Choosing Family

Chapter Thirty One

Mal stalked down the hall, making her way to Jay's dorm and pounded on the door. Other students seemed to actively avoid her as they made their way down the hall but Mal suspected that was more because of the fact she was a VK rather than because of her bad mood.

"What's the password?" Jay called from the other side of the door.

"Let me in Jay! I'm not in the mood!" Mal growled.

"Nope, but since it's you," Jay chuckled as he opened up the door. "You know it was unlocked right?"

"Gods, five minutes in a room with Blueberry and I'm ready to tear my own hair out," Mal growled as she stormed into the room. Her bad mood seemed to dissipate as she saw the boys' room. There were more dark tones, with dark wood finishes and paneling on the wall. "Now this is a room I could live in!"

"Glad you like it," Jay chuckled. "My room is your room, Mal. As long as DeVil doesn't mind."

"Not at all," Carlos said quickly, with a look of slight fear in his eyes.

"Glad to hear it," Mal smirked before shaking her head. "I'm not going to hurt you DeVil, don't worry."

"You know I mean it Mal. My room is your room," Jay said as he plopped on his bed. Mal could tell that the boys had gotten the same welcome basket she and Blueberry had gotten over in their dorm. "So...Prince Beastie."

Mal sighed. "Not what I expected," she said as she crossed her arms.

"Very true. His girlfriend though..."

"Hate. Her," Mal muttered. She was exactly what Mal had expected of a Boreadon royal.

"Not surprised," Jay chuckled. "I mean I do too. Honestly she may be his girlfriend but he didn't look like he cared that much about her. Truthfully he looked like she was about to lead him to the executioner's block every time she touched him."

"Probably a political match," Mal said with a shrug. "Doesn't matter though. Prince Beastie's not our business. Even if he does seem miserable."

"I'd argue that if we want him to like us enough to bring certain people over here, he kinda is," Jay muttered. "He's not likely to want to bring more kids over if he's miserable or constantly battling with Audrey."

Mal rolled her eyes. "Okay so what do you propose we do Jay? Become his best friends or something?"

"Maybe not, but I mean we could integrate with him. Get him away from her and more toward us."

Mal frowned. "Okay but how do we do that? We're not the most friendly people in the world Jay—there's a reason why our crew only has four people. We're 'ruthless yet loyal', we don't go up to just anyone."

"So we become 'ruthless yet loyal' to Beastie Jr.," Jay suggested. "He's a captain on a couple of the sports teams here. I overheard a couple of kids talking in the hall. We could go to a game? Make it like a parley or an alliance like back home."

Mal shrugged. "I guess. The last thing I'd want to do is risk Freddy boy winding up off the Isle instead of Uma or Harry."

"Well you should have it easier than me," Jay smirked. "After all, he spent five minutes shaking your hand when we were outside. Don't think I didn't notice that."

"What does that got to do with anything?!"

"Mal, as your first mate, it astonishes me that you still can't tell when a boy likes you. He seemed to care about his first impression with you, not with us."

"Jay, even if he did like me—which he doesn't—he's taken."

"Not for long, if the way he was looking at you combined with how he acted whenever Audrey touched him was any indication," Jay said with a smirk.