Gina had explained how she had been transferred to this school because she had been suspended from the last school she went to and she was known for wherever she went trouble followed. Principal Gutierrez had told her she had to find a purpose there. She had to find something she liked about this school and try not to kill it. After she had left the principal's office, she had found an anxious Luca sitting at the bottom of the stairs.

**flashback**

Luca had wanted to try out for the play this year. He loved the series, he lost count how many times he watched them and he had memorized all the songs. But he was so nervous and anxious. Every time he tried walking in the auditorium, he chickened out and walked the other way. And that's why he's sitting at the bottom of the stairs with his head in his hands.

He's startled when someone clears their throat and he looks up, seeing a girl about his age. "Hey. Uh, are you okay?" The girl asked.

Luca looks at her with confusion and glances behind him, wondering if she was talking to someone else because someone who looked as cool as her would never talk to someone as dorky and shy as him.

"Um...I don't think you're talking to me, right?" Luca questioned hesitantly. 

"Are you kidding me? Of course I am. Why would I talk to anyone else?" She asked with furrowed eyebrows.

"I dunno...I mean, you probably have a ton of friends. You seem really cool. And popular." Luca stammered, his face heating up out of embarrassment.

"Oh, uh, thanks." The girl chuckles lightly. "But, um, I just transferred here so I don't have any friends yet. So what's your name?" The girl asked.

"Luca." He replies, his lips curling up into a small smile. "What's yours?"

"Gina." She answers. She tilts her head to the side. "Why did you look like you were about to have panic attack a few seconds ago?"

"Oh, um.." Luca frowns, biting his lip. "Well, uh...I was thinking about trying out for the musical.."

"Really?" Gina chuckles. "Kinda lame...But why were you anxious about that? Do you not have a good voice or something?"

"N-No...That's not it." Luca stammers, glancing at the floor. "It's just...what if I do horribly or I'm not good enough or.."

"Okay, just stop." Gina waves a dismissive hand, shaking her head. "If you keep going down that negative road it won't ever stop. You just gotta go for it and don't worry about what happens. If you fail or if you do great. You can't live in fear. Besides, if it doesn't work out, it's not the end of the world. I'm sure you're not horrible at acting or singing."

"Thanks for the compliment, I think." Luca mumbled. He had to admit, he did feel a bit better after what she said. There were still some nerves there, the anxiety was still there for sure, but her words did make him feel a little better.

"Don't mention it." Gina shrugs. "Now, come on, go kill it at your audition." She encourages, walking over to him to grab his arm and pull him up. After seeing his nervous expression, she chuckles lightly. "And by kill it, I mean be awesome. Not actually kill it."

Luca's lips curl up into a small smile. "Alright, Gina. I'll try." He mumbles. "Uh, thank you, by the way."

"You already thanked me." She points out.

"Oh, um, right.." Luca mutters, blushing. "Um, see you later?"

"Yeah, maybe." She hummed in response, her lips curving up a little. She turned around and started walking away, not knowing Luca was staring at her with a soft smile before he turned around and walked up the stairs. Gina smiled to herself, walking over to the audition sign up sheet on the wall. She glanced around and once the coast was clear, she grabbed the pen and scribbled her name onto the paper.

**flashback over**

"So if Gina didn't encourage Luca to try out for the play, he probably wouldn't have try out at all." Kourtney realized.

"But if Luca hadn't even mentioned he was auditioning, Gina wouldn't have shown up, period." Ashlyn added.

"This is like 'Murder, She Wrote'." Miss Jenn commented.

"I don't really know what's going on, but this is incredible." Maddox admitted with a smile. 

"Wait, you auditioned for the play because of me?" Luca asked Gina, looking at her with surprise.

"You had a vibe. I had an instinct." Gina replied with a small shrug, her lips curling up a bit. 

"Wow." Luca's eyes widen, his face turning red. "Well, I'm very glad that I was the reason you auditioned. And I'm glad you encouraged me to audition." He said softly, intertwining his hand with hers. "Because I wouldn't be here without you."

"Well, I could say the same." Gina responded with a soft smile, squeezing his hand.

"I can say that about you, Lia." Ricky realizes, glancing at his girlfriend, who glances at him with confusion. "You convinced me to join the musical." He chuckles as he remembers it. "You called the plan 'Operation Troy'."

Ophelia grins when she remembered that day. "Oh, yeah. Such a great name for a plan in my opinion."

**flashback**

"None offense to any of you," Ricky let out a heavy sigh, staring at EJ and Nini. "But the only other person I get advice from besides Ophelia is having her honeymoon in the cafeteria."

"Then ask me for advice." Ophelia said, pointing at herself. "Me is right here."

Ricky nods, sending her a small smile. "Yeah, okay. What do you think I should do?"

