Let The Light In by Lana Del Rey
The lunch table was a chaotic mix of Auradon royalty, reformed villains, and unruly piratesâall squeezed onto one bench like they actually belonged together. And, somehow, they did.
Ben sat at the center, trying to keep the peace while also attempting to eat his food in peace. Attempting being the key word.
Mal, across from him, was still trying to figure out why Uma, Estella, Harry, and Gil had been sent to detention twice in one morning. "Seriously? You lasted one day."
Uma smirked. "You say that like you're surprised."
Evie giggled as she neatly cut her food, raising an eyebrow. "What did you do?"
Before anyone could answer, Harry shoved a forkful of food into his mouth and spoke anyway. "Told the professor his history class was rubbish an' walked out."
Carlos nearly choked on his drink. "Wait, what?"
Jay leaned in, grinning. "You ditched on the first day?"
Estella flicked her braid over her shoulder, taking a bite of fruit. "We prefer the term boycotted."
Ben groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You guys can't just walk out of class because you don't like what the professor says."
Harry raised an eyebrow. "Aye, we can. And we did."
Jane, ever the voice of reason, looked horrified. "But... aren't you worried about getting kicked out?"
Gil, completely unbothered, smiled. "Nope!"
Evie sighed, already foreseeing the amount of damage control they'd all have to do. "You guys do realize that going to school means actually staying in class, right?"
Uma waved her off, stealing a fry from Gil's plate. "It was a boring class anyway."
Mal smirked. "I'm not saying I approve of what you did, but I am saying that was probably the most pirate thing you could've done."
Harry grinned, nudging her with his boot. "Aye, well, can't have Auradon makin' me soft now, can I?"
Ben just shook his head. "My parents are going to hear about this."
Estella patted his arm. "That's a future Ben problem."
Jane nudged Carlos, whispering, "They're going to give Fairy Godmother a heart attack."
Carlos nodded, sipping his drink. "For sure."
The lunch table buzzed with conversationâJay and Gil arguing about who would win in an arm wrestle, Evie helping Jane with her outfit, Mal and Uma somehow starting a heated debate about whether magic or the sword was a better weapon.
And despite the absolute mess that was this group, it worked.
The day droned on, exhaustion weighing heavily on Estella's shoulders as she sluggishly made her way back to her dorm. Her eyes felt heavy, and her feet dragged against the polished floors of Auradon Prep. The whispers and stares of students still followed her wherever she went, rumors swirling about where she had been and why she had changed so much.
Not even a minute after she entered her dorm, Harry barged in with his usual energy, the door swinging open as he grinned at the sight of her sitting on the edge of her bed, attempting to take off her boots.
"Ye look dead on yer feet, lass," he teased, leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed.
Estella huffed, too tired to argue, and finally kicked off her boots. "It's been a long day."
Harry smirked, shutting the door behind him before tugging off his own jacket and boots. "Aye, well, I'd say detention was well worth it. Watching Uma argue with that professor about pirate history was the highlight of me day."
Estella snorted, remembering the way Uma had refused to acknowledge any history that didn't paint pirates in a good light. "I mean, she wasn't wrong."
Harry chuckled, tossing his hook onto her desk before walking over and flopping onto the bed beside her. "No, she wasn't. But yer still knackered."
They both changed into something more comfortable, the air between them easy and familiar. Estella pulled her blanket over herself, already feeling the weight of sleep tugging at her. Before she could fully settle, Harry climbed in beside her, not even bothering to ask before pulling her closer.
They lay facing each other, their foreheads almost touching as they talked about their day in hushed voices.
"Ben nearly had a heart attack when I told him we all got sent out of class today," Estella murmured, amused.
Harry smirked. "That lad worries too much. What's the worst they could do? Ban us from school? Already happened once, love."
She rolled her eyes. "Not helping."
He grinned, brushing a few strands of her golden hair away from her face. "I missed this, ye know," he admitted, his voice quieter now. "Jus' us, like on the Isle."
Estella's heart softened at his words. "Me too," she whispered, reaching up to trace her fingers along his jaw.
As she started to doze off, Harry shifted, bringing her to rest against his chest. His hand found its way to her back, rubbing slow, soothing circles. She felt the warmth of his lips press against her forehead, lingering there for a moment.
"G'night, Stella," he murmured, his accent thick with affection.
She barely managed a response, already half-asleep, but she tightened her grip on him, wordlessly letting him know she heard.
And just like that, wrapped up in Harry's arms, she drifted into the most peaceful sleep she'd had in a long time.