I apologize for the long wait. I don't even want to share how the past few weeks have been, but it's good to be back. I hope you like this new story. Leave a review. Please.

Love In The Air

The weekend is the time where the students of Auradon Prep are free to do whatever they wish to their delight, or, in the case of the studious ones, further study to illuminate themselves with knowledge. As of the case of a certain boy whose hair matches the color of snow and a girl whose beauty is unmatched, the weekend is a time for them to enjoy each other's company at the park.

The two are currently sitting by the pond, enjoying the beauty of nature. They watch two birds soaring the skies together and a couple of swans having a moment in the pond. The sight of the swans brought a warm feeling to the two ex-villains.

"Isn't nature wonderful?" asked Evie.

"Is that the real Evie talking or Auradon's Evie?" questioned Carlos.

"I guess Auradon is changing me," said Evie. "But that's not such a bad thing, is it?"

"I guess not," responded Carlos. "But, yeah, nature is beautiful."

Carlos continued admiring the atmosphere until he felt something on his shoulder. Evie was resting her head on his shoulder. Her eyes were closed. Carlos' heart was pumping through the roof, but he decided to interrupt the moment.

"So, how are things between you and Doug?" asked Carlos.

"Better than ever," answered Evie. "I think we can really pull it off."

"I'm happy for you," said Carlos.

"What about you? Have you and Jane clicked yet?" asked Evie.

"No," answered Carlos.

"Seriously?!" reacted Evie. "You asked her out once, didn't you?"

"Yeah, but... I couldn't make a move," said Carlos.

"Do you like her or not?" asked Evie.

Carlos hesitated for a moment. "I do, but I'm just too..."

"Shy?" interrupted Evie.

"You can say that," responded Carlos.

"That's one of the reasons why you two are perfect for each other. You're both shy, you're both insecure, and you both feel like outsiders. You two need each other," said Evie.

"Well, besides you, she's really the only person I feel like opening myself to," said Carlos. "And... I guess I'm the only one who can make her open herself."

"You need to make a move right now," said Evie. "And I'm gonna help you."

"Do you always have to do this?" asked Carlos.

"I just want you to be happy," said Evie.

"I'm already happy," responded Carlos. "I have a good life here in Auradon. I got over my fear of dogs thanks to Dude, I've made new friends, turned over a new leaf, and the best part, you and I are best friends once again."

"But is that enough for you?" asked Evie. Carlos, again, hesitated, which pretty much answers Evie's question. Evie puts her hand on Carlos' and tells him, "I told you once that I would always be there for you, and I may have broken that promise before, but I'm keeping it now."

Carlos looks at Evie and asks, "What do you propose?"

"Simple. Start planning. Take her somewhere exciting. And above all, be yourself," said Evie.

"You said you were gonna help. What's your part?" asked Carlos.

"First things first, ask her out. If she says yes, I'll do my part," answered Evie.

"And if she says no?" asked Carlos.

"Stop being scared and just ask her out," said Evie.

Meanwhile, Mal is starting her weekend like any other day, sketching, enjoying a strawberry shake, and sitting on a bench in the park. She was sketching Evie and Carlos sitting by the pond. This was because she was staring at them from the distance. Suddenly, her eyes were covered.

"Ben," guessed Mal.

Ben removes his hands from Mal's eyes and sits down next to her. "Spying on them?" he started.

"Hey, at least I'm not trying to fix them together," pointed out Mal. "So what brings you here, your majesty?"

"It's Ben," responded Ben.

"Whatever scratches your back, your highness," said Mal humorously.

"Can you drop the 'Mal' attitude for just a moment, please?" asked Ben politely.

"I'm sorry, what did you say?" continued Mal with her own sense of humor.

"Mal!" said Ben, begging for her to stop.

Mal removes the cover of her shake, drinks it through her mouth, covering her lips with the liquid, and kisses Ben on the cheek, soaking it. Ben immediately wiped off the mess on his cheek.

"Did I do something to upset you?" wondered Ben.

Mal takes a small sip of her shake through the straw and spits it at Ben's eye. Ben wipes his eye clean while Mal continues wearing a smile on her face.

"Is that a yes?" asked Ben.

Mal didn't respond, but continued to smile sadistically. She then pats Ben on his head like a little boy and scoots to sit closer to him. "Relax, Beast Jr., I'm just kidding around."

"By throwing your attitude at me and harassing my flesh with blended ice?" responded Ben.

