SHILOH HAD never felt like more of an idiot in her entire life. Whether or not she wanted to kiss Ricky Bowen in that dressing, she knew things had shifted and she didn't really know if that was a good thing.

And when Jenna said she wasn't going to said a word, she stuck by that. The only person she had told everything to was Ashley and it was driving Evie insane.

Regardless of what Jenna and Ashley knew and what Evie and Madison didn't. It was the day of the show and the Love Club had big plans from Miss. Jenn for the night's biggest events.

A "special surprise" that she had for them and they couldn't ask any questions before or after they received it.

Shiloh had been at school for what felt like hours. She had been looking over the folders that she had given Miss. Jenn a couple of months back. Miss. Jenn wanted to know if something had changed between then and now.

Shiloh tapped her pen back and forth as she read over Ricky's folder. Both of his folders. His original Love Club one and the one for the musical.

The door of the club room open and Shiloh looked over her shoulder. She hadn't expected Evie so soon, especially since they said they were getting coffees for everyone.

Expect it wasn't Evie. It was Mr. Mazzara.

"Hi?" Shiloh said.

"Ms. Molina."

"Can I help you?"

Mr. Mazzara and Shiloh hadn't spoken in months it seemed. She had stopped asking him for help even when she needed it. She had gone to Big Red and of all things Youtube if she desperately needed it.

"I think I owe you an apology."

Shiloh raised her brows, "For?"

Mr. Mazzara sighed. He couldn't imagine himself apologizing to someone such as Shiloh. If he was being honest, he had been harsh with his help with the club... and many others, but at the school board meeting Shiloh had mentioned his help and how "he did it out of the kindness of his heart". Which they (the club and Mr. Mazzara) knew was a complete lie.

He pulled a chair up towards Shiloh and joined her at the round table.

"I don't think I've been very nice to you or your club."

"You think or you know?" Shiloh asked, "Because if you think, I won't think you're sorry... you know if you're apologizing."

"You're passionate about this club. A lot of people brought you down for it. Including myself."

"I don't think people realize how hard it is to keep your visions or your dreams alive when people keep digging you down for it. Out of everyone... I thought you would know that. You're so passionate about the robotics club and what they can make, what they could do."

"No one here ever did that for you."

"Miss. Jenn did that for me."

Miss. Jenn had been the only adult, higher up, to ever care about the Love Club. She gave them a chance to try and help in any way they could. She had been the first to do that and Shiloh couldn't thank her enough.

"I'm not shocked it took this long for someone other than the club to care. I'm shocked that you're not the first." Shiloh sighed.

"I'm sorry." Mr. Mazzara apologized, "I know this club holds a lot of value to you and everyone in it. If you ever need help... I'm around the corner."

"Do you still need the milkshakes as payments?" She joked.

Mr. Mazzara smiled, "No, but they are appreciated nonetheless."

"Well, thank you for apologizing. Not a lot of people are willing to do so."

Mr. Mazzara nodded softly before standing from his chair. He headed towards the door and looked back over at the girl who was going back to what she had been doing before he walked in.

The door of the club room swung open again and Evie stood there with two coffee cups in their hands.

Evie furrowed their brows at the sight of him and he walked past her like it was nothing.

Shiloh looked back over her shoulder and saw that Evie was kicking the door shut with their foot.

"What did he want?"

"Apologizing."

"What is this? Apologize to Shiloh week?" Evie joked, "Speaking of, we need to talk."

Evie took a seat beside Shiloh and slid her drink towards her.

"What are you apologizing for?"

"I'm not... I am. I didn't get coffee. This is a matcha tea latte, but it's hot so I think that's counts."

Shiloh smiled before looking down at Ricky's folder again.

"What I want to talk about is you and Ricky. Something obviously went down when you guys talked in that room during tech rehearsals."

"We did exactly what everyone wanted us to do, talk." Shiloh said, "He apologized and all has been forgiven. He even promised to finish teaching me how to play the guitar and skateboard. He might even throw in some piano lessons."

"Shiloh."

"What do you want me to say? There's nothing I can do about how I feel about him. Ricky and I are friends and I sadly think that's all we'll ever be."

