As everyone gets ready for Cotillion, I’ll just be quietly freaking out….

Carlos and Dude walked on the grassy school lawn toward the dorms.

There were groups of students in pastel-colored Auradon Prep clothes standing in clumps, chatting with others, and strolling to class in the shade of trees.

“Girl talk. Crushed it,” said Dude.

Carlos laughed. “Yeah, except when it comes to asking Jane out. Then I’m a total chicken,” he said.

“I’m going to paraphrase one of the bravest boys I know,” said Dude.

Carlos stopped and looked down at him, waiting for the rest.

Dude cleared his throat. “If she doesn’t like you, then she’s not the one for you.”

Carlos knelt down, smiling. “You really are man’s best friend.” He scratched the top of Dude’s head, then laughed and stood up. “Come on, buddy, let’s go.”

Jay was wearing his sporty blue-and-yellow R.O.A.R. outfit when he strolled into the amphitheater, where the team had assembled. They were in the arena, stretching.

“Let’s bring it in!” Jay clapped.

Everyone gathered around him.

“All right,” Jay said. “You all know I come from the Isle, all right, where things are pretty wack. But there is one thing the Isle’s got on Auradon: if you’re strong, we want you by our side—girl or boy.”

Chad stepped beside him. “Hold on here, Jay. We don’t break rules here in Auradon, okay? That’s more on the Isle.”

Jay pulled the rule book from his pocket and read from it. “‘The team shall be comprised of a captain and eight men.’ So, uh, give it up for your new team captain.” He pocketed the rule book and turned to the doorway, where Lonnie appeared in a custom-designed pink-and-teal R.O.A.R. uniform. She quickly joined the guys.

Jay placed a whistle around her neck, bowed, and left her in the center. Then he clapped, which started a chain reaction of applause throughout the rest of the team. Everyone but Chad put his hands together. Then Jay led the team in a unified bow, and everyone bowed to Lonnie except for Chad. Lonnie looked long and hard at him, and he finally gave in and bowed along with the others.

Lonnie was ready for her new role. She blew her whistle. “Give me ten!” she instructed. “Come on, guys!”

The boys dropped for push-ups and began to count.

Lonnie put a foot on Chad’s back. “Pick it up, Chad!” she said. “Nice form, Jay!”

Jay smiled at her and went lower into his push-up, showing how strong he really was.

Lonnie laughed, took a step back, and blew her whistle again. “’Kay, practice is over,” she said to her team. “Get outta here! Go get ready for Cotillion.”

The team dispersed and jogged out of the amphitheater.

“Hey, Jay!” said Lonnie from the arena.

He turned and walked over to her. “Yeah?”

Lonnie smiled. “Wait till I tell my mom.”

Jay smiled and gave her a playful tap on the shoulder. “Let’s get outta here.”

Inside Mal and Evie’s dorm room, Evie was altering Mal’s dress.

She gathered up bits of fabric and swaths of gold lamé and glanced at the pile of Dizzy’s hair creations. She took a headband, turned it over in her hands, and added a piece of leather. It was just the touch the headband needed. She smiled.

Doug knocked on the open door, then entered before Evie could answer. He was pale. “I have a scout badge in s’mores!” he cried. “How could you go camping without me? Are you seeing someone else?” He was so upset his mouth trembled.

“What? No!” said Evie.

“Is it Happy’s son?” asked Doug, taking another step into the room. “Let me tell you, he isn’t as happy as his dad. Kind of a dark streak, in fact.”

Evie took his hands and gave him her full attention. “Ben was taken on the Isle. We rescued him and saved Auradon.”

“So…you’re not seeing anyone else?” asked Doug, relieved.

Evie laughed. “Don’t be dopey.”

Doug smiled. Dopey might’ve been his dad, but Doug was his own person.

“Come on,” said Evie, “we’ve got dresses to deliver.” She looked at the headband, and her eyes lit up. “And that’s not all.” She looked back at Doug. “I’ve been given a chance, and now I need to give someone else a chance, too.”