"Get used to it, my king. As long as I'm your girlfriend, you're gonna have to endure my charming personality," said Mal, while sounding like a diva when she said "charming."

"I wouldn't call massacring one's equal charming," said Ben.

"So, again, what brings you here?" asked Mal again.

"I came to ask you out on a date," answered Ben.

"Where are we going this time?" asked Mal.

"It's a surprise," said Ben.

"Just don't take me somewhere where there's a lake, okay?" said Mal, not wanting to relive the swimming part of their first date.

"I promise," assured Ben.

"Just let me finish here," said Mal. She saw that Evie and Carlos were still sitting by the pond. She finishes her sketching and closes her sketchpad. As she and Ben stood up from the bench, they were unaware that Carlos knew Mal was watching.

"Something wrong?" asked Evie.

"Nothing," lied Carlos.

"Why are you still here?" said Evie.

"'Why am I still here?'" questioned Carlos, confused.

"Go. Find Jane. Ask her out. Now," said Evie.

Back in the Auradon Prep dormitory, Jane was alone in her apartment since Audrey was out either with the cheerleading squad or with Jay, but she wasn't being her usual self when in solitude. She was currently on her laptop researching on chemical compounds, since she is still struggling with chemistry, though Carlos' teaching is helping her get better.

Jane heard a knock on the door. She looks through the peek hole and saw it was Carlos. Jane suddenly felt uneasy knowing his presence. She steadies herself, stands straight, and opens the door.

"Hi, Carlos," greeted Jane.

"Hey, you," greeted Carlos.

"I didn't ask you to come over and help me," started Jane.

"You didn't. I came here to talk to ask you something," said Carlos.

"Well... what?" asked Jane.

"First, can I come in?" asked Carlos.

"Sure," answered Jane. "Audrey's not here so she can't object."

Carlos enters Jane's room and immediately saw what Jane was looking up on her laptop.

"Still having trouble with science, huh?" guessed Carlos.

"But that's not to say you're not helping me improve," said Jane.

Carlos smiled.

"So, what did you want to ask me about?" asked Jane.

"Well, I... uh... was wondering if... if..." Carlos paused.

"If what?" Jane questioned.

"If you would like to, maybe, go out... with me... tonight?" finished Carlos.

"Like... on a date?" asked Jane, surprised.

"Yeah," confirmed Carlos.

Jane is filled with too much surprise that she can't say a word.

"So, what do you say?" asked Carlos.

"Yes," answered Jane.

Sixty seconds later...

"He did what?!" exclaimed Mal.

"Asked me out, yes," confirmed Jane.

"And you just ran all the way here immediately after you said yes?" asked Sofia.

"I was freaking out... on the inside," confessed Jane. "This is the first time someone's asked me out. I don't even know how a date works."

"And you want our help," guessed Sofia.

"Well, normally, when it comes to the snowflake's love life, I'd stay away," said Mal. "But, since I'm the only one here who has been on date, I think I can help you."

"Okay, where do we start?" asked Jane.

Elsewhere, Jay was at the Tourney Field, practicing with Chad and the players who chose to work out on the field on the weekend. There were a few people on the bleachers, but one of them just happens to be the daughter of Sleeping Beauty and Prince Philip.

After practice, Jay met up with Audrey.

"So, why're you here? I thought you'd be hanging with your girls, gossiping and stuff," wondered Jay.

"I came here to see you," said Audrey.

"Why?" asked Jay.

"I said that I would take care of our second date," started Audrey. "I want you to meet my parents."

"Seriously?" reacted Jay. "Wouldn't you, like, want to wait until we're actually in a relationship."

"I'm dating a VK," reminded Audrey. "Now, about what you said, yes, I would, but this time, I want my parent's approval before I get into a relationship."

"I don't blame your parents approving Ben. They know who he is," responded Jay.

"If I can accept you for who you are, maybe they will," said Audrey.

"So when?" asked Jay.

"I asked my parents to send a limo here. It'll be here in a few hours," answered Audrey.

"You're not taking your car?" questioned Jay.

"My car's in the shop," answered Audrey. "Apparently, some boy with snow-covered hair wearing crossbones on the back of his jacket was testing something explosive at the wrong place."

"Carlos," guessed Jay. "Don't be mad at him. He's preparing for Maleficent's return."

"Aren't we all," pointed out Audrey.

"Don't be worried. With my skills, Mal's magic, Evie's brains, and Carlos' techy stuff, we're more than prepared," assured Jay.

