Evie and Carlos

„Knock knock, it's me," Carlos said as he entered Evie's and Mal's room. Mal wasn't there, probably out somewhere with Ben, and Evie was sitting at her desk, cutting a piece of cloth. She looked up and smiled at the boy.

„So what is it you needed?" he asked and stepped closer, Dude trailing right behind him as he always did. Evie stood up and grabbed a measuring tape. „I need to take your measurements. I have a great idea for a new outfit!" she explained cheerfully. Carlos looked at her confusedly and said, „But you already took them. I haven't changed since."

„Oh but I'm sure you grew a little! A whole inch even!", she assured him. She wouldn't say anything about the little belly he had gained since they first came to Auradon, though. Carlos looked a little flustered, but didn't say anything. „And I'm a professional, I can't let you run around with clothes that aren't a perfect fit, now, can I?"

„What kind of fabric is that?" asked Carlos, sitting on her bed while Evie was marking the pieces she'd have to cut out with chalk. Even hunched over her desk she appeared to have perfect posture. Carlos wasn't sure if it was just in her genes or if the Evil Queen was still silently scolding her daughter for every imperfection.

„Oh! Remember what you said about troll hair fibre?"

„That it's robust and stretchy?"

„Yes! I asked Ben to order fabric with the troll hair woven in and you have the honor of trying it out. Hopefully you can play with Dude as much as you want and I won't have to fix the holes in your clothes all the time." She turned around to give him a smile, only to find that he was already lying on her bed with Dude on his belly.

He sat up and scratched his freckled cheek. „Sorry.. I'm not doing it on purpose."

The not-really-a-princess sighed, but she wasn't angry with him, she could never be.

„And I was thinking," she continued as she faced her work again, „If this turns out to be as good as I think, we could send some to the isle."

Carlos tilted his head slightly and looked more like Dude than ever. „You want to send clothes to your mother?"

„No," Evie responded, „to the kids. I always had pretty clothes," she hesitated and felt the dark fabric with her fingertips, her thoughts drifting off, „I'm not sure how much my mother played into this, but it often gave me comfort, to know that I could make something of myself, despite all the filth and sorrow around me, even though for her it was never quite enough.. And I figured, even if the other kids have nothing else going for them, they can at least feel pretty every once in a while."

Carlos had gotten up to have a closer look at the fabric. Even Dude waddled to her side, aware of the mood change in the room.

The boy, who was an inch taller now, maybe, took a piece of troll hair fabric and examined it, although he was just trying to cover up the fact that he was searching for the right words to say.

„And besides, on the isle you need durable clothes. Those rags they are wearing are not suitable for the environment," Evie added to break the silence.

Carlos smiled at her softly. „Maybe it will show them that good isn't so bad after all.. And it will turn my mother green with envy. She may have been a fashion mogul once, but something was always missing from her creations, and it was not dalmatian fur."

Evie squeezed his hand in gratitude and then continued to work on his clothes.

There was something about this boy that always brought light to wherever he went. And everyday Evie thanked her lucky stars that, even after all the horrible things he had lived through, his light and warmth had not faded one bit.