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𝗟𝗢𝗩𝗘 𝗕𝗔𝗖𝗞

chapter four:
an ulterior motive !

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VIOLETTA ALWAYS WAS able to get a good read on people.

She could see that Athena had the kindest soul. She could tell that Ricky was hurting inside even though he tried to hide it. She could tell that EJ Caswell would risk absolutely anything, even breaking his girlfriend's trust, to make sure that her and him stayed together (which she was still so shocked that he asked her to steal her phone).

Gina Porter was definitely no exception to Violetta's readings.

That girl was incredibly ambitious. It was clear from the very beginning that she wanted the role of Gabriella. Violetta could tell that she would do anything to get even a small glimpse of Gabriella, even if she didn't have the main role or the Understudy. That meant that she would try to take out Athena first and then Nini — and there was absolutely no way that Violetta would let that happen.

At rehearsal, Violetta was currently practicing their routine for Stick to the Status Quo. Even though Gina had proposed a whole new complex duet between her and Nini, but Nini was nowhere to be found — which definitely confirmed Gina was up to something, Violetta still enjoyed dancing her heart out with her friends.

She did a cartwheel on top of the table and landed on the ground before getting on her respective seat. Her and the other dancers moved one seat to their right, got on top of that seat, and then jumped off. They all walked off to the side so Gina could have her big solo moment. There was no doubt that Gina was absolutely amazing. She crossed her arms and watched the girl in slight amazement as she did a couple turns before landing in her final pose.

"Everybody hold!" Miss Jenn exclaimed. She walked over to the door, and Violetta looked to see Nini walking into the room, clearly uncomfortable with the fact that she could see she was late. "Nini, where were you? We've been here for an hour."

Nini rushed over to her. "I'm so sorry. I — I lost my phone and basically spent last night living as a hunter-gatherer. Which, by the way, did you know there are things that are only on TV at a certain time? Okay, anyway, I finally picked it up in the lost and found and — wait, did you say an hour?"

"Gina sent you and me a text asking if we could come in early so she could talk through a new idea. You didn't get it?"

"No, because my phone was missing."

Violetta's eyes then widened. Missing phone. Gina. Oh my God . . . Gina definitely stole Gina's phone. Her mind then began connecting all of the pieces. Gina wanted the role of Gabriella. EJ wanted the role of Troy. In that case . . . Gina stole Nini's phone for EJ! Her eyes slowly trailed over to EJ to see him looking at the ground guiltily. They instantly narrowed.

She was just too smart sometimes.

Miss Jenn let out a sigh. "Well, honey, you've gotta keep better track of your stuff. A real triple threat means singing, acting, and being organized."

"Got it," Nini replied.

"Well, if you had been here, you'd know that Gina pitched a whole new dance break for Gabriella and Taylor in the middle of Status Quo, and she had Carlos work it all out with her, and it is just dazzling."

"You and Carlos?" Nini said to Gina as Gina handed her a bedazzled lunch tray.

"Gina, why don't you hydrate and show Nini the new choreo, would you?" Miss Jenn suggested.

Violetta then caught Athena's eyes from across the room as she started to stretch on the floor. Just the person she wanted to talk to. She urgently nodded her head quickly to beckon her over. Athena's eyebrows knit in confusion and walked over to her. Once she was close, Violetta took her hand and pulled her down to sit next to her.

"What's going on with you?" Athena asked. "You're acting paranoid."

Violetta lowered her voice and leaned her head closer to hers. "This whole situation seems sketchy. Think about it. Nini loses her phone, and miraculously, Gina decides to schedule a whole new dance number out of the blue."

Athena's eyes instantly widened. "You think Gina stole Nini's phone?"

"You saw her at the audition. She wanted Gabriella, and bad. That look of disappointment on her face after she saw the cast list made me realize that she would probably do anything to get what she wanted."

Athena looked confused. "But she's not Gabriella's Understudy. I am."

"Exactly," Violetta urgently whispered, because that's what she was getting at. "If this plan is going where I think it is, she'll knock out Nini and then knock out you. And if she thinks she's getting away with that, she's horribly mistaken."

