"Hi. Thank you all for coming to rehearsal in the morning. I know it's a crazy day with the career fair and all, but given your behavior last week, I believe we are lucky to be rehearsing at all. For future reference, singing and dancing, good. Breaking and entering, bad." Miss Jenn lectures to the cast, Marie was feeling sort of guilty about the events that occurred at North High.

"Miss Jenn, we didn't break anything." Seb pleads, "Would you like me to be the first?" Miss Jenn snaps back, quickly. "I'm good." Seb answers.

"Okay. I'm just going to say it. Zack Roy stole our Beast mask. Why are you not freaking out?" Carlos questions Miss Jenn. "Because winners don't freak out, Carlos. They rise. When they go low, we sing high." The blonde suddenly sings a sudden high note, scaring everyone.

After. a few minutes of the students making small talk with their fellow classmates, Miss Jenn announces the start of rehearsal. "E.J, remember where you are emotionally. Belle has just rebuked your marriage proposal and LeFou is rallying the guys to boost you back up. Let's hit it." Miss Jenn explains.

The guys go to places as the rest of them go to sit on the bleachers.

"Go get 'em, Biggie!" Ashlyn encourages from her spot. "Thanks! All good!" The boy replies back. "I wasn't saying you weren't. Just know that I am loyally rooting for you, okay?" Ashlyn explains, kind of awkwardly. Marie nudges Ashlyn with her shoulder, "Smooth." she chuckles.

"Big Red, whenever your ready." Miss Jenn says, then nodding her head to Seb who pressed play for the music. As soon as the music started they all started cheering for the guys.

Big Red: Gosh, it disturbs me to see you, Gaston
Looking so down in the dumps
Every guy here'd love to be you, Gaston
Even when taking your lumps
There's no man in town as admired as you
You're everyone's favorite guy
Everyone's awed and inspired by you
And it's not very hard to see why
No one's slick as Gaston
No one's quick as Gaston
No one's neck is as incredibly thick as Gaston
For there's no man in town half as manly
Perfect, a pure paragon
You can ask any Tom, Dick, or Stanley
And they'll tell you whose team they'd prefer to be on

All: No one's built like Gaston
A kingpin like Gaston

Big Red: No one's got a swell cleft in his chin like Gaston

E.J: As a specimen, yes, I'm intimidating

All: My what a guy that Gaston

E.J: When I was lad, I'd eat four dozen eggs
Every morning to help me get large
And now that I'm grown
I eat five dozen eggs
So I'm roughly the size of a barge

All: No one shoots like Gaston
Make those beauts like Gaston

Big Red: Then goes tromping around wearing boots like Gaston

E.J: I use antlers in all of my decorating

All: Say it again
Gaston

Everybody cheers for them at how amazing it was. "Dancers, glorious. Big Red, hilarious. And, E.J, victorious." Miss Jenn praises, everyone clapping for them again. "Nice emotional connection to the material." Carlos praises E.J. Gina stands up opening her notebook, that was empty, "I've got no notes."

"And as much as I hate to break that connection, I am afraid I'm the bearer of some hard news." Mr. Mazzara announces, coming into the middle of the room. "We just got a call from the disciplinary board of an organization I'm not sure really exists. 'Effective immediately, this production will shut down rehearsal for one week as punishment for trespassing by order of the... Monkeys" He announces reading the last part off of a note card.

Everybody seems very confused and all ask each other what's happening. "It's pronounced Menkies." Miss Jenn mutters under her breath. "For the record your competition has been punished as well. North High is benched for the week." Mr. Mazzara adds.

"That feels generous." Marie states. "What are we gonna do? We can't lose a whole week when we haven't even started blocking the second act yet." Carlos rambles, starting to freak out. "We're... We are going to keep our heads down and our chins up." Miss Jenn reassures.

Seb tries to test out her statement but proves hard. "I don't... I don't think that physically possible."

"It's an expression, Sebastian." Miss Jenn says rather loudly. The bell rings, ending the last rehearsal for the rest of the week.

...

"So do you guys have any guesses on the guest speaker." E.J asks, Marie, Gina, Carlos, and Seb. It was career day, and all of the students didn't seem too happy it. "Unless it's Alan Menken himself, coming to apologize for what just happened to us, I'm not here." Carlos explains to the two, in a monotone voice.

"Ooh, I would die if it was like, Greta Gerwig." Seb gushes. Marie and E.J smile at each other at how cute he was.

"You know you're not picking the person, right?" Carlos questions.

"Whoever it is, I'm sure they'll remind us to 'seize the day and then let it go.' Every year same speech." E.J states. Marie is confused with the quote, "Wait. What does that even mean?" She asks.

"I was hoping that you knew. Since..." E.J says, they both start laughing, at the ridiculousness of it all.

[ "Yeah. Marie and I have gotten a little bit closer since North High when we were pretending to be together. But, uh, no, that was just pretend. We're friends. Why? Did she say something?" Marie suddenly walks into the room before locking eyes with E.J, and quickly turning around. E.J just looks back and smiles at the girls antics. ]

"Oh. Class, class. I am thrilled to present one of East High's most generous benefactors, Mr. Cash Caswell, with tips on success in life." Their teacher Mrs. Day announces to the class.

