How to Find the Truth

Chapter 5

"Hey, guys. Keep it chill, all right?" Carlos warned them before they went into town. "The last thing we need is our parents figuring out we're here."

They headed into the streets, and not 10 steps in, little kids tried to mug Evie. But when she looked at their faces, she just let them take her stuff. They reminded her of her younger self. They were just trying to survive. She watched them run off and then came back to reality. "Ugh. Ben."

And of course, the VKs found him exploring some more. Unlike me, my brother likes to look at everything through rose-colored lenses. Not that that's a bad thing, but it definitely does not help you blend in on the Isle, especially when the glasses you look through are an extra bright shade of pink. And this is why I did not want him to come.

The VKs caught up to him just as he was introducing himself to a stranger. A not-so-nice-looking stranger at that.

"Ben, stop. Just stop," Evie demanded harshly as she pulled him away from the man, while Carlos got the man to back away.
"Why?" Ben asked.
"This isn't a parade. It's the Isle," she told him like it was obvious.
"Keep your hands in your pockets unless you're stealing," Jay advised.
"You either slouch or strut," Carlos told him.
"And never, ever smile," Evie said.
"Okay, thanks."
"No! No "thank you's," and drop the "please," too," Evie said. "Just...chill."

*watch song*

Finally, Ben seemed to know how hard it was to keep up an act of someone you're not. He was ready to see Mal, and just a tad too happy. He continued to hum and dance, and accidentally bumped into someone.
"Hey, man," the guys said, slightly annoyed at first. "Hey! Hey, I know you!"
"Uh, no. Don't know you, either, man," Ben said, trying to play it off smoothly. He was doing better I guess.
"Uh, yeah, you do. Come on, man," he said with a smile. "Really? Huh? Dude, I'll give you a hint. My dad is quick, slick and his neck... Huh? is incredibly thick," he said happily.

This was Gil, one of Uma's henchmen.

"Come on, man. I kn-- Huh? Huh. Huh? Huh," Gil gasped, comparing a picture of Ben on the wall with the real deal. He suddenly realized who he had really stumbled upon. "Oh! You're King Ben!
"Okay, let's go," the VKs said, quickly dragging Ben away from the situation.
Yeah, yeah, you totally are King Ben, and you're J-Jay, Carlos, Evie. Hey, guys," he said, even though they were long gone. Then he smiled happily. "Oh, Uma's gonna love this!"

🐚🐚🐚

Back at Mal's place, I was sprawled out on her couch, now with a dead phone. "Hey, you know what time it is?" I asked her, slightly bored. She laughed.
"Haha. Nope!"

She was repainting one of her walls, and I had nothing to do. She wouldn't let me go out into town without her, even though she knew I was perfectly capable. So, I decided it was conversation time. Maybe I could ease her back into coming back to Auradon tomorrow.

"Did you think that conversation with Harry was a bit off?" I asked her.
"Yeah a little. But Harry is always like that, so I wouldn't worry too much," she said, still focused on her art.
"Oh...okay.."

I tried to think of something else to say. I thought it was really cool here, but I was also confused at what seemed like every turn. How could my brother have never come here? I mean, he rules this land too. But I had never been here, and at every corner, I was having deja vu. Maybe my imagination had just been so close to the real thing all these years.