Mal obstructed her way. “Don’t go!”
Jane froze.
“I guess…I was just kind of hoping to make a friend,” said Mal, putting on her most vulnerable voice. “You probably have all the friends you need, though, huh?”
“Hardly,” said Jane.
Mal made herself sound surprised. “Really? I mean, with your mom being Fairy Godmother and headmistress. I mean, not to mention your own, um, I mean, your own”—she looked Jane up and down—“personality!” She giggled kindly.
“I’d rather be pretty,” said Jane. “You’ve got great hair!”
Mal stroked her purple locks. “You know what? I have just the thing for that.” She lifted her spell book and turned through the pages. “It’s right…here!” She read from the page. “Beware, forswear, replace the old with brand-new hair.”
With a few waves of Mal’s finger, Jane suddenly had long, beautiful wavy brown locks. Jane gasped in delight as she studied her new do in the mirror.
“Wow! You almost don’t notice your…other features anymore!” said Mal.
“Do my nose!” said Jane, turning to face her with a huge smile on her face.
“Oh, I can’t. I wish I could,” said Mal. “I’ve been practicing, but you know, I can’t do really big magic. Not like your mom! With her wand! I mean, one swoosh from that thing and you could probably have whatever features you wanted.”
Jane frowned. “She doesn’t use the wand anymore. She believes the real magic is in books. And not the spell books. Regular books with history and stuff.”
Mal laughed. “What a rip,” she said. “You know, she used magic on Cinderella, who wasn’t even her real daughter. Doesn’t she love you?”
“Of course she does. It’s just, you know, tough love,” said Jane. “Work on the inside, not the outside. You know, that sort of thing…” She trailed off, looking sad.
“That’s the face!” said Mal, pointing at Jane’s sad expression. “Yeah! And then just look as if your heart is about to break.” She pouted her lips and altered her voice to sound more like Jane. “Oh, Mother, I just don’t understand why you can’t make me beautiful, too.” Her face broke into a grin.
“Think it would work?” asked Jane, blinking and smiling.
“Yeah! I mean, that’s what old Cindy did. And your mother Bibbidi-Bobbidi-ed the living daylights out of her!” said Mal.
Jane laughed.
Mal’s eyes flashed. “And, hey! If your mom does decide to break out the old wand…invite me! I just think it would be so…inspirational.”
Jane smiled. “If I can convince Mom, you’re so there!”
“Yay!” said Mal, clapping.
Jane took her purse and left the bathroom. “Bye,” she said.
Mal smiled, pleased with herself. “Bye,” she said.
JANE MAY BE MORE USEFUL TO US THAN I FIRST THOUGHT. HELLO, PLAN B!
ALSO, I LIKED HER SHORT HAIR BETTER. JUST SAYING.
In chemistry class, Evie sat next to Doug and stared longingly at Chad.
Across the lab bench, beyond the tubing, clamps, pipettes, and steaming beakers, Chad was bathed in his own golden light. Evie couldn’t stop gazing at him. Chad tried to see what his lab partner was writing so he could copy the notes down.
The chemistry teacher, Mr. Delay, scribbled a formula on the chalkboard.
“Any chance he’s in line for a throne?” Evie asked Doug. “Anywhere in line?”
“Chad. Prince Charming Jr., Cinderella’s son,” said Doug.
Evie turned and looked at Doug, then back at Chad.
“Chad inherited the charm, but not a lot of there there,” said Doug. “Know what I mean?”
Evie rested her head on her hand. “Looks like there there to me,” she said.
“Evie!” said Mr. Delay. “Perhaps this is just review for you. So tell me, what is the average atomic weight of silver?”
Evie stared at him blankly. “Atomic weight?” she said. “Uh…well…not very much. I mean, it’s an atom, right?” She smiled and let out a laugh.
Chad laughed, too.
Mr. Delay beckoned her forth.
Evie pocketed her mirror and strolled confidently up to the chalkboard. “Let’s see.” She took the chalk from the teacher, stealthily removing her mirror and speaking down into it. “How do I find the average atomic weight of silver?” She glanced at her mirror, hidden at her side, and it revealed the whole long calculation of the answer, which she copied onto the chalkboard. “That would be 106.905 times .5200 plus 108.905 times .4800, which, Mr. Delay, would give us 107.9 amu.” She smiled.