"First, just calm down and take a deep breath." Ophelia tells him and he does as he's told. "You look like you wanna hurt someone. And second, do you want to get back with her? If you do, maybe you could, like, write a song and sing it to her."

"Yeah, like what she did when she told you she didn't not love you." Luca reminded everyone. He apologetically smiles when he was met with an annoyed look from Ricky and looks that told him to shut up from Fallon and Ophelia. "Sorry."

"I think O's idea is good." Big Red speaks and Ophelia smiles, happy someone thought her idea was good. "It does seem like Nini likes romantic stuff like that."

Ricky thought about it for a moment before he slowly nods. "Okay. But if I do that, what would I even sing to her and when would I do it?"

Ophelia's eyes lit up as she thought of an idea. "Oh, today at the auditions! And you could sing the song she wrote, 'I think I kinda you know'. So she knows that you actually do feel that way about her." Ophelia suggests to Ricky. She grins. "I'm calling this plan 'Operation Troy'."

"Yeah," The curly-haired boy smiles a bit and he was grateful for Ophelia's advice. "Great idea, Lia. I'll probably do that." Ophelia smiled at hearing the nickname Ricky only used. She couldn't help the warm feeling spreading in her chest as he sent her a soft smile.

**end of flashback**

"Wow, you were right. You wouldn't be here if it weren't for me even coming up with the idea to sing at the auditions." Ophelia said in realization.

"And then that night I convinced you to try out for the next play." Ricky smiles at her. "I'm glad you listened to me 'cause you were amazing as Belle in 'Beauty and the Beast'." He then leaned over to kiss her forehead, earning a soft smile from her.

"You know, Miss Jenn, you're the one who brought us all together." Gina said, smiling at the teacher who was wiping her tears away.

"That's not true. You'd be here with some other drama teacher." Miss Jenn chuckled.

"Um, no, we literally wouldn't." Carlos sassily says. "Have you not been listening to us?"

"Actually, wait, you never told us how you ended up here or why." Ashlyn chimed in.

"She has a good point." Luca agreed.

"Yeah, I'm really curious about that." Ophelia admitted.

"It's not important." Miss Jenn reassured everyone.

"We'll be the judge of that." Maddox told her.

"Be nice, Maddox. Gina is the intimidating girl around here." Miss Jenn teases. After seeing everyone smiling at her and waiting for her to explain, she sighs and smiles. "It was one month before school started last year." She sits down at the piano bench. "I was still living in a neighborhood of New York City called Hoboken."

Ophelia furrows her eyebrows, looking confused. "Is Hoboken a real place?"

Miss Jenn explained she had been at an auditioned for 'Wicked' when Alyson Reed sat by her. She said Alyson encouraged her to be a drama club teacher, encouraged her to put on 'High School Musical' for the play and added that she thought Miss Darbus deserved a power ballad. Ophelia was so surprised by all this. She couldn't believe Alyson Reed knew Miss Jenn and encouraged her to teach at East High. She was happy though, especially since Miss Jenn was now the drama teacher here.

"Full body chills." Ricky commented.

"And that's how the story ends." Miss Jenn sighs. She glances over to her right, eyes widening in realization. "Oh, wait. Goodness. I almost forgot. Gina, Ophelia, would you two give me a hand with these?" The two girls replied with their agreement in response, going over to help Miss Jenn pass out some gift bags.

"Uh, these are wrap gifts. They're gratitude journals for all of you. For the movie. And I guess for our little show too." Miss Jenn explained.

"So, that's it. 'High School Musical's' over?" Ricky shakily asked and Ophelia frowned at seeing tears in his eyes. She went over to comfort him, wrapping her arm around his waist and in response he wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"Jennifer, I thought we discussed this." Principal Gutierrez voiced when he walked into the room.

"I was just dismissing them, Principal Gutierrez. Yes, Ricky, it's over." Miss Jenn said softly. "But you've got lives to live. And love to love. And all good things must come to an end." By the time she finished speaking, everyone had tears in their eyes.

"Well, guys, we had a good run, then." Gina shakily commented, appreciating it when Luca squeezed her hand comfortingly.

Maddox glances at her brother with a frown. "We just got here though."

"My dad's here. I should probably..." Ashlyn didn't finish the rest of her sentence and she left the room.

"Yeah, I have to finalize layout for yearbooks, so I should..." Kourtney's voice trailed off as she walked out of the room.

"I'm supposed to clean up the coffee truck and bring Corbin a vanilla latte before his jet takes off." Seb admitted, walking out of the room next.

"I can help." Carlos offered and followed him.

"Wow." Jet scoffs. "I can't believe you guys actually tried to convince me there was a point to all of this."

