CHAPTER EIGHTEEN!

"Miss Jenn asked if I knew Taylor's lines," Kourtney announced looking at her phone.

"Wait, what?" Nini said.

"Haven't stopped thinking about your sound check. You have the best voice in Northern Utah. Please say you'll go on for Gina tonight. And then there's like a hundred emojis," Kourtney read the message she received from Miss Jenn.

"Oh my god! Kourt, you have to agree," Eliza told Kourtney.

"How am I gonna know the lines? What am I going to wear?" Kourtney spiraled.

"Don't worry, you're going to be great. And script placements are a thing— and Taylor could be carrying a book the entire show," Eliza said. "I'm so excited, we're all going to be on stage together! This is amazing!"

🏀

"I'm sorry, I didn't know anyone would be in here," Eliza said when she walked into the gym.

"Let me guess, jitters?" Ricky asked.

"Only because I haven't been on stage without Nicole since eighth grade— and this is the first time I am a lead," Eliza stated.

"And it won't be the last," Miss Jenn added. "Tell her the muffin story."

"Do I have to?" Ricky asked.

"Listen, I'm gonna run. I'll see you in a couple hours for pre-game. Just take a second, both of you, and soak in the stillness."

When Miss Jenn left a sandbag fell, Big Red yelled sorry, and another person said it was her.

"Okay, how many people are in here?" Ricky questioned to the empty— but not empty— gymnasium.

"Do you wanna—?" Eliza suggested, motioning the doors of the gym.

"Practice the last scene?" Ricky asked followed Eliza in the empty hallway.

"Actually, I talked to Nini, and I think she's okay with— whatever we are," Eliza said," and—" Eliza trailed off. She had gotten an email telling her the Dean to the Youth Actor's Conservatory would be in the audience tonight watching both her and Nini, and while Nini had no idea she was going to be there, Eliza did. "We don't need to define what we are right now, but I just wanted to wish you good luck tonight. I'll see you later?"

"Yeah, of course," Ricky responded and Eliza walked off.

🏀

"We've got mystery flowers, people!" Carlos announced walking in with a huge bouquet, setting it on a drum.

"Why mystery?" Big Red asked.

"There was no card, so I'm guessing dealer's choice. But if I had to bet, I'd say it's for our leading lady," Carlos motioned to Eliza.

"Aw," Eliza smiled.

"Not from me. Sorry," Ricky apologized.

"It's okay, I wasn't expecting anything," Eliza responded.

"Half hour!" Natalie announced.

"Okay, last touches, anyone? Speak now or forever hold your face!" Kourtney spoke loudly.

"Why? Where are you gonna be during the show?" Seb asked.

"My beautiful babies, let's gather round for some housekeeping," Miss Jenn announced walking into the room. "First of all, who brought Versailles?"

"No one knows," Carlos said.

"Well, I suppose we'll just have to share, then. Oh, and speaking of sharing, most of you know that our dazzling Taylor had to leave under family circumstances. Gina sends her love and support to all of you, but unfortunately she's on the East Coast and won't be able to make it to tonight's performance. And so, I have asked Kourtney to fill in in her stead," Miss Jenn announced and everyone cheered. "So now, what I would like to do is, please think of a word or phrase from the show that expresses where your head is, or your goals for tonight. If anyone wants to share?"

"You're my guys and this is our team," Big Red spoke first.

"What if you wanna try something really new, and it's a total disaster and all your friends laugh at you?" Ricky added.

"I wouldn't think impossible was even in your vocabulary," Eliza spoke.

"Oh, um... Do you ever feel like there's this whole other person inside of you just looking for a way to come out?" Nini said.

"Do the romp, and strut your stuff!" Carlos said.

"My shower head is very impressed with me,"
Kourtney added.

"I'm proud to call you my sister," EJ said looking at Ashlyn.

"Aw, that's close enough. Um, my nail beds are history!" Ashlyn added.

"Sharpay's kinda cute, too," Seb started.

"So is a mountain lion, but you don't pet it!" Everyone said together.

"And I'll just say, no matter what happens tonight, we're all in this together." Eliza and Ricky locked eyes. "Okay, Wildcats, take a moment to settle your nerves. If we had a curtain, it would be up in twenty minutes!" Everyone cheered before breaking off into groups or pairs.

Eliza stopped in front of the mirror— the costume for Gabriella felt natural for her. She was going to be Gabriella. And then she felt the nerves of tonight. She hadn't been nervous this whole semester, but now it was so close to being over and she was nervous.

"Liza, you okay?" Ricky asked, noticing the girl staring at her reflection. "Yo, Liza?"

"I'm sorry— what?" Eliza blinked and looked at Ricky's reflection in the mirror.

"You're going to do great, you've done great at all the rehearsals," Ricky assured her. "You know everything about the show inside and out. And if you get nervous out there, I'll get nervous. We have to rely on each other for most of the scenes— and you'll have Kourt who will kill it. And I was going to wait until after the show to give you these, but—" he set the bouquet of pink tulips from behind his back and set them in front of Eliza. "Your favorite flowers in your favorite color."

Eliza stood up and hugged Ricky. "Thank you."

updating today bc I'll be busy later and I just wanted to update, lol.