The Date, Part One

On Saturday, November 16 around 8:30 A.M.…..

"Oh my goodness, I can't believe my sweet little boy is growing up!" Mulan gushed as she wiped a tear from the corner of her left eye. "It was just yesterday I held you in my arms and now…you're all grown!" She sniffed.

Li'l Shang chuckled softly as he watched his mother becoming emotional through the video chat on his phone. And speaking of the phone, before his mother video-called him, she bombarded him with birthday messages and gifs on FairyApp early this morning. Li'l Shang couldn't help but chuckle at his mother's gesture.

"Okay, Mom, calm down, you don't have to get emotional," he told her, laughing softly. "You do this every year on my birthday."

Today, November 16th was Li'l Shang's birthday as he turned 17 years old. He was the youngest one in Anxelin's friend group with Anxelin born in early April, Herkie born in mid-May, Tyrone born in late May (he and his sister were supposed to be born in July but ended up arriving two months early) and Aziz born in mid-August.

Also, today was the day that Li'l was going to take Jamilah out on a fun date, making his birthday even more special.

"Oh shush, Li'l, let me get emotional," Mulan told her son playfully while Shang laughed in the background. "Too bad there's no magic in Auradon, otherwise I'd ask Genie if I could wish my hands could go through the screen and pinch your cheeks."

"Mom, no! That would be embarrassing and Dad, tell Mom to stop embarrassing me," it sounds as if Li'l was begging his father.

But unfortunately for the boy, Shang shook his head and laughed.

"No can do, Son. This is your mother we're dealing with here," Shang replied. "Let her get emotional."

"What!" Li'l Shang exclaimed.

"Yay, I won! And I meant what I said, Li'l," Mulan told her eldest son firmly but playfully. "I would pinch your cheeks through the phone if Genie had his powers."

"You just love to torture me, huh?" Li'l Shang said playfully and raised a brow.

"Oh shush, you're just being dramatic. Anyways, I sent down a birthday cake for you and Lonnie is gonna pick it up if she hasn't already."

"Oh! Thank you, Mom!" Li'l Shang told his mother, sounding grateful.

"You're welcome, Sweetie and we don't wanna hold you up so happy birthday Li'l and we hope you have a wonderful day! We love you!"

Li'l Shang felt his heart touched and replied, "Aw, thanks Mom! I love you guys too!"

Afterwards Li'l Shang told his parents goodbye before he ended the video call and placed his phone on the small lamp stand beside his bed.

Shortly after, Shang heard a soft knock on the door.

"Come in," Shang called as he sat up in his bed.

Just then, the door bursts open as Anxelin, Tyrone, Herkie and Aziz enter the dorm with Anxelin in front of the boys holding Shang's birthday cake.

"Happy birthday, Shang!" They chorused.

There was a huge smile splitting Shang's face as he sat up in bed.

"Aw thanks guys!" Shang replied, sounding grateful.

Herkie then moved from behind Anxelin and went over to Shang to give him a headlock while he ruffled his already messy wolfcut hair.

"Happy birthday, Li'l Shorty," Herkie said and the others laughed, especially at Shang's features.

"Herk, careful," Anxelin lightly warned. "Mind you send Shang to the hospital for this birthday."

"Eh, you don't have to remind me, Anxelin," Herkie said. "It's not like I'm tightening the headlock," he then released Shang from his headlock, causing Shang to cough lightly.

Herkie lets out a small chuckle. "Hehe, sorry."

Anxelin saw this and shook her head in amusement as she placed the birthday cake on the small table in front of Aziz's bed(Shang and Aziz are roommates) and lifted up the box lid, revealing a medium sized mint chocolate cake which was baked by Mulan.

"Lonnie gave me the cake not too long ago as she was gonna wash her hair. Just to let you know," Anxelin told Shang and he nodded in understanding.

"Wow," Tyrone looked amused. "Aunt Mulan did an excellent job baking your cake, Shang!"

Shang nodded. "Mhm. Thanks to Aunt Tiana, Aunt Cinderella and Aunt Snow, Mom was able to cook effortlessly," he winked at the prince of Maldonia/New Orleans.

