CHAPTER FOUR!

"I'm sorry— a what?" Eliza said after Miss Jenn mentioned a kiss. "There wasn't a kiss—"

"It was very much there in the original film," Miss Jenn stated.

"I only remember a hug," Ricky spoke up.

"The kiss ended up on the cutting room floor. Little racy for its time," Miss Jenn concluded. "So page 97."

Eliza looked at the paper in her hand, Troy and Gabriella kiss, was written in Miss Jenn's handwriting. Eliza understood from a theater point of view, but this was— it really was Eliza kissing her friend's ex, an ex she wasn't sure Nini was totally over. Totally against girl code.

"Miss Jenn, can we just talk in private?" Eliza questioned. Miss Jenn nodded. Eliza handed the page to Ricky and followed Miss Jenn out into the hallway and towards her office. "Miss Jenn, why did you add a kiss in?" Eliza blurted out.

"I added the kiss because our production needs it," Miss Jenn responded. "I've also added a cow bell, a power ballad for the drama teacher, and a Wildcat cheer for the curtain call."

"Which are all great ideas, but I can't kiss Ricky," Eliza said. "It's going against girl code, and well, he's pretty, yes, and I did like him back in sixth grade, but he's my best friend's ex. I just can't kiss him."

"Eliza, trust the process. You, Gabriella, only have eyes for Troy," Miss Jenn finished. Eliza smiled and thanked Miss Jenn before standing up and leaving, knowing there was no way of convincing the drama teacher of forgoing the kiss.

🏀

"I'm kind of lost, if the play's over, why would we still be dancing?" Ricky questioned.

"It's a curtain call," Carlos said. "You're the last two to come out. We want to bring the audience to their feet."

"Teach them the dance," Ricky added with a smile.

"Oh come on, Bowen. Once you've learned this dance, the rest of them will come easier," Eliza told him. "Besides, I trust Carlos and Miss Jenn to not make us look dumb on stage. Where is our wonderful director?" Eliza questioned, she was still upset at Miss Jenn for adding a kiss.

"She's busy tracking down a prop," Carlos said. "She's asked me to create a crescendo, people, so let's stop swirling and start twirling."

"But why are practicing the bows when we haven't even practiced the play?" Ricky questioned.

"Because you start with the hardest dance that takes the longest to learn. It's in The Big Book of Broadway. Page three hundred and seventy-four."

"Page three hundred and seventy-four," Eliza and Gina finished. Carlos held both hands up for both girls to High-5.

"Okay, people. Let's take it from three counts of eight, right before Troy and Gabriella's entrance for the bows."

"Let's get this," Eliza told Ricky. "Remember, don't give up." Ricky nodded as they made their way to the back of the room.

But as they danced, Ricky had messed up and stopped in the middle. "I can't do this, I'm sorry."

"Ricky—"

"Mr Choreographer, maybe I can step in for Troy so Eliza can learn the dance with a better partner," Luke had interrupted. And that's when Eliza remembered he was in the show, too.

"No, Ricky's fine," Eliza spoke up. "He's doing fine—"

"He's not doing fine," Nini spoke up. "He's not here for the right reasons."

"You don't know why I'm here—"

"And wasting everybody's time by making fun of something that the rest of us take seriously!" Nini finished.

"Okay. That's a five! On a break, people! Everybody out! Get out!" Carlos blurted.

"I— but," Eliza sighed as she watched everyone rush out of the bomb shelter. "Carlos, what are we doing?" Carlos shrugged.

"Hey, I take this seriously," Ricky told Nini.

"No! No you don't. You don't take anything seriously. You just, you coast. And the second someone asks you to make a commitment, you make a joke or... you sink into some imaginary hole in the floor."

"I didn't sink, Nini. I just wasnt ready to say it then. But I went to that audition to show—"

"Only because I had met someone else! You wanted to drag me back into tenth grade like my summer never happened. But if you really care about me, Ricky, you'd let somebody who wants to play this part play it."

"Oh, like EJ?" Ricky questioned, before Nini could respond Ricky grabbed his stuff and made his way towards the door.

"Mission accomplished. A precious piece of the original HSM is on its way," Miss Jenn announced as she walked in. "Where are you going, Troy?"

"It's Ricky!"

"That could've been avoided," Eliza told Nini. "What was that about?"

"He's ruining the show—"

"He's new to theater and he's trying his best. And it's not like you're the one dancing with him. You're the understudy, Neens. You should learn your place, because nothing will make me lose out on this role," Eliza said, before rushing out behind Carlos to talk to Ricky. By the time she reached Carlos, he was shouting for Ricky to wait.

"Miss Jenn wants everyone back in the room," Carlos told Ricky and Big Red. Eliza stood beside him.

"Tell Miss Jenn I'm done. Okay? Sorry, I can't dance like Fred Rogers."

"Astaire," Eliza whispered.

"It's Fred Astaire. Fred Rogers is Mister Rogers, he never danced, he potty-trained puppets."

"Seriously? I was impressed they made dolls that could cry," Big Red said.

"Ricky, please, you have to—"

"Nini's right. I'm taking up space. I don't belong on stage," Ricky rambled.

"Bullshit," Eliza interrupted, and realized what she said and that she made herself known.

"Save it, Carlos. You don't want me in this—"

"Ricky, you said you wouldn't quit," Eliza stated. "You promised you wouldn't quit, and quitting will only prove her right. And if you quit, I will quit, because I won't do this show without you." Eliza told Ricky, and she was shocked she actually said that. There was no way she'd let Luke get what he wants so quickly.

kinda already forgot about this story :)