How They Met: The Ball

Diego's back

"Diego!" Jay, Evie and Mal shouted. Mal and Evie ran up to Diego and hugged him. Jay joined them.

"Jay! It's been ages!" Diego smiled at Jay. "Mal! I've missed you!" He kissed Mal's hand. "Evie! You've gotten prettier!" Diego squeezed Evie. They all looked at Carlos who had his back to them. "Carlos? He's grown."

"Stand at the wall, Diego." Jay locked the door. Mal stood in front of Carlos and grabbed his headphones.

"Mal, what the devil? I'm working on a song." Carlos paused his music.

"There's a place called Bangcock, stop complaining. We have a surprise for you. Stand up and close you eyes."

"I trust you, Mal." Carlos stood up and closed his eyes. Mal led him to the wall opposite Diego and had him face his cousin.

"Open them!" Mal stood out of the way. Carlos opened his eyes and saw Diego.

"Diego!" Carlos shouted in happiness.

"Carlos!" Diego shouted back. The cousins ran up to each other and hugged.

"I've missed you so much!" Carlos smiled. "I was so mad at you when you left to see your Dad on the other side of the Isle!"

"I wasn't allowed to tell you! My Dad forbid me talking to you! He was mad when I sent him a letter saying I had met you at Christmas!" Diego squeezed Carlos.

"I...I love you!" Carlos started to cry.

"I love you too!" Diego looked at Mal, Jay and Evie. "Come on, guys. Join the hug." Carlos and Diego allowed the others into the the hug.

"How's Uncle Cecil? Is he getting better?" Carlos asked.

"No. He's not recovering. He wants to see you one last time, Carlos. He wants to see his nephew again. I've told him about you guys and Rotten To The Core. He wants to see his nephew perform Rotten To The Core with his best friends." Diego started to cry.

"Evie, go to Facilier and ask if Cecil can come to the ball. Tell him he's sick and he's not recovering. Come back to us and we'll write him a letter telling him he's invited to the ball on Saturday. We'll perform for him then." Mal watched Evie run out of the room.

"You guys are the best! You're so lucky, Carlos." Diego smiled at Carlos.

"What would I do with out them?" Carlos put Jay in a headlock.

"Carlos!" Jay shouted as he struggled. He grabbed Carlos' leg and decked him. Carlos jumped back up and pounced onto him which started a fight. Mal looked at Diego embarrassingly and she tried separating the boys but when Carlos accidentally kicked her in the arm, she started wrestling them. Diego tried pulling Mal away but he was dragged into the fight.

"I have good news..." Evie ran into the room, locked the door and turned around to see her friends fighting. "Not again." Evie sighed. She opened her mouth and screamed so loud, it made their eardrums pop.

"Evie. When did you arrive?" Mal stood up.

"Just now. I have good news." She waited for everyone to stand up. "Facilier said he would be honoured to have Cecil at the ball. Cecil's coming to town!" Evie howled.

"Really? Father's coming!" Diego looked at Carlos.

"Uncle Cecil. I haven't seen him for eleven years. I've forgotten what he looks like. Mom won't be happy but I don't care." Carlos smiled.

"I'll get to writing the letter." Mal took out Evie's notebook and pen and started writing the letter.

"How will we get it to him? He's on the other side of the island." Jay looked out the window.

"Me, Hermie, Claudine, Big Murph, Hadie, Kim and Yzla are sneaking out tomorrow night to visit him. I can tell him then. He really wants to meet my best friends."

"That's cool. I really can't be bothered writing a note anyway." Mal tossed Evie her notepad and her pen.

"I'm so excited to see him." Carlos howled like a wolf.

"I can't believe you're scared of dogs but not wolves." Diego laughed.

"Pet dogs, I hate. Wild dogs, harmless." Carlos smiled.

"Because pet dogs left your Mom? Puh-leese. That's ridiculous." Diego laughed again. "That is r-i-d-i-c-u-l-o-u-s!"

"R-i-d-i-c-u-l-o-u-s!" Jay, Evie and Mal shouted.

"My Mom is a dog expert. She knows a lot about them. She's the only one who can protect me from them." Carlos looked emotionally hurt. Mal saw this and hugged him.

"Sorry, Carlos. We're just having some fun. Come on, what is the word to describe Uma, her plans and her crew?" Mal saw Carlos smile.

"R-i-d-i-c-u-l-o-u-s!" Everyone shouted and laughed.

"I should go. I promised Claudine I would help her ring Big Ben. Big Ben is the biggest bell at the tower and he is the bell that signals tea time." Diego ran out of the door.

"I still can't believe Uncle Cecil is coming! Do you guys know what he's recovering from?" Jay, Evie and Mal shook their heads. "He...he had surgery to fix a sweating problem he had in his hands. Minor complications turned to major complications after the surgery."

"He'll survive. I'm sure of it." Evie hugged him. "I may be your ex but I'm still here for you."

"We all are." Jay and Mal smiled.

"Lets go, Jay." Carlos and Jay grabbed their bags and raced to their dorm.