An Isle's Advocate

Chapter 4

With an aura dark enough to send the other students running even fast than usual, Hayden makes his way to Evie and Mal's dorm. He told Evie he'd stop by before he left for the Underworld so she could make sure his outfit for Cotillion is 'absolutely perfect'.

Her words, not his.

He reaches the girls' dorm just in time to hear the tail end of their conversation.

"We're in Auradon!" Evie says. "And we're Auradon girls now."

He leans in the open doorway, still unnoticed by the two of them as Evie wraps one arm around a stressed looking Mal's shoulders.

"See, this is the land of opportunity," Evie continues. "We can be whatever we want to be here. So, please, let's just leave the past in the past, okay?"

"You seem to be doing a fine job of that," Hayden says, smirking when both girls jump. He looks over the, admittedly nice, yellow and blue gown Mal has on. "It's not exactly your color," he tells her.

"No, it's not," Mal agrees with a quiet sigh. Evie sends her a look before she crosses over to Hayden with a bright smile.

"Glad you're here," she tells him.

"You're lucky I had a chance to stop by before I leave tonight," he says.

Evie grabs Hayden's arm and leads him over to her supply of fabric options.

"I know I've basically already made your full suit and just have some detailing left but if you'll just look at this," she says as she grabs one. "It's a nice blue that I think would just-"

"Evie," Hayden says warningly.

"But-"

"Evie." She sighs in defeat.

"Fine," she says dully as she grabs a different fabric from the bottom of the options. "This one's a nice black leather," she finishes.

"Perfect," he tells her. "If you try to go any lighter than gray then I'm showing up to Cotillion in jeans and my jacket," he adds.

Evie gasps in shock. "You wouldn't..."

"My holiest jeans," he threatens.

She quickly holds up both hands in surrender. "Alright. Alright. Point taken. You'll be as monochrome as ever."

Mal laughs a little as she watches them. "Where have you been anyway?" she asks him. "We haven't seen you all day."

Hayden shrugs. "I had to sort everything out for my trip home," he says, ignoring the way they both frown slightly when he calls the Underworld home. "Plus, I spent a couple of hours in that council meeting," he adds casually.

Mal and Evie both seem to freeze, exchanging a wide-eyed glance.

"Right," Mal says slowly. "I, uh, forgot you had that meeting."

"Had another meeting," he corrects. "You know, because I've been having them since September, because I'm trying to change things concerning the Isle." He raises both eyebrows and gives them a pointed look. "Remember that?" he asks.

"Of course we remember," Evie says as she goes back to fiddling with Mal's dress, deliberately not looking at him.

Hayden crosses his arms with a shrug. "Oh, well, I just wasn't sure if you would remember, you know, where you came from what with you two being Auradon girls now," he drawls.

"Hayden, it's not like that," Mal protests feebly. "We haven't forgotten where we come from."

"None of us have," Evie adds.