Chad, impressed, copied her calculation into his lab notebook.
Doug looked at Evie curiously. “Amu?” he mouthed to himself.
“It was a mistake to underestimate—” said Mr. Delay.
Evie spun around in a circle, whipping the teacher with her long blue-black locks. “A villain?” she said, smiling. “Don’t make it again.” She threw him the chalk and flounced back toward her seat. As she passed Chad, he slipped her a note and ogled her. When Evie sat down, she opened the note. It read MEET ME UNDER THE BLEACHERS AT 3. She looked up at Chad and nodded at him. He rested his head on his hand, and Evie did the same. They locked eyes and shared a dreamy, longing look.
Doug rested his head on his hand, too, and frowned.
On the grassy tourney field, Ben stood with a stopwatch, facing Carlos.
“Okay, Carlos,” said Ben. “We’re gonna do some sprints. Ready?”
Carlos, who was kneeling a good distance away, nodded at him.
A little dog came out of nowhere, barking, and began to chase Carlos, who took off. Carlos sped toward Ben, then past him, screaming in terror. “Ahhh!”
Ben clicked his watch. “Sweet!” Then he realized Carlos was being chased.
Carlos kept running. He ran into the woods, the dog hot on his heels. He hopped partway up a tree, and the dog stood at its base, watching him. “No! Stop!” he shouted, terrified.
The scruffy rust-colored dog looked up at him with wide imploring eyes.
“Carlos!” Ben called.
“Ben! Ben? Ben, help me!” Carlos shouted as Ben appeared. “This thing is a killer! He’s gonna chase me down and rip out my throat! This is a vicious rabid pack animal!”
“Hey, who told you that?” asked Ben, lifting the little dog.
“My mother,” said Carlos.
“Cruella?” asked Ben.
“She’s a dog expert. A ‘dog yellerer,’” said Carlos.
Ben’s face broke into a smile.
“Why are you holding him? He’s gonna attack you!” said Carlos.
“Carlos, you’ve never actually met a dog, have you?” said Ben.
“Of course not,” said Carlos.
“Dude, meet Carlos. Carlos, this is Dude. He’s the campus mutt,” said Ben.
“He doesn’t look like a rabid pack animal,” said Carlos, stepping down from the tree. “Geez, it’s kind of like looking into a mirror.” Carlos spoke to Dude. “I bet you’re used to being kicked around, right?” Carlos scratched Dude’s head and smiled.
Ben smiled, too, and passed Dude over to Carlos.
“You’re a good boy,” said Carlos, laughing and rubbing Dude’s belly.
Ben’s smile faded. “I guess you guys have it pretty rough on the island,” he said.
“Yeah,” said Carlos. “Let’s just say we don’t get a lot of belly rubs.”
Ben unconsciously patted Carlos on the shoulder. “Good boy,” he said. He caught himself. “I mean, you’re a good runner. You’re fast.”
Carlos smiled. “Thank you.”
“Yeah,” said Ben. “Listen, I’m gonna give you guys some space. You guys get to know each other and just come find me when you’re done, okay?” Ben started to walk away, back toward the tourney field.
“Okay,” said Carlos.
“See you later,” said Ben.
“See you out there,” said Carlos.
Once Ben had disappeared
down the trail, Carlos sat down on a log with Dude on his lap. He scratched the dog’s side. Dude licked him playfully on the nose.
“Oh!” said Carlos, glad he’d made a new friend. “Thank you!”
Chad led Evie under the bleachers and they stood facing each other.
“Is everybody at home as pretty as you?” Chad asked her, shouldering a huge tan backpack.
Evie looked down at her shoes and blushed. “I like to think I’m the fairest of them all.” She batted her eyelashes and laughed. “How many rooms in your castle?”
Chad smiled. “Too many to count.”
Evie leaned in to kiss Chad. He leaned in, too, but he stopped abruptly.
Evie smooched air.
“You really nailed that chemistry problem today!” he said. “You’re going to have all the nerds in love with you.” He laughed.
“I’m not that smart!” said Evie.
“Oh, come on,” said Chad.
