Go the Distance

07

While Maia chatted with Ben and Mal with Elias, Carlos asked Lonnie, "You okay?"

Lonnie nodded. "Yeah, I'm good."

Carlos looked between the rescuers. "Nice work out there, Lonnie! C'mon, Dude." The dog followed him. "Hop in. Ha! Now you listen to me."

"Let's go!" Lonnie said.

Mal and Maia waved the others over. "C'mon, c'mon, c'mon!"

They climbed inside the limo and Ben turned to Maia. "I'm really sorry that things didn't go like the way you wanted them to."

Maia glanced at him. "As long as you and Elias are safe, that's..." She let out a sigh.

"At least Elias and I got to see the Isle. They're my people too. Uma helped me see that."

Maia frowned. "Ben, Uma captured you and my brother."

Ben sighed. "She's an angry girl with a bad plan. It's not so different from Mal when she came to Auradon, Maia."

Elias nodded. "I understand anger. Being captured wasn't my idea of a good time, but I can understand why she's angry."

An uncomfortable silence fell upon the group. Dude broke the silence. "Awkward."

Carlos frowned at the dog. "Dude, I know you can talk. But that doesn't always mean you should."

Jay turned to Lonnie. "Here we go! Why don't you stop by practice later?"

Lonnie smirked. "What, in the mood to break some rules?"

Jay shook his head. "No."

When they got back to the school, Lonnie grabbed the swords. "I'll get these back to the gym."

"Thanks," Jay said.

"See you later."

Jane seemed relieved. "Ben, there you are! Cotillion is tonight! Elias, look; this is the stained glass window for Mal. Isn't it beautiful? She's going to love it!"

Elias glanced at Mal. "Do you want to cancel?"

Jane glanced between them. "Um, you know what? I can come back, like really soon."

Elias shook his head. "No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. Now's fine." He turned to Mal. "Do whatever you need to do."

Evie looked at Mal and took her arms as they walked away. "We need to talk. Maia, you can join if you wish. You're our friend."

Mal nodded. "Yeah."

Carlos shook his head. "No."

Evie frowned. "No?"

"You guys are always going off to a huddle, whispering your girl talk stuff or whatever, and Jay and I are tired of it."

Jay glanced at Carlos. "I'm not."

"We're your family too. We've been through a lot. Together. We're not stopping that now. Okay? Everyone sit. Come here... you too." He paused. "I don't know how to start girl talk."

Jay looked at each of them. "What up?"

Mal frowned. "Um, well, I'm a mess. I'm such a mess. I mean, six months ago, I was, you know, stealing candy from babies... and now, I'm dating the son of a demigod."

Maia nodded. "I know how that goes. For me, everyone wants me to be this Lady of the Court, and I have no idea how to keep up the act."

Carlos gave a small smirk. "Then don't."

Jay frowned. "See, this was dumb."

Evie turned to Mal. "Maybe it wasn't. We are always going to be the kids from the Isle. I tried to forget. I really tried. But those are our roots. And well, we did what we have to do to survive. But it made us who we are. And we're never going to be like anyone else here. And that's okay. That's okay."

Carlos nodded. "And we can't fake it."

"No," Evie answered.

"Yeah, I mean, especially not without my spell book," Mal added.

Carlos focused his gaze on her. "Mal, if Elias doesn't like the real you, he's not the one. That goes for you too, Maia."

Evie smiled. "I like that."

"Give them a chance."

Evie smiled and thought for a moment before turning to Mal and Maia. "I'm going to make some changes to your dresses, and if you're up for it, and only if you're up for it, it'll be waiting for you. Okay?" She then mouthed to Carlos and Jay, 'Thank you.'

Carlos stood. "Come on, buddy."

Evie and Carlos walked away and Jay turned to Mal and Maia. "Come to Cotillion tonight, all right? If Elias and Ben aren't smart enough to love you, and you can't stand another day, I'll drive you back tomorrow myself. Maia, if you want to come, strangely you kind of fit. Okay?"

Mal and Maia nodded.