Everything Has Changed - A Carvie Story

Chapter 4

After their picnic, Evie and Carlos ran to Mal and Evie's dorm with Dude trailing far behind. Their faces and clothes are covered in chocolate. They were laughing and playfully hitting each other. Evie puts her arm around Carlos and started giving him a noogie.

"Okay, that's enough," said Carlos, swatting Evie's hand of his head but still laughing.

Evie wipes some of the chocolate off her face. "I must look terrible," she sighed with disgust.

"No, you don't," said Carlos. "You still look as beautiful as you always were."

"Really?" asked Evie.

Carlos wipes some chocolate off his face with his thumb and smears it on Evie's cheek.

"Still beautiful," said Carlos.

Evie couldn't keep herself from smiling. He just seems to have that kind of effect on her.

"In that case..."

Evie takes out her phone. She puts one arm around Carlos and presses her cheek against his. She takes a selfie. She immediately posts in on her InstaRoyal account. #BFFs. #ChocolateBuddies. The post got over a hundred likes and fifty comments in a span of thirty seconds.

Some people, however, commented negatively on the chocolate on Evie's face.

"Don't listen to them," said Carlos.

"I know," said Evie. "My best friend thinks this is a good look on me, so no one else's opinion matters."

"You look like you crawled out of a dumpster," said Dude.

"Uh, Dude. You mind waiting back at my dorm?" Carlos didn't want Dude to insult Evie further.

Dude walks out the dorm and back to Jay and Carlos'.

"I am so asking Mal for an antidote," said Carlos.

"I don't know. I kinda like it better that he talks," said Evie.

"He tells the truth all the time, and there are some truths that shouldn't even be said," said Carlos.

Evie pets Carlos like a dog, ending his complaining and triggering his smile.

"Hey, you two."

Evie and Carlos turn around and see Mal leaning by the doorway, wearing a smile on her face that sort of sends chills up their spine.

"What did you do?" asked Evie.

"Something fun," said Mal, acting mysterious.

"Where we're you?" asked Carlos. "We've been waiting for, like, an hour."

"According to Evie's InstaRoyal account, it seems like you two had fun without me and Jay," said Mal, looking at the photo of Evie and Carlos on her phone.

"So, care to explain where were you and Jay?" asked Evie.

"I was up to no good and Jay... forgot," said Mal. "I had to bring candy myself before I took off."

"Care to share the details?" asked Evie.

"Sorry, but that's classified," said Mal.

"I don't know what you were doing, but this isn't exactly the best way to start off your run as Lady of the Court," said Evie.

"I know," said Mal, chuckling. "Look, I'm sorry about blowing you guys off. Let me make it up to you. Dinner at the castle?"

Evie gasped. "Can you do that?"

"I know Ben. He won't say no, but if he does, well, friendly reminder, I got my own kind of persuasion," said Mal, grinning.

"I'm scared," Carlos whispered to Evie.

"Me, too," whispered Carlos.

"You know I can hear you, right?" said Mal.

Evie and Carlos smiled nervously.

"Well, if you'll excuse me, I have to get cleaned up," said Carlos, wiping chocolate off his hair. "See you, Evie, You too, Mal."

"Hey, one more thing," said Evie.

"What?" asked Carlos.

Evie kisses Carlos on the cheek, which causes him to blush and Mal to smirk. Evie pulls away for both of them to see wiping chocolate off her lips before sucking it off her finger.

"You had chocolate on your face," said Evie, smiling.

"That's gross," said Carlos, playfully shoving Evie and laughing in between letters.

"I think it's cute," said Mal.

"Don't encourage her," replied Carlos.

"I could do it again, if you want to," teased Evie.

"Okay, I'm out of here," said Carlos, walking out the door.

Mal and Evie giggled together at Carlos' reaction.

"You like embarrassing him, don't you?" guessed Mal.

"Well, he's really cute when he acts like fool," said Evie.

"In that case, what do you say we mess with him tonight at dinner?" suggested Mal.

"I'm listening," replied Evie.