I never thought my power would show me this. This is who I am. Not a forgotten thing, not a toy. My name is Valia Targaryen, and I will take what's mine with fire and blood.
☕︎☕︎☕︎
BOOK 1 in THE FIRE series.
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Chapter 10 It's time to give this preppy plaid school a serious lousy girl makeover. ☼ ☼ ☼
In Valia's and Mal and Evie's dorm room, Jane, Mal, and Valia 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. Valia was on her bed, having crossed her arms under her head and lying on her stomach. "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 across the room.
Valia snickered. "Auradon?" she muttered. Evie held up the dress she'd been sewing. "Mal, Valia? "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!" you like it?"
Mal and Valia looked up. "Yeah. It's cute. It brings out your eyes," Mal said, and Valia nodded. "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?" Valia said, smirking at the younger girl. "You've never had one."
"It's 'cause I don't need one, V," 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. Valia rolled her eyes softly. Mal said, "And that is exactly what I mean." Valia chuckled. A door knock came, 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, Valia, 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 a silk bag of money. "Good answer," said Evie, taking the load 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! Or Valia's! Mal looked at Lonnie with her jaw dropped.
Evie and Valia laughed. "Really?" she said. "The split ends, too?" Valia said. 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. Lonnie's bob transformed into long, soft brown locks with a few swipes of Mal's finger. 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.
☼
Jay and Coach Jenkins were seated on the bleachers, looking at the rule book.
"I could 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 with Jay's name and the number eight 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, Valia, 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. Valia smiled at the brown-haired boy "looking good, Jay," she said, and he smiled at her.
"Did your plan work with Jane?" Jay asked, turning to face 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 four 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 learned that Fairy Godmother blesses Ben with the wand at the 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 down the hall.
"Oh! Wait!" said Mal.
Ben paused. "Um, is it true that we all get to go to your coronation?" asked Mal.
Ben smiled. "Yeah, the whole school goes."
"Wow. That is beyond exciting," said Mal. "Do you think it is possible that the five of us could stand in the front row next to the Fairy Godmother so that we could...soak up all that goodness?"
Ben looked about to say yes, but his face fell. "I wish you could. Up in front, it's just me, my folks, and my girlfriend." And your girlfriend," said Mal, nodding slowly.
"Yeah," said Ben. "I'm sorry."
"Okay, thanks, bye," said Mal, shutting the door in his face. She turned to her friends and smiled mischievously. "I think it's time that Bennyboo got himself a new girlfriend. And I need a love spell." She clapped, and Carlos tossed her the spell book. Valia chuckled from her spot, knowing exactly was Mal was about to do.
