Hello all. It's so good to be updating with another chapter. I wanted to thank everyone who has commented on my work. Having people comment helps me figure out how I should approach certain aspects of the story that I would not have thought of. Its super late, so I'm heading off to bed. But for all my midnight readers, please feel free to leave a comment. See you next time! Don't forget to follow, favorite, and comment.

CHAPTER 10

Jay chased Antoinette through the old halls of Auradon Prep, watching as the pretty red hair flowed behind her. Jay didn't want to say it out loud, but Antoinette's red hair memorized him. Regardless of how she wore it, whether in tight ringlets, or loose waves, he would never not be memorized by it. Antoinette would get to a corner and wait for him to catch up, when he did she would give him a cheeky grin framed by red cheeks and then take off again. Finally, he reached his door to find her waiting outside, she was looking at her nails as if fascinated by them.

"Took you long enough. Thought you were supposed to be an athlete," she said, a teasing grin on her lips. Jay walked closer to her, and kissed her. The little peck left her blushing a beautiful shade of red from the roots of her hair to the base of her neck.

"You're still blushing," Jay said as he opened the door. He looked around to make sure Carlos wasn't in.

"Carlos must be out doing something," he explained. Antoinette followed Jay into his room and looked around as he powered up the station. She went over to the windows and looked out into the bay. She had forgotten that the boys could look out and see the Isle if they wanted. Antoinette stared, something about the Isle always had caught her attention, perhaps it was the mystery of it-after all no one was allowed on- or maybe it was because she knew there were family members over there. No chance of meeting them nor them meeting her.

"So, I'm currently on level 37, we can add you in there, or we can log you in and we can start off side by side," Jay was saying with his back to her. Antoinette turned around and looked at him. He and the others had been healthy when they arrived, after all she had arranged for them to have physicals and bloodwork-and other than some low iron levels from Mal they all were pretty healthy with the conditions they grew up in.

However, after several weeks of being in Auradon, Antoinette noticed a difference. It was not so much health, as it was grooming. Jay's hair was shiny and healthy. His clothes were washed more regularly, and the only time he really smelled was right after tourney.

When he first arrived he looked like someone who could harm her, yet she still found him attractive. An annoying painfully beautiful type of situation. Like seeing a piece of art depicted to a war scene.

"Antoinette?"

"Um, sorry. I can log in." She grabbed one of the controllers and logged in.

"Wait, you're on level 352?" Jay asked, sounding confused. Antoinette looked over her shoulder.

"Uh, yeah. It's a 500 level game, and I told myself I would get to the 500th level. I tend to be pretty stubborn about stuff when I want to be," she explained. Jay muttered to himself something about grandmothers and resemblance.

"Alright, so the first one to beat their current level wins. Ready?" Antoinette said. Jay nodded, a smirk on his face. Ready to give the game his all.

"Wooo! I win again!"

Jay sat down shocked. What was happening? He had always been competitive and dominated everything he tried, but Antoinette just kept winning. Every. Single. Level. He had thought it was a little weird that she didn't protest against him being at a lower level. Antoinette not only proved him wrong with every single level, but finished in record time. He glanced over at the red head who was busy trying to beat another level as his shock faded away.

Sweat gleamed on her forehead from the quick movements the game required, her hair was in a low ponytail flowing behind her. Antoinette had worn jeans and a blouse today and he couldn't help but notice how well they fit her body.

She moved with ease and something in his chest twisted. You're a liar, Jay. It hadn't been the first time that little voice spoke, so nasally and casual. This time though it hurt. Hurt worse than anything his father put him through. Jay knew it then. He didn't want to hurt her. He didn't want anyone to hurt her.

Jay picked up the remote and paused the game. Antoinette stopped in confusion and looked over her shoulder.

"Oh come on. You didn't strike me as that much of a sore loser," she said, with a casual sort of smile. Jay walked over to her silently and grabbed her hand, bringing her off the gaming platform. She cocked her head at him in confusion.

"Nettie, I-"

"Nettie?" Jay rubbed the back of his head.

"Is that weird?" Antoinette stared at him for a moment with a little grin on her face.