Marie leans in towards E.J, "We'll played, Caswell." She whispered to him. The class all applauded for E.J's dad. "Surprise. Thank you, Mrs. Day. Students. It's an honor. Success is all about legacies. The ones we inherit. And the ones that we build. I'm lucky to have a son that carrie's the Caswell name with pride. In fact, I want gonna do this today, but... come on up here Eej." Mr. Caswell announces to the class.

E.J slowly gets up from his seat and stands next to his father. He holds up a blue Duke sweatshirt. "My father gave this to me when I got into Duke. Now it's yours."

E.J is slightly confused but grabs the sweatshirt. "Wait, what?"

"Congratulations, E.J." The teacher says, before the whole class erupts in claps and cheers for the boy.

E.J goes to sit down as Mr. Caswell starts talking again. "Now, how many of you are familiar with the phrase, 'seize the day?'

Marie leans in towards E.J again, "Way to go 'Eej.'" She remarks, using his fathers nickname.

...

Back at home Marie was on the couch drawing, there was a knock on the door. "It's open, Ash." She yells, not looking up from her notebook. The doorbell then rings, confusing Marie to who it was. She scrambles up to go open the door to see E.J there.

"E.J" Marie says, smiling slightly. "Hey, what are you doing here?" He asks, walking into the house.

"Um, I live here?" Marie answers, giggling towards the end. "Right. Sorry. I... Little out of it. Is my cousin around?" E.J asks her. Marie closes the door and walks back to the couch, E.J close behind.

"Oh, she went out to buy some kind of new shirt. Yeah, I didn't ask." Marie answerers, "Oh okay." He says, slightly chuckling.

"You wanna help me with this?" She says, gesturing to her art supplies. "I keep losing it in the couch." Marie chuckles. "Sure." E.J says, sitting down in the couch. "Thanks, just hold that." She says, handing his an eraser and some extra pencils.

"So congrats on Duke." Marie says, continuing her sketch. "I am a little confused though. I thought you didn't get in." Marie questions, looking up to him. "Yeah, I guess my dad made some calls." He explains, "So, you're in. Isn't that always what you wanted?" Marie questions.

    E.J looks down before putting the art supplies onto the coffee table. "Look, I don't wanna say this the wrong way. I am incredibly grateful for the privilege, but..."

     "You didn't earn it." Marie interrupts, "Yeah. Um... It's just that my entire life has been mapped out for me for as long as i can remember. You know?" He continues. Marie smiles and shakes her head. "Not really. I never know what's gonna happen next. I never like to leave ties anywhere, never know when we'll have to leave again."

    "Yeah, what is that like?" E.J asks, "Freeing, but stressful. I try not to worry about the future 'cause I can't control it. I try to move on and forge ahead, but it doesn't always work." Marie explains.

    "Well, you always seem to know what you want." He states, "Not really. But what do you want?" She questions. "I don't know." E.J chuckles.

     Marie then moves are notebook to the table. "Okay. Close your eyes. Yeah." Marie chuckles. "So, E.J, when you think about your life, what do you see?"

    "I see the guys who cheated at water polo. And who tried to bribe Miss Jenn into giving him the part of Troy. And there's more." E.J states, sighing. "My turn." Marie says. "Can't wait." He sighs.

    "When I think of you, I see the guys who bought Gina and I plane tickets back to East High so we could be in the show. A guy who's birthday video for Carlos made everybody cry. I see a guy who is the funniest and also weirdest person I know. I see the guy who kept my secret about getting into YAC. I see someone who tries really hard to do the right thing. He fails a lot. But he keeps on trying." Marie explains.

    "That's what you think of me?" E.J questions, not believing her. "E.J, you are a really good guy. Maybe if you just forgave yourself a little, you'd see what I- uh, the rest of us see, and maybe then, you'd recover from all your exhausting good fortune." Marie jokes at the end. They both laugh. "Yeah, that's fair." Marie chuckles.

    "You wanna know what I see right now?" E.J says, turning towards her. "No, please don't" Marie says shaking her head. "I see one of the bravest people I know." E.J states, "I also see someone who's been though a lot in her life, but puts in a brave face so other people feel better. I see someone who even though they are one of the most talented people I know, still doesn't believe in themselves, like the rest of us do." E.J says, making Marie smile.

    But before she could answer, the door opens as Ashlyn comes into the living room. E.J clears his throat. "Hey, roomie." Marie greets her.

    "Hey, I just got your text, E.J. You wanted to talk?" Ashlyn asks him. He just looks back at Marie, who just smiles at him. "Uh, thanks. But I think I'm okay now." He states.

...

    E.J and Marie had decided to watch a movie after their chat that night. Marie ended up falling asleep on the couch, E.J notices which makes him smile. He thought she looked really peaceful in her sleep.

     He quickly turned off the TV, got up and grabbed the Duke sweatshirt and layed it on her like a blanket. He was about to leave, but then mustered up the courage to place a light kiss on her temple. E.J then turns off the lamp and heads back home.

...

    Marie had woken up in the middle of the night. on the couch with a certain Duke sweatshirt wrapped around her shoulders. She sleepily went upstairs to bed, not even noticing the garment around her shoulders.

    When she woke up the next morning, she finally noticed E.J's Duke sweatshirt that was still wrapped around her. It made her smile that E.J had given her something that was notably important to him.

-
a/n
back for more, i see hehe

this chapter was kinda short, but we got the super cute E.J and Marie moments

what would their ship name be??

i need help! for that next chapter should Marie be at the airport, and meet a boy there?? or should i have her at home with ashlyn and E.j?