Senior beach party chapter! So exciting! Please overlook there are only like 15 seniors in the entire year group, imagine that there are way more haha.
ALSO help I can't sleep, this like many other chapters isn't proof read but enjoy
Esmeralda and Pocahontas planned the one thing that they had been giggling about since freshmen year. The senior pre-exam party. As fifteen year old's they animatedly discussed how they'd make it the best ever, different from the rest. They decided on the Saturday before exam week and convinced practically every senior to attend and had to assure them that one day of not studying would be fine. The school budgeted them a small $20 to go towards it on the condition that no alcohol was brought. So they had brought sodas and marshmallows, chips, bottles of water.
They all arranged that afternoon down on the beach, 1pm to be exact. Pocahontas was busy with her grandmother that morning and assured them she'd meet them down there, Flynn probably wasn't awake yet and Phoebus was loading his car with volleyball nets and beach games.
Aladdin headed to Esmeralda's with a huge cooler bag. He'd been having a rough time recently and needed it. Jasmine hadn't spoken to him since she found out he had lied and when he told Genie, he just shrugged and told him he should have been honest. Then, Genie returned home last week. His mother sobbed a lot and Aladdin very nearly teared up. It was difficult, and neither knew when they were going to ever see him again. Aladdin had been focusing extra hard on math to do him proud.
They filled two coolers with bottles of water and sodas and carried everything four blocks down to the beach. Esmeralda complained the entire time,
"Hey Al, this will cheer you up" she insisted, "some salt, sea and dancing!"
"Cheering up?" he asked, "I don't need cheering up"
Esmeralda scoffed, "Whatever, Jasmine's loss"
Aladdin didn't say anything.
The patch of beach they had wanted was clear, further down amongst the cliff rocks and away from the toddlers and elderly people. They set up beach chairs from the life guards, sprawled the coolers and then they stripped off. Esmeralda revealed a very purple bikini, her arms lined with gold bangles. Aladdin had equally purple shorts and they both stood, waiting for more arrivals.
"So you really think it's her loss?" Aladdin mumbled
Esmeralda sighed, "You know I'm honest with you, kid-
"-Don't call me 'kid'" he said
"-you're a great guy Al and we love you but you should have told her the truth when the time was right"
"I know" he took a deep breathe,
At that moment, Phoebus' car pulled up and he, Flynn and Pocahontas jumped out. Phoebus and Pocahontas began unloading all of the things they had brought while Flynn ran down the beach, already in his swimwear,
"Beach party!" He called to his friends, "Let's have the best time ever WOOO!"
Esmeralda giggled,
"Don't mind us!" Phoebus called, "We'll unload the car!"
"It's like their his parents" Esmeralda commented, as Phoebus dragged a volleyball net down to the beach and he and Aladdin set it up. Pocahontas threw the ball their way and then carried down a small disposable barbecue that Phoebus had brought.
"Can't believe you didn't buy veggie burgers" she complained, "Es did you know about this?"
Esmeralda nodded as Pocahontas put the barbecue down on a towel angrily, but Esmeralda routed through her bag and pulled out a platter of store bought sushi,
"I got you this" she said, tossing it down and Pocahontas grinned,
"Thanks!"
Phoebus and Aladdin began tossing the volleyball while Flynn pulled out a badminton set,
"Badminton?" he asked, throwing down the little beach set, "are we ten?"
Phoebus shrugged, "my mum thought it would be cool"
Everyone giggled, and the girls flattened out their towels to lie down, Pocahontas pulled off her white sundress into a beige swimsuit with fringing by the waist and her mother's teal necklace sparkled in the sun.
Phoebus' navy shorts really made him pale in comparison and Flynn's scrappy brown ones shocked the girls, they had no idea that with all that pizza- he actually had abs!
As Flynn cracked open the first soda, cars began pulled up and students piled out. Aurora, Phillip, Charles and Cinderella headed down to the beach and gave everybody quick hugs before grabbing drinks. Phillip brought some beers and the guys cracked on.
Then Gaston and the soccer guys, they brought even more beers and a soccer ball, followed by Belle French, a meek senior and Adam Pecus. They proved sweet company even if distant. Belle chatted too Esmeralda and Adam made some conversation with Flynn. Belle's little blue swimsuit made her feel pretty vulnerable around Gaston but Adam's height, build and glare made her feel a lot safer in his yellow shorts.
