I'm A Big Bad Tiger

Dude Can Talk

Me, Dude, papa and Carlos are in his dorm. We want to spend some alone time while Carlos does the stuff he needs to do. I sit next to him and stroke Dude.

"How to get out of the friend zone?" Carlos types into his laptop. I laugh.

"You're so pathetic." I slap my knee.

"They dined with Aladdin and Jasmine." I look at the TV.

"I see you reading over my shoulder." Carlos looks at Dude, smiles and strokes him. I giggle and I lean my head on the headboard. He smiles. Mal walks in, locks the door and starts to freak out.

"Six months ago, no one thought...the wrong side of the bridge would last. Mal must be counting the days until the Royal Cotillion, when she will officially become a Lady of the Court." Mal switches off the TV and her eyes glow green.

"Whoa. Easy, girl." Carlos tells her.

"What? You think this is so easy?! You don't have people taking a photo of you every single time you open your mouth to say boo! I mean, it's not that I could even say boo, but you know what I-"

"I'm sorry." Carlos says.

"You're such a good friend." I pat his shoulder.

"Carlos, Shay, don't you ever miss screaming at people and just making them run away from you?" Mal asks.

"Not really. It's nice to talk to people since we've been scaring people since we could talk." I smile.

"You're thinking of my mother, and I was usually on the other end of that. So, not really. No." Carlos looks at his laptop screen. "Oh, hey!" He stands up. "Did you bring it?"

Chad sneaks in. I stand up and growl. He looks at us. "Hi. Just came to use your 3D printer. Won't be a sec."

"How'd you get a key to my room?" Carlos asks.

"Oh, I printed it off last time I was in here. Uh...you guys were sleeping."

"You snook into my boyfriend and my best mates bedroom at night? You're a weirdo!" Me and papa growl.

"Look, I just-your printer's so much better than mine, and you install these hacks and everything runs so much smoother than mine and-"

"Out! Now." Carlos points to the door.

"Fine. Fine." Chad turns around,

"Chad!"

Chad turns around. "What? Hmm?"

"Leave the key." Chad leaves the key. Carlos looks at Mal. "Mal?"

"Hmm?" Mal looks at him. I stand up and stand next to Carlos.

"The potion?"

"Hmm. Yeah. Um..." Mal takes out a gummy bear.

"So, this thing will make me say what I really feel to Jane?" Carlos asks.

"Yeah. I mean, this is a truth gummy, so take it or leave it."

"Perfect." Carlos goes to take the gummy. I shake my head slowly.

"Hold on, though. Are you sure that you want to be taking this? Because this is gonna make you say the truth all the time, no matter what, and the only reason that I'm asking is because I know that if I took this right now, I would get myself sent back to the Isle. Which, it's not that that sounds super unappealing, but, you know..." Jesus, Mal. Carlos looks at me.

"I'll take my chances." Carlos says.

"Okay." Mal puts her arm down. Dude eats the gummy. "Ooh! Bad dog!"

Dude shakes and makes a weird sound. We look at him in shock. "Man, that thing was nasty! And you-you need to just man up." Dude looks at Carlos. "And while you're at it, scratch my butt."

"You heard him. Scratch his butt." Mal leaves us.

Carlos looks at her. "Mal. You're just gonna leave us with him?" Mal closes the door behind her.

"Come on. You scratch your own all the time." Dude says to Carlos.

"Dude, who's a good boy?" I say to him in a baby voice. "Who wants a treat?" I show him a biscuit.

"Me! Me! I want it!" Dude wags his tail.

"Go fetch." I throw it into a corner. Dude tries to find it.