***Author's Note: minor tw for eating disorders***

"How do you determine if you are successful?"

Well. This was a fun way to start class the day before getting their midterms back. How badly did they all do to bring up this topic? Beside him, Mal rolled her eyes.

Someone else was thinking along the same lines apparently, because they said, "When you pass a class."

A few other students ducked their heads, laughing. Professor Mcguire even gave a small smile. "Ah," he said. "But is there a difference between passing with a C versus passing with an A?"

That was a dumbass question. Of course there was a difference between them. There had to be because otherwise there was no point in having different grades.

"Of course there's a difference," one boy said.

"If there wasn't a difference then you could only pass or fail and there wouldn't be different grades," another student pointed out.

It was weird being on the same page as the rest of the class. Jay glanced at Mal and she shrugged, just as weirded out as he was.

"Why is that? Both grades are considered passing. What separates them?"

"Getting an A means you worked harder and understood the material better than someone who got a C," Audrey said.

"Then why doesn't everyone try to get an A?" Professor Mcguire asked. "Why are some people satisfied with earning a lower passing grade?" When no one answered, he walked over to the chalkboard and picked up a piece of chalk. "The reason is that everyone's definition of success is different. For some of you it's getting an A." Glancing over his shoulder, he added, "For others, it's simply passing." Once again writing on the board, he continued, "The grade you want is an example of a standard you may hold yourself to. Everything from your hygiene to your clothes to your friends to your behavior are standards. It's important to explore what standards you hold yourself to and where those standards come from. That is our topic for the day and for your homework, I want you to tell me three standards you hold yourself to, why they're important, and where they came from."

As the rest of the class kept talking, Jay stared out the , huh? Those weren't something he ever really had to worry about. At least on the Isle. He easily met his standard there. Not like the rest of his pack.

Out of the corner of his eye, he watched Mal lounge further back in her seat, arms crossed tightly over her chest, while Evie snuck her mirror from her bag and checked her reflection. Both of them had such high expectations it was impossible for them to meet them, even if they refused to believe it. Mal would never be her mother. Evie would never be perfect enough.

For years, he watched Maleficent lecture and punish Mal for failing a task or not being cruel enough. And Mal threw herself into every lesson. She learned how to brutally kill any adult who got in her way. Their territory expanded, chasing out the other gangs or forcing them to offer tribute once a month. But even when they had the entire main "town" under their control, Maleficent wasn't satisfied.

For years he watched Evie obsess over any and every imperfection even if he couldn't see it. She washed her skin raw. Practiced her makeup for hours in front of the single cracked mirror tucked away in the back of their hideout. There were times when she was so thin he could almost count her ribs. Even though she was the most beautiful girl on the Isle. The girl others fought over just for a chance of having her acknowledge them.

Then there was Carlos. Their pup who not only struggled to meet Cruella's standards but held himself to even more. He never told them about it. Jay wasn't even sure Carlos knew he was doing it sometimes. But Jay could see it.

Carlos never asked for help unless he had already tried and failed to do it on his own. And he did everything he could to avoid doing or saying anything that was even remotely similar to his mother.

Auradon hadn't changed much for them. The only new standard for all of them was trying not to be sent back to the Isle, but none of them even knew how to meet that standard.

As for him, the only standard he really had to worry about was whether or not he could protect his pack. And here in Auradon, he wasn't exactly meeting that standard. He couldn't beat Lonnie yet–maybe that was a standard too?-which meant he couldn't beat anyone on her level or higher. Which was everyone with the power to send them back.

Fists curling under the desk, Jay grit his teeth.

He was working on it. And he was improving.

But not fast enough. If he couldn't reach at least Lonnie's level, then more people were going to challenge them like with the picnic. And if that happened and that person was stronger than him, his pack would get hurt.

How was he supposed to do that? He had class every day. Trained with Lonnie or Ben whenever they had free time. There wasn't anyone else he could train with. Asking the Coach wasn't really an option. Exposing his weakness to an adult capable of getting him or his pack in trouble was dangerous…

So why the hell was he even considering it?!

By the time class ended, he could barely sit still. He needed to do something. Something that could help him improve. Something to burn off this energy.

"Jay?" Carlos asked, appearing at his side with a faint frown.

"Fine, Los," he growled.

Immediately their pup's frown deepened. Before he could say anything though, Jay went on ahead. The last thing he wanted was to talk about it. Yeah, his pack knew he wasn't able to beat Lonnie–fucking Chad went and spread the word that Lonnie beat him constantly in class and after that there was no hiding it–but that didn't mean he liked it.

Joining Mal, he let his hand brush against her ass. Her grey eyes met his and, after a moment of studying him, she nodded. "E, Los," she called. "Jay and I feel like 'studying'."

"We'll be in the library," Evie said.