ARIETTA WAS GLAD THAT SHE CONVINCED THE BOYS to try out for the tourney because it allowed her to get to know them better. As they walked on the cement pathway, Arietta decided to ask them about life on the Isle. As the royal representative, she should know about all the lands, including the Isle of the Lost.

"Do you all play sports at your school?"

Carlos and Jay looked at Arietta with amused looks on their faces. Sports weren't really a thing on the Isle since that would involve teamwork.

"Not really," Jay responded, not knowing how to explain life on the Isle to the princess.

"What do you guys do for fun?" Arietta asked, her eyes meeting Carlos's.

Carlos shrugged, trying to think about something he enjoyed doing on the Isle. Jay seemed to be just as lost as Carlos.

Arietta laughed at their reactions, "Come on. There has to be something."

Carlos shrugged, "Stealing? Taunting?" He said in an inquisitive tone like he wasn't sure if that was the right answer. Jay nodded along with Carlos, not knowing what else there was.

"You don't seem too sure about that," Arietta pointed out. She never realized how restricting life on the Isle was. She made a promise to herself and the VKs that she would work harder to give the people of the Isle more rights.

"Arietta," Carlos began wanting to change the topic of conversation, "What's it like to know you are going to be queen in a week?"

Arietta raised her eyebrows at the word "queen", letting out a giggle, "I am not going to be queen," she looked at Carlos with a light blush, "My older sister is the rightful heir to the throne. Ben has chosen me to be his royal representative, "Arietta clarified, "The title just means that I am the mediator for all the monarchs. Part of the United States of Auradon or part of a different territory, I am the one who makes sure everyone is at peace."

"Why would you want peace with all the lands," Jay asked her, confused, "Wouldn't you rather fight for power?"

"Of course not," Arietta shook her head, "Being a ruler doesn't mean having power. It means having the ability to make a difference for the good of the people."

Carlos looked at the beautiful girl in front of him in awe, "You are going to be an amazing royal representative and would have been a beautiful queen," He blushed, realizing what he said, not meaning to say his thoughts aloud.

Arietta's face flushed a bright red as she moved her hair in front of her face to hide some of the rouge, "Thanks," her eyes darting from the white-haired boy to the tourney field they had arrived on.

Jay looked between the two with a smirk, knowing they both liked each other. As he watched the two doe-eyed teenagers look into each other's eyes, completely oblivious to the fact that he was still with them, he knew the would have to find a way to convince them to tell each other their feelings before it was too late.

The sound of a whistle broke Carlos and Arietta from their reverie as they turned to see Coach impatiently calling the two boys to change.

Arietta looked away from Carlos and to the group of boys already changes for practice, "I'm gonna go talk to Ben."

Carlos watched as she walked over to the prince with a bright smile on her face. He couldn't help but feel the jealousy bubble in his chest. He wanted her to smile at him that way, not Ben.

Carlos shook his head, trying to snap out of his crush. They were here on a mission. One that he had to complete, or else his mother would skin him alive, literally. He would not allow himself to fall for Arietta. His mom's words ring in his head, "Love is weakness."

Once the boys began playing, Arietta, sat down in the stands to watch. Her jaw dropped in amazement as she watched Jay beat all the Auradon boys, single-handedly. Once he finished, Jay began flipping and dancing around in the kill zone, while Arietta clapped for her friend.

"You! Get over here!" Coach shouted at Jay, who was still cheering for himself. Jay's gleeful expression melted into that of fear as he walked over to the Coach.

·.· ❀ ·.·

"Those kids are trouble," Chad said, tø Ben and Arietta during †heir lunch hour. They had been forced to listen to Audrey and Chad complain abou† Ben's proclamation the entire period. Arietta considered joining the VKs for lunch but, before she could walk over to their table, Audrey had pulled her down to sit with her.

"Come on, Chad. Give them a chance," Ben cooly responds, not le††ing his annoyance get the better of him.

"Oh. No offense, Bennybear, and Ettie, but you are just too trusting," Audrey said, grabbing both Ben and Arietta's hands in her own. Arietta fought every fiber in her body that told her to correct Audrey's terrible nickname for her.

"Look, I know your mom fell in love with a big nasty beast who turned out to be a prince. However, with my mom, the evil fairy was just the evil fairy. That girl's mother," Audrey whispered the last part in their ears, as she watched Mal open her locker.

"Audrey, give them a chance," Arietta gently said, knowing how dramatic she can get.

"And I think you're wrong about them. I'll see you later," Ben continued, looping his arm in Arietta's, befoe pulling them away and towards Mal.

Arietta looked at the arm on Mal's locker with a smile, "Cool," Smiling at Ben's love-struck face she winked at Mal, deciding to give them some alone time, "See you later."

Mal looked at the mermaid confused, as to why she would leave so quickly, "Yeah?"

·.· ❀ ·.·

"Beeennnnn," Arietta groaned for what felt like the fortieth time, as he dragged her over to the tourney field. Arietta was not interested in spending her after school time sitting on a tourney field and watching Ben practice his throws, "I don't want to go outside."

Ben smiled as he continued to drag her to the field, "I have a feeling you aren't going to complain when you see who my partner is."

The brunette stopped protesting as she looked at her best friend, confused, "Who?"

Ben smirked, "Let's just say this is revenge for you leaving me alone with Mal during lunch."

