very calmly "Only heels and soccer balls don't usually go together, despite gender"
Jasmine looked down at her heeled boots and spotted Anna's skirt and Ariel's kitten heels. "Fine" she said "We'll watch from the bleachers"
"Good. Off you go" Shang said bluntly, and watched as the girls fumbled through the muddy field to the bleachers. He hadn't, however, accounted for Mulan who was short and much meeker than her friends. In fact, he hadn't even seen her stood there.
"As if we'd let girls on the team" Gaston chuckled
"There's nothing wrong with girls on the team" Shang said sharply "but they didn't look cut out for it- who's girlfriends are they?"
Silence.
"Come on, guys, they're ogling someone" Shang said with a small laugh, "any one dating?"
Silence again.
"What? They're just watching try outs out of boredom?"
"They're my friends" Mulan piped up and everyone turned, staring down at her in her oversized sweater. Most people raised their eyebrows and Lyle chuckled lowly.
"Right then, let's see what you've got" Shang said, a glimmer of amusement in his eyes. Mulan gulped and Shang clapped. Everybody immediately worked themselves into an obedient line, facing him.
"I'm laying down the rules for this years team. Number One, I may be the same age as most of you but that leaves no room for sass or rudeness" he glanced at Gaston in particular "Number two: just because you made the team last year does not guarantee you a place this year. Number Three: no messing around! We're beating Dreamworks High this year if it kills us. We practically gave them that trophy last year!"
Mulan was sweating now and her cheeks had reddened. She didn't know how to stop her heart from swelling to twice its size with nervousness. She knew she wasn't cut out for this, the boys were making fun of her, she felt like an idiot and with her friends watching her humiliation she just felt worse. Shang lined them all up and had them practice kicking, stepping in and out, laddering, dribbling and passing. Mulan stubbed her toe several times before Shang snapped "Use the side of your foot!" and she started to do so. Then finally, he paired them up to practice stealing the ball and seeing how well they did. Paired with Kronk made Mulan feel like a mouse and whenever he came too close she'd squeal and duck. He laughed a bit but assured her he wouldn't hurt her.
By 4:00pm, Shang lined them all back up, sweaty and muddy and in Mulan's case, close to tears. "I need eleven players" Shang announced "I'll let you all know whether you've made the cut-" he looked at Mulan "-but don't count on it"
"You can go" Shang said as a slow and light rain started. Mulan trudged through the field to the bleachers where her friends were sat, cold and clean with their jackets protecting them from the rain.
"You did great!" they cried and Mulan pulled a face.
"Come on, guys, you saw me! I was terrible"
Jasmine frowned "You did way better than that chubby guy, Chen Po"
"Gaston wasn't that good either!" Ariel agreed,
Mulan just shrugged "Thanks for coming guys, I appreciate it"
They all smiled reassuringly and insisted it was no problem before rushing back into the changing rooms out of the increasingly heavy rain.