the space between

Rating: K+

Summary: AU / Evie, Mal, Carlos and Jay reunite in high school, after being adopted as children. They're different people now, in different groups. Mal has a crush on Evie, and lets Evie try to get her to fit in more. But it goes too far, and she returns to their old hideout. Evie goes to confront her, and leaves conflicted. Does she like her best friend, or is she happy with her boyfriend?

"Evie!" Audrey squealed as her friend approached.

Both girls were dressed in their blue and yellow cheerleading uniforms, as they had an important game that day.

"Hey, Audrey," Evie smiled slightly, still preoccupied with what had happened over the past weekend. It was Friday now, but she kept her promise to her friend, and they hadn't talked since then, even though Evie wanted to. She glanced around quickly, trying to see if she could spot Mal, but to no avail.

"Oh my god!" Audrey exclaimed as they approached Evie's locker.

Evie's hand flew up to cover her mouth when she saw her boyfriend standing there, waiting for her. He was dressed up, that charming smiled aimed at her. He was holding a bouquet of red roses and a small black velvet box. Behind him, some of his teammates (in their varsity jackets), with a sign that spelled out: PROM?

Chad was a year older than her, and a shoo in for prom king, Ben being his only true competition. And now, here he was, asking her to be his date.

Evie had always dreamed about going to prom with her own Prince Charming. Here he was, smiling at her, a questioning look in his eyes. A week ago, Evie would have no hesitations. But now, she was torn.

"Evie Carson. You are the light of my life, and I would like nothing more than if you came to prom with me." He flipped open the box, revealing his class ring. "So, what do you say?"

Evie glanced around her, taking in her friends surrounding her, Audrey hanging onto her arm, an excited look in her eyes. She sucked in a breath, weighing her options in her mind. The pressure of all these people watching her, waiting, expecting her to say yes, was weighing on her. Maybe she was still confused about everything, but she knew that no matter what she ended up choosing, Chad was a good guy. He didn't deserve to be publicly rejected without a reason.

"Yes," Evie let the word slip from between her lips, forcing a smile on her face.

Audrey squealed loudly, everyone else cheering.

Evie let her boyfriend slip his ring onto her finger, taking the bouquet in her arms. As the bell rang, signaling five minutes before class, she pecked his cheek. "I'll talk to you later. And thank you for the flowers. They're beautiful."

"Anytime, babe," Chad grinned, before turning left, his friends high fiving each other behind him.

Evie sniffed the flowers, smiling slightly at the scent, before grabbing what she needed out of her locker.

She glanced one more time around the hallway, a few groups of people milling about.

Still not seeing Mal, Evie sighed, and started walking down the hallway to her fashion class.

Unbeknownst to Evie, the friend she had been looking for had been hiding among the crowds, her easily identifiable hair tucked into a hat.

I guess she made her choice, Mal thought as she kept her head down, heading to her class. As long as she's happy.

Mal's eyes were closed as she let Carlos run his fingers through his hair.

The two friends were hiding under the bleachers, knowing that during lunch almost no one would be there.

"Hey Carlos?"

"Hm?" he responded lazily.

"Do you wanna go to prom with me? I mean, I'd like a friend there with me. After everything..."

"Mal," he whispered. "I'm sorry about what happened." Carlos was the only person Mal had trusted about her crush on their blue haired friend.

Mal shrugged a shoulder. "I told her it was her choice, that I just want her to be happy. She made her choice."

"Still. I know it's gotta hurt. But yeah, I'd be honored to go with you. After all, who else is going to help you prank everyone?" he grinned, trying to lighten the mood.

"Thanks, C," Mal smiled. "And about those pranks… I have some ideas."

"Let's hear them."

Evie sighed, sitting down in the changing room.

She was prom dress shopping with Audrey, who had been asked to prom by Ben, Mal's brother, and Lonnie, who was going with Jay.

Evie herself already had a dress. She had made herself and Mal dresses earlier in the year, knowing that if she and Chad were still together, he'd be asking her, and if not, Mal said she could be her plus one.

However, her two friends needed dresses, and Evie herself still needed shoes.