Arietta's eyes widened once she realized what Ben was doing. Her head whipped to the field to see Carlos De Vil patiently waiting for Ben to meet him so they could practice. The brunette turned to Ben with a nervous expression on her face, "Do I look okay? Why didn't you tell me? I pr-"

"You look beautiful, like always, Ari," Ben assured his fishy friend. Jay had joked about Carlos's crush on Arietta in the locker room, and Ben decided that he would help the two get together. Ben knew that Carlos was the best guy out there for her and would treat her like the princess that she is.

Carlos's eyes widened once he saw who it was that was walking with Ben, "Arietta" he smiled at the princess, nervously scratching the back of his head.

Arietta blushed, "Hey, Carlos."

Carlos began stuttering as he quickly spoke, "Are you playing tourney with us? Well I mean of course you aren't because you aren't dressed. Not that your dress isn't nice. It is gorgeous. You are gorgeous."

Arietta tried to hide her blush while Ben laughed at Carlos and Arietta's flustered state, "Are you ready, Carlos?"

Carlos nodded, happy to change the subject, "Yeah," Ben and Arietta watched Carlos run to the end of the field so they could time his miles.

Ben pulled out his stopwatch and was about to call for Carlos to go, but a barking cut him off. Carlos began sprinting across the turf, past Ben and Arietta.

"Carlos!"

"Ben, come on" Arietta shouted as she began running after Carlos, who had taken off onto the woods. Ben looked at Arietta in understanding, realizing that he was running out of fear of Dude, the campus mutt.

Arietta watched Dude playfully chase Carlos, "Dude! Stop! Bad dog!"

"Carlos?" Ben said, watching his white hair disappear in the woods. "Carlos!"

Ben began catching up with Arietta as she followed Dude into the woods. Ben and Arietta slowed down until they made it to a stop, finding Carlos hanging on one of the limbs of a tree. Dude continued to bark at Carlos as he leaned on the roots.

"Carlos!" Ben shouted while Arietta leaned on her knees for support. She let out deep heaves, trying to catch her breath from the workout she just had.

"Ben! Arietta! Guys, help me!" Carlos shrieked in fright, trying to kick Dude away. "This thing is a killer! He's gonna chase me down and rip out my throat."

Arietta let out a breathy laugh at the nonsense Carlos was saying. Ben picked Dude up in his arms, gently stroking his fur, listening to Carlos continue, "This is a vicious, rapid pack animal!"

"Hey, who told you that?" Arietta asked with a concerned tone.

"My mother," Carlos said as if it was the most obvious statement in the world.

Arietta was shocked to hear the son of Cruella De Vil would tell her son these made up stories about dogs. Arietta always thought she would tell him that they were made for fashion or dumb, but never did she think she would lie and say they were monsters, "Cruella?"

"She's a dog expert. A dog yellerer," Carlos nodded as if we should all know these phony facets about his mother. Ben and Arietta both shared amused smiles as they scratched behind Dude's ears.

Carlos almost jumped off the tree to try and save Ben and Arietta as he watched them pet the canine, "Why are you holding him? He's gonna attack you!"

"Uh, Carlos, you've never actually met a dog, have you?" Arietta gently asked him, taking Dude out of Ben's arms so that she could carry him.

"Of course not," Carlos cowered into the tree, watching Arietta come closer to him with the dog.

"Dude, meet Carlos," Ben introduced, standing behind Arietta, as they both tried to get Carlos to pet Dude," Carlos, this is Dude. He's the campus mutt."

"He doesn't look like a vicious, rapid pack animal," Carlos said, slowly releasing his tight grip on the tree to move closer to Dude. arietta could see the tension roll off his shoulders as he smiled at the mutt.

"Jeez," Carlos reached his hand out to touch Dude, "You're a good boy, aren't you?" Arietta smiled as she watched Carlos begin to pet the canine in her arms. Slowly, she moved Dude out of her arms and into Carlos's, "You're a good boy."

"Guess you guys have it pretty rough on the island," Ben said, thinking back to what he said about Cruella telling him that dogs were rabid pack animals that ate little boys. Arietta frowned thinking about all the lies he was probably told as a child.

Carlos looked right into Arietta's pale eyes with a smile, "Yeah. Let's just say we don't get a lot of belly rubs," he continued to stroke Dude's fur.

"Good boy," Ben lauded, Carlos as he gave him a pat on the back. Arietta gave him an amused look, causing Ben to correct himself, "I mean, you're a good runner. You're-you're fast, you know."

"Oh, yeah. Thank you," Carlos laughed before he looked back at Dude with a warm smile. Arietta could tell that Carlos and Dude were going to be very close.

"Listen, I'm gonna give you guys some space, yeah?" Ben began backing away, "You guys get to know each other and just, you know, come find us when you're done, okay?"

Arietta smiled at Carlos, looking towards Ben before turning to sit next to Carlos on the log, "Do you miss the Isle?" She asked him quietly, scared of how he might react to her question. She had let her curiosity get the best of her.

Carlos looked into the pale blue eyes of the stunning girl in front of him with a genuine smile. As he watched Arietta's doe eyes filled with worry, he could only wonder how an amazing girl like her would be wasting her time with a villain kid like him. She was kind, compassionate, and friendly, everything he was supposed to hate.

Arietta watched Carlos stare at her for what felt like hours, never answering her question. Instead, he brought one of his calloused hands up to move the hair out of her face. Arietta's lips formed an 'o' shape as she watched him lean down and whisper to her, "Does this answer your question?" Before Carlos tenderly brought his lips down on hers.