You Shouldn't Have

(Day 2: Monday Evening)

"It's not that hard, Evie. Just choose something," Mal seethes.

Her hand moves over the area of fruit, but then she pulls her hand back, "How many calories do you think a peach has?"

"God," Mal places a hand to her forehead, before she glances behind her. She makes eye contact with Ben, and not a moment later does he step out of line to go over to them.

"Hey. How are you doing?"

Mal grins, "We're just perfect."

"Yeah. Um." Ben hesitates, "Not to be rude or anything, but what's holding up the line?"

Mal bumps Evie with her elbow to get her attention, "E. Ben here wants to know what's taking you so long."

"Oh. Ah," Evie nervously smiles. "There's just so many good things here. I couldn't possibly choose anything."

"Then allow me," Ben gestures to himself, before he takes Evie's tray. He places some carrots in the first square and a pear in the circle, before he asks, "Do you eat meat?"

"Sometimes?" she answers unsurely.

Ben laughs as he moves down the line to put chicken alfredo in the rectangle, before he remembers the desert and puts a brownie in the second square. "Here you go," he says as he walks back to Evie and hands the blue tray to her. "I hope everything is to your liking."

She tries to smile, "It's great. Really. You shouldn't have."

"Anything I can do to make it so that our already short lunch hour doesn't become any shorter, and now all you have to pick is your drink." He sees his girlfriend crossing her arms, "Hey, guys, I have to go, but it was nice catching up with you. See you later."

Mal hurries to dish herself up, before her and Evie move over to the drinks table. Evie comments, "He is aware it's dinner, right? Are you sure you even need to spell him?"

Mal laughs, "He's just like anyone else in Auradon. Don't mistake his niceness and interest in us for attraction, because all we are to him are princely duties and castle gossip."

"I guess you're right," Evie replies as she fills herself a large glass of ice water.

"I am right," Mal assures as she fills her glass up with milk, before they meet with Jay and Carlos at the table.

"Hey, guys. What took you so long?" Jay asks. "Carlos was just telling me how he got over his fear of dogs."

"That easy, huh?" Mal responds with interest.

"No. Not that easy," Carlos bumps his shoulder into Jay's arm. "Whenever Dude tries to lick me I still have this fear he's going to attack me, but it's a working progress."

"Well, good for you," Evie replies as she pushes the tray forward to make room for her arms to lie on the table.

Carlos looks between Evie and her tray, "Aren't you going to eat?"

When she doesn't respond Mal replies for her, "No. These are just props. Her mother's forbidden her to eat anything until her weight goes back down."

"That sucks."

"Well, then." Jay reaches for the brownie, "You won't mind if I take this."

Carlos reaches for it as it nears Jay's mouth, "Hey. I was going to ask for that." Jay takes a bite, and when Carlos grabs the brownie it breaks in two.

Jay chuckles, "Take it or leave it, man."

He plops it into his mouth and begins to chew, "Why do you have to be so mean?"

"Come on," Jay smiles as he lays an arm on his shoulder, "You know you love it."

"Yeah. Sure." Carlos sarcastically comments, "I also love water in my shoes and ceiling debris in my bed."

Jay laughs, "You're so sensitive."

"Not to interrupt," Mal urges, "but we should really discuss the new plan."

"What's there to discuss?" Jay questions. "You're going to get Ben, sit with him at coronation, and the rest does itself."

"Hardly," Mal disagrees. "We need to know where and when to make the cookies, we need to get him to actually take one, and then there's the whole part of how his parents and current girlfriend probably won't be too pleased to have me with him."

"Why do you need his parents' approval?" Carlos asks. "It's not like you're really going to be dating him, and this will all be over in a few days anyway."

"It will make things go smoother," Evie defends.

Mal nods, "If we're going to do this, then there can't be any surprises. This has to go to plan, and that will be easier if we don't have people coming at our throats the entire time."

"Speaking of which," Jay nods behind them. "I think we've got company."

"Hey there," Evie smiles, as Chad Charming walks up to them.

"I'm not here for you." He stares down the guys, "I'm here for them."

"What about?" Carlos asks.

His eyes narrow, "You shouldn't have joined the team. You're just so useless, and you—" He glares at Jay, "You've taken everything from me."

Jay scratches his head, "I thought coach said it was a team sport."

"No," Chad disputes. "It was mine. Mine and Ben's, and now you islanders have ruined it for all of us."

"Look." Carlos explains, "The headmistress made us try out for it. We didn't even want to go out for your stupid team." Jay nudges him. "Or, at least I didn't."