Athena shook her head. "I don't think she'd do that . . . would she?"

"That girl is incredibly ambitious," Violetta told her, trying to be as gentle as possible because Athena always tended to see the good in people. "This could just be one big master plan, and I don't want you to get caught up in the middle of it."

A shadow then suddenly loomed over them. Violetta looked up to see Ricky standing there. Her eyebrows knit in confusion as she looked in between him and Athena. They were acting weird with each other.

"Hey," Athena voiced. "What's up, Ricky?"

"Attie, can I — um, can I talk to you for a moment?" Ricky questioned.

"Oh. Yeah, sure. I'll be right back, Vi."

Violetta watched the two of them walk over to the counters in the room. She pulled her knee into her chest and studied how they were interacting with each other. Ricky seemed really nervous and Athena seemed to be reassuring him of something. Okay, what was going on? They never acted like this to each other . . . unless something happened.

Athena then came back and sat down to Violetta. Violetta tried to wipe the utterly confused expression on her face.

"What was that all about?" Violetta inquired. "You all right?"

Athena put an obviously forced smile on her face. "Yeah, yeah I'm fine."

She was lying. Violetta knew she was lying. Oh, something definitely happened. Violetta just had to figure out what.

═════════ • ° • ✰ • ° • ═════════

IT WAS CONFIRMED from Athena that EJ had truly stolen Nini's phone.

So, apparently, Ricky had tried to leave a very personal voicemail to Athena, but he accidentally called Nini instead (how does someone even do that?). Athena had then talked to EJ in the hallway, where he accidentally admitted that he listened to the voicemail from Nini's phone that Gina had given to them.

Violetta realized two things from this: one, her intuitions were mostly always right, and two, she would not allow herself to have a crush on EJ any longer.

Currently, it was the day after that whole revelation. Everyone except Carlos, Gina, and Natalie Bagley were in the hallway. Natalie had apparently had an emotional support hamster that escaped in the bomb shelter, and the three of them were trying to find it.

Violetta was leaning against the wall next to Athena, the two of them discussing an episode of a TV show they were watching at the same time. Her eyes then trailed over to see Nini and EJ walking into the hallway. Nini looked absolutely livid as EJ tried to talk to her. Her eyebrow raised. She definitely found out.

"You're mad at me," EJ finally stated, and Violetta blinked. Well, no duh. "Look, there was no fitting at lunch."

"Fine," Nini responded. "Wanna know where I was at lunch? I was at the computer lab bribing some hacker to crack into my phone to recover a message you deleted when you stole it."

"Wait, why do you think that I—"

"Might I add that the message was actually supposed to be for Athena."

EJ sighed in frustration. "I didn't know the message was supposed to be sent to her, not you."

"So you're admitting to it," Nini replied, shaking her head and walking away as EJ followed after her. "Unbelievable."

The two of them went into a secluded area of the hallway to talk it over for a couple of moments. Athena turned to Violetta with wide eyes as EJ tried to plead with Nini, but Violetta merely shrugged. He kind of deserved it.

"Hey, um, is the door locked or something?" Nini finally asked, leaving EJ behind because she clearly didn't want to talk to him anymore. "Why can't we get in?"

"Oh, Natalia Bagley's missing her emotional support hamster," Ashlyn answered. "He got loose. Carlos and Gina are helping her find her. Him. It." There was suddenly a high-pitched scream from inside the bomb shelter, and Ashlyn pointed to the door. "I think they found it."

Natalie then stepped out of the room with a box in her hands, suddenly taking off down the hallway. "I need a moment."

"Is he dead?" Ashlyn questioned.

"No," Carlos told her. "Now she thinks he's in her gym locker."

"Why the screaming?"

"That was me. She stepped on my toe." Carlos looked at all of them in the hallway. "We're ready to begin, people."

Violetta vaguely heard Carlos say to Nini and EJ that Ricky was running late and that EJ would have to fill in for Troy. Well, this was going to be interesting. She walked into the bomb shelter and placed her backpack on the floor before sitting in a seat. Violetta could feel eyes burning on the top of her head as she grabbed her script. She looked up to see EJ staring at her. Violetta sent him a challenging look before focusing on the platform, where EJ and Nini were standing very far away from each other.