"You could talk to him about how you feel. That's something you can do."

"I just don't see any reason in doing that."

"Why?"

Shiloh shrugged her shoulders, "Because I know what he's here for."

"You don't think feelings can change?"

"I know feelings can change."

"Then what makes you think Ricky's feelings haven't changed for Nini? That Ricky might actually like you? Because some freaky genius girl can't be liked?"

"You think I'm a freaky genius girl?"

"I think you're a freaky genius girl for coming up with a club like this that helps people, but more importantly I think you're you and I think you should just tell him. I know rejection is hard. Trust me I know, but it doesn't hurt unless you try."

Shiloh sighed, "I think being a leader of a club like ours would make me know a lot more than what I do."

"You know everything we know so don't downplay that. You're just scared. Which is normal."

"Do you know something I don't?"

Evie held a small, tight-lip smile began sipping on their drink.

"Fine, don't tell me. Didn't want to know anyway."

Shiloh stood from her seat, grabbed Ricky's folder, and shoving it into Miss. Jenn's crate.

"Wanna see the playbill for the show?" Shiloh asked.

She didn't wait for an answer as she grabbed the one Miss. Jenn gave her earlier and threw it their way.

The typical cast photo with the name of the musical and Miss. Jenn's name written on the top of it, but towards the bottom in red text read, "with special thanks: The Love Club".

"No way." Evie smiled.

"She also told me she had some crazy people coming tonight and to dress our best."

"Why are we dressing up?"

"She wouldn't tell me. All know is that I have to give this crate back to her before she starts... going through it again."

"I'll be right here when you return."

Shiloh smiled before picking up the crate.

"You don't need a chair to push it down the hall?"

"I think I can actually carry a crate now."

Evie opened the door for her before watching her disappear down the hall.

Miss. Jenn said she would be in her office but she wasn't. Shiloh could only assume she was in the gym since that's where the musical was now being held.

Without doubt she found Miss. Jenn along with Ricky and Nini standing around each other.

Shiloh smiled at the trio before handing the crate to Miss. Jenn.

"You've finished already?"

"It's my job. You needed it done fast so I got it done fast."

"You never fail to amaze me." Miss. Jenn smiled, "It's almost like that time during the production of South Pacific someone sneezed a blueberry muffin on stage."

Shiloh raised her brows and looked over at Ricky and Nini. She looked back over at Miss. Jenn with a small smile.

"Well, Shiloh, I don't know how I can thank you or your club enough."

"You don't have to pay us at all. You could just leave a five star review." She smiled, "I'll leave you guys to whatever was going on and wish you all the best show ever."

"Thank you, Shiloh. And don't forget to dress up."

Shiloh gave Miss. Jenn and thumbs up as she exited the gym. She heard the doors open again and assumed that Miss. Jenn left Ricky and Nini alone to look over the folders for a final time.

"Shiloh!"

Turning, she almost collided with Ricky who had been rushing to catch up with her.

"Hey." She smiled.

"Hey."

The two of them had spoken since tech rehearsals, but they never talked about what happened. If anything they had both dodged the bullet to the best of their ability.

"I wanted to know if we could talk... about that day?"

Bullet definitely wasn't dodged. Shiloh knew she wasn't fully ready to talk about what happened in that room during tech rehearsal. To her, it was like a moment in time. A passing moment. She would've done things completely different if she was given the chance. Also in her mind, the fact that Ricky and Nini could've done any possible thing in the same room.

"Sure. What's there to talk about?"

Ricky gripped the strap of his backpack, "Well... you cried."

"I'm just a little sensitive Ricky."

"No, you aren't." Ricky smiled, "Then after you cried, I made a... movement."

"You did and I didn't stop you. Do you regret that?"

"I think I regret waiting so long."

Shiloh sighed. She didn't know if it was a good or bad thing. What she did know was that she had to somehow pull herself out of the conversation or to at least change the subject because she was ready for the "me and Nini figured things out" talk.

"Hey, Shiloh? Mr. Mazzara wants to show us something." Evie called from down the hall.

Both Shiloh and Ricky saw Evie before the teen smiled, knowing that they had ruined the moment between them, and dashed away.