So there she was, with her two friends who were excitedly trying on dresses, talking a mile a minute about their dates.

Audrey's selection was all pink, while Lonnie's were shades of turquoise, a few black ones mixed in.

Evie gave the appropriate "ooo"s and "ah"s when needed, but her mind was elsewhere. Prom was quickly approaching, and her mind was still torn. She had spent the first few years of her life learning that she had to find a "Prince Charming" by her mother, until she had been killed, leaving the four year old out on the streets. When she had been younger, Carlos, Mal and Jay had been her siblings, and they always looked out for each other. And then they had been separated for years, with only email to stay in contact until they met again in high school. It had been a joyful reunion, to see the people they trusted the most, who lived through the hardest years of their lives with each other.

Yes, Evie had to admit that when she saw her best friend that she had grown up attractive. But her mother's words were too strong in her mind, and she shoved aside the small attraction that she had for her best friend, and what she had once had for both Lonnie and Audrey. When Chad asked her out, she said yes, because he was everything she was supposed to want, and she did have a crush on him.

She had come to care for him very much, but she couldn't call it love. Maybe, in time. She had truly believed that she could fall in love with Chad. He had used to have flings all the time, until about a year before he asked Evie out. His freshman and sophomore years had been full of one time dates, but once Evie had become friends with Audrey and Lonnie, and started hanging out with them more, he had worked at improving his reputation for her.

Evie knew Chad probably loved her. He had proven to her he was serious about being with her, and she appreciated it. Everyone in the school found it adorable.

It had been for the past almost year, their anniversary being the seventh of June, a couple weeks after he'd be graduating.

"E!" Audrey snapped Evie back to the present. "I think this is the one," she spinned, the pale pink dress spinning around her.

"I love it," Evie complemented sincerely. "You should totally get it. Ben will not be able to take his eyes off of you."

"I'm so glad he asked me," Audrey gushed as she zipped up the dress Lonnie was trying on. "I've had a crush on him for awhile. He's so cute, and a real sweetheart. Hey, aren't you friends with his sister?" she aimed her question at Evie.

"Yeah. We met over a decade ago. Before the orphanage. Mal, Carlos, Jay and I lived on the streets together for a year before we went to Auradon Orphanage. After we were adopted, we kept in touch through email, before reuniting again at Auradon Prep."

"She's the one with the purple hair, yeah?"

Evie nodded. "Mal and I sprayed our hair purple and blue respectively with colored hairspray when were about six. It was our thing, and I guess we both kept it all these years."

"That's super cute," Audrey commented, gesturing for Lonnie to spin.

"Mal's in my art class," Lonnie spoke up. "She's really good, but she pretty much sticks to herself. I really only see her with Carlos, and occasionally some of his band friends."

"She's not at all what anyone would expect from the mayor's daughter, but Ben is super protective of her, and I trust him," Audrey shrugged. "What do you think of her, E?"

"She was always my best friend growing up. We trusted each other with everything. I mean, yeah, Jay and Carlos were like our brothers. But there was a lot they couldn't understand. Though the four of us had a similar childhood, ending with us on the streets after the parent who was raising us was killed, probably by the same people. They had enemies in common we didn't know about until later. After we were adopted and didn't see each other anymore, we kept in touch through email, but it wasn't the same. But when we all found each other again in high school, we took a weekend to go back to our old hideout to catch up. Mal painted the walls, one for each of us. She really is talented, and has been as long as I've known her. She keeps getting better and better. Honestly, she's probably one of the most important people in my life, even though we don't spend as much time together as we used to." Evie's cheeks flushed slightly when she realized how much she had said.

Audrey smirked. "Woah there, E. Almost sounds like you have a crush on her."

Evie's cheeks turned even more red. "She's just my best friend, Audrey. We've been through a lot. That's all."

Evie missed Lonnie's look as she turned her face, hiding it by unzipping Audrey.

"Whatever you say, Carson, whatever you say."

"Thanks for the ride, Audrey," Lonnie waved at their friend.

"No problem, girls," Audrey responded happily. "See you tomorrow!"

