"Carlos, don't go running off today, we need to go to the grocery store." Anita said as she set down a plate of eggs and toast for Carlos. He immediate shoveled some in his mouth and nodded. He'd spent the most of the last few days outside from breakfast till dinner and had grown a few more freckles during the week.

Once he swallowed he asked "what's a grocery store?"

"It's where we go to get food."

Carlos looked confused, he knew where food came from on the isle, but he still hadn't quite figured out how the whole process worked in Auradon. Carlos didn't take long to get ready he was excited to see this new place.

Anita grabbed a cart at the entrance of the store, they walked through the produce section selecting a few fruits and veggies that she didn't have growing in her garden. Carlos couldn't believe the amount of food available to just take. He looked around wide eyed at the huge selection, although he'd gotten used to the abundance of Auradon over the past couple months in school he still had never seen this much variety. It was usually the same rotation of selection at the school. The lobsters in the tank kept his attention for a while until Anita noticed mothers of smaller children ushering them away as they gave nervous glances at Carlos. He was wearing his shorts, t-shirt and one of the hoodies Anita got him but with his hair, the dog tail attached to the various belts, his fingerless gloves, and his usual assortment of bracelets and other embellishments he stood out. Carlos didn't seem to notice the other shoppers skittering away from him, or if he did, didn't seem to care. Anita told him it was time to move on, he reluctantly followed behind.

Anita took him down an aisle with a variety of little tubes, "Do you have any deodorant yet?" she asked.

Carlos just made a face and shook his head. "What's that?"

"People put it on, under their arms, it makes them not smell bad."

"Do I smell bad?" Carlos asked concerned.

Anita smiled "No, but you're getting older. Usually when people grow up it happens."

"Do you and Roger wear deodorant?"

Anita nodded.

"How do I know what to pick?" Carlos looked at the shelves which had dozens of kinds of brands and several different scents. It was too much to pick from.

"This brand is pretty popular with teen boys, pick one of these." she showed him a brand with 3 different scents. He carefully took one off the shelf and lifted the cover to sniff it. He wrinkled his nose and set it back, then did the same with the second, that wasn't too bad. The final scent was ok, but he decided to go with the second pick. "This one." he showed Anita and she gestured for him to add it to the cart.

They wandered around several more isles. If you asked Anita how she would have described Carlos during that first shopping trip she would have said "hyperactive puppy", he was so excited about all the stuff he'd never seen before she had to constantly grab his hand to keep him from wandering off or touching everything.

"Carlos? Do you have a preference?" she asked about some cereal as she tried to decide between a few different types when she didn't get a response, she looked around the aisle but no Carlos. Anita quickly put the boxes back and walked down the center aisle looking for Carlos.

She started panicking slightly as she passed yet another aisle with no Carlos in it. Then she heard a commotion a couple ailes further down. When she got there she found Carlos sitting on the floor with several bags of various chocolate candy around him as he was happily sampling the different kinds of chocolate.

"Carlos!" she rushed over. There were murmurs from several onlookers about how parents don't raise kids right anymore and other judgmental comments. Anita glared at the onlookers "Show's over." she snapped protectively.

"Carlos, what are you doing?"

The boy looked up innocently, "Have you tried these? They're my favorite." He offered her a peanut butter cup.

Anita pinched the bridge of her nose. "Carlos, you can't just open these all up and eat them in the store. We have to buy them first."

Carlos looked down, "I'm sorry. I didn't know that."

"Its ok. Are there any you didn't open yet?"

Carlos pointed to a couple bags that were still closed and Anita put them back on the shelf, she was going to have to buy the rest of this, which was more candy than she typically bought in several months. "Please don't wander away again either."

Carlos hung his head, he'd upset Anita again. He hadn't meant any harm. He followed Anita to the check out and then helped her load the groceries into the car. The drive home was subdued. After helping carry the groceries into the house Carlos realized his stomach didn't feel so great. Anita also noticed that he looked a little peakid. "Carlos? Are you feeling ok?"

Carlos shook his head, "My stomach doesn't feel so good."

"Probably all that chocolate." Anita was quick to grab a bucket from under the sink and push it into the boys hands "go lay down, and use the bucket if you have to puke and can't make it to the toilet"

Carlos nodded and obediently headed up stairs.

/

"What do you mean you don't know what size you are?" Leah said with disbelief.

Mal stood in the middle of the fancy designer boutique not knowing how to respond as Leah and the sales lady gaped at her. "Well I've never exactly gone shopping before."

Leah just stared at her and Mal realized more of an explanation was needed. "I usually just grabbed whatever would fit and Evie made most of our clothes from the bits of fabric she could find."

"I see." Leah said and looked at the sales lady for help.

"I think she's probably a 4. Lets start there." Leah nodded and the next thing Mal knew she was being pushed into a changing room with a rack of clothing to try on. Mal's eyes grew wide and flashed green with annoyance looking at the extensive pile of clothing Leah expected her to try on.

"Let's just get it over with" Mal mumbled to herself and tried on the first outfit before stepping out to be inspected. Almost immediately Leah shook her head and sent her back in. And so it continued most of the outfits being rejected and only a handful passing before Leah said it was time to head to the next store. Mal wanted to scream.

Three stores and several hours later Leah finally was ready finish their shopping to Mal's relief. Mal was in excellent shape, having spent years running all over the isle, but hours shopping with Leah made her feet sore, her body fatigued, and in desperate need of a nap. Meanwhile Leah seemed to be full of energy. Mal wasn't sure how the woman did it as she trudged after her towards the car and was relieved when they finally pulled back into the driveway of the grand house. They had found multiple outfits that would be suitable for dinners and other social events that "Might come up" as well as many new outfits that Leah said she could take to school. Although Mal was able to put her foot down on some that she knew she would never wear because they were just not her style at all.

After a short nap, Mal pulled on one of the Queen Leah approved dresses for dinner and studied herself in the mirror. Evie would approve she thought, and snapped a quick picture to send to her best friend, who proceeded to freak out. Mal headed down to dinner with a little skip, feeling much more energetic after her short nap and knowing that Leah wouldn't find anything wrong with her dress tonight.

She walked through the doorway to the dining room and froze.

"Mal, I don't know if you know my granddaughter, Audrey, she goes to Auradon Prep too." Queen Leah introduced the girls not noticing the malice in either of their eyes as they both gave a fake laugh at the same time.

"Yes, we've met" said Mal as sweetly as she could muster, flashing green eyes at the girl sitting at the table already Audrey gave Mal an equally sinister glare.

"Oh good, I'm so glad you're both friends already!" Leah said completely oblivious to the hostility at her dinner table.

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