Shiloh faced Ricky, "I'll see you tonight."

"Tonight."

Ricky watched as Shiloh followed down Evie's path. Mentally slapping himself in the face as he realized the conversation could've gone a lot smoother and faster if he wasn't so nervous.

So, Ricky had to shake his nerves because tonight seemed to be the perfect night to let things out.

"HOW TIGHT do you want it?" Shiloh asked.

"I'm more worried about getting dress coded." Ashley sighed.

"Why would you get dress coded?" Evie asked, "It's after school hours."

"So? Don't you remember what Miss. Jenn said?"

"Can you be still?" Jenna asked and turned Ashley to face her.

Shiloh's question was never answered, so she tied the corset around Evie's dress as tight as she could.

"Are you trying to pop my rib out?"

"I asked how tight."

Shiloh finished tying the knot before pushing them away and stood next to Ashley in the mirror. She rested her cheek on her shoulder.

"You look fine and you aren't going to get dress coded."

Miss. Jenn wanted them to wear something "on theme". Shiloh wore an off-the-shoulder red, puffy sleeve shirt with a white skirt, and red heeled boots.

Shiloh lifted her head off of Ashley's shoulder and pushed her glasses up, "Please relax. If you want a jacket it's in the closet."

Ashley nodded and made her way towards the locker shaped closet. She took notice of the poster beside it, "Was that always there?"

Shiloh looked over at the poster and smiled softly, "Uh, Ricky. He bought the poster."

Evie lifted her head and made her way towards Shiloh.

"Ricky got you a poster of a person who inspires you?"

"Mister Rogers' is a common inspiration to people."

"He's an inspiration to the elderly."

"Look, it's a gift from Ricky to the club."

Evie glanced over at the other. Shiloh's love for the friendly neighborhood man was definitely a secret or a guilty pleasure of hers. She wasn't too embarrassed about the fact that Mister Rogers was an inspiration, but, not that many people knew, let alone remembered that Shiloh liked him.

"We are supposed to be meeting Miss. Jenn by the way." Shiloh rushed, "So let's go."

"Ricky spent money on you, he told you were pretty on multiple occasions, and something happened in that room during tech rehearsals. Dylan never got you anything and EJ was just... EJ. Ricky did all that for you in a matter of months and you don't think he likes you?" Evie asked.

"I think Ricky's great and what he did was very sweet, but... Miss. Jenn is waiting for us so I think I would like to worry about that right now."

Shiloh never took heartbreak well. Who was? She was young. She (along with everyone else) had her fair share of thinking she loved them or she felt like she would be with them forever, but she didn't want to think about a relationship she wasn't and wasn't going to be in.

She left the others alone in the club to glance quickly at each other before following out behind Shiloh.

"Oh! Here they are!" Miss. Jenn smiled. The club met her by the bomb shelter door, "Oh, look at all of you."

"You did tell us we had to dress up for you." Jenna smiled.

"For important reasons my beautiful children. For very, very important reasons."

"Do you want to tell us?" Madison asked.

"It will come to you and you'll be excited."

Shiloh sighed, "Whatever it may be. Thank you. Not just for the surprise, but everything else also."

"Think of this as a gift in return. A thank you. Because I should be thanking all of you."

"You should leave that five star review at the end of the show." Evie smiled.

"I think this will be better than a five star review." Miss Jenn quipped, "But you're job isn't over just yet. I need all of you to go in there and give one final big Love Club advice."

"I think we can manage that for you." Shiloh smiled.

Miss. Jenn quickly nodded and headed inside the bomb shelter; the club following behind her.

"My beautiful babies, let's gather round for some housekeeping!" Miss. Jenn clapped, "First of all, who brought Versailles?"

"No one knows."

"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."

After a quick round of applause, Miss. Jenn let the cast go around and say a phrase or word from the show that may express where their heads were or their goals for tonight.

"Finally, I've asked the Love Club to give one last piece of advice." Miss. Jenn smiled, "Take it away."

Shiloh stepped forward. Trying to muster up something that she hadn't already said before and something that wasn't too cheesy.

"I think a lot of you came into this thinking things would be different. Thinking you could be the lead or thinking you could change things, but at the end of the day... everything happens for a reason."