"You're awfully cocky for a changed person," responded Audrey.

"I've always been cocky," said Jay. "You know me. I love a little action and adventure in my life."

"I would rather be picking a dress to wear for prom," said Audrey.

"How are we almost dating? We're so different," wondered Jay.

"Ben and Mal are complete opposites, and yet they're in a relationship," reminded Audrey.

"I guess this is that whole 'opposites attract' kind of stuff," said Jay.

"So it would seem," reacted Audrey.

"She said yes?" asked Evie.

"Yeah," answered Carlos. "But then she ran away a second after saying that."

"My guess is she probably wants to hyperventilate somewhere in peace," said Evie. "After all, she always wanted a boyfriend."

"So, I asked her out and she said yes. Now how about your part?" questioned Carlos.

"I'll get to that, but first, where are you taking her?" asked Evie.

Carlos checked for bystanders before whispering into Evie's ear. As soon as he was finished, Evie's mouth was gaping open. She immediately grabs his hand and drags him away. It wasn't long before they were in the men's clothes store.

"So this is your part? Picking for me what to wear?" questioned Carlos.

"This is your first date. You got to have the look," said Evie.

"Okay, but, no offense, you're a girl," pointed out Carlos. "What do you know about men's fashion."

"Trust me," assured Evie.

"Oh no," doubted Carlos.

"Okay, first, how 'bout we loosen the jacket for tonight? Try a new look?" started Evie.

For the next half-hour, Evie has picked out a selective clothes and made Carlos try them out. First, he tried a red T-shirt with black stripes and a pair of jeans, but the jeans were too tight. Next, Carlos tried a red tuxedo, but, for some reason, the material it's made of is making Carlos itch. Next, Carlos tried a polo shirt with different shades of gray and a pair of leather shoes, but they were giving him blisters. Carlos went through more suggestions from Evie, rejecting every one, until she found him the right one.

Carlos tried a black jacket with white features, a pair of jeans less tight than the previous ones, white sneakers, and underneath the jacket was a black T-shirt with a white printing of a dog.

"The jacket's my style, Evie," said Carlos.

"Well, technically, it is a new look," said Evie. "And the dog is a nice choice."

Carlos did a bad-boy pose and Evie smiled in response.

"So, when do you pick her up?" asked Evie.

"5," answered Carlos.

"Well, then that's plenty of time for you to work on... 'being yourself,'" said Evie, putting air quotes on "being yourself."

"Nice to know you're not going to make me act like someone else," responded Carlos.

"Hey, Doug likes me for the real me," mentioned Evie.

She walks closer to Carlos and adjusts his jacket a little bit, trying to make him look more properly-dressed. Little did she know that her face is on inches away from his. Carlos noticed this and turns away.

"Something wrong?" asked Evie.

"Nothing. Just don't want... 'it'... to happen again," explained Carlos.

Evie cups Carlos' face in her hands and makes him look at her in the eye. "Well, if you want 'it' to happen again, we can go another round," she said flirtatiously.

"I'm going on a date!" responded Carlos.

"Kidding!" said Evie. She started laughing a little.

"Is this payback for the time I played this joke?" asked Carlos.

"Not really, just messing around," said Evie.

"Well, let's pay up and go," said Carlos.

In Mal's dormitory, Mal was sitting on her desk trying to think of a dress that would fit Jane, but the latter's constant rambling was getting her nowhere. She tried covering her ears, but it was no use. She then buries her head on her desk.

"What should I wear? What should I say? I don't know if I can do this. What if I mess up and he'll never want to see me again?" rambled Jane.

"Jane!" yelled Mal. "I swear, if you so much as say one, 'one' more word, I am going to do something wicked to your hair. I mean it!"

Jane silenced herself.

"Thank you," said Mal.

"Um..." started Jane.

"Not a word," interrupted Mal.

"Where's Sofia?" asked Jane quickly.

"I..." paused Mal, realizing what Jane said. "She said she was gonna be here at 3, but I don't know where she is now."

Fifteen minutes later, Mal's quiet time was interrupted by a knock on the door.

"It's open," said Mal.

Entering the room is Sofia, a little soaked. "Sorry. Felicia was horseback riding, but the horse was running wild all over town. It startled me and I fell into a well. Don't worry. I'm fine."

"There's a towel in the bathroom," said Mal.

"Thanks," said Sofia.

Sofia emerges from the bathroom dry. She sits down on the bed next to Jane. "So, have you thought of something for Jane to wear?"