“No, really! I’m not. But I’m really good at sewing and cooking and cleaning. You know, like your mother, Cinderella. Without the ratty dress,” she said. She took the mirror out of her purse. “See this? If I ask it where something is, it tells me.”
“Are you kidding me?” asked Chad, snatching it from her hand. He spoke into the mirror with a hardened, demanding voice. “Where’s my cell phone?” he barked.
“It won’t work for you, silly.” Evie laughed.
“No biggie,” said Chad, handing it back to her and resuming his charming act. “My dad will just get me a new one.”
“Prince Charming,” said Evie dreamily.
“Yeah,” said Chad, smiling.
“And Cinderella,” said Evie.
“Yeah,” said Chad.
“Fairy Godmother.” She took Chad’s hands in hers. “Hey, I heard her wand is in some boring museum. Do they always leave it there?” She looked deeply into his eyes and leaned forward as if she were about to kiss him.
He started to lean in again but stopped once more. “I’d really like to talk, but”—he turned away dramatically—“I’m just swamped!” he said. “Unless…” He turned back to face her.
“Unless?” asked Evie with a smile.
“If you could knock all my homework out along with yours, then maybe we could get together sometime and…hang.” His eyebrows jumped. He took off his backpack and handed it to her.
“Okay,” she said breathily, taking it.
“Thanks, babe,” he said, winking at her. He walked off.
“Bye,” said Evie dreamily, waving.
Suddenly, Doug’s face appeared between the seats of the bleachers.
“I couldn’t help but overhear—”
“Are you stalking me?” Evie said.
“Technically…yes,” said Doug. “I, too, have a fascination with Fairy Godmother’s wand.” He climbed down from the bleachers and stood in front of Evie. “Which is another reason I look forward to the coronation. Perhaps we could sit next to each other and discuss its attributes.” His voice cracked.
“Are you saying they use it in the coronation?” asked Evie, resting a finger on Doug’s chest right below his green bow tie.
“Yes,” said Doug. Then he added, “And asking you out.”
Evie laughed in his face flirtatiously and walked away, ignoring his request for a date.
Doug, enchanted, watched as Evie strutted back to the dorms.
IT’S TIME TO GIVE THIS PLAID PREPPY SCHOOL A SERIOUS BAD-GIRL MAKEOVER.
In Mal and Evie’s dorm room, Jane and Mal spoke as Evie sewed on her machine.
The sun shone into the room and fell across Mal’s sketchbook. She was lying on her bed, shading in a drawing of Beast as Jane stood clutching the bedpost.
“Mom said, ‘If a boy can’t see the beauty within, then he’s not worth it,’” Jane mimicked in a singsong voice. “Can you believe it? What world does she live in?” She stomped angrily across the room.
Mal snickered. “Auradon?” she muttered.
Evie held up the dress she’d been sewing. “Mal? Do you like?”
Mal looked up. “Yeah. It’s cute. It brings out your eyes,” she said.
“I know,” said Evie, smiling. She started to sew again.
“I’ll never get a boyfriend,” Jane said. She flopped down on Evie’s bed.
“Boyfriends are overrated,” Mal said.
“And how would you know, Mal?” said Evie. “You’ve never had one.”
“It’s ’cause I don’t need one, E,” said Mal. “They’re a waste of time.”
Evie gasped. “I forgot to do Chad’s homework!” she said. She stood up. “Oh, no. Oh, no, no, no, no!” She grabbed Chad’s backpack and sat again at her sewing desk.
Mal said, “And that is exactly what I mean.”
There was a knock on the door and a girl stepped into the room. She wore a pink floral shirt with a pink sash and a short teal skirt. She sported a short bob hairstyle with bangs. “Hey, guys! I’m Lonnie!” the girl said brightly. She eyed Mal and Evie. “My mom’s Mulan…?”
They gave her blank stares. Evie took a binder out of Chad’s backpack.
“No? Anyways!” said Lonnie. “I love what you’ve done with Jane’s hair. And I know you hate us. And, well, you’re evil.…But do you think you could do mine?” She touched her bob.
Mal scoffed. “Why would I do that for you?” she asked.
“I’ll pay you fifty dollars,” said Lonnie, holding out a silk bag of money.
“Good answer,” said Evie, taking the bag and standing. “I need to buy more material.” She squinted at Lonnie. “Let’s see. I’m thinking we lose the bangs…maybe some layers…and some highlights!”