Shiloh glanced over at Ricky; a small smile on his face.

"But, I think you guys all came together to make tonight happen and you guys deserve every praise you receive tonight. So, break a leg and other theater sayings I never understood."

The club furrowed their brows at Shiloh's short and rush pep talk. It was like a blink and you miss it.

"Okay, Wildcats, take a moment to settle your nerves. If we had a curtain, it would be up in twenty minutes!" Miss. Jenn announced.

The group applauded and quickly disbanded.

Evie rested their hand on Shiloh's shoulder, "Are you okay?"

Shiloh glanced over at Ricky who was already looking her way, a soft smile on his face. Shiloh returned the look before facing Evie, "Yeah. Miss. Jenn said we could watch from backstage."

Jenna was the first to leave the room and rush backstage, soon the others followed behind. Shiloh took one final look at Ricky before following her friends out.

"HAS ANYONE seen Shiloh?" Ricky asked.

He was getting ready to go on for Get'cha Head In The Game and had been looking for her for several minutes.

Some people gave him some incoherent no's and others just shook their heads.

"Ricky we need you, right now." Natalie instructed.

He sighed following Natalie out and onto the stage.

Meanwhile, Shiloh had been outside the gym with Meghan Parsons. She had no idea who she was and no idea why she questioning her right now.

"I'm sorry, but did you ever say who you were?"

"Meghan Parsons', I'm here to talk to Miss. Jenn about the Love Club."

She furrowed her brows. She still didn't know who she was or her relations with Miss. Jenn whatsoever.

"I'm sure she's inside."

Shiloh pushed the doors of the gym open, Meghan following close behind. The two of them had made it just in time to see Ricky being attached to his harness.

He smiled brightly as he was lifted, holding the basketball in his hands, and peering over at Shiloh.

She smiled back giving him a thumb up. He drew his attention towards his parents. A man had joined his mother's side, kissing her cheek as she pointed up at Ricky.

His smile had quickly faded and he dropped the basketball.

It became silent before Ricky started the song up again.

They let him down from his harness and was definitely frazzled. Shiloh watched the performance with furrowed brows.

Ricky had completely stopped singing before walking off stage mid-song.

The PA announced a ten-minute break. Shiloh left the gym. The woman beside her taking notice of her quickness.

"Woah, Woah, Woah! Okay, Quicksilver!" Evie laughed, "Where are you going?"

"I just need to talk to Ricky."

Evie furrowed their brows, "You're going to tell him how you feel right now?"

"What? No? I just— I have to go. I'll tell you everything later." Shiloh brushed past Evie, "Can you let Miss. Jenn know that someone named Meghan Parsons is here for her? Thanks."

Evie couldn't get another word out before Shiloh ran around the corner.

She finally found him in the dressing room. EJ held Troy's jersey in his hands.

"Talk to him." EJ whispered on his way out.

Ricky stood with his back facing Shiloh. Shiloh stared at his bareback trying to figure out to start the conversation.

Shiloh held a small smile, "You were doing great out there."

"Then I blew it."

"You froze. There's a difference."

Ricky turned and faced her. His eyes growing red from the tears he wouldn't let fall.

"My mom brought her new boyfriend and Nini has a very important person out there that can change her life. I can't mess up again."

Shiloh nodded, "Do you want to sit in the hall? It probably feels small in this room, you know?"

Ricky nodded and followed Shiloh out into the hallway. She had her back pressed against the locker and her legs crossed in front of her.

Ricky pressed his back against the cold locker, his legs close to his body.

"You don't have to say anything else, but what we're going to do is close our eyes and relax, breath."

Shiloh shut her eyes. Ricky looked at her for a moment and rested his head on her shoulder. He let out a shaky sigh and grabbed her hand, lacing it with hers.

Shiloh pressed her cheek against his head, "You'll be okay." She whispered.

"And that's Shiloh?"

Miss. Jenn quickly glanced back at the two sitting side by side, eyes closed, and watched as Shiloh whispered to him.

"Shiloh Molina. You won't forget her."

— lucy has something to say !!

this story is a month old :)

also kinda hate this chapter lol

SHUT UP

bye :))))