Listen To Your Heart

Master Plan pt 2

"Ben!" Mal burst through the door and Ben fell off his bed, dropping the book he was reading. "Sorry." Mal looked guilty, but couldn't help the chuckle that she emitted.

"So what's so big that now I  have bruised my tailbone?" Ben said sarcastically.

Mal laughed again, but remembered her reason for coming. "We have major issues with prom decorations!"

"Like?"

"Like they haven't arrived!"

Ben's face fell. "But prom is TODAY! We ordered the stuff weeks in advance!"

"How? You only announced it last week."

"Yeah, but as a king, everything is preplanned. We've been planning it for months. But this week the students would get involved to help set up. Which apparently isn't going to happen now!" Ben sat on his bed, trying to come up with a solution. He had nothing.

"Why don't we just make the decorations ourselves ?" Mal asked.

Ben's eyes widened. "That's a great idea!"

"Really? Because I was just sort of winging it there," Mal said. Ben chuckled. "But do you think we have enough time?"

Ben looked at the clock. "It's not even 12:30. I think that's plenty of time."

Mal smiled. "Great."

"Hey, did you hear the news?"

"What news?"

"Florian Jr asked Audrey to the prom."

"What!"

"Yeah, it happened last night. How's Jay taking it?"

"I don't know. I literally just heard about it now! Oh my gosh! This is not good. Jay is going to be really upset!" Mal started pacing around the room.

Ben held her shoulders. "Why are you freaking out so much?"

"Because..." Mal looked down at the floor. She sat on Ben's bed and he followed suit. "Can I tell you something?"

"Of course."

"Before we came here, Carlos, Evie, Jay and I made a pact. That no matter what, we'd be there for each other. I see them as siblings, a family I've never had. So we're always looking out for each other. And knowing how much Jay likes Audrey, knowing she's taken, is going to kill him. And when Jay gets really upset, he lets out his frustration with violence. Lots and lots of violence. Last time he was that upset, we were 7 and he almost got himself killed. Now that we're older, who knows what he'll do."

Ben looked worried for a second. "Are you sure he'll do that?"

Mal shrugged. "I'm not sure. He was adamant about not liking Audrey, so I'm not even sure if he likes her anymore. I need to talk to him, I guess. But he's not exactly the easiest person to talk to."

"Want me to go with you?"

"You'd do that for me?"

"Of course. He's one of your best friends, and he's  my friends, too. Come on!" He put on his shoes and they left his dorm.

That walked down the hall until they reached Carlos and Jay's dorm. They got there, just as Carlos was leaving for lunch.

"Oh Mal. I was just about to go talk to you."

Mal frowned. "Hey, is Jay in there?"

Carlos looked towards his room. "Uh...yeah. I was just about to go talk to you about him."

"What! Why?"

"Because he's been moping all day long and I just need to get away from him. I'm starving  so I'll catch up with you guys later." Carlos turned on his heel and left towards the cafeteria.