"Better than Ant." Jay smiled.

"Nettie, listen, you know, I'm not really a good guy. I've done a lot of things in the past I'm not proud of, and I just, you know, I'm not very good at this kind of stuff, and I just," Jay said, he blew air out of his nose trying to think of what to say. How exactly did you tell someone that you were about to release the entire Isle and that you knew it was bad but not to worry because you'd protect them? He continued trying to think more and more until finally a hand distracted him. Antoinette softly stroked his hair, making everything stop. Jay looked at her.

"I know you haven't exactly been a model citizen, I saw your record, remember? I know you see yourself as this really, super bad guy, but, Jay, you don't have to pretend with me. Those things that you did, they're in the past. You can't change your past, but you can change your future to whatever you want," Antoinette finished. She smiled at him, "I know you would never hurt me."

Jay's heart stopped for a moment, and pain blossomed throughout his chest. It was guilt. Fairy Godmother had gone over it in Remedial Goodness class, and he never thought he actually would feel it, having never felt it before. Now though, he wished he had, maybe it would have made that moment a little less painful. Antoinette leaned in to kiss him, but he turned his head at the last possible second, so instead she kissed his cheek. The kiss on his cheek didn't stop the guilt, if anything it had amplified the feeling.

"I don't ever want to hurt you," he said, resting his head on her shoulder, she stroked his hair while she gazed over Jay's head. Something inside whispered the small word vulnerability. The door opened then for Carlos to walk in on them.

He glanced at them as Jay lifted his head up.

"I can come back later?" Carlos asked. Antoinette rolled her eyes and shook her head with a small smile on her face.

"I was just about to leave anyway. I'll see you guys tomorrow."

Antoinette Baker had been walking back to her dorm, her head in the clouds. She was humming to herself, a little tune her mother had taught her.

"Hey, Ant," a voice called behind her. She turned around to find Aaron, son of Princess Adella and Prince Stevie, Antoinette's former boyfriend.

"Aaron, hi," she said. The two stared at each other for a moment, Aaron looking at her in a happy daze.

"Did you need something?" Antoinette asked. Aaron gathered himself, and brushed a hand through his hair.

"I just wanted to say, you know, you did really well with the press conference. I never saw you with such confidence." Antoinette raised an eyebrow.

"Thanks. But you know I resigned."

"Yeah, um, so I was thinking since, you know, you're not the HR for Ben, maybe we could go out again." Aaron rubbed the back of his next. His dark hair and dark green eyes had captivated her a year ago, but now they just seemed lacking any type of luster.

"Oh, that's sweet, but I'm kind of seeing Jay right now." Aaron tensed, and then smiled with amusement behind it.

"You're joking, right?" Antoinette shook her head.

"No, I'm not." Antoinette folded her arms, ready to be the defense in her and Jay's blooming relationship. Aaron sucked in a breath.

"Look, let's stop and think about this for a solid moment, he's a bad guy. He's from the Isle. He's a known thief. And to top it all off he's Jafar's kid. A known villain's kid," Aaron explained, listing each reason on a finger.

"Except, he's never done anything to hurt me. He's stopped thieving. And to top it all off I'm pretty familiar with what people label villain kids. In case you haven't forgotten," Antoinette said, a rather bitter tone in her bite. Aaron rubbed the back of his neck without looking her in the eye.

"Listen. I know the reason that I gave you for breaking up with you wasn't a good one-" Antoinette scoffed, interrupting the young prince. She rolled her eyes as she spoke.

"Which one? The one about how I didn't have enough time for you or our relationship because I was constantly working with Ben or the one about being Anastasia's daughter? Because let's be real, both were pretty crappy excuses." Antoinette turned on her heel to walk away, done with the conversation at hand.

"Ant, I just don't want to see you get hurt," Aaron said behind. Antoinette stopped walking, as if someone drenched her with a bucket of cold water. She turned to look over her shoulder, with eyes lit with a fire so few had the pleasure of knowing.

"Trust me, I won't get hurt by Jay, not the way you hurt me."