"I would if God Mother the Second would stop panicking," answered Mal, clearly still irritated.

"Well, let's see..." started Sofia. "Let's start with the dress. Since it's not a ball or anything, let's just go for a simple dress."

"What color should it be?" asked Jane.

"How 'bout purple?" suggested Mal. The two looked at her. Mal responds by saying, "What? A whole new look isn't bad."

"Fair point," responded Sofia. "Wait, there's something I saw when Audrey took me shopping last week."

"What is it?" asked Jane.

"You'll find out soon," said Sofia. "But first, I was thinking about lending you something of mine."

"What?" asked Mal.

"I'll go over to my room and get it," said Sofia.

"Actually, can I go with you?" asked Mal. She coughed and said, "I'm coming with you."

"You just want to stay away from Jane, don't you?" guessed Sofia.

"Trust me. If you were in my position, you'd know how I feel," said Mal.

Later that day, it was five minutes to five and Carlos was more than ready for his date with Jane. He returns to his room in the dormitory with Dude and found a note on Jay's bed. It says:

"Off to meet Audrey's parents.

-Jay"

Carlos smirked. A part of him hopes Jay makes a fool of himself, but a part of him wishes his friend good luck. Carlos went to the bathroom to look at himself in the mirror, seeing himself in the clothes Evie bought him.

He was really happy that she is doing all this to make him happy. If getting a girlfriend isn't the best thing that happened in his life, it would be the fact that Evie is always there for him no matter what. He knows in his heart who he really desires, but the reason he is doing this is not because he wants to move on, but because he is doing it for Evie. If she believes finding love will make him truly happy, he is willing to give it a try. He takes off the jacket for a moment and takes a real good look at himself in the mirror, trying to truly understand himself because he feels that he doesn't.

A knock on the door was heard. Carlos answers the door and saw Evie.

"Where have you been?!" she started. "It's one minute past five and Jane has been waiting outside for, like, five minutes."

She grabs Carlos by the arm and drags him out of his room. A few seconds later, Evie takes Carlos to the dormitory entrance and saw Jane still standing outside. Carlos was astonished at how Jane looks. She was wearing an purple knee-length dress with a red scarf and her hair was decorated with a jewel-encrusted headband.

"She looks beautiful," said Carlos.

"That's what I told her," said Evie. "As it turns out, you're not the only one who needed dating advice."

"Who did she ask for help?" asked Carlos.

"Mal and Sofia," answered Evie.

"I suppose the purple dress should've been a dead giveaway," remarked Carlos.

Evie immediately fixes Carlos' jacket and adjusts his hair a little.

"Good luck," she said, then gives Carlos a friendly kiss on the cheek.

"Thanks. I needed that," responded Carlos.

Evie shoves Carlos towards Jane and hides behind the door.

"Oh, hey, you're here," greeted Jane. "I was worried you wouldn't show up."

"I guess I was just a little nervous," said Carlos. "This is my first date."

"It's my first date, too," responded Jane.

Ben was on his motorcycle again, taking Mal someplace new for their date. Mal didn't like surprises, but every time Ben did this, she ended up enjoying their time, except, of course, the time Ben's mysterious disappearance in the lake forced Mal to swim.

"We've been on the road for over half an hour, Ben," complained an impatient Mal. "How far is this place?"

"You'll find out," responded Ben.

"Can you at least give me a hint?" asked Mal.

"I used to hang out here with my friends every summer when I was a kid," said Ben.

"If this is some playground, why are you going back now?" asked Mal.

"Just wait and see," responded Ben.

Mal groans and buries her head on Ben's shoulder as she continues waiting. They stopped at a red light. Stopping next to them is car. The car was a convertible and the roof was open, so they can see who is inside. It was Jay and Audrey.

"Where are you guys going?" asked Mal.

"Her parents' house," answered Jay, pointing at Audrey.

"Where are you guys going?" asked Audrey.

"That special summer spot from our childhood," answered Ben.

"Good luck," sassed Audrey, obviously meaning Mal.

"Not out here, Audrey," warned Mal.

"Do you two always have to fight?" questioned Ben.

"Daughter of Sleeping Beauty..." said Audrey, pointing at herself. She points at Mal and finishes with, "... daughter of Maleficent. Do the math."

"One of these days I'm going to do what Carlos did with Mal and Evie with the two of you," said Ben, talking to both girls.

"Good luck with that," responded Jay, obviously doubting the young king's success if he tries.