Esmeralda and Pocahontas joined Aurora and Cinderella to discuss prom, the Triton seniors joined them. Then came Charlotte and Naveen, Charlotte's swimming costume was clearly designer and to die for. Aurora, whom was in a simple royal blue bikini top and very pink bottoms, eyed the frilled suit adoringly.
"So 50's!" she said, "Love it!"
Tiana arrived a bit later than everyone, having come straight from work. She pulled off her jeans and apron into a olive suit. Naveen glanced her over but was too scared to stare for fear of catching her eye.
By the time everyone had arrived, even Eric and Vanessa, Phoebus had the barbecue on, and the seniors sat around, eating and sipping on orange soda. As the sun got higher, Esmeralda felt the warmth on her back and smiled successfully.
After eating their burgers and hot dogs, Lyle and Adam picked at some leftovers while everyone else set about, moving from one person to another, swapping stories and drinks.
Meg and Hercules arrived. Meg in a black swimsuit and Hercules in the brightest orange trunks. The two downed a beer each and ate about two hot dogs before striking up conversation with Elsa who seemed pretty lonely. She had a tank top on with some white shorts and half of her face was covered with huge sunglasses.
"We're gonna grab some soda" Hercules said to the meek Elsa,
"Yeah and go see those guys over there" Meg said, and the couple headed towards Flynn and Pocahontas, seemingly to thank them for arranging things
Elsa sat alone and allowed her sunglasses to perch on her nose. She spotted Adam Pecus talking to Phoebus and Aladdin, they even chuckled. Elsa hadn't even seen the moody senior in any lessons until last week. How had he made friends so quickly?
"Elsa" a rich voice said, and a huge shadow was cast over her "Enjoying the sun?"
"Yes thank you, Gaston" she said politely,
"Aren't you wearing a nice little bikini like every body else?"
Elsa soured her expression, "I'll pretend I didn't hear that"
"I guess I could repeat it then, closer to your ear-"
"I've had it with you sleezy boys" she exclaimed, grabbing her soda can and towel and moving away
"What do you mean, baby?" he laughed following her,
"What I mean is" she said, heading further towards where Meg and Hercules were, "if that your friend Hans were here I'd probably want to kick him in the ocean- but he isn't"
Gaston laughed lowly again, almost disregarding what she had said.
"Don't be so shy, come sit with me and-" he took a step further
"I swear to God Gaston come one step closer and I will-"
"You'll what?" he pushed her.
Everyone was staring now, but Elsa hadn't even noticed
"What's going on?" Hans appeared out of no where, it seemed he had just arrived and boy did Elsa's face turn a nasty shade of red
"You dirty, nasty piece of-"
"OK that's enough!" Hercules ran to the rescue, pulling at Elsa's shoulders so she'd back up. Her fists were balled. Hercules sat Elsa down away from the guys who made off further down the beach. Meg, however, had found a new respect for Elsa.
The day furthered on, Elsa cooled down but began animated conversation with Meg whom she got along with surprisingly well. Gaston and Hans stayed clear of her too, uncharacteristically wisely. Tiana stayed clear too, but not of Elsa. Of Naveen. Naveen and Charlotte seemed joined at the hip now, and he only escaped her to chat to Flynn and Esmeralda, Esmeralda doting loudly on how cute of a couple they were.
Tiana didn't have much fight in her brain to argue it anymore, to wonder why Kronk misheard and wonder whether he felt the same. Instead she grabbed the volleyball and stood up.
"Game, anyone?" a competitive glint in her eye.
Esmeralda jumped up and threw her hair into a bun, "Me!"
Aladdin stood up too, "Sure"
"One more player guys?" Esmeralda beckoned,
"Two on two?" Aladdin suggested to his classmates,
"Oh come on guys!" Esmeralda laughed, "or are you chicken?"
Adam Pecus perked up, and Gaston let out a jeering sound to which no one paid attention.
"I'm not chicken" he half shrugged, and he joined Esmeralda on one side while Aladdin and Tiana headed to the other.
"Serve!" Esmeralda called impatiently, and despite how competitive she was and how much attention was on her right now... she was terrible at volleyball.
