ALI

I stand awkwardly outside of Carlos and Jay's dorm after showering and dressing in clean tan jeans and a purple t-shirt with a red sleeveless jacket, shifting my weight between my feet as I wait for one of them to open the door. As I do, I think back on how I got here.

Audrey storms up the bleachers with Chad behind her and snatches the microphone from his hand. "Chad's my boyfriend, now!" She grins bitchily.

"Hey!" He waves to the crowd, and I roll my eyes. He's such an idiot.

"And I'm going to the coronation with him. So I don't need your pity date."  She pulls him into a kiss and I notice Evie recoil, angry.

"You okay?" I whisper worriedly. She shakes her head.

"Hey," I touch her arm lightly. "Ignore Chad and ignore Audrey, okay? They're jerks. Especially Chad. You are smart and funny and talented, obviously, so don't waste your time on a guy like him. Okay?"

Evie smiles weakly. "Okay. Thanks, Ali. You're a good friend." She gives me a gentle hug, still avoiding the mud on my clothes, then pulls away as Ben speaks up.

"Mal! Will you go to the coronation with me?"

"...Yes!"

"She said yes!"

I watch as Audrey storms off angrily with Chad following behind and roll my eyes before turning back to Evie and the other two.

"Let's go, Ben! The whole team's waitin' for ya!" Jay slides up next to Ben and lays his arm around his shoulders.

"Yeah,"

"Bye!"

Jay shuffles to me before he follows Ben, taking my hands in his. "You made it." He grins, then notices my dirty appearance. "What, did you fight a mud-monster on your way over?" He jokes.

"You've been playing too many video games," I laugh. "Sorry I was late."

Jay pulls me close and kisses my forehead, his arms warm around me. "Hey, so, the team's about to celebrate, but would you want to hang out after? Like... on a date?"

I grin. "I'd love to. Actually, I have the perfect place for us to go... Pick you up at five?"

"Five's perfect," Jay grins, squeezing me. "I'll see you then."

"See you then!"

Jay makes his way back down the bleachers and I turn to Mal and Evie to see them grinning at me. "What?" I ask. Evie makes a whipping motion with her hand as she makes the sound effect, and I roll my eyes and laugh.

The polished wooden door swings open to reveal Carlos' short figure with Dude in his arms. "Ali, hey," He grins, "Jay's just gone for a shower, but he won't be long. You can wait inside."

I smile down at him and thank him as I step inside their room, looking around at all they've got. "Nice room," I say. Carlos and Dude plop onto one of the beds and relax, grinning at me from across the way.

"Thanks, we like it. So where are you taking him?"

I grin down at my hands, "There's this rooftop garden that hardly anyone goes to anymore. It's really beautiful at sunset and I've set it up with fairy lights and a picnic."

Carlos gasps and grins, "Dude, that sounds beautiful!"

"I know." I say, pleased with myself. "I hope he likes it."

"I'm sure I will," Jay says from behind me. I jump, spinning on my heel to face him as Jay laughs.

"Don't scare me like that." I hit his arm lightly and shake my head in fake disappointment as Carlos laughs along. "You ready to go? Got a jacket?

"I don't get cold," Jay smiles, "Let's go." He wraps his arm around my waist and leads me out the door, each of us calling a brief goodbye to Carlos and Dude as we shut the door behind us.

"So." Jay pauses awkwardly once we've walked a few feet down the hall, turning to me.

"Want me to lead the way?" I smile smugly.

"Please."

—

I open the door for Jay and let him walk out onto the roof ahead of me, and he smiles in awe as he takes in the set up.

An L-shaped sofa sits against the back wall, an armchair placed diagonally across from it with a wicker coffee table placed between both. Surrounding the lounge area are plants of a variety of species, each a deep green and vibrant in colour. There's a marble-spruce pagola erect in that same corner of the rooftop garden, fairy lights hanging from the beams and glowing in the late afternoon light.

On the coffee table, a purple and gold picnic blanket is draped, with a bottle of apple juice, cups, and a variety of fruits and sweets placed in small bowls and containers on top. There's a second, smaller coffee table with candles placed delicately on top.

Jay turns to me as I close the door quietly behind us. "You did all this?"

"I did." I smile, and walk past him to stand under the pagola. "Carlos told me about how you used to sneak up to the roof at night so you could see the stars, so..." One by one, I light the candles and place them carefully on the coffee tables and floor. Then I turn off the fairy lights at the power point on the wall as Jay walks closer. The night sky shines brightly without the light pollution, the stars visible and beautiful from our place on the roof.

"...Ta-da." At his stunned expression, I sheepishly rub my arm, "I know it isn't the best view of the stars, but... hang on." I whistle a short, sharp blast, and Dad's magic carpet comes floating around the corner. I step onto it with ease, then hold my hand out for Jay.

"Wanna go for a ride?"