Carlos got Athena from the hallway, who was still standing out there for some reason — Violetta didn't know why, but she was sure she would figure it out later — so that she could play the piano. Athena rushed in, put a phone that seemed to be Nini's down by Nini's backpack (oh, the voicemail!), put her own backpack down next to Violetta, sat down at the piano, and then looked at Miss Jenn with an innocent smile on her face.

"Okay," Miss Jenn muttered before looking at Nini and EJ. "Can I get you to move a little closer to each other?" Nini took a really small step closer to EJ. "Little more." EJ gave Nini a pleading look as he moved closer to her. "Come on, guys, we're blocking this as a love story, not a SARS epidemic."

Carlos pointed to the chair that was on the platform. "I think that chair was over there."

"Oh, I can move it over in the scene," Nini suggested as she walked over to the chair and picked it up.

"Feels awkward," Miss Jenn admitted.

"No, it's light,. I can lift it above my head and walk."

"Sweetie, no one is walking with furniture on their head. This isn't The Lion King." Miss Jenn looked down at Big Red, who was next to her. "Strike the chair, please."

"With what?" Big Red inquired.

"Take it away," Miss Jenn explained. "Remove it." Big Red got up to take the chair away while Miss Jenn kept on instructing. "Troy, once the intro begins, cross downstage and plant yourself at the piano. Which should be further downstage, okay?"

Big Red then went over to the piano where Athena was. Athena smiled and waved at him, but Big Red began pushing the piano the wrong way.

"No, dear, that would be upstage," Miss Jenn revealed. Big Red let out a sigh before going over to the other side of the piano. "Okay, Gabriella, you slowly approach the piano and rest an arm on it, naturally." She pointed at Big Red. "Can we make sure her bookbag is off stage right?"

Big Red nodded. "Sure, um . . ." He looked at Athena. "A, which way is that?"

She pointed to the other side of the stage. "That way, Red."

Big Red then picked up Nini's backpack and moved it to where Miss Jenn wanted him to. Now that everything was in its correct place, it was time for the scene to begin. Violetta sort of wished she had some popcorn, because this was about to be tense.

"Okey-dokey," Miss Jenn stated. "Take it from, Wow! Now that's really nice."

"Wow, now that's really nice," EJ recited as Troy.

"Hmm," Nini added in response as Gabriella.

Miss Jenn pointed at Athena. She began playing What I've Been Looking For as EJ approached the piano and rested against it.

"It's hard to believe that I couldn't see, you were always there beside me," EJ sang.

"Thought I was alone with no one to hold," Nini added, placing her arm on top of the piano very harshly. "But you were always there beside me."

Athena looked at Violetta with wide eyes, since she was clearly in the middle — literally — of a very awkward situation. Violetta shrugged. It sort of was what it was, and Athena could handle it. Athena then focused back on the sheet music to just try and continue playing the music.

"This feeling's like no other," Nini and EJ harmonized. "I want you to know. I've never had someone that knows me like you do, the way you do. I've never had someone as good for me as you, no one like you. So lonely before, I've finally found what I've been looking for."

EJ went over to the other side of the piano to be closer to Nini. Nini suddenly then began doing a bunch of runs on the do do do do do do do do do do's. Violetta tried her very hardest to keep a straight and not laugh, because this situation was so pathetically funny.

Once the song was done, the room was filled in awkward silence. Violetta tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and looked down at her script. Well, that was definitely something.

"Okay, freeze," Miss Jenn ordered as she stood up from her chair. "Nini, sweetie, this reprise comes at a decisive moment in the story once your hearts have joined. It's a love song."

Nini pointed in between herself and EJ. "Were you not getting that?"

"I'd like you to get to his heart without cracking his rib cage."

Ricky then rushed into the room and threw his backpack on the ground. "Sorry I'm late."

