CHAPTER TWO!

"I told you that my friends were having a New Year's Eve party before Christmas," Eliza explained to her dad who stopped her after she put her jacket on. "And our drama teacher's going to announce the spring show. I cannot miss this party."

"When did you get so grown up?" Mr Parks asked his daughter. "But, this is a holiday and we should be spending it with family—"

"And the theater kids are a family!" Eliza interrupted. "They're literally the most well behaved group of high school students. Not like the jocks or . . ." Eliza trailed off. She had been to a couple of the football players parties in the past— her parents didn't know or maybe they did, but she never got caught. "Or that's what I've heard. And if I'm not there to hear the announcement, I don't know, I have to be there, because I was the lead last show, it's for morale, and it's like I have a commitment to the theater kids."

"Harry, I already told Eliza to have fun, why are you keeping her from going?" Mrs Parks questioned walking into the foyer. "She'll be seventeen soon, she's not a child anymore."

"Thanks, mom," Eliza smiled. "I will text when we get to Ashlyn's—"

"We?"

"Have fun, and be careful," Mrs Parks said, playfully covering her husband's mouth. Eliza nodded, before rushing out of the house before getting stopped by her dad again. She practically ran over Ricky who was about to knock. She quickly shut the door.

"Let's go," Eliza said walking down the driveway.

"Why the rush?"

"My dad's in a mood tonight, and is convinced that I'm still a child who can't leave the house by herself," Eliza explained. "I'm going to be seventeen— which is really close to being eighteen. I'm ready to be treated as an adult. Sorry. I'm assuming you know where Ashlyn's house is since you went to the party on Thanksgiving," Eliza said dropping her car keys in his hands. She hated driving— but she was a good driver and passed her driving test with a near perfect score, she practiced her parallel parking for months until they were perfect every time. And she knew the speed limit around the entire city. She just didn't like being in the driver's seat.

"I don't know why Miss Jenn is being so secretive about the show this semester, it's clearly High School Musical 2, right?" Ricky asked as he backed out of Eliza's driveway. "Are you auditioning again?"

"If it's HSM2, of course," Eliza stated. "I can't have you be Troy for anyone else."

🥀

"I know I suggested to listen to the soundtrack, but please stop— okay, you're just going to ignore me, cool," Eliza smiled as Ricky kept singing and walked into Ashlyn's house. He knew how to make an entrance, that's for sure.

"I'm not gonna stop, that's who I am. I'll give it all I got, that is my plan. Will I find what I lost you know you can, bet on it, bet on it, you can bet on me!" Ricky finished.

"All right, Ricky," EJ commented as everyone cheered.

"Okay, okay, okay! Does anybody not know we're doing High School Musical Two?" Carlos asked.

"We are? Whoo-hoo!" EJ cheered. Carlos groaned and fell back into the chair he was in.

"You're finally here," Nini walked up to Eliza. "Sorry, Ricky, I need to steal her for a second."

"What's up, Neens?" Eliza questioned as she followed Nini to the foyer. They sat on the stairs. "You okay?"

"I don't know, I think I'm way too in my head. Of course I'm excited to be going to the conservatory, but a part of me wishes you'd be coming with me too so I won't be completely alone," Nini spoke. Eliza had told her she wasn't offered a spot, and that Nini had been the only one who got the spot, but Eliza had declined it so Nini could have a chance.

"You're never alone. And besides, I'll be texting and calling you all the time. Kourtney will, too," Eliza assured her. "It's your last day in Salt Lake, what do you want to do?"

"Of course spend time with all my friends before I leave tomorrow. Ooh, which reminds me," Nini said as she pulled a small keychain out of her pocket. "I didn't have time to wrap it, but if I don't see you after midnight, happy birthday." Eliza grabbed the keychain, it was a small picture of her and Nini when they were in elementary school; they were both dressed up as princesses after they got into Eliza's sister's makeup.

"There you two are! We're writing our New Year's resolution on papers and everyone's going to guess them. We got ten minutes before it starts."

🥀

Everyone started counting from ten when Natalie announced it was close to midnight. They celebrated the new year, until Miss Jenn walked into Ashlyn's house.

"I have an announcement!" Miss Jenn said. "Contrary to rumor, we are not doing High School Musical 2," Miss Jenn announced.

"What?" Eliza questioned, along with everyone else.

"We are doing an American classic. Beauty and the Beast." Four words felt as heavy as a ton of bricks on Eliza's chest. "And I know East High just did it a couple years ago, but you didn't do it my way. And you didn't win the most important award in all of theater."

"The Tony?" Gina asked.

"The second most important award," Miss Jenn continued.

"The Drama desk?" Seb suggested.

"Everyone, calm down! This semester, we are entering the Alan Menken Awards for High School Musical Theater. And we are going to win."

"Um, that means beating North High, Miss Jenn. They have a thousand-gallon Little Mermaid aquarium," Carlos said.

"Then we will have an aquarium, too," Miss Jenn stated.

"In beauty and the beast?" Carlos questioned.

"Okay, I need to study the text. So, who is ready to show the world they deserve to get that scholarship to NYU? I mean, who is ready to go from amateur thespians to statewide award winners?"

"What team?" Ricky asked.

"Wildcats!" Everyone responded.

"I can already picture you—" Ashlyn turned to where Eliza stood then asked, "where's Eliza?"

🥀

Ricky found Eliza sitting on the hood of her car down the street, Ricky still had her keys. It wasn't too cold out, but she would make her way back into Ashlyn's once she felt too cold.

"You okay?" Ricky asked as he approached her.

"I'm fine," Eliza responded, wiping her eyes. "I just needed some air."

"That's half true," Ricky stated. He sat beside her. "Everyone is excited for the show, Ashlyn said she can already see you in Belle's dress and Big Red said you were made to be Belle."

"I don't know if I'll even audition— I was expecting it to be HSM2," Eliza stated. She had hoped it was High School Musical 2. "I'm just—"

"You're not auditioning? Liza, you'll be a great Belle."

"Do you remember when I did the local theater program in junior high? We did Beauty and the Beast. I must've been like twelve," Eliza explained, fiddling with her sister's ring. Nicole had given it to her before she left. "Nicole was Belle, of course she was Belle. It's her part— it was the show that made her leave. It was also the last show I did with her, and coincidentally the last show my grandpa was in the audience for. And it's the reason I didn't join drama club when we were freshman."

"Oh, but wouldn't she be happy that you're doing the show again?" Ricky questioned. "And you could tell Miss Jenn that you'd rather be any other character besides Belle. Because, I don't know if I want to audition if you're not going to be on stage with me."

"You like theater?" Eliza asked.

"It's weird, isn't it? But, yeah. It's nice to be someone else for a while," Ricky answered.

"Can I think about it? I really don't want to think about the show anymore— and that's what everyone is going to be talking about when I go back in there. I don't want to hear everyone say that I should be Belle."

"We could leave. We already celebrated New Year's, and— do you want to leave?" Eliza nodded. Ricky stepped off the car, and grabbed Eliza's hand, pulling her into a tight hug. His lips pressed against her forehead. "Happy birthday," he whispered before going to open the car door for her.

idk, it just felt right that she's a new years day baby.