"Good, then," Chad smugly smiles. "I'll let coach now you quit, then."

"No," Jay retaliates. "We're not quitting."

"What?" Chad snarls.

"You heard him," Carlos calmly supports. "We're not quitting just because some guy with a narcissism complex wants us to."

"What? I don't use narcotics," he denies.

"No, no. Narcissism is—" Carlos lets out a tiring breath, "You think you're some kind of god out on that field, but if you were, then you wouldn't be trying to make us quit right now."

"You don't understand," Chad threatens. "I'm telling you quit."

"And if we don't?" Carlos asks.

"If you don't quit the team," Chad yells, "then—"

"Then what?" Ben asks from behind him.

Chad turns around, "Then I'm going to have to get everyone to sign a petition saying that they should leave."

Ben smiles, "Yes, yes. Great idea. Why don't you go do that?" After Chad leaves Ben takes a few steps forward, "Sorry about that. Being a prince you would think he has everything, but really the tourney field is the only place he has felt wanted." He brings a hand to the back of his neck, "Not that I should have told you that."

"No. You shouldn't have," Jay agrees. "How could we possibly know if we could trust you now?" Ben's expression turns to worry. "I'm just messing with you, man. It's always nice to dig up some dirt on an enemy."

"Oh." Ben retorts, "This is Auradon. We have no enemies here."

"If you say so," Carlos disbelieves.

Ben awkwardly laughs, "Ah, but you're all okay then?"

Carlos and Jay exchange nods, before Mal responds, "Yeah. We're completely fine, but oh." She bares her teeth with a smile, "Evie and I wanted a girls' night. Is there a chance that the kitchen stays open past meal times?"

"Yes. Of course," he answers, "but sadly it will only hold the essentials."

"Essentials?" she asks.

"Yeah. Well, there'll be things like ice cream and stuff for sandwiches, but for the most part you'd probably have to make things from scratch. And they don't have popcorn, so if you want that then you'd have to get that yourself.

Jay scrunches his eyebrows, "How don't they have popcorn. That was one of my main food groups on the Isle."

Ben almost laughs, "Something about it not being healthy enough."

"Wait," Carlos interrupts. "Does that mean they don't have chocolate?"

"Actually," Ben explains, "chocolate can be very healthy— in small doses. The kitchen has it, but don't eat too much. It can make you sick."

"As with anything," Evie makes herself known.

"I suppose so," Ben unsurely comments. "Wait. Have you not eaten yet?"

"We just haven't had the time," Mal excuses for her. "You know, what with her indecision and Chad's intrusion."

"Oh. Bennyboo," Audrey calls for him.

"I'm sorry," he apologizes. "I'm afraid I'm needed elsewhere."

"Elsewhere," Mal funs. "How princely of you."

He laughs, "Yes. It is, isn't it?" before he takes a step back and leaves.

Mal looks back at Evie, "Seriously. Out of every prince in this school, I can't believe you went for Charming."

Evie shrugs, "He seems incompetent enough. If I've learned anything during my stay here, it's that no price would ever take a villain as their queen unless they were to be spelled."

"Incompetent?" Mal questions. "He has you doing his homework."

"He has you doing what?" Carlos disbelieves.

"It's just a temporary setback," Evie reassures. "He just can't focus on me right now, because he just has so much homework piled up on him."

"Is that what he told you?" Jay asks.

Evie looks down, "Not in so many words, but I know it's what he meant."

Mal looks at her seriously, "Evie. I think he's using you."

"Silly, little dragon," Evie replies. "People in Auradon don't use each other." She turns her head, "And even if he is using me, I'm using him at least just as much."

Carlos grins, "Little dragon?"

Mal uneasily responds, "Evie. Don't tease me in public."

"Sorry," she apologizes. "But you have to admit that I'm right about this. Auradon is the symbol of everything that is right and good. The citizens of it aren't just going to be bad."

"Unless we give them a reason to be," Carlos finishes.

It takes a moment for Mal to let go of her suspicions, "Alright. I guess you're right, but if it turns out you're wrong, then don't come to me to complain about it."

"Sounds fair," Evie agrees, before she offers the rest of the food on her tray to the guys.

- Yeah. It's pretty hard to tell if Chad is smart at all or not. Smart enough to know what narcotics are, and yet not smart enough to realize that narcotics and narcissism are two completely different words. What do you guys think about Chad so far? Any predictions? I'd love to know what you think.