Jay hesitates, looking between my outstretched hand and the candle-lit picnic. "But... the food-"

"We can come back," I smile, "I promise."

He takes my hand and carpet forms stairs on the side to make it easier for him to walk on. Once Jay is settled next to me, I lean forward on my knees slightly, one of the carpet's tassels in my free hand. "Let's go, buddy."

The carpet takes off, gliding above the buildings and trees until we're soaring through the air, just barely able to skim the fluffy clouds with our fingertips.

I look at Jay, seeing him with a wide grin on his face, arm outstretched as far as he's willing to go, hand still tightly clutching mine.

"I can show you the world..."

I grin at the look he gives me. "What?" I laugh, "Have you seen my Mom? Dad's got game, man. Might as well use some of his old tricks."

Jay chuckles softly, then leans against me. "You have more than enough game, gorgeous. You get any more and you'll be showing me up every time."

"Every time, huh?" I grin, nudging him with my shoulder. "You mean we're gonna be going on more dates?"

"Well, yeah," Jay shrugs with a smile, "Only if you want to, though."

I give him a look, then roll my eyes and grin. "What kind of question is that?" I steer the magic carpet until we're hovering over the trees, away from Auradon Prep and closer to the Isle. Jay looks at the view with wide eyes.

"What..?"

I shrug. "I figured you might be a little home sick, honestly. But I brought you here so you could see the beauty in your home, Jay. Different perspectives, see?" We fly a little closer to the Isle, still out of reach of the border, but close enough to see the colours and culture of the villains and their kids.

"It might look like nothing special down on the streets, but up here? Everything's different."

Jay grins with teary eyes and leans on me further, muttering a quiet 'thank you' into my shoulder. I steer the carpet away from the Isle, taking us to hover over the ocean at the edge of Auradon. I nudge him. "Look up, Jay."

He does as he's told, sniffing softly, and smiles. "...Wow." He breathes. "You can see all the stars clearly here. It's all smoggy on the Isle, and the stars lose their shine down there."

"You see that one, there?" I ask, pointing to a small clump of stars. Two of them shine brighter than the rest. Jay nods his head softly, still tucked into my side. "Aunt Tiana and Uncle Naveen told me about them. They say it's their friend Ray and his first love, Evangeline."

"Is it actually?"

"Yeah, it is." I smile, "The story goes, Ray was a firefly, entirely absorbed in his love for his star, Evangeline. When he told Naveen and Tiana about her, they didn't want to argue and say that she was just a burning ball of gas, so they stayed quiet. Ray talked about how much she meant to him, how much he couldn't wait to be with her. Dr. Facilier killed him." My voice cracks, and Jay grips my hand tightly.

"Squashed him, right under his boot. Didn't even give him a fighting chance. Tiana and Naveen gave him a funeral, and it was beautiful. But, as Ray's family hovered over him, their lights dim in mourning, they noticed a new star in the sky. Right next to Evangeline."

My finger trails through the sky to point at the smaller, slightly dimmer star, just below Evangeline.

"Ray." Jay's voice barely comes out as more than a whisper in my ear, soft and vulnerable.

"Yeah," I mutter. "His love saved him. Now, he gets to spend the rest of his days by her side."

We sit there in companionable silence for a little while longer before I dry my tears and take us back to the rooftop. "Thank you, Carpet," I say, lightly patting my friend's head. "Why don't you go back home, now? I'll bet Dad's missing you." It bumps into my hand gently and then sets off for Agrabah in Lone Keep.

I turn around and clear my throat, gesturing to the picnic set up. "Now," I say, smiling gently at the warmth that the candle light adds to Jay's features, "Want some food?"

He takes my hand and pulls me into his body, hugging me tightly and nuzzling into my neck. I blush, feeling my ears heat involuntarily as my heart races.

"Thank you for tonight," Jay coos softly, pulling away and stroking my cheek gently, "You're amazing."

I lean into the palm of his hand, eyes fluttering shut as I put my hand on top of his. "Anything for you, Casanova."

He smiles at me gently and leads me by my hand to the picnic, where he sits on the floor and pulls me to sit with him, our bodies pressed together, warm and at peace as we enjoy one another's company and the food until the sun starts to rise.

I'm gently nudged awake by Jay when it happens, and I find that I've fallen asleep on his shoulder halfway through one of his stories about life on the Isle. He smiles warmly and I get to my feet without a word, helping him up. The candles have long-since extinguished, and together, we pack up the picnic and go back inside.

I walk Jay to his door and give him a lingering hug. When we pull back he kisses me softly three times. The first kiss, on my hand and the second on my cheek. The third kiss is warm and placed on the edge of my mouth, which tingles pleasantly even as I enter my own dorm and prepare for bed.

As I lay awake, I gently place a finger on my lips, which twitch into a soft smile.

This was a nice night.

1985 words.

I cannot with the softness of these boys oh my-

The only character I own is Ali. Everything else belongs to Disney.