Gale sits in the library after having spent hours with Jay as he tutored her. I'm getting somewhere at least. I have a long way to go but Jay is also helping me understand what my homework is asking of me so I'm less at risk of getting sent back. If I got sent back father would beat the crap out of me. What would he think of me now? Jay and I are being civil with one another now. Are we friends?
"Is this seat taken?" Asks someone behind Gale. She turns to see a girl with wildly curly russet hair, her pale face displaying a friendly smile that goes all the way to her caramel eyes.
"You can sit if you want. I don't own the table, or the chairs." She turns back to her notebook looking at Jay's curly handwriting from where he showed her how to write a few words.
"My name is Melinda. I'm the daughter of Merlin." She says in a chipper tone as she sits down. The mention of Merlin makes Morgana growl in irritation in Gales head.
"Merlin huh? Isn't he the guy who beat Morgana Le Fay?" Gale says mostly intending to irritate her unwanted occupant.
"Yup the one and only. I don't think I've seen you around here before. Are you one of the transfer students from the Isle?"
"Yup. Though you are the first person I've heard refer to us as transfer students instead of just calling us villain kids." Gale begins lightly tracing over Jay's handwriting. Who decided that lower case p's q's d's and b's would all be basically the same letter just turned around?
"Why would I call you villain kids? It may be technically accurate but none of us are the same as our parents. If that was the case then what would be the point in having you guys come here? No, I think it's more useful to call you transfer students. No one should be defined by the deeds of their parents." Melinda says in a serious tone.
"That's one way to think of it." She's weirdly friendly.
"Yup." Melinda looks at Gale for a moment. "You look like you are kinda lost in thought. Wanna talk about it? Maybe I can help."
"I just met you. Why would you even care?"
"I try to help everyone until they have given me reason not to regardless of how long I've known them. You seem like a nice person anyways so I'd be happy to help out." Gale looks at Melinda when she says this not entirely believing her but she decides to humor the girl anyways.
"Being here is a bit of an adjustment. Even the people I came here with aren't quite what I expected and I've known them my whole life."
"The five of you aren't friends?"
"No? Well I know Mal and Evie hate my guts, and I think Carlos is scared of me but… Jay… I don't know anymore. I was an ass to him back home and lately he's been really helpful. I don't know if we are friends or he just doesn't want me to wreck his chance of getting to be here."
"I don't think he's just being nice for his sake. Even if you messed up as long as the others are behaving they wouldn't be affected. They would get to stay. I think he's being genuine."
"I don't know…" Gale looks away. Am I really worth the kindness?
"Do you want him to be using you?"
"Of course not."
"Then you have nothing to be concerned about." Melinda says with a smile.
*Next day after Tourney practice*
Jay watches Gale walk towards the girls locker room as he sits on the bleachers waiting for Coach Jenkins, since the older man wanted to speak with him after practice. When she isn't trying to start a fight she's actually pretty awesome to hang out with. I wonder if she considers me a friend. I hope so. Now all I have to do is convince everyone else to hang out and get along. How hard could it be? Well Mal will probably think Gale is lying and try to call her out… Maybe it'll be harder than I thought… Well I do enjoy a good challenge.
Coach Jenkins walks over after finishing up getting the equipment put up, and sits on the bleachers to Jays left. The older man seems to be lost in thought for a moment before he turns to look Jay in the eye.
"Jay you know we have a Tourney competition tomorrow right?" He waits till the teen nods before continuing to speak. "I know you aren't from around here but truth be told I think you are the best thing to happen to its team since its inception. You and Gale are competitive in a way that you just don't see in the kids from around here."
"If you're complimenting the both of us then why didn't you have Gale stay after practice too?" She could use a little ego boost. When I tutor her she seems really down on herself.
"I would have but she has prior engagements after practice." Jenkins watches Jay's expression shift from curiosity to mild concern. He does care about the other kids that he came here with.
"What do you mean?" What if she gets kicked out of school? Would she be okay?
"The Fairy Godmother wanted to see her. It's nothing bad I think she just wanted to check in with the girl." Jay lets out a small sigh of relief hearing this, and Jenkins continues to speak. "Now back on topic while I think you two are the best athletes we've ever had on the team you do still have a little room left for improvement."
"What do you mean?" Of course I'm the best you've ever seen.
"You need to learn to work with others as a team. Maybe it will help you to think of teamwork like how families interact."
"If that's the case then where have I gone wrong? All the families I've seen just use each other to get what they want." Jenkins eyes widen a little bit when Jay says this. I thought villain families would be the same as every other family… I guess not.
"That's… Not what I meant. How about this; think of a team like a body. There are lots of different parts but they all work together to help you get through your day."
"Oh okay. Can I be the fist?"
*next day*
Evie and Mal are sitting next to each other on the home side bleachers surrounded by most of the Auridon Prep student body. Mal seems relatively unfazed but Evie is a bit more perturbed by the situation.
"Mal why are we here?" Evie asks, her tone a mix of bored and disinterested. It's so hot outside today. Not to mention we are here to watch a bunch of people run around and get extra sweaty. I hope I get to see Chad before my make up starts to run.
"We have to cheer on Jay and Carlos. You saw how those two were practically oozing nervous excitement yesterday. They've never done anything like this before. We gotta be here for them, win or lose. They would do the same for us." Mal says with her normal leader tone but there is something new about it. This time there is a hint of compassion in her words also displayed in her jade eyes.
"What about Gale?" Evie asks as she sees the girl on the field surrounded by the rest of the team, huddled together probably discussing strategy. I think she is the only girl on the team. I wonder if that's cause other girls can't be on the team or that they don't want to.