Shortly after, Shang gets a knife from the kitchen and comes back to the dorm to cut the cake into small pieces and share them with his friends and save the rest for later. They all thanked him and took a bite into the cake.

After they were done eating, Anxelin looked straight into Shang's eyes and asked, "Are you ready for today?"

As he heard that question from the goth, Shang flinched slightly. While he may be excited for his first date, he was also nervous.

Shang bit his bottom lip and responded. "Well, yeah. It's just that I'm a little nervous."

Aziz waved his hand. "Don't be. Just relax and be a normal person."

Despite what his family was going through in terms of Jay and his stubbornness, this puts a smile on Aziz's face as he saw his best friend dating his baby sister. Aziz thought that they belonged to each other. And they definitely do.

"Yeah, like Az said," Herkie joined in as he folded his arms across his broad chest. "Just relax and fun! You shouldn't be nervous as you're used to Jamie for several months now."

"Agreed," Anxelin and Tyrone chorused before they exchanged looks with a chuckle.

Hearing his friends encouraging him and prepping him up for his date, there was a small smile on Shang's face.

"I'll try my best," he told them softly with surety in his voice.

Herkie gave Shang a thumbs up. "Break a leg, kid."

Shang shook his head in amusement and chuckled lightly before he cut another small slice of cake and took a bite. He hummed as the mint and chocolate flavors melted on his taste buds.

….

In the afternoon, closer to the time that Shang had scheduled…

"Are you ready for your date, Sweetie?" Nina asked as she was finished combing Jamilah's long raven locks before she rested her chin on her friend's shoulder and looked in the mirror with her.

There was a gentle smile plastered on Jamilah's face. "Yeah, but I'm nervous as this was my first date in over a year."

Nina nodded in understanding. "I see where you're coming from but don't have to be a bundle of nerves, Love," she then lifted her chin from Jamilah's shoulder and straightened her posture as the Agrabah princess turned around in her chair to stare at her best friend. "You're in good hands with Shang as he's a green flag."

"Green flag?" Jamilah questioned, and arched a brow.

And Nina shrugged slightly. "Ya know, genuinely sweet, caring, has a pure heart/heart of gold. A golden retriever type."

"Oh, you're right," Jamilah said, blushing intensely as she looked down and began to fumble with the hem of her short, orange dress. "Shang is an embodiment of a golden retriever."

"And you're the embodiment of a tigress," Nina covered her mouth and giggled. "You're determined, fierce, headstrong, focused but you're downright stubborn," Nina proceeded to roll her light brown eyes.

Hearing this from her best friend/roommate, Jamilah furrowed her brows and exclaimed, "Hey!"

"It's true, Darling. You are stubborn like your mother."

Jamilah huffed as she pouted and folded her arms.

"You sound like my Dad," she grumbled.

Nina giggled again.

"It's true, Jamie and you can't get away or deny it," the daughter of Tiana said, tilting her head slightly. "But, you're also playful, loyal and as much as you don't want to admit it, you're affectionate to people you truly care about. Like Shang. It's printed all over you."

A smile started to form on Jamilah's face. "Thank you, that's much better."

Nina rolled eyes again and shook her head in amusement. "Mhm. Now get up and lemme see your outfit!"

Jamilah obliged.

"Great!" Nina clasped her hands and brought it to her chest. "Now twirl for me to see your look."

Jamilah nodded and began to twirl, the hem of her dress started to flow gently in the air slightly. The way Jamilah twirled, it was mesmerizing, captivating even, at least to Nina.

Nina breathed. "Wow."

When Jamilah stopped twirling, she stood in front of Nina and shook her head slightly as her head throbbed a little. "Well, what do you think?"

"I think you look stunning, Jamie," Nina complimented candidly.

"Aw, thanks! Though it's just a simple orange dress with a pair of slip-on shoes."

"You still look gorgeous, Love," Nina gave her best friend a smile. "If I wasn't dating Aziz and was a guy, I'd totally date you." She winked.

Jamilah was utterly taken aback by her friend's words with her brown eyes widened. "Eh?"

"It was a joke," Nina assured her, and she heard Jamilah heave a sigh of relief. "But still, Shang would be blown away by your looks."

Jamilah blushed. "I-thank you," she stammered.

The curly haired gave Jamilah a small smile.