Adam hardly had to jump for the ball, he was already so damn tall and every time he easily hit it back and earned points Esmeralda would squeal,
"Yes! Yes! GO ADAM!" "In your face, losers!" "Oh boohoo Aladdin!"
"Esmeralda you aren't doing anything" Flynn called and a few people giggled,
"Oh I'm sorry can't hear you over winning" she said, mimicking listening harder
Adam chuckled, "It's OK Esmeralda, couldn't do it without your moral support"
"See!" she cried to the audience, "I'm moral support!"
Admittedly, Tiana and Aladdin were pretty damn good too but Belle couldn't take her eyes off of Adam. She was shocked at how agile he was, and how sociable too, she'd never seen him talk so easily to anyone besides her.
The teams finally finished, Cinderella tallied and called it a win for Adam and Esmeralda who had a brief hug. They all shook hands and Tiana drank half a water bottle. As competitive as she was, it was nice to see seniors that hadn't even bothered in freshmen year, getting involved now. She craned her neck and saw the tally, DAMN. She was only three points off.
She fell to the floor, everyone cheered a bit and then a few of the football guys began playing volleyball too but no body seemed as involved this time as they turned to talk to one another,
"Hey, you played great" Naveen leaned in,
"Thanks" Tiana said very bluntly, turning away from him and his lovely smile.
Aurora sunbathed, her love heart sunglasses complimented her sharp features and she waved as Phillip and Charles built a huge sandcastle with the help of Charlotte and Andrina. Adella was ogling over some magazine, quizzing Cinderella on which Supermodel she would be and Arista was over with Wasabi, sharing headphones and discussing songs.
Aurora and Cinderella then headed over to the ice cream truck they could hear faintly down the beach and came back, arms full of random ice pops and lollies. They through them onto a beach towel and everyone grabbed one.
Meanwhile, Hercules and Meg were almost shoulder deep in the sea, splashing each other, spitting out the salt water and giggling. He'd grab her by the waist and then throw her as she struggled to keep her head above water, despite the fact that her thick hair was already half wet. Vanessa and Eric were too but were only dipping in, further away. Flynn waded in, after claiming he was absolutely boiling in the sun and Elsa was dipping too, but Meg and Hercules had other plans.
"Come on in guys, it's not too bad once you're in!" Meg called,
"Yeah!" Hercules agreed, "Flynn, Elsa!"
"I'm good!" Flynn called back "Way too cold!"
Elsa shrugged, "The cold never bothered me anyway!"
After playing in the sea and kicking at sandcastles and throwing volleyballs, Hercules, Charles and Phillip pulled to the side to build a beach fire. Eric, Meg and Phoebus collected some driftwood and seaweed found on the beach and soon the fire had started in the setting sun. Everyone had near enough dried off now, in the sun wrapped in towels. Now most of the girls had pulled back on their sun dresses or shorts and t-shirts and the guys were pulling on their shirts now too. Sunglasses were coming off as they all watched the fire spring to life. Phoebus pulled out his portable speaker and shuffled a playlist on Spotify.
Everyone began to dance, feeling the sand in their toes and the fire crackled. There was however, one thing missing. It seemed that in between collecting wood and changing back into their beach wear, Aurora and Charlotte had disappeared leaving Cinderella and Tiana pretty lost, wondering where on earth they had gone. It seemed no one else was fussed.
The song 'So Close' by Jon McLaughlin came on and Arista squealed,
"Oh I love this song!"
"Do you want to dance then?" Wasabi asked and they stood up to playfully slow dance,
"Oh where's Aurora got to.." Phillip asked, "I'd ask her to dance"
"She'll be back in a bit" Charles said knowingly, and Phillip nudged him
"OW! What?" he asked,
Phillip glanced at Cinderella who was sat in a her white swimsuit and black beach skirt, long and thin
"Ask her" Phillip whispered
Charles took a deep breathe,
"Do you want to dance?"
Cinderella looked up, her cheeks pinked,
"Me?"
Charles held his hand out and they stood and began twirling beside Arista and Wasabi.
The two couples swirled and everyone itched, ready to dance too, they all swayed and the sun was turning the sky orange now.