Evie and Lonnie waved at Audrey as her car pulled away from Lonnie's place. They had both been dropped off there, as Evie was going to be spending the night. Audrey had been invited, but she had a date with Ben.

The two girls got settled in to Lonnie's room, laying down next to each other on the king sized bed.

"So, E. Real talk. Everything that is said in this room, stays in this room. We can ask each other anything."

Evie sighed, turning over to lay on her back. "Yeah, sure. You go first."

"I saw you when you were talking about Mal earlier, and how you reacted when Audrey asked if you had a crush on her. Tell the truth. Do you?"

Evie's cheeks flushed pink against her will, and she squeezed her eyes shut. After a minute, she decided that she really needed to talk about everything to someone, and after Mal, Lonnie was her first choice.

"She kissed me last Saturday. And I didn't hate it."

"Spill," Lonnie scooter closer to her friend, nudging her gently with her shoulder.

"She ran back to our old hideout. I pushed her too far, tried to make her someone she's not so she'd fit in more with us. I know she's different, and that she doesn't care, but I know there would be some against it. And she tried for awhile. To keep me happy. But it was too much for her. I went to talk to her. She ignored me, worked on a new mural while I worked on my designs. Then she came over to me, and for a minute, it felt like we're were six again. Then she kissed me. I'm just… confused. My mother drilled into my head that I had to find a Prince Charming, emphasis on prince. Even though she was killed when I was four, it did enough damage. I've… I think I've had a crush on three girls before. Audrey, you," her cheeks flushed even more, "and Mal."

Lonnie stayed silent, knowing that Evie needed to get this off of her chest.

"Don't get me wrong. I do really like Chad, and he's really sweet. I don't want to do anything that hurts him, but it might be inevitable. I know I don't love him, and I'm pretty sure he loves me. I probably could love him in time. But Mal's the one I trust above all, with everything. She's the one who helped look after me when we lived on the street. She and Jay were only five, and they were like parents to me and Carlos. We didn't have to grow up too early because of them. They gave up their childhood and innocence, so we could keep ours. We have a lot of history."

"I can see why you're conflicted," Lonnie spoke softly. "I can see you're happy with Chad, but you light up around Mal in a way I've never seen before. The trust between you two is palpable. I get that because of your mother that you've felt like you had to push your attraction for girls aside. But Evie. She isn't here. You can decide who you like, regardless of gender. Yes, maybe some people won't approve of it. I won't lie to you about it. But those who are truly your friend will stand by your side no matter. I'll be here. You know Mal will be there, and Carlos and Jay won't abandon you. Ben will side with you, and so will Jane. It may take Chad some time, because he does love you. However, it's because of that, that in the end, he will be there for you. And Audrey. She may seem weird about it on the surface, but she loves you. You're like a sister to her, and she won't let you go without a fight. You will always, always have us. I promise," she finished, gently placing a hand on her friend's shoulder.

Evie's shoulders started shaking, tears streaming down her face. She had the best friends anyone could offer. For so long, she had been afraid to accept this unknown side of her, but here was Lonnie, one of her best friends, telling her there were people who would always love her unconditionally.

Lonnie immediately wrapped her arms around the blue haired girl, and just held her while Evie cried, eventually falling asleep.

Evie woke up with a crick in her neck, but she had never felt more at ease. It had been a relief to tell someone what was swirling around in her head. It had made it easier to begin to accept that yes, she did like girls, not just guys. It would take time to undo her mother's words, but she now knew it was possible.

She still was trying to figure out what her choice would be, but knowing she could talk to someone about it was a relief.

"Hey, E," Lonnie smiled as she walked into the room, a cup of tea in each hand. She handed one to Evie, then sat down on the bed. "I woke up about five minutes ago, and figured you might want some tea."

"Thanks, Lonnie," Evie yawned, sitting up. "And thanks for last night. I really needed that."

"You're pretty much my sister, Evie. I'll always be at your side, no matter what you chose to do."

Evie smiled, sipping her tea. "You wanna watch a movie? I just need to relax."

"Sounds great," Lonnie beamed.

You home, Carlos?

Yeah. You coming over?

Already on my way. Be there in five.

