Everything Has Changed - A Carvie Story

Chapter 8

Mal was sitting by herself in the skybox of the amphitheater, watching the R.O.A.R. team practice. Lonnie, the captain, was in the circle sparring with Jay.

Lonnie was doing some jump flips while Jay was trying to keep a tight grip on his sword without overdoing it. After a few more seconds of clashing blades, Lonnie knocks the sword off Jay's hand. She holds the tip of her sword against chest, daring him to try and pick up his sword.

"You look distracted," said Lonnie.

"Well, I am sparring with you," said Jay, winking at Lonnie.

Lonnie silently giggled, blushing.

"Okay, we're done here," said Lonnie. "Great job, boys. Great job. See you tomorrow."

The boys started packing up their R.O.A.R. belongings. Lonnie decided to have a private conversation with Jay.

"Look, Jay, I'm flattered you like me, but you can't let that get in the way during practice," said Lonnie.

"Well, you can't exactly blame me," said Jay.

Mal was touched that Jay finally found someone who was perfect for him. She was glad he didn't choose Audrey, because she didn't want her egotistical, princess-y attitude to feed Jay's ego.

Mal received a text on her phone from Ben. He was informing her that Carlos and Evie have returned from the Isle of the Lost.

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ WAYS TO BE WICKED ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

Mal meets up with Evie in their dorm. She was currently talking to Dizzy, via video chat.

"Are the kids treating you well?" asked Evie.

"Yeah," said Dizzy. "Well, mostly because I'm a friend of yours. The girls keep talking about the barrette I made for you for the Cotillion."

"Don't worry. They'll learn to love you for you," said Evie. "Just promise me you'll always be a good girl."

"I'll try," said Dizzy.

"Well, as much as I love to talk, I have some business I have to get back to," said Evie.

"I understand, Ms. Councilor," said Dizzy, trying to sound formal. "See you this weekend."

The two girls wave goodbye before signing off.

"Dizzy seems happy," said Mal, capturing her best friend's attention.

"Well, she just needs time to adjust," said Evie. "Didn't we?"

"Let's be honest. We're still adjusting as of this day," said Mal. "So, I take it your return to the Isle went well?"

"More or less," said Evie. "The supply ship was emptied faster than Carlos and Jay can eat an entire buffet. Our list of requests was filled from top to bottom. You and Ben are in for some serious paperwork."

"Okay, so what about the less part," said Mal. "Other VKs giving you two the cold shoulder?"

"Obviously," said Evie.

"You look uncomfortable," said Mal, reading Evie's face. "Someone messed with your or something?"

"Harry," said Evie. "He got all flirty with me."

"Since when does Harry hit on you?" questioned Mal.

"Since now," said Evie. "Doesn't he do that to all the girls?"

"Mostly me and Uma, but yeah," said Mal. "What else did he do to you?"

"Nothing," said Evie. "Carlos, he... he protected me."

"Really?" asked Mal, raising an eyebrow, interested.

"He just stood in between me and Harry and told him to back off," said Evie.

"Sounds like something a boyfriend would do for his girlfriend," replied Mal with a smirk.

"W-What? That's ridiculous. He's just being a good friend," said Evie, blushing from Mal's words.

"Uh-huh," replied Mal suspiciously. "Care to explain why your hair and shirt are both wet? Did you two rotten apples take a swim or... something?"

"What do you take us for, Mal?" Evie questioned. "We just had to rescue a poor soul that Harry drowned?"

"And nothing else happened?" asked Mal.

"What do you expect me to say?" replied Evie, suspecting something beneath Mal's teasing tone.

"Probably something like complimenting how you look when your hair is wet," said Mal.

With these words, Evie flashes back to what happened on the Isle.

A FEW HOURS AGO...

Carlos and Evie have just rescued the fisherman that Harry pushed into the water. They came out of the water wet from head to toe.

"I'm a mess," said Evie, trying to squeeze water out of her hair. "What? No you-are-ugly joke or something?"

"No," said Carlos. "In fact, you still look beautiful."

Evie blushed and looked away due to the compliment. Did he really mean that? Carlos, meanwhile, smacks himself in the head for what he said. What is wrong with me, he asked himself.

"Well, you don't look bad yourself, your wet puppy," said Evie, playing with Carlos' wet hair.

Carlos slap-fights Evie so she can get her hands off his hair, but she was relentless. The two, however, giggled as they fought.

BACK TO PRESENT

"Evie!"

Evie quits flashbacking when her friend shouted her name.

"Fine. If nothing interesting happened, okay," said Mal, pretending to give up when she still suspects something.

"You enjoy poking fun at others way too much," said Evie.

"Hey, I may be Lady of the Court, but I'm still the Queen of the Isle," said Mal.

"Anyway, I'm gonna go and bathe. I smell like shrimp," said Evie. "No wonder Uma hates you so much."

While Evie takes a shower, Mal sits down on her bed and takes out her phone. She plays a video of Evie and Carlos slap-fighting at the docks. She couldn't help but giggle at the sight of it.

"Now that's a keeper," said Mal. 

How did Mal get that video? Go ahead and guess.