Just then, both girls heard a soft knock on the door. Jamilah turned her head towards the door as Nina smirked.

"Right on time," Nina said, grinning.

Jamilah felt her heart skip a beat for a nanosecond. Oh! That must be Shang! I wonder what he thought about my look. Gosh, I'm so nervous, Jamilah thought.

So, the Agrabah princess turned around and was about to walk towards the door when Nina beat her to it.

"I'll get it!" Nina assured her friend as she turned the knob and opened the door, revealing Shang standing in front of her with his hand behind his head.

Nina's eyes widened. "Whoa, um hey Shang!" She began to eye him up and down. "You look just like Hyunjin from one of my favorite boy bands with a half up, half down hairstyle."

Shang flushed. "Hey, Nina and uh thanks. This hairstyle wasn't intentional."

Nina hummed in understanding. "I get it and also, happy birthday," she gave him a playful punch to his stomach, causing Shang to laugh softly.

"Why thank you, Nina."

As she heard her best friend telling her date happy birthday, Jamilah looked over Nina's shoulder in shock. She had no idea that today was Shang's birthday. Her cheeks flushed in embarrassment.

And Nina could sense that.

"Well, like how my greetings with you are done," Nina said. "Here's your damsel," Nina moved to the side of the door so that Jamilah could step forward.

When Jamilah saw Shang, her eyes widened in shock.

Like Jamilah, Shang dressed pretty simply wearing a varsity jacket with a dark shirt underneath, a pair of loose pants, and a pair of slip-on sneakers. But Jamilah must admit, at least internally, that Shang was very handsome.

The young princess's cheeks turned tomato red. "Hey Shang, um…" she paused. "Nice look."

Shang chuckled lightly. "I-thank you! I should say the same thing about you too. You look…." he trailed off, unable to find descriptive words for a moment. "You look good." He internally cringed.

Upon hearing this, Nina from the side rolled her eyes and mentally facepalmed. Oh God, Shang! Don't be embarrassing! She thought.

Jamilah stifled a chuckle. "Thanks Shang."

Then the two began to stare at each other for a few moments, awkwardly and unsure what to say next.

Nina who was watching this smothered a groan. Don't tell me they're having a staring contest? Aahh! She thought.

Before anyone could say a word, Nina had already been beside Jamilah and gave her mini bag and broke the silence. "I know the staring contest is cute and all but you two need to go now as time is running out." The curly haired girl pointed to the watch on her left hand before she pushed Jamilah closer to Shang causing her to let out a tiny squeak, and Nina said to them, "You two kids have fun!" She waved after them before closing the door in front of them. Jamilah slightly flinched.

It didn't take long for the two teens to register what had just happened and when they realized, Shang shook his head in amusement.

"Nina really couldn't wait for us to leave, huh?" Jamilah said with a sigh as she took a step back from Shang.

Shang chuckled softly. "I guess. But she's right though, time is running out so we better go now."

Jamilah nodded as Shang offered his hand and she happily accepted it and left shortly after.

Once the teens left, Nina cracked the door open and saw that Jamilah and Shang were gone. She then closed the door behind her, slid on the floor and took out her phone and turned it on.

There was a message from the group chat on FairyApp.

Nina hummed as she put in her password and opened her phone before going into the app to check on her message.

It was from her boyfriend, Aziz.

Aziz: R they gone yet?

Nina scoffed and rolled her eyes as she shoot her boyfriend a reply.

Nina: They just left

Aziz: Just now? I thought they were gone?

Just then, Ruby, Anxelin's younger sister entered the conversation.

Ruby: Jamie and Shang just left? What took them so long?

Again, Nina rolled her eyes.

Nina: They were too chicken and had a staring contest. Heck, Shang even told Jamie that she 'looked good'! He's just as awkward as his dad!

Aziz: good grief, they belonged to each other.

Ruby: same

Nina: 3rd

After she was done texting Ruby and Aziz, Nina leaned her head against the door and sighed softly. Despite her best friend being awkward towards her date, Nina hoped all things went well between Jamilah and Shang in regards to their date.

AN: This chapter was very long so I had split it in half lol. I cannot write chapters too long or else I'd go crazy!

Anyways, please like and review! :D