"Jet." Maddox sighed sadly and went to follow her brother out of the room.

"We should go too." Luca speaks up, referring to himself and Gina after he shared a look with her. She nodded in agreement, giving him a sad smile and squeezed his hand as she followed him out. Now just Ophelia and Ricky are left.

"Jennifer." Principal Gutierrez sighed.

"Give her a minute." Mr. Mazzara speaks up in a demanding tone. He then takes a deep breath and speaks softly. "These are her children." Principal Gutierrez nodded and left the room.

"Um, Ricky, could you get the lights on the way out?" Miss Jenn asked.

Suddenly a Six Below Zero ringtone started playing and they all smiled as they glanced at Mr. Mazzara who was grabbing his phone and walking out to the hallway to answer a call. Ophelia sniffles, wiping away a tear that had escaped from her watery eyes. "What do I write in a gratitude journal?" Ricky questioned.

"Anything you're grateful for, honey." Miss Jenn replied softly.

"This is what I'm grateful for." Ricky admitted shakily and Ophelia heart ached at seeing him so sad. She hated it when he was sad and in tears. It just broke her heart.

"I am so grateful I got to be your teacher." Miss Jenn told the couple, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder, glancing between the two with a sad smile.

"Miss Jenn," Ophelia sighs, giving her a soft smile. "You know you were more than just a teacher."

"It's okay, Ophelia. Being your teacher was enough." Miss Jenn reassured her with teary eyes. Ricky hugged her and soon Ophelia joined in on the hug. But whenever they suddenly heard faint music, they pulled away and went to investigate where the music and then suddenly someone singing was coming from. The trio walked through the bomb shelter to the staircase that led to the backstage of the stage. They made it to the stage, standing in the wings and are surprised to see Emmy singing her heart out.

Ophelia smiled to herself, her heart warming as she watched the freshmen sing. Her voice was beautiful and she had so much passion in her voice. Miss Jenn looked just as surprised and happy, glancing at the couple with a bright smile. Ophelia smiled when she felt Ricky's hand brush against hers before he intertwined their fingers together. She glanced at him with a soft smile, her heart skipping a beat at seeing the loving look he was giving her.

As Emmy continued singing, the rest of the drama club had came to the auditorium after faintly hearing Emmy sing. They all watched with smiles and teary eyes. When Emmy was done, it was silent for a few moments before Ophelia and the others cheered and applauded for her loudly. Emmy's eyes widened and she looked over at them with surprise.

Then they all ran out on stage, going over to give Emmy a hug. Ricky and Ophelia stayed back with Miss Jenn though as they watched with smiles. "I hate that she won't be the future of this department." Ophelia said softly.

"She should be the future, period." Ricky chimed in.

"Miss Jenn, we have to save the show. For the next generation.. I said it and now it cannot be unsaid" Kourtney spoke up.

"I just don't know how." Miss Jenn admitted.

"Oh, come on, Jennifer. Trust the process."

Everyone is shocked to see Alyson Reed walk on stage with Bart Johnson following her. "Well, we heard from Emmy that your drama department was in trouble." Alyson explained.

"Coach and Darbus never could agree on anything, but, well, Bart and Alyson can." Bart smiles. "Your program is worth saving. We're donating a quarter of our salaries from 'High School Musical 4'." Everyone gasps, staring at him with complete shock. No one expected for him to say that.

"How much is that, if I may ask?" Miss Jenn questioned, standing by Alyson.

Alyson leans in to whisper it to her. Miss Jenn's eyes widen with surprise. "I am underpaid. But at this point we don't even have a stage manager, and the show is supposed to be next week."

"I could always call Natalie." Seb offered.

"Seb, honey, hush." Carlos told him.

"I've got stage manager covered." Maddox reassured Miss Jenn.

"But half of our ensemble quit. Three of them actually have mono." Miss Jenn said. "Who's gonna play Sharpay's assistant? Who's going to play Coach Bolton? Am I actually playing Ms. Darbus?"

"Yes." Alyson nodded with a smile.

Then over the speakers, Mr. Mazzara speaks. "Ricky Bowen, please report to the counseling office."

"Hey, wait." Ophelia calls out to Ricky when he started to head to the counseling office. "I know we didn't talk about college stuff yet, but-"

"We'll talk about it soon, promise." Ricky reassured her, causing her to smile with relief, her smile widening when he leaned in to kiss her forehead before he left to head to the auditorium.

Ophelia then got a phone call that she answered and walked off to back stage to take the call. She couldn't believe it when she found out Quinn called her. And she couldn't believe it even more when she found out the reason why Quinn called her.

A/N all the flashbacks in this episode were so surprising especially the one with seb & natalie dating, like omg. anyway, i love gina & luca & of course rickelia, they're so cute <3