"What about her?" Mal asks dismissively, focusing on the field as their team gets into formation and the whistle is blown starting the game. She's mildly surprised to see Gale hanging near Jay, Carlos and Ben as they work together.
"She seems to be more friendly lately. Shouldn't we cheer her on too?"
"Nah. She isn't really our friend, and besides she probably doesn't want to be on the team in the first place."
"True." Evie scans the field noticing that Chad seems to be glaring at Gale. "I wonder why Chad is mad at her."
*later*
After Audrey announced that she was going to Ben's coronation with Chad Evie ran off crying and Mal and the boys couldn't find her. Gale decides that she will go and find the girl herself, and finds her sitting on the floor of one of the bathrooms at the other end of the school. Not knowing how to start a conversation with the distraught girl she simply sits in front of her with her legs crossed.
"What do you want?" Evie says with as much venom as her sorrow filled voice can muster. Haven't I dealt with enough today? I don't need her making fun of me.
"I… I'm sorry." Great Gale. You came here to cheer the girl up and all you could think of was 'I'm sorry?'
"What? Why are you sorry?" Did she plan this?
"I knew he was cheating on you and I made the mistake of thinking I could make him see reason." Technically he broke things off like I told him to, but he did it in the worst way possible.
"You knew?" Evie looks at Gale with a hurt expression.
"Yeah. I tried to get him to stop fooling around with Miss Priss behind your back. Jay didn't tell you?" He said he saw everything. I'm surprised he didn't blab the first chance he got.
"He and Carlos told me that you had confronted him but they left that part out." She begins to twirl her hair between her fingers in an attempt to distract herself from the ache she feels.
"They probably thought I handled it so they didn't want to worry you. I guess I didn't handle it that well though."
"Why'd you do it? Why'd you try to take care of it yourself instead of telling me?"
"You seemed happy and well I wanted you to stay happy." Though I failed colossally at that.
"I thought you didn't care."
"Course not. I do have a reputation to protect after all." Gale says in a playful tone which Evie smiles at a little. Well at least she feels a little better
"I guess you do." She concedes.
"Want me to beat him up for you?" Gale asks and the other girl seems to take it as a joke and she begins to laugh quietly.
"No. You don't have to do that." Even if it would be a nice sight Gale doesn't need to get expelled because him.
"Come on. You should go find the others. They've been looking for you." Gale stands and offers a hand to help Evie get up.
"Thanks." She responds, taking her hand and standing up. "Maybe we could be friends after all. See you later." Evie says before she leaves the bathroom leaving Gale alone with her thoughts. Friends?
"Stop focusing on such frivolous things."
What I focus on is up to me, you parasite. Gale starts walking to the girls dorm as pain blossoms in her head.
"How dare you talk to me like that." Morgana practically screams.
Would you just shut up? I am beyond done with you right now. You are such a headache. Literally. Gale makes it to her room as small blind spots start to cloud her vision in her eye.
"You belong to me I will speak when I please and once I am free of you I will gladly put you out of your misery."
Bold of you to assume I'd lose to you. Maybe you haven't noticed but I always win. A weak willed prat like you stands no chance against me.
"Is that so? Well then you should handle this just fine." Morgana makes an attempt to gain control. Gale pushes through the pain and focuses as much as she can on keeping Morgana in her place. It's while she is focusing that she hears the door open and shut. She looks over to see Jay standing near the door. Morgana uses the distraction to get the upper hand.
"Thank you boy. You have proved to be most useful. For your service I will make sure your death is quick." Morgana says.
Jay is equal parts confused by her voice shift and irritated at the threat. Morgana raises a hand and magic begins to dance around her fingertips like crimson sparks. Gale, fearful for her friend, manages to regain control and she collapses on the ground Morgana's magic now wrapping around her arm angrily.
"Are you okay?" Jay asks, though he is certain the answer is no. What do I do? What can I do?
"I'm… I'm alright… Just go… I can't protect you from her..." Gale says not looking at him, but slowly making her way across the floor. Maybe if I can get to the book it'll help. It's just under the spare bed… Only a little further…
"I'm not leaving you. What's going on? I'm here for you." Jay notices as her eyes turn gold again and she stops making her way across the room.
"How pitiful." Morgana says slowly rising to her feet. Once standing she begins to walk over to Jay, no longer content with giving him a quick death. "She cares about you enough to fight for you. Maybe If I break you it'll break that brat too.
"Gale what's going on?" Jay watches her eyes flit between brown and gold before landing on gold much to his dismay..
"Gale isn't here right now. Soon enough she will cease to exist." Jay realizes that the voice she is using sounds much older than he is used to and the realization sends a shiver down his spine.
"What did you do to her?" He asks, sounding far braver than he feels.
"Jay run." Gale says breaking through for just a moment before Morgana takes control again.
"I'm just fulfilling the purpose she was made for."
"Gale. I know you're in there. Don't let her get away with this. I need you to fight her. Come back to me. Ple-" Jay is cut off when a hand closes around his throat. This can't be it. I will not die like this. I refuse to give up. An unfamiliar energy begins to dance across his skin forcing Morgana to let him go.
"You fight too hard. From the day she was born she was blessed with the power to let me find new life."
"Sounds like a curse to me." Wait… Curse. That's it! It worked for Beast hopefully it will work here. Jay steps forward feeling the energy pool in his gut. He darts forward praying to whoever will listen that this will work as he pulls her close and kisses her. The energy in his stomach seems to dance at the contact and after a moment he pulls away to see Gale's chocolate colored eyes meeting his. Has she always been this pretty?
"How…?" Gale says, confused and trying not to blush at how close they are. "What just happened? And why were your eyes shimmering?"