Parents' Day

(Day 5: Thursday Morning)

Evie turns over in bed and groans, as she hears a knock at the door. "Mal. Can you get that?"

"You're closer," Mal complains from her own bed.

"You just got up five minutes ago to use the bathroom," Evie debates.

"It's been way more than just five minutes." She hears the door and sits up tiredly, wiping the sleepiness from her eyes, "Okay. Fine. I'll get it."

Evie murmurs, "You're the best."

Mal smiles, "I know I am." as she walks to it, but her smile falls when she walks to the door. "Doug. What are you doing here?"

"I just thought I'd check on you guys." He peers over her shoulder, "Are you doing alright with everything."

Mal gives him a look, "She's fine. Thanks." and she tries to shut the door on him; however, he puts in foot in the way.

"Are you guys going to the Parents' Day event outside today?"

"They're serving the food outside today and the kitchen is probably going to be filled with servants, so it's not like we have a choice."

"Right," Doug slowly responds. "Oh, and, the servants really like to be called employees now. 'Servants' just suggests some kind of class division."

Mal raises an eyebrow, "Sorry. Is Auradon no longer a monarchy?"

"No. It is," Doug states. "However, regardless of that everyone has equal opportunity here. The monarchy really isn't as influential as it used to be, what with the council and everything that's in place now."

"Must be nice to live in ignorance. The Isle may be a dictatorship, but at least everyone there is aware of it."

Doug straightens up and twists his head in question, unsure if he could have possibly heard that right, "The Isle of the Lost is a dictatorship?" Mal nods. "Who's the dictator?"

She smiles, "My mother."

"Wow. She must have a lot of power."

Mal huffs a laugh, "Not really, no. But she is one of the only people there with any literal power, so she declared herself their ruler."

"Literal power?" Doug asks.

"The hypnotism," Mal explains. "She's not as strong as she used to be, but she can still make people do her bidding when she feels like it."

"Oh, right. The hypnotism," Doug remembers. "I've been meaning to ask you, has your mother ever used it on you?"

Mal rolls her eyes, "You already asked me that."

"Yes," he slowly lets out. "But you never answered."

"And I still can't," Mal avoids. "We've got to get ready. It is formal. Right?"

"Yes. It is."

"Okay then," Mal smiles. "Bye."

"Wait," Doug hurries as she begins to shut the door again. "Can you ask Evie if she'd be possibly willing to have lunch with me?"

Mal looks back over her shoulder, "What do you say, Eves. Does lunch with Doug sound good?"

Evie waves her hand at her and yawns, "Yeah, yeah. Sure. Sounds great."

Mal slightly laughs before turning back to Doug, "Well, she said sure."

He looks at her in surprise, a big goofy smile on his face, "Really?"

She looks over him irritably, "She's still half asleep. Don't count your blessings."

"But she will have lunch with me?" Doug asks for reassurance.

Mal tiredly comments, "All I can do is remind her. See you later. Maybe." before she finally shuts the door on him.

Carlos lets out a stressed breath, "I have like nothing to wear."

Jay walks over to where Carlos has his clothes laid out on the bed, "That can't be true." but when he actually sees what's there he makes a hissing sound, as if he'd just experienced some kind of burning pain.

"I told you I had nothing."

Jay laughs uneasily, "Well, you weren't wrong." He looks over the clothes for a minute before picking out of few things, "How about you just put on these black pants, this collared shirt, and this jacket."

"Are you sure that will be formal enough?" Carlos questions.

Jay slightly nods, "You're right. Here." He takes off his red tie and hands it to him. "My jacket already looks like a vest. I'll fit in with or without a tie, and I really don't like ties."

Carlos smiles, "Thanks."

"No problem. What are friends for?" Jay responds with a slap on Carlo's shoulder, before he crosses the room into the bathroom."

"Yeah," Carlos stares down at his shoulder for a moment. "You're— you're a great friend to have."

Jay comes back out with the sides of his hair pulled back, "Oh. Yeah. I forgot to mention that I invited the guys over to hang tonight. I hope you don't mind."

"No. Of course, not," Carlos tries to lie. "There's nothing I love more than sharing our dorm with the entire team."

Jay smiles, "It's not like they're sleeping over." and when he sees Carlos look away he takes a couple steps closer. "I get that you're not huge on socializing, but they are our team. We should at least get to know them."

Carlos shakes his head, "Why do you even want to get to know them?" before he crosses his arms. "It's not like we're staying long. Why do you have to spend it with them?"

Jay frowns, "Honestly? I'm just really hoping the plan goes wrong, or that Mal somehow changes her mind."

He blankly stares at him, but his arms uncross, "Why?"

Jay laughs, "You're kidding, right?" but Carlos doesn't respond. He takes a few more steps closer, "We have it good here. I don't have to work for my meals. You aren't getting hurt by your mother." Carlos looks down at the floor. "We're free here."

"It's not going to last, Jay," Carlos nearly yells. "What do you think happens after the school year is over? You know just as well as I do— as we all do— that we're just exchange students. We're not citizens here. We will get sent back, and how do you think our parents will react when we do?" Jay doesn't speak, a newfound frown apparent in his features. Carlos turns away from him, "I'm sorry, but you know it's true. We don't belong here, not like this."

Carlos feels a hand set itself on his shoulder, before Jay asks, "Do you really think this plan is good. Good for us, I mean?"

He slightly nods, "Yeah. It's better if we go through with it."

Jay lets his hand slide off, "Okay, then." and Carlos turns around to face him. "I'm with you. If you really believe this is what's best for us, then I will follow this mission through."

- Ouch. Talk about being friend-zoned. Just curious. Has anyone had a friends with benefits agreement that somehow didn't go terribly wrong in some shape or form?