Carlos set his phone down, shoving his dirty clothes into his closet so Mal would have room to sit on his bed.

"Hey, Dude," Carlos smiled as he petted his dog's head. His dog was his constant companion, as Dude was a service dog. When Carlos had been young, he was terrified of dogs. And then he had been adopted, and though they didn't push, his family got him accustomed to dogs. Which was good, because it turned out he had severe diabetes, and they had gotten him a service dog. Carlos was thankful that he had been adopted, because he knew otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to have a service dog that made sure his blood sugar didn't get too low. That's why he had started a club at Auradon Prep, one in which students would help train service dogs, and anyone who had one, or needed one, could get together and exchange stories. Between that and computer club, he had his hands full. However, he always made time for Mal, because she was the one who was always there for him, and would drop everything if he needed to talk to her, even if it was three in the morning and she could get in trouble.

Carlos knew his other friends would do what they could for him as well, but they had much more going on in their lives. His sister was in charge of the yearbook, and also had violin lessons all the time. Jay was usually at practice, or hanging out with Lonnie. Evie was doing the most, as she was on the cheerleading team, the yearbook, was the president of the fashion club and was part of the academic decathlon. He understood they were busy, and respected it. They all had other things going on.

Mal, though, was only involved with art, occasionally helping out painting crew for the plays or musicals, but she preferred to work in her room, or hang out with Carlos. They would often hang out in one of their rooms. Sometimes they watched movies or played video games or talked about everything, but sometimes, just sitting together, doing their own thing was enough.

That's why Carlos considered her his best friend, and was glad he could help make her prom one she could look back on and smile.

Carlos smiled and shook his head when he heard a knock on his window. Some things never change he thought as he opened it, revealing Mal.

She climbed in, dropping her bag on Carlos' bed, before greeting Dude.

"How's the fundraising going?" she asked, sitting down on Carlos' bed.

"We're almost to our goal," Carlos smiled, sitting next to his friend. The service dog training club was raising money to help one of the club members afford a service dog.

"How much more do you need?"

"Um," Carlos grabbed his phone. "Let me check." He scrolled through his notes, finding the one that had the information. "We need.. $147."

"Well, today's your lucky day," Mal grinned, rummaging around in her bag. "Mom gave me some money for your club. She hopes that all the kids at school who need a service can get one within the year. But to start, she gave me money to give you for this one. Here you go," she handed a check to her friend.

Carlos' eyes widened when he looked at it. "Three hundred dollars? Mal, are you serious?"

"Hey, mom's all about your club. She thinks it's a great idea, and she wants to help out," Mal shrugged. "She really wanted you to reach your goal. She said, and I quote 'it's the least I can do.'"

"If this is the least she can do…" Carlos started, still looking at the check. "I wonder what the most she can do would be."

"Oh, it'd be a lot, I promise that," Mal grinned. "I'm just proud of you for doing this, C. It's a great thing to do."

"Thanks, Mal," Carlos ducked his head shyly. "Dude has helped me a lot, and I want those who need a service dog that can't afford it to be able to have one."

"And to think you used to be terrified of dogs."

"Well, mom, Jay and Jane helped with that. And I'm glad. I love Dude."

"He's a good boy. Yes you are," Mal bent down to pet said dog again. "So, what's on the agenda for tonight?"

"Video games, followed by pizza and a movie. Sound good?"

"Sounds perfect," Mal smiled as she kicked her shoes off. "You're going down, De Vil."

"Oh, you're on, Hope," Carlos smirked.

A/n: so, one more chapter left!

and though i know i shouldn't, i have a ton more ideas of possible stories. you can check them out on my profile, and vote for which one you want to see next.

also, if you want to see other scenes of the gang in this high school AU on an average day, just let me know. after i finish the chapters for this plot line, i can write scenes that aren't part of this story if y'all want. just leave me prompts. you can also send me scenes you want to see, or other story ideas through PM or on tumblr (hope-can-be-your-sword) or on instagram (queenreynaofnewrome).

thanks for reading! and you can find my original story i'm working on on wattpad. my username there is hidden_sunrise

~NewtsSuitcase