Escape from the Isle of the Lost (Descendants 4)

“Time certainly flies,” he said. “Even my hair is longer!”

She chuckled. Doug had been growing out his hair so that it was shaggier than usual. “It really is!”

“Do you not like it?” he asked worriedly.

“I love it!” said Evie, clasping her hands. “You look very dashing. But…”

“But…?” Doug asked, setting down his trumpet.

“But things are ending,” said Evie. She hung up her graduation gown and admired its sweetheart neckline and puffed sleeves. Just a few more flourishes on the sash and the dress would be done. “I don’t even know where I’m going to live when I graduate. I just realized I don’t have a home here. Where am I going to go?” She couldn’t return to the Isle of the Lost, of course, but after she left her room at the school dorms, there wasn’t anywhere else she could go.

Doug shook his head. “Auradon is your home.”

“I know,” said Evie. “But I’m not like the other kids. I’m not from here.”

“We’ll think of something,” said Doug, a serious look on his face.

Evie nodded. “I would love to have a place of my own. But who knows what next year will bring?”

“Hopefully not Uma,” said Doug.

“Roger that,” said Evie, shuddering. “But I am hoping next year brings more villain kids to Auradon. You know, to study. Like the four of us.”

Doug smiled. “Isn’t Ben doing that?”

“Sort of,” said Evie. “He definitely wants to recruit more kids from the Isle to apply to Auradon Prep. Except…”

“Except?”

Evie smoothed the fabric on her gown. “Well, we’re just not getting the response we thought we would.”

“How many people have applied from the Isle of the Lost so far?” asked Doug.

Evie turned back to him. “How many?”

“Yeah.”

“One.”

Doug’s mouth quirked in amusement. “One?”

She nodded. “Just Dizzy, who was invited to apply, and actually still has to be selected by the admissions committee before her registration can be confirmed.” Evie was sure Dizzy would be accepted, but of course nothing was guaranteed until Fairy Godmother sent the enrollment letter.

Doug crossed his arms against his chest. “Just Dizzy? Really?”

Evie let out a rueful chuckle. “I know. Isn’t that sad? There’s got to be a way to get more kids from the Isle to apply.”

“How many spots are open?” asked Doug.

“Good question. I’m not sure, but I think Auradon Prep would take more than one, since they want more students from the Isle to apply.”

“Then what you need,” said Doug, putting his trumpet away in its case, “is a recruitment strategy.”

Evie looked at him thoughtfully. “Intriguing. Go on.”

“The kids from the Isle of the Lost will probably be too intimidated to apply, unless they get encouragement from kids like them who are already doing well in Auradon.”

“Kids like us, you mean?” asked Evie, her mind whirling with ideas.