𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐈𝐓 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐖𝐀𝐍𝐓¹ || 𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐂𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐒

3

The next morning, I walked the five VKs to Remedial Goodness, which is like Mal said a new class made just for them. However, I requested to be a "student teacher" of sorts and help Fairy Godmother teach the teens, while still getting credits for the class.

Godmother seemed thrilled by the idea, so now I sat next to Mattheo and watched as he doodled instead of paying attention. I jabbed him in the side to get his attention. "What?" he whispered at me in an annoyed tone.

"Pay attention." i whispered back, harshly.

"And why would i listen to you, Princess?"

"Because, if you don't pay attention, you get sent back to the Isle with no hope of returning to Auradon." I told him, "And stop calling me Princess. Just call me Ryder. Or Ry. That's what my friends call me."

"So we're friends now?" he flashed me a smug and cocky look.

"If you want to be," i shrugged

"And if i don't?" he asked

"then we don't have to be," I answered, "But please, just pay attention." i pointed up to the board where Fairy Godmother was writing.

"If someone hands you a crying baby, do you, A) curse it? B) Lock it in a tower? C) give it a bottle? or D) carve out its heart?" Fairy Godmother asked the five of them.

Enthusiastically, Evie stretched her hand out into the air like she knew the correct answer but she only asked for Fairy Godmother to repeat the second option.

"B sounds right to me," Mattheo sent a wink towards me, eluding to our mothers' past.

"Ok, anyone else. Mal?" Godmother asked

"C, give it a bottle." Mal reluctantly answered correctly.

"Very good Mal." I turned my head to tell her. "You're making a lot of progress,"

"You are on fire girl," Carlos told her.

"Just pick the one that doesn't sound like any fun," Mal told him.

"Oh and there goes all the progress," I said as the others "Oh"-ed.

Jane, Fairy Godmothers daughter, walked into the classroom headed directly for her mom.

"Everyone here remembers my daughter, Jane?" Godmother said, "Jane, this is everyone."

"Hi," she shyly greeted the five VKs. "That's okay, don't mind me, as you were."

"Hi Janey," i waved with a smile on my face, but she had ran out before acknowledging me. Jane was one of the sweetest girls i knew but she tended to seek the approval of Audrey instead of genuinely good people.

Fairy Godmother asked another question, this time all of the VKs except for Mal raised their hands with pride, as they knew the answer. Mattheo got called on. "C, turn it over the authorities," he said as he looked me for approval. I nodded my head, truly proud of the answer, even though i knew he was just using Mal's 'no-fun' technique. As much as he insisted on pestering me, i saw potential in him.

Then Jay and Carlos started wrestling like two brothers over who-knows what and Godmother tried to get their attention. Once she finally was able to intervene and get the boys attention, she suggested Tourney to the two boys, and even added Mattheo to the mix.

"Yeah, Tourney's actually really fun. My brother taught me when I was little. We still play any chance we get. He's on the team too." I said.

"Brother?" Mattheo asked.

"Yeah. Eugene, my brother, is co-captain with Ben. He's a year older than me." I explained.

"Isn't Eugene your dad?" Mal gave me a confused look(hey there was only a slight undertone of distaste. Progress!!)

"Yes, but Eugene Junior is my older brother." i explained and she nodded in understanding.

After our classes, Jay, Mattheo, and Carlos tried out for Tourney. Mattheo and Jay seemed to be naturals at it, Carlos however not so much.

The scrimmage was to last for anywhere from an hour to two hours, yet it seemed coach would know who he was keeping and more likely who he was not very early on. I sat on the sideline as they played. I watched as Jay and Mattheo pummeled everyone on the field, Mattheo only slightly less aggressive than Jay. After Coach called them over, I thought for sure they would be cut. That is until he started smiling at them.

However i didn't think the same went for Carlos. And I was right. From the brief snippets of the conversation that i did pick up, i could deduct that Eugene and Ben decided to have private lessons with Carlos to help him get better, that way he could still play on the team.

Mattheo seemed to be getting along with my brother as they both walked out of the locker room laughing about something I couldn't hear, but their shoulders shook and the lines around their eyes were deepened to show the genuine joy they both felt. Eugene slung his arm around Mattheo's neck and I smiled at the duo.

"What are you two up to?" I asked once reaching the two.

"Nothing, just getting to know my new teammate, did you know he used to do stuff like this on the Isle?" Eugene told me.

"Really? Like what?" I looked towards Mattheo, waiting for a response.

"Yeah, you didn't tell me. What exactly is this stuff you used to do?" Eugene asked.

"We had to do this kind of thing to get away from shops," he admitted with a scowl on his face. Eugene's arm slipped from Mattheo's shoulder.

"Oh." Eugene said.

"Yeah. Oh." Mattheo sighed and went off to find Jay, evidently dejected from the conversation.

"Don't blame him for the stuff he did on the Isle, okay?" i told my brother.

"I don't. I know they had to do a lot of stuff because their parents made them. Jay has a knack for stealing things by the way. The guy nicked my watch in the locker room," he laughed and shook his head as he held the watch up before putting it back on his wrist.

"Okay, just be sparing with their feelings. I don't want them feeling like we want them gone. Because we don't, right?" i gave him a pointed look.

"Right. Ryder, you know the plan. I take over, we start to permit more VK's and they can begin lives after Auradon Prep in South Riding, and you get to be my right hand man." he said, entrapping my arm in the crook of his own as we began to walk.

"Are you ready to be a king?"

"I don't think i'll ever be ready. Ben is so kingly, and then i'm just...here, i guess," he started, "It's like this: I have to become king, and i have this extra time that Ben doesn't have, but then i'm so close to being able to like travel and go to college and actually make myself worthy of the title. God, i just wish they'd make you be Queen so i didn't have to be King." He rolled his eyes as he spoke.

"One day, Eugene, everything will make sense. You are brave and more than worthy. You are just as kingly as Ben, if not more, and you will get to travel. I'm sure if you told mom and dad this stuff, you could even postpone your coronation or even transfer the responsibility onto me."

"Maybe, i'll try talking to them at Parents Day,"