now playing,
Fine Line by Harry Styles
Estella smirked to herself as her fingers expertly slid the delicate mermaid trinket off the table. It was smooth, glittering faintly in the dim light of the Isle. She knew it was probably worthless to anyone here, but on the ship, it would look cool. Maybe she'd hang it in Harry's quarters just to mess with him.
Sliding the trinket into her jacket, she turned to leave, but a chill ran down her spine as she felt someone's eyes on her.
"Estella," a familiar voice said, quiet but firm.
Her stomach twisted. She turned slowly, her smirk faltering as she locked eyes with Carlos.
The boy she had once called her best friend now stood taller, his arms crossed, a look of quiet shock and sadness on his face.
"What are you doing here, Carlos?" she asked sharply, raising an eyebrow to cover the sudden unease crawling up her back.
Carlos didn't answer. His gaze flicked down to her jacket, where the trinket was barely concealed, then back to her face.
"I could ask you the same thing," he said, his voice quiet but pointed.
Estella rolled her eyes and shoved past him, muttering, "Go back to your little Auradon bubble and leave me alone."
Carlos didn't move, turning on his heel to follow her.
"I don't recognize you anymore," he said softly.
Estella froze for half a second before continuing to walk, her jaw tightening.
"You're stealing stuff, running around with pirates, andâand Harry Hook, of all people."
She whipped around, glaring at him. "And what if I am? What are you gonna do, Carlos? Run and tell your precious King Ben?"
Carlos flinched at the venom in her voice but stood his ground.
"Ben misses you," he said suddenly, his voice raw.
Estella stiffened, her glare faltering.
Carlos took a step closer. "He's been a wreck since we came back without you. He blames himself."
She opened her mouth to fire back, but Carlos cut her off.
"And Gwen," he said, his voice cracking. "Sheâshe cried for the first time in her life, Estella. She cried when you didn't come back."
Estella froze.
Her breath hitched as the words hit her like a punch to the gut. Gwen, her best friend, the one who never let anything bother her, who always put on a tough facade no matter what..
Cried?
Her fingers tightened around the edge of her jacket, and for a moment, she couldn't meet Carlos's gaze.
"Why are you telling me this?" she finally muttered, her voice quieter now.
Carlos stepped closer, his tone softening. "Because we didn't forget about you, Estella. We didn't want to leave you. And you can still come back."
She looked up at him, her walls cracking just slightly.
But then she shook her head, her expression hardening again. "I can't."
"Why not?"
She clenched her jaw, backing away. "Because I don't belong there anymore, Carlos. Look at me." She gestured to her leather jacket, her boots, the trinket hidden in her pocket. "I'm not Auradon material, okay? I don't fit into your perfect little world."
"That's not true," Carlos insisted, stepping forward again.
But Estella turned and stormed off before he could say anything else, her heart pounding as she fled back toward the ship.
Harry leaned against the doorframe of his quarters, letting out a low chuckle as his fingers ran over the cool surface of the mermaid trinket. The little thing had been casually tucked onto a shelf in his room, nestled among the chaos of maps and scattered treasures. He could tell immediately it was Estella's doing.
Sneaky little thief.
He couldn't help but smile. It was such a small thing, but it reminded him of how she always made her mark wherever she went.
Tucking the trinket into his coat pocket, Harry left his quarters and headed toward the kitchen, where the faint sounds of clattering and muttered curses echoed down the hallway.
He stepped into the dimly lit kitchen and stopped in his tracks.
There she was, Estella, her back to him as she clumsily sorted through the Isle's sorry excuse for cookware. Her hands trembled slightly as she reached for a rusty pan, placing it on the counter before grabbing a dull knife to chop a strange assortment of vegetables she must've scavenged from the market earlier.
Her movements were hurried, uncoordinated, and completely unlike her usual confident self.
Harry tilted his head, a soft smirk playing on his lips. "Love, what exactly are you doing?"
Estella jumped, nearly dropping the knife as she spun around.
"Iâ" She glared at him, though her shaky hands betrayed her nerves. "I'm cooking. What does it look like?"
Harry raised an eyebrow, stepping further into the room. "Looks like you're tryin' to battle those vegetables into submission."
She huffed, turning back to the counter. "The crew has to eat, Harry. Not everyone survives on sarcasm and swagger like you."