"Meg, please" Hercules said, close to her ear
"Oh go on then, Wonder boy!" she half laughed and he pulled her up to dance too as she giggled uncontrollably,
"How sweet" Esmeralda sighed and Phoebus looked at her longingly, he'd never ask her to dance not really, especially since they hadn't spoken in so long... and yet he yearned to touch her skin and hold her, feeling the sand and just looking at her pretty face,
"Come on Es" Flynn said, "I'll take you for a whirl"
"I'm not a car, Rider!" she cried, but she grinned and took his hand and they began dancing, laughing and standing on each others toes,
"Fancy a dance?" Pocahontas said, leaning into the sad looking Phoebus
"Of course" he smiled, and the next pair of friends stood and danced.
"I see the way you look at her" Pocahontas said quietly as they slow danced,
"Don't take the piss-" he started,
"Phoebus I never would" she said firmly, "Why haven't you spoken to her?"
"She hasn't spoken to me" he argued, "besides I wouldn't know what to say"
"How about 'I love you'" she suggested
Phoebus cringed, "Oh God- please change the subject"
Pocahontas chuckled, "Fine... feels weird dancing with you"
"I know what you mean, you're like a sister to me you know that right?"
Pocahontas kissed his cheek, "Have you thought about what you're going to do?"
"After school?" he considered, "Get out of Disney for a bit, clear my head... I haven't applied to college like you have"
"College isn't the only option" Pocahontas said, "Where you going to go?"
He shrugged and pulled her a tad closer, "Florida? New York? I mean what about you, aren't you headed to London to chase your old fella?"
Pocahontas looked down, "It's not all that simple"
He tilted his head,
"I can't even be sure I'll ever see him again"
"And John Rolfe, do you like him?"
She half chuckled half frowned, confused, "Yes-no... it's complicated"
"I get that" he said, and they both sighed heavily.
Pocahontas rested her head on his shoulder, "Love stinks"
"Phoebus looked over at Esmeralda,
"You could say that again"
Belle and Adam danced too, he asked her to consider it 'prom practice' and indeed they were somewhat clumsy, he was awkward taking her waist and mostly he twirled her around. In the end he swooped her into the air and spun, causing her to squeal
"I'm a terrible dancer" he admitted, "I promise I'll get better before prom"
Esmeralda and Flynn swirled playfully,
"Remember that time in sophomore year when we tricked Aladdin into joining choir?" she giggled and Flynn chuckled,
"Nah the best time was when he spoke to that rat"
"It's classic!" she said, stifling a high pitched giggle,
"Or remember when you were late to school and told them you had been abducted by aliens"
"I was given a three week detention for that!"
Flynn laughed and the two silenced for a moment,
"Es" Flynn said slowly, "he really loves you, you know"
Esmeralda didn't even have to ask who 'he' was.
"I know"
"You don't have to love him back just-"
"I do" she said quietly
Flynn stared at her, and they slowed in their steps
"You do?"
"You can't tell him, Flynn"
"But-what?" he cried, "Why? This is perfect!"
"No" she said quickly, "it isn't"
"Well why not?"
"Have you seen the way his mum looks at me? Like I'm some hippie. And he's clever, his dad's a naval hero... he's going to do great things and I'll be protesting tree cutting until I'm forty"
Flynn frowned,
"We're too different" she said finally, "I'd hold him back"
"Esmeralda" he said, moving hair from her face "you're the one who told me to go for Rapunzel, even if I am a bad student and have a bad history with girls... why's it any different for you?"
She didn't answer,
"And what about Meg and Hercules?"
she didn't answer,
"Why are you holding back?"
Esmeralda stopped,
"I feel dizzy" she said with a chuckle,
He pulled her back in, "Let's change the subject then"
"How about a dance?" Naveen said, leaning toward Tiana
Tiana blushed and shook her head, "Oh no.. no no"
"Please" he insisted
Tiana looked at his smile, his hand. She knew she shouldn't. She knew she'd spend the next few weeks convincing herself all over again to get over him... but she took his hand anyway.
The dance was wonderful, it felt as though in his arms nothing mattered. She remembered the kiss they shared, how strong he held her up and guided her. She was after all a terrible dancer.
"So have you got your prom dress?" he asked politely
"It's just an old dress I wore to my uncles wedding a few years ago"
"That's a shame, wouldn't you like a gown?"
