Good Boy Part 35
There’s going to be non-Disney Channel language in this chapter, aka swearing.
Sorry for the delay, had to try writing this a couple of times before it came out half way decent.
Story so far: http://graceunderstrain.tumblr.com/post/154796607914/good-boy-links
“I think we should play a different game now,” Evie smiled sweetly, “Two Truths and A Lie.”
Jay and Mal quickly voiced their enthusiasm as the potion should be kicking in any time but Jim seemed to hesitate.
“When exactly are Ben and Doug getting here?” Jim inquired.
“What are you scared you’re going to lose?” Jay challenged. Jim always seemed to be on his case, maybe turning the tables.
“Not really, I rarely lose. Most people don’t have what it takes to win,” Jim responded calmly as he sat, indicating that Carlos should sit next to him with a pat.
Evie, Mal, and Jay exchanged a look was that an honest answer or just bluster? They quickly arranged themselves on the floor, Mal sitting directly across from Jim; Jay between Carlos and Mal; and Evie next to Jim. Mal had magicked her phone invisible to others and attached it to her jacket. She pretended to dust some lint off of her lapel, as she pushed the button to record.
“Everyone knows the rules, right? Tell three statements, one of which is a lie. Everyone else gets to ask you one follow up question to try and figure out the lie and then we all vote. Whoever identifies the most lies wins. I’ll start and then we go to the left,” Evie stated. Once everyone had nodded in agreement she continued: “I learned how to sew when I was five years old. I hate the sound of knuckles being cracked. I am in the process of patenting a chemical dye I invented.”
Evie’s tone never wavered and she looked evenly ahead the entire time she spoke, though Jay didn’t really care he just wanted to ask Jim some questions. He really hoped the truth would set them free, as the Fairy Godmother was always saying. It seemed much more likely that while Jay’s suspicions might publicly be confirmed, Jim seemed like the type who could slip out of any situation- just like his father had.
Jay suddenly noticed everyone was looking at him when Mal gave him a quick jab in the side.
“Uhh… Evie, if you hate hearing knuckles being cracked why don’t you get annoyed when Mal and I do it?” Jay asked.
“If I did, wouldn’t you both do it more often?” Evie answered him with her own question.
Jay was pretty positive he’d caught the lie. While what Evie had said made sense, revealing her dislike now would carry the same risk as telling them earlier.
“What was your first sewing project?” Mal queried.
“An apron, so I wouldn’t mess up my outfits while learning to cook.”
After a few seconds consideration, Mal called for a vote. Everyone raised their hand for statement number two and Evie confirmed they were correct. Jay felt tension build in his chest as they moved on to Jim. What if what he said hurt Carlos? What if Carlos chose to stay with Jim anyways? Jay took a quick breath to control himself so he could actually listen to what was being said.
Jim began, “Life has always been pretty boring though it’s been a bit more interesting since you four showed up.” He took a quick gulp from his cup, almost seeming to want to cut himself off from talking. “I have a twin sister, Alana, who is nothing like me. I can’t believe I’m related to anyone in my family actually.” Jim’s eyes seemed to widen a bit, and Jay suddenly wondered if this was the first real emotion he’d seen on the prince’s face. Jim took a bite of food as if to slow himself down. “I think something’s wrong with me.”
“Do you need to go to the nurse or something?” asked Carlos, his voice rising in concern.
“Well that was a waste of a question, wasn’t it?” Jim slapped away Carlos’s hand and the smaller boy retreated a bit,”I don’t want to go to the nurse.The last thing I need is to be around an adult right now. I must be drunk or something. Stuff is just slipping out, but I can still beat you four at this game.”
Carlos darted a pleading look at Jay, obviously wanting his friend to call off the game. Jay couldn’t though, it seemed like Jim was honest as h was going to get and Jay wasn’t going to waste time seeing how long the serum lasted.
Trying to act as if the game was still fun, Jay asked the question that had popped into his mind as soon as Jim had started talking, “You said life got interesting when we arrived. Why?”
“Come on look around you- this is happily ever after. Everyone’s so nice, so happy. There’s no challenge to manipulating them. Sure I can make Punzie cry but a few minutes later she’ll just ask her parents if she’s really all that bad and she’ll be back to her perky self. You four, on the other hand. You put all this armor up. Usually, I know what makes someone tick right after we meet, not so with you VKs. The best part is once I really looked though, there was so much there. Underneath it all you all, are so damaged and frightened. You especially, C.” Jay felt his temper rise at someone outside of their friend group using the nick name, “You wouldn’t go crying to someone if bad stuff happened. I could finally do things that the adults would get me in trouble for but you wouldn’t complain. Even now I know you hate me saying this to your friends, but you won’t tell me to stop. Will you?”
“But I will. Stop it,” Jay interrupted. Jim seemed a bit disorientated and actually did shut up. “Carlos, are you ok?”
Carlos looked up from his lap. He seemed to be keeping a hold of himself. “What is going on?” Carlos directed his question at the four.
“We want to get to the bottom of what’s going on between you and Jim,” Jay said. They probably should have let Carlos know all along, “We, well, I think Jim’s been twisting the truth. Saying things are your fault even though it isn’t.”
“Well, it really is Carlos’s fault,” Jim said, using the same tone with which someone might comment on the weather. “He has all these feelings. He is weak. You’d think a villain’s son would have discovered the secret.”
