Walt Disney College

Chapter 56

"I'm actually ready to start school again, the break is hectic," Aurora said.

"You can say that again. My mother's tryin' to get me to do all sorts of activities, but I really just wanted to stay with archery."

Aurora smiled. "Of course you did Merida."

"You hung out quite a lot with Jim this summer too. What's up with that?" Mulan asked, inspecting her sword.

Merida shrugged. "He's a worthy competitor in archery."

"Really? As great as the famous Princess Merida of DunBroch?" Aurora teased.

Merida rolled her eyes at the title. "He's okay. I mean, I'm still better, and Astrid comes above him, but he's surprisingly good."

Mulan laughed. "Just don't give the guy a wrong idea, okay?"

At first Merida didn't register what Mulan was saying, but when she did, she almost dropped her bow on her foot. Jim may have only been a year younger, but that was still a baby in Merida's eyes!

"I don't think Merida is even interested in romance right now, let alone Jim." Aurora delicately applied a coat of nail polish on her thumb.

"Hey! What's wrong with Jim?" Merida snapped.

Wait. She hadn't meant to say that. Now it sounded like she was standing upon for him, and Rora will go into a spiral of conspirac-

"Ooh! But here she is standing up for him!" She wiggled her eyebrows playfully. "Maybe there's something we don't know, Mulan."

Merida tried to sway the subject. "Why don't we talk about how you and Shang are doing, eh?"

Mulan turned red. "Uh...no. Hm, Aurora, how are you and Philip's relationship going?"

Aurora went quiet, then her bottom lip quivered. Suddenly she broke into a hiccup of sobs, and Mulan and Merida were stunned. They dropped their weapons and went over to comfort the girl.

"I...I was going to tell you guys. Just right after I told Cindy and Jasmine, and Belle..."

"Hey, are we behind all those people?" Mulan asked.

"Well...I'd at least tell Cindy first so she knows to cancel the double date this Friday!" Aurora started to wail once more.

Merida tilted her head. "What happened?"

"We broke up! It was some stupid argument," she sniffed. "Ugh! I just didn't want to ruin today! It was going to be our last day before-"

"Rora, you're not ruining our day, we want you to tell us your problems." Mulan smiled.

"Do we?"

Mulan jabbed Merida in the ribs. "We want you to feel comfortable confiding in us."

"Oooh. Yes, yes we do."

Aurora wiped at her eyes. "Thanks...I really should cheer up, it's no big deal."

"But you guys have been dating since-"

Mulan clapped her hand over Merida's mouth. "You're right! Trust me, punching a dummy will make you feel so much better."

◈▣◈

The first time Penny and her Mom went to the Lucky Cat Café, Hiro wasn't there. Penny didn't know whether to feel relieved or upset. But seeing Hiro at the counter when Penny walked in made her heart float, and Penny knew she missed seeing him everyday.

"Oh, hi Penny!"

Aw, he actually looks excited to see me too!

"Hey Hiro, how's break. Everything holding up well?"

Hiro shrugged. "As well as things can go I guess. So what will it be?"

"I know Mom wants a strawberry bubble tea, I'd just like a cookie. I don't do coffee."

Hiro smiled, revealing his adorable gap tooth. "What cookie would you like?"

"Uh, chocolate chip. Best to go with the classic," Penny said.

"Uh huh."

"Have you heard from Wilbur by any chance? Or Violet?"

"Wilbur? I've heard a mouthful from him. He's so angry. You know, right?"

Penny was too distracted by the line of cookies that she didn't focus immediately.

"Know what?"

"That Wilbur...you know..."

"Oh, likes Violet? Yeah, it's really obvious. Wilbur said it's really obvious that I had a crush on-"

Penny bit her tongue so hard she was pretty sure she drew blood.

Hiro set the cookie bag down on the counter. "When did Wilbur tell you that? And how does Wilbur know your crush? He's not observant...wait, you have a crush?"

"Bubble tea Hiro. Waiting on that bubble tea." Penny tried to laugh it off, hoping he'd drop the subject.

Hiro smirked. "Sure. Aunt Cass! I'm taking a break, but a customer needs some strawberry bubble tea! Can you take over while I finish the order? Friend...issues..."

"Ooh, okay sweetie!" Aunt Cass lowered her voice so only Hiro and Penny could hear. "I'm just so excited you have friends!"

Hiro rolled his eyes and made the tea, then went back to interrogating Penny.

"Which crush?"

"I don't have one. In fact, I don't know what you're talking about. Violet. Did you hear from Violet?" Penny urgently tried to change the conversation.

"Yes, like last week. But come on! Wilbur knows, but I don't?"

"I didn't know he knew until he told me!" Penny said.

"Does Violet know?" Hiro asked.

"That's not fair Hiro! Violet's been my best friend since forever of course she'd know!"

"So the whole group knows except me?"

"Violet shouldn't count, and I didn't tell Wilbur! He figured it out!"

Hiro sighed. "It's fine. You can tell me when you're ready to tell me. I need to go work on a few things. But it was nice seeing you Penny...in San Franskoyo?"

"Uh, Mom and I are on vacation. And it was nice seeing you too. Bye."

Penny closed the door to the café and walked over to the hotel to deliver her mother's bubble tea. She took the cookie out of the bag and began to munch on it.

She really hoped Hiro wasn't too upset. It's just, to tell him that he was the crush? She couldn't do it. Maybe she'd never be ready, but that was fine by her, as long as her and Hiro continued to be friends.

That was the thing with unrequited love. It hurt, yes. But it won't last. Everyone has someone on this earth, and maybe Penny's just wasn't Hiro.