"Well of course but-"
"Money?" he asked
"Money" she confirmed
he didn't make any horrid comment this time or boast, instead he just nodded understandingly.
"What about you?" she asked through gritted teeth, "got a tux?"
"Yeah" he said quietly, his eyes shifted "I wonder how Charlotte will feel about a green tie"
"She'd much prefer pink I'm sure" she laughed, and Naveen chuckled in agreement,
"So your dream prom dress?" he asked before unexpectedly twirling her around,
She pondered this, "I'd love a dress that's like a flower"
"A flower?" he asked, "what do you mean?"
"Oh you know" she half chuckled, "Big petals for the skirt maybe... if it were green and yellow that would be perfect"
"That is a great idea! You have money saved right, can't you buy it!" he asked enthusiastically,
"Naveen, there's better things than a prom dress"
"Then what do you want?"
"To go to Harvard, to study law-" she said automatically
"No" he stopped her, "what is your biggest dream?"
"I suppose I'd like to own my own restaurant... that's something my daddy always wanted, what do you want?"
"Ah" he said, "a normal life... love" he said aloud and then shook his head, slightly embarrassed before twirling her one more time as the music stopped.
Tiana backed away from him slightly, "Well.. Lottie's sure getting herself one heck of a dance partner"
Aurora and Charlotte arrived back as the slow dancing came to a stop and everyone came to sit around the campfire. At this point, the jerks Gaston, Hans and a few more people who had been staring oddly at the girls in bikinis cleared off leaving the better company sat around the flames.
"Where have you been?" Cinderella asked as Aurora took her seat,
"Popped to the shop!" Aurora grinned but Cindy raised an eyebrow.
Pocahontas handed around marshmallows and sticks and everyone swayed their marshmallows around, squealing when they burnt and peeling of the outer layer to reach the goo.
"I'll miss you guys" Charlotte said, "all those old house parties,"
"The dramas" Eric said,
"The rumours" Meg chirped in,
"The crazy outfits" Aurora laughed,
"Remember when you always wore neon nail varnish?" Esmeralda asked Tiana
Tiana put her head in her hands, "Oh God!"
"Hey that's not that bad!" Adella cried, "Who remembers when Aurora had her goth phase?"
Everyone laughed
"It was not goth!" she cried, "it was pastel goth!" and she cringed, shoving a marshmallow in her face
"And don't even get me started on braces" Lottie sighed,
There were several groans and grumbles,
"I never want to hear the words 'elastic bands' again" Pocahontas said, "those things were painful"
"Painful?" Hercules chipped in, "try having your voice change while trying to pick up girls"
"That's the absolute worst!" Naveen agreed, and he went on to tell stories about how when his voice was changing he sounded like he was burping all the time.
They swapped stories and memories for hours, and when the sun had set finally Aurora stood up.
"I think now's the time" she announced,
Everyone nodded,
"Yes!" Charlotte squealed,
"What?" Cinderella chimed, but no one else had asked a single question.
Aurora headed off and returned a moment later, and as she approached it appeared she had a huge silhouette in her arms.
"What?"
"sH!" Tiana said
Aurora sat back down beside Cinderella,
"Cindy you helped me pick my dress, you helped Pocahontas recreate hers, you helped Tiana tailor hers, you picked out the best earrings for Charlotte and you've still got so much to do"
Everyone nodded, smiling
"We all pitched together and decided you can't wear some old pink dress from the 80's... no offence" Esmeralda said
"So here it is" Charlotte beckoned, and Aurora handed over the silhouette,
in the firelight, Cindy pulled at the long zip and then burst into pouring tears.
The beautiful Kenneth Branaugh, electric blue was underneath the black dress carrier, silky and smelling brand new
"Are you guys serious?"
"Deadly!" Pocahontas said,
"You all did this!" she cried, wiping at her tears
"Every single one" Hercules smiled
"Some more than others" Esmeralda shrugged, "let's just say Gaston didn't care so much..."
"But we all paid as much we could" Tiana grinned,
"You are all so generous!" Cindy smiled and she stared down at her beautiful blue dress.
"Just call us your fairy godmothers!" Arista giggled and Cinderella cried even more.