“What secret?” Mal asked, her eyes a threatening neon green.
“It’s all pretend. You only have to act like you care, so to keep all the idiots around you from realizing that if they too stopped caring, they could actually live for once. Once you can get someone to like you, then you can get whatever you want If you really care about what they think, then you give all your power away. I’m in control because I don’t let the stupid rules and emotions get in the way.”
“Screw you, Jim,” Carlos said angrily. “What in Hades name made you more fucked up than us?”
Jim laughed, “Oh, normally I’d give some BS answer about the pressure of having to be the perfect prince.” His voice became overly pitiful as he impersonated the situation, “I’ve been really anxious lately. How will I ever measure up to my mommy and daddy? I worry no one will love me if I make even the tiniest mistake. It’s so hard. Alana never does anything wrong. Everyone likes her better.” His voice returned to Jim’s normal tone, “Honestly, I’ve always been this way. I’m lucky. I see the world how it really is.”
Jay struggled to remain seated. Violence on tape would mess up the whole blackmail situation. He glanced at Carlos who seemed at loss, unsure whether to remain angry or to forgive.
“Did you break Carlos’s arm?” Mal said. She was moving on to the list of prepared questions. Motivations were all well and good but if they didn’t have a confession, it was just a rant.
“Yes.” Jim seemed a bit proud of this. “Still, don’t know why I am telling you any of this. Is it some kind of spell.”
Mal ignored him, asking, “ Why?”
“Because he wasn’t doing what I wanted, it was the only way to get my way.”
“It wasn’t an accident?” Carlos asked in surprise.
“Of course not.”
Jay tried to radiate comfort, unsure if he should touch Carlos or not.
“C,” he spoke softly as Mal continued her questions, “Is it ok we’re doing this?”
Carlos nodded.
“Do you want to go outside? We’ve got a long list of questions but you don’t have to hear it all. We can leave. I’ll go with you. The girls can handle themselves.”
Carlos considered for a moment before nodding. Jay and Carlos got to their feet. Jim barely seemed to notice the difference, the spell description had said the serum caused the victim to be unable to focus on multiple things at once, as the distraction was counterproductive. Jay and Carlos walked down the corridor in silence, out of the dorms, and into a small, empty courtyard.
“What the hell, Jay,” Carlos hissed. “You couldn’t just leave it alone. Instead, you went to Mal and Evie and the three of you have some plan. You didn’t bother to ask me if I wanted any of this. Who cares about Carlos’ opinion! He’s too stupid and weak to notice his boyfriend is a psycho. We’ve got to go save him.”
“We didn’t mean it like that,” Jay protested.
“Well, you might not have meant to but seriously,” Carlos swore again. “ Do you think so little of me that you couldn’t let me in on it? You used magic, didn’t you? You think hearing all my pain’s going to change anything?”
Jay was unprepared for a sudden shove that sent him stumbling backward. When he regained his balance, Carlos was half slumped over.
“I didn’t mean to cause you pain,” Jay said unsure where to begin, “It’s just when we talked I felt like Jim had messed you up, that you couldn’t think clearly. I couldn’t bear seeing you that way. You’re right, I should have told you our plan in advance.”
Carlos looked up at Jay. “You were right,” said Carlos sadly, “I’m living some big lie. I was willing to stay no matter what the cost. I couldn’t think for myself.”
Jay took a step forward, opening his arms if Carlos wanted a hug.
“I just wanted to be loved,” Carlos said in a small voice. “Maybe I knew something was wrong, but I thought- I thought if I loved him enough it would change. Like in the fairytales. True love can change anything. So dumb.”
“I don’t think it’s dumb. I just don’t think Jim wanted to change.”
“Yeah.” Carlos sat down on a nearby bench. Jay sat next to him, waiting for the younger boy to work through his thoughts. A few minutes late Carlos finally spoke again, “How’d I manage to find the one villain in Auradon?”
“At least you’re acknowledging there are other people out there besides, Jim. I’m sure the next person you date will be way better.”
“Yeah.”
The friends sat in silence for quite a while.
“I can’t do it anymore, not after what he said,” Carlos sighed. “I feel like a failure but it’s over, isn’t it?”
“Well, I don’t think you’re the one who failed,” Jay said. “But I get that you feel that way. I’m sorry you had to hear that crap.”
“What did you three do anyway?” Carlos finally asked.
“Gave him a truth serum. Mal’s also recording the whole thing- so we can,” Jay stopped himself, “So you can decide what you want to do with that.”
Carlos considered, “Show it to the Fairy Godmother, I guess. Maybe she can help him.”
Jay wanted to tell Carlos help was the last thing Jim deserved but Jay had made enough unilateral decision for one day.
“How come we’re all not spouting the truth?” Carlos asked, “We all ate and drank the same stuff.”
“The rest of us had an antidote beforehand.”
“Do you think I’m an idiot for believing in Jim?”
“No,” Jay said. “He’s clearly fooled a lot of people before you. I think the same thing could have happened to any of us.”
“Well, we’d better go back up and make sure the girls are doing ok,” Carlos said with a bit more confidence than earlier.
Jay nodded in agreement and they headed back together.


