Violetta looked up at him but instantly frowned. He looked anxious. His hair was messy like he had been running his hands threw it and his hands were shaking just the tiniest bit. However, what struck Violetta the most was the look on hie face. His expression screamed that his heart was breaking and his eyes were sad. Concern filled her heart. What happened?

"My mom, she caught an earlier flight," Ricky voiced. "Where are we?"

Oh. Violetta knew that Lynne was always in Chicago — coming home so abruptly probably didn't end in anything good.

"Scene seven," Carlos answered.

"Right," Ricky responded. "I don't have it. Could I borrow—"

"You need your script, Ricky," Miss Jenn said loudly, and Violetta blinked. Did she not see how out of it he was? "And a pencil. It's a blocking rehearsal."

Ricky looked to Athena. "Attie, could I borrow a pencil?"

She nodded in response. "Of course. There's one in—"

"No, actually, he can't," Miss Jenn cut in. "When you come to rehearsal, people, you come prepared."

Natalie then ran back into the room, panting slightly from running all the way from the gym to the bomb shelter. She let out quiet sobs to herself.

Ashlyn approached her carefully. "Was he in your gym locker?"

"No, just my cherry lip balm," Natalie replied with a sniffle. "But it had Elliot's teeth marks in it."

"Oh, I'm sure that wouldn't hurt him."

"It's sparkly."

"Then it'll be easier to find him," Seb suggested. Everyone looked at him, and he chuckled nervously. "If he smiles."

"Natalie, we feel your pain, but I was just explaining what a constructive rehearsal requires," Miss Jenn told her. "Focus. And honestly, another day like this, and I am showing up with my emotional support coyote."

"Miss Jenn, I know the scene," Ricky insisted.

"Would you wait for me in my office, please? Thank you."

Ricky, after Athena gave him a reassuring nod and smile, left the room with his backpack. Violetta watched after him for a moment. Well, this rehearsal was going swimmingly.

"Wait, are we done?" Ashlyn asked in confusion.

"We are, Ms. Darbus," Miss Jenn confirmed. "Take a note. This is what a frustrated drama teacher looks like. Go. Scoot. Come back when you're ready to be punctual, park your distractions at the door, and take the work in here seriously."

Violetta then stood up from her chair and approached Athena, a knowing look painted across her face as she saw Athena stare longingly at the door. "Go after him. He needs you more than anyone right now."

"Remember that voicemail I told you about?" Athena questioned with her gaze still on the door, and Violetta nodded. "I just listened to it. Ricky said that we shared a moment where the world stopped spinning and that I was mesmerizing to him. Something's changing, Vi."

Violetta put a comforting hand on her shoulder, although her mind was screaming in celebration because finally! "'Thena, I know you're confused. Ricky is too, probably. But something's going on with him, and you're the one person he probably feels the most safe with. So, go wait for him outside of Miss Jenn's office."

"I will. Thanks, Vi."

She grabbed her backpack and left the room. Violetta sighed and picked up her own backpack before leaving the bomb shelter. She started to walk down the hallway, but somebody interrupted her.

"Violetta!" EJ called.

She let out a breath of frustration and turned to face him. "EJ, whatever you're going to say, I don't want to hear it."

He stopped in front of her. "I was going to say that you were right."

"Oh. Well, in that case, thanks for noticing. Can't believe it took you this long."

"I really don't want another lecture right now," EJ complained. "Listen. I'm sorry for asking you to steal Nini's phone. I realize now it was wrong. I should've never considered it in the first place."

"Yeah, you shouldn't have," Violetta agreed. "I'm glad you've realized it."

EJ nodded once at her. "I — um, I'll see you at the next rehearsal, Violetta."

"Just remember to not make the same mistakes you did in your next relationship, Caswell. I'll see you at the next rehearsal."

With that, she walked away, trying to push away the infurating racing of her heart, because no way was she going to give EJ anymore of her time if she could help it.

∘ ₊ ✧ ──── ✧ ₊ ∘

DANIEL AND FRANNY BROKE UP I AM
S C R E A M I N G

this is a nightmare everything is terrible love is dead

also joshua bassett deserves the world. please go stream his music bc he deserves to tell his side of the story too. I really just want to give him a hug :(