The green light pops up and both vehicles proceed to their respective destinations. Ten minutes later, Ben stops the motorcycle and dismounts the vehicle. The two have arrived at a playground, but this was no ordinary playground. It was a paradise for little children. The slides, merry-go-rounds, monkey bars, jungle gyms, sandboxes and the rest of the equipment at the playground are absolutely state-of-the-art. Dozens of children are running around, playing, all with smiles on their faces.

"This is amazing," said Mal.

"I had it renovated when I became king," explained Ben.

"So, wait, why are we here?" asked Mal.

Suddenly, a few kids caught the sight of the young king and ran straight towards him.

"Hi, your majesty!" greeted one little girl.

"What are you doing here?" asked a little boy.

"Is that Mal?" asked another little girl.

"Yes, she is," answered Ben. "I came here to show her where I hung out when I was a kid."

"But the place wasn't like this when you were a kid," pointed out Mal. She realized something. "You brought me here for a different reason, didn't you?"

"Can you kids give us a moment, please?" asked Ben. As soon as the kids returned to the playground, Ben looked back at Mal and said, "To be honest, this is both a date and a test. It's a date because it's the two of us spending time together. It's a test because I want to see how you are with kids."

"Ben, the last time I was around kids, I tried to burn them to ashes, literally," reminded Mal. "What makes you think it will be different this time?"

"Because I'll be here by your side," said Ben.

"For you sake, and theirs, I hope you're right," warned Mal, pessimistic.

Ben takes Mal into the playground and kids approached them the second they saw them.

"Okay, okay, one at a time, please," said Ben, trying to calm down the kids. "First of all, I'd like to introduce you to your future queen, Mal."

"I prefer the term 'girlfriend,'" said Mal. "Call me your future queen when you've proposed."

"She's pretty," said one boy.

"Thank you," responded Mal. She noticed that the boy has white hair and wore a junior-sized jacket of Carlos from the VK merchandise. "You look like Carlos."

"Yeah, he's cool," said the boy.

Mal saw a little girl whose hair was blue and wearing a T-shirt with Evie's picture on it. Mal walks up to the girl and pinches both her cheeks playfully, saying, "Aww, look at little Evie."

"Your friend is very beautiful," said the girl.

"Call her 'the fairest in the land' and she'll be your best friend," said Mal, making the girl smile. Mal looked back and saw the smile on Ben's face. "What are you smiling at?"

"I think you know," said Ben.

"Do you wanna play with us?" asked a boy.

"Um..." paused Mal. "I don't know..."

"Aw, c'mon!" "Please!" "Pretty pretty please!" begged the kids.

"Alright," gave in Mal. "But first things first..." Mal grabs Ben by the arm and dragged him with her.

Later, the daughter of Maleficent and the son of Belle and Beast were playing with the kids. They both swung kids on the swing set, helped the little ones climb the monkey bars, and when they were playing in the sandbox, a 4-year-old playfully threw sand at Mal's face, causing her to cough. Instead of bursting into anger, Mal helped him build a sand castle. Ben, who was helping some kids dig out a kid they buried, minus the head, was watching Mal. He was happy that she's finally starting to get along with children.

Ever since visiting the Enchantress, Mal has been acting different. Sure, she was still the same Mal from the Isle of the Lost, but she has been showing more compassion, more selfness, and less maliciousness lately, more or less. Ben was really proud of her. He never had regret inviting her and his friends to Auradon from the start, and he has more than one reason not to have any regrets now.

"Nice to see you having fun," said Ben.

"Nice to see me having fun," said Mal, amusing herself.

"Are you two getting married?" asked a girl.

"Oh, no, we're not," answered Mal. "But someday, we might."

Ben smiled at what she said.

"Do you kids mind if we have a moment?" asked Mal.

Mal takes Ben to a safe distance from the playground so they have a moment with just the two of them.

"Thank you," said Mal.

"For what?" asked Ben.

"For this," said Mal, gesturing to the playground. "I really needed it."

"Well, think about this training for when you actually have one of your own," said Ben.

"So, how did I do?" asked Mal, remembering it was a test.

"If this was a school test, I'd say A," answered Ben.

"No plus?" questioned Mal.

"I'm saving that grade when you get your first born," said Ben.

Mal felt weird talking about this since they're not even married, but she knows that every part in her body would tell her to say yes when he proposes. Their happy ending is inevitable. She doesn't care if her mother's blood is running through her. All she cares about is a future with Ben. Once more, she plants a kiss on Ben's cheek and the king couldn't smile any more than he already has.

