Aladdin lifted the plastic lid to the pool filter trying not to look disgusted by the many bugs, dirt and various tree particles that had gotten lost within the pool.
"We better get what was promised. That's all I'm saying," he told Flynn who was busy sifting a net over the pool.
"Seriously, man. How's Charming gonna run this city if he can't even keep his pool properly cleaned?"
At the meeting yesterday, Eric suggested that Aladdin and Flynn hire themselves on as pool maintenance boys to infiltrate Charming Place and obtain key information on how the incumbent plans to extinguish the smuggling operation. Little did they know that Charles Charming's pool was in dire need of a good cleaning.
"When are we supposed to…you know…get the 411?" Flynn asked.
Aladdin flicked a piece of debris off his fingers and shrugged.
"Gain trust. Learn their schedules. Do some snooping."
Flynn smiled deviously.
"Oh how I love snooping. But wait, there're three of them. Clearly they don't all have the same schedule."
Aladdin stood up and replaced the now clean pool filter.
"That's where Phoebus comes in."
Flynn nodded.
Once Flynn and Aladdin worked at Charming Place for long enough, Phoebus would insist that the three Charmings – Charles, his father King and his uncle Duke make a visit to the Coast Guard office to go over "strategies" for Charming's anti-smuggling platform. While the three Charmings were gone, Flynn and Aladdin would search the house and look for information on how Charming plans to rid Fantasia of smuggling.
"How's the security on this place?" Flynn asked.
"I'd say, a few outdoor cameras and cameras in the trophy room. Haven't seen any others."
Flynn nodded.
"It's been a long time since we've done some honest trouble-making, Al."
Aladdin laughed.
"Yeah, I guess so. Since Jack's been gone."
"Speaking of – how are things with Angelica? Last I heard, you two were walking hand in hand down Walt Street back to her place."
"Who told you that?"
"I have my sources."
"Remind me to kill your roommate."
"Honestly, Al, she'd kill you first. But you're avoiding the obvious question!"
"Which is?"
Flynn rolled his eyes in frustration.
"How are things with Angelica? You know, Jack's main squeeze. The only woman he's ever been gaga for?"
"Well she's not his main squeeze anymore. Let's just put it that way."
Flynn's eyes grew wide with piqued interest.
"Dude! What happened? Did you go home with her?"
Aladdin blushed.
"Oh. My. God. You did. You broke the guy code!"
"Guy code?"
"Sparrow is your friend and colleague is he not? Angelica is or was his woman at one point in time."
"So. Angelica isn't anyone's property and certainly not Jack's."
Flynn raised his eyebrows in fascination.
"Whoa. Seems pretty serious. When did all this happen?"
"I don't know. Like, when I went to Clopin's to head to the club, Angelica was there and she was really upset."
"And you comforted her?"
"Yeah, I guess. But then she kissed me and I don't know how to describe it but there was something there. Clopin walked in on us and we brushed it off like nothing happened but something obviously did."
"And then you saw her at the club and Jack made her upset yet again and – "
"And we kissed and I took her home."
"Nothing happened?"
"Well…."
"I knew it! You slept with her didn't you!"
"In literal terms – yes, I did sleep with her."
"I don't follow."
"Angelica is coming off a relationship that is just about sex and physicality. I respect her too much to do that to her."
"Are you serious? But she's gorgeous! And you didn't tap that?"
Aladdin got irritated just then. Angelica wasn't an object to "tap." He wished his best friend would understand his sensitive attitude when it came to women.
"Lay off, man. Okay? We had a good time. She's a good person. And we're having dinner tonight."
"Seriously, man. Good for you. Starting out slow and all. Maybe if I had done that with Jasmine. She'd still be mine."
Aladdin laughed to himself at Flynn's comment.
"What?"
"Oh nothing. Just…Jasmine has definitely moved on. She's not interested."
"I know that. But why do you say it like that?"
"Well, there was another reason Angelica and I didn't have sex the other night."
Flynn looked confused.
"Angelica wasn't the only one who brought back a guest from the club."
"What?"
"Clopin brought someone home, too. And he wasn't quiet about it if you know what I mean."
Flynn felt sick to his stomach.
"And after hearing her brother, Angelica really didn't feel like it."
Aladdin laughed but Flynn was not amused.
"Thank you for that."
"Just being honest, man."
"I thought she went home with Sinbad, though?"
Aladdin shook his head.
"Doesn't Meg tell you anything about her own life or just other people's? Sinbad took Meg home that night."
"What? How did I miss that?"
"Dude. You hooked up with Cinderella Tremaine, right?"
Flynn looked down, averting Aladdin's gaze.
"What aren't you telling me?"
"Well, now I feel like I did it for the wrong reasons."
"What the hell are you talking about, dude?"
"I walked Cinderella home, thinking she would invite me in. Jasmine had given me the heave ho – again and I wanted to forget her. I knew it was wrong to use her but…anyway once we got to the corner of Notre Dame and Pride Rock she kissed me on the cheek and told me good night and trotted off to her apartment.
"I was about to follow considering we live in the same building and all, but then I heard a voice say, 'Why the long face?' And my night did a complete 180."
"Who was it?"
"Aurora Rose."
"Aurora! Wait wait wait. What?"
Flynn then relayed to his buddy how Aurora sashayed up to him, flipping her golden blonde hair in the moonlight, batting her long beautiful lashes and puckering her lush pink lips at him. She asked him what was wrong. He told her about Cinderella and she pouted. She asked if he wanted her to cheer him up.
"I knew that she was Hercules' new girlfriend and I thought that if I got her to cheat on him that Meg had a chance of maybe getting him back."
Aladdin smiled in amazement.
"That's actually the first thing you've ever done selflessly."
"Not totally selflessly. I'm still a man you know."
Aladdin laughed, nodding in agreement.
"So Meg and Sinbad, huh? Well, I hope she doesn't let this one slip through her fingers," Flynn said, saying a silent prayer for his roommate.
Little did he know, at that moment, Meg was having conflicting feelings about her new relationship when she came face to face with the old one.
"Hercules," she said breathlessly as he awkwardly entered the Photo Studio.
Angelica muttered something about needing to wash her hands and excused herself leaving Hercules alone with Meg.
"Hi. Uh. My mom told me to drop off some cases of paper for you guys."
Meg's heart sunk. Of course he wasn't here to see her. He as being the dutiful son he always was and running an errand to his mother's Photo Studio. That's how she had met Hercules. Herc's mom, Hera, let Meg use the studio for her photography business after her own mother threw her out of her offices. He came in to the Studio with his mom all the time. And eventually they started dating. The rest is history.
"Right. Right. Of course. Thanks."
"You're welcome. Where do you want them?"
She stumbled on her words.
"Uh. Over there by the printer is fine."
She watched him intently as he picked up the heavy boxes of photo paper, his tight muscles flexing. She bit her lip. 'Why was he so attractive?!'
He plopped the boxes next to the printer and stood next to Meg awkwardly.
Both searching for the right things to say.
"Hercules, I – "
"You've already thanked me, Meg."
"No. That's not it. I was going to say – "
"I think it's best if we don't say anything else, okay?"
Meg was speechless. All she could do was nod anxiously.
"See you later, Meg."
And with that he was gone. Just like all the other men she'd been with. They'd all walked out on her. Her and her stupid issues.