“My uncle Bashful used to say that. But really quietly,” said Doug.

Evie gathered up Dizzy’s hair accessories, smiled at Doug, and headed out. “Let’s do this,” she said.

Out on the lawn, Carlos saw Jane hurrying with her tablet and talking on the phone. She was wearing her Auradon Prep blue, white, and yellow cheerleading uniform.

Carlos quickly ran up to her and grinned.

Jane smiled at him and lowered her phone.

Before he could lose his nerve, Carlos just came out with it: “Uh…would you…go to Cotillion with me?” he asked.

Jane didn’t get it. “We’re all taking a stretch carriage over at six,” she explained. Then she went back to her phone call. “Yeah, no, no. The pen toppers on the left side.”

“No, I mean, uh…with me.” Carlos pointed to himself.

“I’ll stop by your room,” she said, still not comprehending. Then Jane spoke back into her phone. “No, no, no. So when you’re on the boat facing the left—Yeah, yeah, right. No, no, no, not right—left!”

“Uh…” said Carlos, getting her attention again. “This is gonna be trickier than I thought,” he mumbled to himself. “Jane?”

“Yeah?”

He put a hand on her phone and slowly lowered it. “Would you…be my date for Cotillion? And if you don’t hate me by the end of it, would you consider…maybe being more than friends…maybe?” He looked at her with widening eyes, waiting.

Jane’s face broke into a huge smile. “Like…boyfriend and girlfriend? Where we hold hands instead of slugging each other all the time? And we text? And I can tell you how great you are? Because, Carlos, you’re really…you’re so great. And you’re so cute and so nice and I’m the luckiest girl in the world!” She hopped up and down.

“Me too!” said Carlos. “I mean, guy!”

“No, right!” said Jane.

“Luckiest guy!” said Carlos.

Jane gave him a big hug.

“Oh!” said Carlos. It took him a second to register what was happening before he hugged her back.

Jane’s phone buzzed, and she broke apart from him. “Oh! Sorry!” She held up her phone. She was grinning at him. “I’ll see you later?” she asked Carlos.

“Yeah. Totally,” he said.

He watched her pass through the rows of hedges, back up toward the school.

Dude’s tail wagged. “Good boy,” he said to Carlos.

Carlos laughed and patted him. “Come on, Dude. Let’s go.”

In the boys’ dorm room, Chad pulled a crown from Carlos’s 3-D printer.

He wore his baby-blue suit with gold details and the amazing faux-fur-trimmed cape Evie had designed for him. He added the fake crown to the regal ensemble and admired himself in the mirror. “Not bad. Not bad at all. What’s that? Why no, Audrey, I haven’t chosen my queen yet.” He turned away from the mirror, wheeled back to face it, and winked at his reflection.

Just then, Chad’s cell phone rang. He walked to the table and saw the screen. It was Audrey calling. He picked up the phone, fumbled it, dropped it on the floor, and dove for it. “Audrey!” he exclaimed.

Carlos appeared in the doorway. “Chad, this is—”

“Sh! Sh!” hissed Chad from the floor.

“My room,” finished Carlos.

Chad held up a finger as he listened to his phone. “Audrey? Yeah?” He got up on his knees. “Oh, that’s wonderful!” Chad turned to Carlos. “She’s got a flat tire in Sherwood Forest, and she wants me to go change it!” He stood up and chuckled.

Carlos squinted at him. “That’s six hours away.”

“Just six?” Chad spoke into the phone: “I’m going to be there sooner than I thought!” He sauntered toward the doorway.

Carlos stopped him. “Uh…” He removed Chad’s crown. “My printer, my crown. Thank you.”

Chad realized he wasn’t going to win this one. He glared at Carlos as he passed him, then said, “Coming, Audrey!” He sprinted down the hall.

“Wow.” Carlos scoffed.