"True," he said, leaning casually against the counter beside her. "But you're shakin' like a leaf, Stella. What's got you so rattled, hmm?"
"I'm not rattled," she muttered, refusing to meet his gaze as she continued chopping.
Harry wasn't convinced.
He reached out, his fingers gently brushing against hers as he took the knife from her hand and set it down.
"Oi," he said softly, his voice dipping into that rare, tender tone he reserved just for her. "Talk to me."
Estella hesitated, her shoulders tense. Then she let out a shaky breath, leaning back against the counter.
"It's nothing," she murmured, avoiding his eyes. "Just... ran into Carlos earlier."
Harry's jaw tightened at the name. He crossed his arms, leaning closer to her. "And?"
Her fingers fidgeted with the hem of her jacket. "And he said some things. About Ben. And Gwen." Her voice wavered slightly. "I don't know. It justâit messed with my head, okay?"
Harry's expression softened, and he reached out, tilting her chin up so she'd look at him.
"You're lettin' them get to you," he said, his tone steady but warm. "But they're not here now. I am."
Estella blinked up at him, her heart skipping a beat.
"And I'm not gonna let anyoneâor anythin'âhurt you," he added, his thumb brushing gently along her jaw. "Not them. Not this bloody island. Nothin', alright?"
Her lips parted slightly, and for a moment, all she could do was nod.
Harry grinned, stepping back just enough to grab the knife off the counter. "Now, let me show you how a proper pirate chops vegetables, aye?"
Estella couldn't help the small smile tugging at her lips as she watched him expertly slice through the vegetables with a flourish, his usual cocky charm shining through.
Maybe, just maybe, she didn't have to carry the weight of everything on her own.
Estella leaned back against the counter, watching Harry with amusement as he dramatically sliced through a carrot, spinning the knife between his fingers with far more flair than necessary.
"Are you cooking or auditioning for a circus?" she teased, folding her arms.
Harry smirked, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye. "Why not both? Pirates are full of surprises, love."
He tossed a slice of carrot into the air, catching it in his mouth with a triumphant grin. Estella rolled her eyes but couldn't help the small laugh that escaped her lips.
"You're ridiculous."
"And you love it," he quipped, shooting her a wink.
She scoffed but didn't argue, instead grabbing a ladle and lightly tapping him on the shoulder with it. "Less showing off, more cooking, Hook."
"Aye, aye, Captain," he replied with a mock salute, turning back to the vegetables.
As Harry worked, Estella stepped up beside him, grabbing a handful of potatoes to peel. The tension from earlier seemed to melt away, replaced by a lighthearted ease that felt almost foreign in the dreary gloom of the Isle.
Harry began humming softly under his breath, a low, melodic tune that made Estella pause.
"What's that?" she asked, glancing at him.
He shrugged, not looking up. "Just an old pirate shanty. Me mum used to hum it when I was a lad."
There was a warmth in his voice, a softness that tugged at something deep inside Estella.
Without thinking, she began to hum along, picking up the simple melody.
Harry raised an eyebrow, glancing over at her with a crooked grin. "Didn't know you could carry a tune, Stella."
"There's a lot you don't know about me," she said with a playful smirk.
Harry chuckled, nudging her gently with his elbow. "Aye, I'll learn it all eventually."
The two of them continued humming, their voices blending together as they worked. Estella found herself smiling more than she had in weeks, the sound of their combined laughter and off-key singing filling the small kitchen.
At one point, Harry grabbed a wooden spoon and spun around, pretending it was a microphone. "Ladies and gentlemen, the infamous Captain Estella Tink, star of the Isle's worst kitchen band!"
She burst out laughing, swatting at him with her ladle. "You're such an idiot!"
"And you're the lucky one stuck with me," he shot back, catching her wrist and spinning her in a mock dance move.
Estella stumbled, laughing as he twirled her. She felt lighter, freer, as though all the weight of the Isle and the past had momentarily vanished.
When they finally returned to the stove, their cheeks were flushed from laughter, and the meal they had pieced together was far from perfect.
But as Estella looked at Harryâhis messy hair falling into his face, his grin still firmly in placeâshe realized she didn't care.
For the first time in a long time, she felt like maybe, just maybe, she could find happiness in the chaos.