"Like that?" asked Mal.

"At least there was no shake on that," quipped Ben.

"Be careful. Next time, it maybe the actual fruit's juices," warned Mal playfully.

After exchanging smiles, the two held hands as the returned to the playground to rejoin the children.

Meanwhile, Jay and Audrey have arrived at the castle Audrey grew up in. They were welcomed inside. Audrey, of course, was the daughter of the owners of the castle, and Jay was a guest. While they were walking their way to the dining room, Audrey decided to ask Jay a question.

"Can I ask you something? Why me?" she asked.

"What are you talking about?" asked Jay, not understanding her question.

"Of all the girls in the world, why me? You're like the kind of guy who can 'have any girl he wants,'" clarified Audrey.

"If I recall correctly, you dragged me to the dance floor on Ben's coronation party," reminded Jay.

"And you decided to abandon flirting with other girls and just grab my attention at any chance?" asked Audrey.

"Well, there's this saying, 'Love works in mysterious ways,'" said Jay. "That is a saying, right?"

"Kind of," responded Audrey.

They arrived at the dining room and they were facing Princess Aurora and Prince Phillip, Audrey's parents.

"Hi, mom. Hi, dad," greeted Audrey as she approached them and gave them a big hug.

"Hi, sweetheart," greeted Phillip.

"We missed you," said Aurora.

"You always say that," said Audrey. "I miss you, too."

As they separated, Audrey grabs Jay by the arm and brings him closer to his parents.

"Mom, dad, this is Jay," introduced Audrey.

"Jay, nice to meet you," said Aurora.

"You too," responded Jay. "Surprised I didn't see you at Family Day last year."

"We had matters to attend to," explained Phillip. "But we got to see our little girl after Ben's coronation."

"So, is he..." Aurora was interrupted when the doors opened again. It was her parents, Queen Leah and King Stefan.

The sight of Audrey made them immediately rush towards her to give her a hug. At first sight of Jay, they felt a little uneasy.

"Grandma, grandpa, this is Jay, son of Jafar," introduced Audrey.

"Yes, we know who he is," responded Queen Leah, clearly not pleased by his presence.

"Be nice, dear," said Stefan. "After all, it's nice to see Audrey find someone special."

Stefan's words put a sheepish smile on Audrey's face.

"Don't worry, grandma, he's 'Jafar's' son, not Maleficent's," said Audrey.

"His friends aren't here, are they?" asked Leah.

"No, just me," answered Jay. "Although Mal can show up in this room like magic if she wants to."

Queen Leah was a little offended by his words. Jay smiled at his attempt to rattle the elderly woman.

"So, shall we sit down and eat?" suggested Audrey, trying to escape the upcoming vocal skirmish.

"So, what's on the menu?" asked Jay.

"You'll love the food, I promise you," responded Aurora.

Jay and Audrey's family sat down and continued to talk until the food arrives. Despite Queen Leah's cautiousness, Audrey was still confident she can get her family to like her new "boyfriend," if that's what he already his.

Elsewhere, Carlos and Jane arrived at their date location. The Falls. In the morning, it may seem like a tourist attraction, but once the clock strikes six, the lights are up and the falls look like a Christmas party.

"Wow," reacted Jane. "I've lived in Auradon all my life and I've never been here."

"Well, I understand why you haven't," said Carlos. "But now you're here. And you look beautiful."

"Thank you," responded Jane, a little embarrassed. "You look great."

"You think so? Because I look pretty much the same," said Carlos.

"You looked like a villain kid, but now you look like a bad boy," said Jane.

"I wish I could take that as a compliment," said Carlos.

"Oh, no, t-t-that's not what I meant..." stuttered Jane.

"No, that's okay. I know what 'bad boy' means," interrupted Carlos.

The two stare at the falls for a while as they continued to talk.

"So, Evie told me you asked for help from Mal and Sofia," started Carlos. "Why?"

"I was... nervous. This is the first time someone's asked me out, and I didn't know how to do it," answered Jane.

"This is my first date, too," said Carlos.

"But you asked me out and that must've took a lot of courage," said Jane. After a brief silence, Jane asks, "Why me?"

Carlos was a little hesitant to tell her the truth, but he opens his mouth and says, "Evie."

"You asked me out because she told you to?" questioned Jane.

"She wants me to be happy," said Carlos.

"You already looked happy," said Jane.

