𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐑𝐔𝐋𝐄𝐒

35. 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝘀𝗹𝗲

𝕷eaving the Isle used to sound like a luxury once upon a time.

If you'd asked Quinn a year or two ago, she wouldn't have hesitated to leave this horrible island for something as trivial and freeing as Auradon. But not all villains get their happy endings.

Quinn often stares at the rolled-up paper she was given from the Auradon Guards; the word VK DAY was printed in gold, nearly taking up the entire top of the page. The middle was the same paragraph everyone else was given, and Ben and Evie signed the signature on the bottom.

You'd think Quinn would be just as excited as the other kids on the island, but for some reason, Quinn wasn't. She didn't know why, but it felt wrong to go to Auradon when neither of her friends was invited over the great pond. Why should Quinn go to Auradon just because Evie felt terrible about how things ended? Quinn has her own friends.

However, Quinn left her mother's castle today after shoving the roll back in her drawers, pretending it didn't exist.

"Quinnie!"

A smile naturally pulls at Quinn's lips in recognition. There's only one person I allow to call me by that horrendous nickname.

"Guppy," she flutters her fingers in a wave, scrunching her nose at her clueless friend. She snagged her broken cup and took a swig, washing her dry mouth with the dirty water they were served. She slams it on the table, sliding it across the bar and falling off. "How's my dashing pirate?"

Gil's cheeks flared a rosy red, beaming excitedly as if no one had asked him about his day. How ridiculously adorable this hunk of muscles is.

"Better now that you're here. I had sour milk with moldy toast," Gil hums as if he could still taste it. As he settled, he frowned at his friend. "Say, where've you been? You haven't been around since . . . you know."

Quinn grimaced at the recollection.

She didn't want to think about any of that right now.

"Just needed to clear my head," Quinn sat on the stool beside Gil, picking up one of the menus and burying her nose into it. She knows the menu from back to front; Quinn was trying to avoid looking at Gil. "Mm, I'll have a moldy croissant and old black coffee."

The goblin behind the counter grumbled something in his language, but Quinn didn't care. It wasn't like she could understand him anyway. Wait, was that a guy or a girl? Yikes.

Gil watched her quietly, which was unlike him; however, he always knew how to step over the glass Quinn leaves around her. Gil has always been quite patient with Quinn. He never pushes her to talk, and that's one of the best things about Gil that Quinn loves.

"You wanna talk about it?" Gil shrugs. His eyes quickly danced around the room as if he feared Quinn's rejection.

Well, it's more like he knew she wouldn't talk.

"No," Quinn said after a brief pause. She blinked--once, twice, then three times. "As much as I love your company, big guy, why are you here?"

"You won't believe it," Gil's eyes sparkle under the depressing light above them. "There's word that they're back on the Isle." Quinn narrows her eyes at the mention. "Harry says he could use all hands on deck."

Quinn scoffs. "Since when does he suggest?"

"I dunno, but that's what he said."

She hums curiously. "Sure. I'll bite."

"Yes!" Gil cheered with a fist in the air, grinning as if he stole candy from a baby. "I was hoping you'd tag along. Harry didn't think you'd come back ever since you stopped showing up at the restaurant." The too-bubbly of a pirate bounced on his toes. "You are coming back, right?"