With those words, Antoinette left the young prince to stare after her, wondering why he allowed so many of his peers to poison his mind, telling him he shouldn't date a villain's kid.

Jay sat on the edge of his bed, looking at the game controller. Carlos entered the room from their on suite bathroom.

"So, what exactly did you try saying?" Carlos asked. Jay looked up at him.

"I explained I wasn't always a good person, and I wanted to tell her that I wouldn't let anything or anyone hurt her, but I just couldn't get the words out," he explained. Carlos sat on his own bed across from Jay. He swallowed his fear.

"Jay, we still have to go through with this plan, no matter how much we don't want to hurt anyone. Our parents are still counting on us," Carlos tried to explain gently. Jay laid back on his bed. The quietness of the schools and the gentleness of the night outside clouded Jay's thoughts, but one thing rang clearly. Dad's counting on you.

"I know."

That night Jay slept in fits, not uncommon for someone from the Isle. Over there, it's best to sleep with one eye open. Antoinette was not from the Isle though, and she had slept much worse than Jay had.

Ms. Antoinette Baker,

We are so glad you have accepted our invitation to join our internship team at the International Water Observational Center. We would like to inform you that upon your arrival to the Center, you'll be rooming with: Charlene Hawkins and Morna MacGuffin. It is most important that you contact your roommates before the start of internship to fill out the roommate agreement form. This form is due one week after arrival.

While at the International Water Observational Center, you have been assigned to the entry level team of Aquarists. These individuals are responsible for the care of our marine friends and therefore are some of our most trusted individuals. Your assignments will be given weekly at the Aquarium Headquarters in the East Wing.

We look forward to you joining our team, and entering with a positive outlook on life. Your roommates' information is enclosed with this email. Once again, we are glad you decided to join our team.

The Internship Committee at International Water Observational Center

Antoinette looked over the email several more times, still unable to believe she was able to get the position in the first place. She scrolled down to find her two roommates' email addresses and sent them an email introducing herself along with her phone number. She laid on her bed. She felt as if her body was vibrating from excitement. In only a few short days, she would be going to one of her favorite places. A sigh left her. If only she knew what was to be.

Dizzy Tremaine was what many would consider to be a happy girl on the Isle of the Lost. She quickly learned from a young age that as long as she did as her mère and grand-mère told her to do then they would leave her be. Currently, she was sitting by the waters, nowhere near where Uma and her crew resided, mind you. Despite what others may have thought of her she was not as naive as she led people to believe.

Dizzy Tremaine listened to the waters chase one another slowly after each other. She dangled her feet off the edge of what once was an impressive pier, and allowed the water to tickle her toes in their mischievous game.

Looking out across the water the lights of Auradon twinkled. Electricity on the Isle was limited, but on Auradon lands the electricity flowed without boundaries. Sometimes, when all of the Isle lights were all off she would come out and stare out into the waters, watching the Auradon lights reflect off the sea.

"Dizzy, what are you doing here?" a small voice called out. She turned around to find the Smee twins.

"Hi Squeaky, hi Squirmy."

"It's late, you shouldn't be out this way," one of the twins said. Squirmy based on the height he had on his twin brother.

"Yeah, but I'm okay," she said. Squirmy and Squeaky sat on either side of her.

"You're thinking about her, again. Your cousin." Dizzy sighed, looking down.

"I wonder why she left her job. It's upsetting," Dizzy explained. All three kids stared out at the waters, smelling the salt.

"Cause that's the only time you ever saw her?"

"Yeah."

The twins and young girl watched over the Auradon lights and watched as they slowly started to flicker off. All except one in what they would later find out was Auradon Prep.

Mal sat at her desk with a lamp on. She was flipping through her mother's spellbook casually, trying to find something. What she was looking for, she didn't really know. Maybe something that would make herself feel better from what she had started? Maybe something to bring down the barrier and finish all of this now? She paused at the love spell that she had given Ben. The sister page had an antidote. Something in her heart twirled. She closed the book. Mal was cruel, mean, long live evil. Yet, as she turned the lamp off she couldn't help, but think. Was there any point for Ben to still be in love with her after the villains took over Auradon? Something about it just seemed a little too cold.