"That's what I said to her," said Carlos. "But, actually, I'm not. I guess the fact that my friends each have found someone special, I kinda wish I had what they had. Love."

"And she thinks I'm the one for you?" questioned Jane.

"We're a lot alike than you think," said Carlos. "She thinks that our similarities is what unites us."

"True," agreed Jane. "But does she have to try and turn our friendship into a relationship?"

"Like I said before, she wants me to be happy," said Carlos again.

"Do you even like me?" asked Jane.

"Do you?" asked Carlos.

Jane didn't speak and turned her attention back to the falls while Carlos didn't say a word.

"She really cares about you, doesn't she?" started Jane.

"More than anyone in this world," said Carlos. "Even Doug."

"Do you usually let her manage your life?" asked Jane.

"I have to be honest, I don't know if I'm even managing my own life," said Carlos. "I chose to be good because my friends did. I asked you out because Evie motivated me. I really don't know how to manage my own life."

"If you didn't choose to be good on your own, then why are even good?" asked Jane.

"Fate. Destiny. Call it whatever you want," said Carlos, uncertain. "I knew I had compassion back in the Isle of the Lost, but that compassion wasn't what turned me to the path of being good."

"Then what did?" asked Jane.

"Evie," answered Carlos. "Ever since we met, I learned what it was like to be close to someone, to care about someone. She put me on the path to turning over a new leaf."

"She defines the person you are," said Jane.

"My own mother turned me into her own personal servant. I never knew I could choose who I want to be," said Carlos.

"Just like Ben said, we all have a choice," said Jane.

"Now, if we're done talking about Evie, can we get back to... 'us?'" asked Carlos.

"Sorry," apologized Jane. "It's just that... you rely on one person to determine who you are. Doesn't it bother you?"

"Not at all," responded Carlos. "I'm still a growing boy. I don't know if I can grow up to the part where I can be the person I want to be, but it's not such a bad thing that Evie makes me who I am. She was the first person who understood me, treated me fairly. I need her."

"That's very touching," said Jane.

"So, enough about me. What about you? If you were shy growing up, how did you meet Ben?" asked Carlos.

"Ben, being all noble and humble as he always is, approached me and we talked. Our friendship developed slowly, especially with the rest of his friends," answered Jane. "But even though I formed bonds with them, I still isolate myself."

"But now you don't care about what you look like, right?" wondered Carlos.

"It's about what's on the inside that matters, not on the outside," said Jane.

"Good girl," responded Carlos.

Jane chuckled a bit, since his response was something said to a pet. "One thing's for sure. You know how to talk to a lady."

"My only friend from my childhood is a girl," reminded Carlos. "I believe I know how to watch my language around one."

Later, a man with an ice cream cart was passing through. This captured the teenagers' attention so they approached the cart and bought some ice cream. Carlos bought, of course, chocolate ice cream while Jane bought blueberry ice cream.

"You sure love chocolate, don't you?" started Jane.

"All I've had in the Isle was rotten fruits and lumpy oatmeal," said Carlos.

"Well, don't eat too much," said Jane.

"Don't worry. I've learned. I exercise pretty much every day," said Carlos.

After finishing their ice cream, Carlos and Jane return to staring at the beauty of the falls at the moonlight. Carlos heard something move in the bushes, but he ignored it and continued enjoying the moment, until something popped in his head. He jumps over the fence and into the shallow water, shocking Jane.

"Carlos, what are you doing?!" yelled Jane.

"Jump in. Come on," said Carlos.

"Are you nuts?" exclaimed Jane.

"Just do it," continued Carlos. "I'll catch you."

After a few seconds of hesitation, Jane jumps over the fence and falls into Carlos' arms. They two locked eyes once more.

"Hi," said Jane.

"Hi," said Carlos back.

Realizing he was holding Jane bridal style, Carlos puts her down and coughs in embarrassment. He grabs Jane's hand and hops on the stones on the water until they reached the shore by the falls.

"Why are we down here?" asked Jane.

"Remember that secret hideout back in the Isle I told you about?" questioned Carlos. Jane nods.

"Well, I made a new one here in Auradon," finished Carlos. "And you're my first guest."

Carlos drags Jane behind the waterfall and the latter was surprised at the sight of Carlos' new hideout. There was a spot for his electronics, a spot for his art supplies, and a spot for sleeping.

"Homey," complimented Jane.

"Thank you," responded Carlos.

"You're in Auradon now. Do you still need a safe house?" wondered Jane.