“Um…no, no. I want it cool,” said Lonnie. “Like Mal’s!”
Mal looked at Lonnie with her jaw dropped.
Evie laughed. “Really?” she said. “The split ends, too?”
Mal rolled her eyes and let out an exasperated breath. She put down her pencil, got up, and opened her spell book. “Okay…” she said, flipping through it. She smiled at Lonnie. “Beware, forswear, replace the old with cool hair,” she said. With a few swipes of Mal’s finger, Lonnie’s bob transformed into long, soft brown locks.
Lonnie checked herself out in the mirror and frowned.
“I know, I know,” said Evie, going over to her. “It looks like a mop on your head. Let’s cut it off, layer it—”
“No, no, no, no, no!” said Lonnie. “I love it.” She smiled.
“You do,” said Evie.
“It’s just…” She ripped her skirt up the side. “Now I’m cool,” she said.
“Like ice,” said Mal, flashing her a smile.
And with that, a little friendship was born.
Jane looked between the two and ripped her skirt up the side, too. She instantly gasped. “What did I just do?” Jane said. “Mom’s gonna kill me!”
Jay and Coach Jenkins were seated on the bleachers, looking at the rule book.
“I could really use a tough guy like you,” said Coach Jenkins. He looked very official in a yellow tourney hat, a blue vest, and a pale yellow T-shirt. There was a jersey slung over his shoulder. “The team’s a bunch of princes, if you know what I mean,” he added.
“You’re telling me,” said Jay, closing the rule book. “It’s all ‘After you, old chum. Oh, pardon me, did I bump you?’”
Coach chuckled.
“Where I come from, it’s ‘Prepare to die, sucker!’” Jay threw down the rule book and stood up. “As my father says, the only way to win is to make sure everyone else loses! You rip—”
“Jay,” Coach said. He stood up. “Jay! Jay, Jay, Jay. Let me explain a ‘team.’” He guided Jay to sit back down on the bleachers with him. “It’s like a family,” Coach said.
“You do not want to be at my house at dinnertime,” said Jay.
Coach nodded. “Okay, okay,” he said. “You know how a body has a lot of different parts? Legs, elbows, ears. But they all need each other.
Well, that’s what a team is—different players who work together to win. Make any sense?”
Jay looked thoughtful. “Can I be the fist?” He made a fist.
Coach laughed. He took the jersey off his shoulder and held it out to Jay.
It was blue and had Jay’s name and the number eight on it in gold.
With a smile, Jay took it and put it on over his leather vest. He thanked Coach Jenkins and took off down the field and back to the dorms. He threw open the door to Mal and Evie’s room, whooping and showing off his jersey. Carlos whistled from where he sat with Dude on the floor, looking at something on his laptop. Evie was bending over a mountain of homework and copying two sets of answers from her magic mirror. Mal leafed through the spell book on her bed, searching for answers.
“Did your plan work with Jane?” Jay asked Mal. “Are you going over to see the wand?”
“Do you think that I would be going through every single spell in this book if I hadn’t completely struck out?” said Mal.
Her friends exchanged looks.
“Someone is in a bad mood,” said Carlos.
“My mom’s counting on me,” said Mal, flicking Carlos’s head. “I can’t let her down!”
“We can do this!” said Jay.
His three friends stared at him.
“If we stick together,” said Jay.
“And we won’t go back until we do,” said Mal. “’Cause we’re rotten…”
“To the core,” they all said in unison.
“Oh, yeah,” said Evie nonchalantly. “I found out that Fairy Godmother blesses Ben with the wand at coronation and we all get to go.”
Mal’s eyes widened.
“I have nothing to wear, of course,” said Evie.
Mal looked at her incredulously.
There was a knock at the door.
“What?” asked Evie.
“Hold that thought,” Mal told Evie. She got up and opened the door.
Ben stood in the hall, smiling. “Hey, Mal!” he said. “I didn’t see you guys today. I was just wondering if you had any questions or anything…that you needed?”
“Not that I can think of.…” Mal looked at her friends, then back at Ben.
“Okay! All right! Well, if you need anything…” he said, starting off down the hall.
Descendants Junior Novel Page 4