( 𝘨𝘪𝘧: 𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘺 & 𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴 )

𝐈 𝐂𝐀𝐍'𝐓 𝐊𝐈𝐒𝐒 𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐊𝐘, 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐍𝐎𝐖, 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑

𝒂𝒍𝒔𝒐 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘𝒏 𝒂𝒔 : 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅-𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉















𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐀𝐏

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𝑩𝑰𝑮 𝑹𝑬𝑫, 𝑳𝑶𝑶𝑲𝑰𝑵𝑮 𝑨𝑻 𝑪𝑨𝑴𝑬𝑹𝑨: The new drama teacher is forcing innocent students to participate in the High School Musical The Musical. My best friend, Ricky, crashed the audition. His summer fling, August, was not impressed, and his ex girlfriend, Nini, was jealous. Somehow, my boy scored the lead, but so did August. What could possibly go right?

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Has much as August was dreading seeing Ricky in the rehearsals, as she entered the room where the first read-through would be happening, she couldn't help but be excited. The thrill of excitement electrified the room as they stared around in awe. It wasn't luxurious, but the costumes than hung from the hangers and the circle of tables made everyone believe that they had been chosen for something special. 

It was true that August wasn't convinced at first. The idea of such a commitment on her first year of school was slightly terrifying, and she wasn't that big into musicals. And when she saw that she'd have to play Ricky's love interest, she even considered quitting. But August wasn't going to let Ricky ruin something else for her. If he found it too awkward, then he could quit. Besides, this was a chance to make friends.

Gina separated herself from August, sitting at the table which read 'Taylor'. August was about to find her table when a red head approached her with a bounce in her step and a bright grin. "Hi! Congrats on getting the main role."

August tucked a curl behind her ear. "Thanks! Uhm, I'm August." they shook hands at the introduction.

"I know." August awkwardly nodded, awaiting an answer. "Oh! I'm sorry. I'm Ashley Caswell." 

"Can we all take our asigned seats please?" Miss Jenn called out, and everyone shuffled to their desks. August waved Ashley goodbye as she approached her seat, avoiding Ricky's gaze, who sat next to her. On her other side sat Nini. What luck. "We all walked in here as strangers."

"Actually, EJ is my cousin." Ashley spoke up.

Miss Jenn threw the red-head a glare. "But after today, you're a family. One tribe, comitted to lifting this classic film to new heights. Please take your neighbours' hands." as soon as Miss Jenn uttered those words, August squirmed in her seat. From the corner of her eye she saw that Ricky leaned his hand on her table, his intense stare watching her expectantly. When Miss Jenn raised their eyebrows at the pair, August rolled her eyes and held Ricky's hand. She hated how familiar it felt, how well their two hands fitted together. 

After an hour, it was clear to the whole room that Big Red wasn't the best public reader. As soon as he finished reading Act One, Miss Jenn called a break. August stood up fastly, bolting to the other side of her room where Gina stood with Seb. Miss Jenn watched the way her Gabriella and her Troy stood on other sides of the room, and called Carlos over.

"Where are the sparks between my Gabriella and Troy?" she grumbled, sipping on her coffee.

"Shall we recast?"

Miss Jenn shook her head. "No. All we have to do is relight that spark you said they had in the summer."

"That may be impossible."

"Don't underestimate me."

August and Ricky stumbled into the theatre at the same time, frowning when they saw it was just them, Miss Jenn and Carlos. She handed them each a script as they shrugged of their jackets and bags. "Let's dive into page ninety-seven."

"You mean the last scene?" Ricky spoke, and Miss Jenn hummed as a response. 

"Yup. Two lines, followed by a kiss." August's head snapped up in alarm.

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𝑨𝑼𝑮𝑼𝑺𝑻, 𝑳𝑶𝑶𝑲𝑰𝑵𝑮 𝑨𝑻 𝑪𝑨𝑴𝑬𝑹𝑨: Wait, kiss?! There's no way I can kiss Ricky again. Not now, not ever.

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"Miss Jenn, can I speak to you?" the teacher nodded and looked at August expectantly. The curly-haired girl glanced at Ricky. "In private?"

Miss Jenn took August to her office, and the younger girl sat in front of her, bouncing her leg up and down nervously. How did she put into words that she didn't want to kiss Ricky. "I added this kiss for the production. I also added a cow bell, a power ballad for the drama teacher and a wildcat cheer for the curtain call."

"While that sounds great, Miss Jenn, I don't really want to kiss Ricky." okay, maybe that was a lie. But she knew if she kissed him all those feelings would resurface, and August didn't want that. She was just starting to move on. 

Miss Jenn stared at her intensely. "Sweetie, surely you can relight that spark you had this summer-"

August groaned, rubbing her temples. "Is that why you've added a kiss? Look, if you've only casted me for some chemistry that me and Ricky might have had, then you should recast me, because he auditioned for Nini, not me." 

"Oh." August nodded sadly, leaning back. "Well, I might have not known that. But I'm not recasting. Troy only has eyes for Gabriella, and that's you. You just have to trust the process." August sighed, standing up and grabbing her stuff. It was clear that there was no changing Miss Jenn's mind once it was decided.

Outside the office, Ricky leaned against the cold tiled wall. August saw him when she walked out, and immediately walked away the opposite direction. Ricky quickly followed her after a tired sigh. "August, wait!" the girl kept walking, ignoring his calls, which obliged Ricky to catch up with her and stand in front of her. August stopped in her tracks, sighing as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"What do you want Ricky?" 

The curly haired boy awkwardly scratched the back of his neck at her harsh tone. "I just wanted to say that I know that the kiss is really awkward and all, but it's just acting, right? It doesn't have to mean anything." Ricky knew he hadn't worded that right when August gave him a hurt look.

"I guess you're really good at acting, right? This whole summer, it was all an act, didn't mean anything to you." August turned around, ready to storm away, but Ricky stopped her by grabbing her wrist. August glared down at their hands, and Ricky let go.

"Look, August, I... this summer did mean something for me. I never meant..."

"You never meant to hurt me, you've said. Yet you did." August hesitated, biting down on her bottom lip. "As I've said before, Ricky, if you're looking for my forgiveness you so feel better about getting back with Nini, then you have it."Ricky slumped over as he watched her walk away. 

If only August could see that he didn't want Nini back, but her.

i lowkey love this chapter, idk why but i do

what friendships do you want to see? august with who?