"You never know when you need one," said Carlos. "Besides, old habits die hard."

"You said I was your first guest. You haven't told Evie or anyone about this?" asked Jane.

"Not yet," confirmed Carlos. "I'll tell them when the time is right."

"And when is the right time?" asked Jane.

"Either if Evie's running away from Mal or if Maleficent is back," said Carlos.

"Smart," said Jane.

"I prefer the term, 'genius,'" said Carlos in a playfully boastful tone.

"Well, between your grades in school and everything I've known about you every time we hang out, I guess you are one," said Jane.

The two sat down and browsed through the internet on Carlos' laptop. They watched funny videos about cats and dogs for about fifteen minutes until they moved to multiplayer online games. Carlos was winning almost all the time and he would brag about it in a playful manner, but Jane didn't mind. She was having fun and that's what matters.

Carlos was actually enjoying himself. His first date was quite a success. He started to think that maybe working things out with Jane will turn out just fine. His heart still aches for a certain blue-haired narcissist, but he was actually beginning to develop feelings for the daughter of Fairy God Mother. It would hurt him to move on, but he is willing to give it a try, to be truly happy, and to make Jane happy.

A few hours later, the two left the hideout, getting wet from the falls again, and returned to the top of the bridge. Instead of drying themselves, they decided to walk back to Auradon Prep soaked. They would just tell everyone that they fell into the water by accident.

"So, what do you think of your first date?" started Carlos.

"Amazing," answered Jane. "Thank you."

"So... would you like to go on a second date?" asked Carlos.

"Of course I would," said Jane.

Carlos smiled.

"You look happy," pointed out Jane.

"I know," said Carlos. "I'm actually surprised of myself."

"Don't I make you happy?" wondered Jane.

"Of course you do," assured Carlos. "I guess I just never thought that going a date would make me feel like this."

"Is it because Evie made you?" asked Jane.

"I guess," answered Carlos. "But don't worry. I had fun."

Later that evening, they returned to the school dormitory, still soaked, though. Carlos takes Jane back to her room, but before he leaves, he gives her a kiss on the cheek. As soon as Carlos left, Jane touched the cheek he kissed and felt a little frozen. A boy actually kissed her. She feels like she was dreaming. She actually pinches herself on the arm to see if she is. She isn't.

Carlos was still walking back to his room until he turned around a corner. Out of Jane's sight, Carlos silently cheers and pumps his fist. The rest of his walk back to his room was full of dancing. When he came back to his room, he saw Evie standing out the door.

"So, how'd it go?" asked Evie.

"I think you would know," said Carlos.

"What's that supposed to mean?" asked an innocent Evie.

"I heard someone in the bushes," said Carlos. "You were watching us."

"How would you know?" Evie continued to act innocent.

"Part of your hair is still soaked," pointed out Carlos.

"I took a shower," defended Evie.

"Then how do you explain this?" Carlos takes out a mirror from his pocket.

"That could be anyone's mirror," continued Evie.

"Mirror, mirror, find a who, who is the one hiding in the blue?" chanted Carlos. He turns the mirror around and showed Evie what the mirror is projecting. It was Evie hiding behind a bush, spying on Carlos and Jane.

"Sorry," apologized Evie.

"Let me guess, you dropped your mirror when you followed us to the hideout?" asked Carlos.

"Yup," confirmed Evie. "You're not mad?"

"How can I be mad at you? You're my best friend," said Carlos.

Carlos gives Evie her mirror back. Evie catches Carlos staring at her. "What?" she uttered.

"Thank you," said Carlos. "You know, for everything."

"I just want you to be happy," said Evie again.

"And I am," said Carlos.

Carlos pulls Evie into a hug and the latter returns it. The two didn't let go of each other until they realized it was getting awkward. They retreated and they both coughed in embarrassment. They looked at each other again and exchanged smiles.

"So, do you want me to take you to the hideout tomorrow?" offered Carlos.

"Another time, perhaps," responded Evie.

"Well, good night," said Carlos.

"Good night," said Evie as Carlos left.

Evie was really happy to see Carlos happy. She knew all he wanted was love and from the look of things, she's helping him get it. She started wondering if she and Doug might actually double date with Carlos and Jane. She suggested it before, only for Carlos to decline it. She decided to cast aside all these thoughts and turn in for the night.

Longest chapter up to date. I'm surprised I went this far. Anyways, I hope you all love it. Again, leave a review. Please.