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21- opening night

For the next 2 days, Ricky and Alexis didn't speak at all unless it was as their character during rehearsals.

Miss Jen was able to score East High's gym for opening night, which Alexis was very grateful for. The El Ray was just not working.

Alexis' nerves were through the roof the day of the performance. Although she had missed two tech rehearsals and Nini filled in as her understudy, Miss Jen still trusted her to play the lead tonight.

She couldn't bear to stay at home anymore, so she decided to leave early and get to school now.

When she arrived at East High and went towards the gym, she heard voices inside and when she opened the door she saw Miss Jen telling Ricky, "enjoy the silence before it gets crazy."

The door slammed behind her and Ricky jumped in surprise. Miss Jen looked up. "Oh, hey Alexis! Okay guys, I have to go check on a few things so... just take it all in."

As soon as Miss Jen left, a spotlight flashed directly on Alexis and Ricky.

"Sorry!" Ashlyn's voice came from the balcony. "That was my bad!"

"No," Big Red replied. "I think that was me."

Ricky frowned. "Okay, how many people are actually here?"

"Just us and you guys!" Big Red assured.

The light turned off.

"I should go..." Alexis mumbled, motioning toward the door.

"Wait!" Said Ricky. "Can we... can we talk?"

"There's nothing to talk about." Alexis replied sourly.

"Please," whispered the brunette boy.

"Fine."

They walked out into the hallway. Alexis stared straight ahead not wanting to make eye contact with the boy.

"Listen, I'm really sorry about the other day—"

"It's okay," she cut him off. "Don't worry about it. You're entitled to your own... feelings. You don't have to apologize."

"But I hurt your feelings, right?"

"So?"

"Oh my gosh Alexis! See, this is your problem. You're always worried about everyone else's feelings and you never do anything for yourself!"

"Last I recall," Alexis began, "you said you liked that about me. Or, actually, you may have used a different word. Maybe. But what do I know?"

Ricky frowned. This wasn't even what he wanted to talk to her about. He was getting all mixed up. Deep breath. He told himself. Try again.

"So we're supposed to kiss at the end of this," he mentioned. They hadn't done it at rehearsals but they were supposed to tonight.

"Yeah. Well it doesn't have to be weird. Let's just forget everything that's happened."

"No, no, that's not what I mean."

"Then what do you mean?"

"Alexis I didn't want.... I mean... well... I, I..."

The girl rolled her eyes. "I'll see you out there, Bowen." She pulled a tiny box out of her pocket and pushed it into his hands. "I got that for you as an opening night gift before... everything. I wasn't going to give it to you but I couldn't stand to look at it."

Ricky opened it and it was a dog tag that said "To freaky callback boy".

He suppressed a smile. "Alexis—"

"It's okay," she cut him off. "Things don't need to be different between us. It's just a stupid crush. I'll get over it." And with that, she walked away.

About an hour later, the hustle and bustle of opening night really began.

The rest of the cast and crew had arrived, and the 'backstage' area was crowded, and kind of overwhelming to be honest.

There was a big bouquet of flowers addressed to Ashlyn with no card. A smile played on Gina's lips. "I bet I can guess who they're from..." she glanced meaningfully at Big Red.

Ashlyn blushed and hurried off to finish her makeup. Alexis appeared next to Gina. "You ready?" She asked her, plastering on a wide smile. Alexis was still upset about whatever was going on with her and Ricky but she didn't want to let it show.

"Of course!" Said Gina happily. "Let's do this!" Her and Alexis did their handshake and then laughed.

"Let's huddle up wildcats!" Carlos shouted over the mess of noise. "Curtain call in 15 minutes!"

Everyone gathered together in the middle of the room as Miss Jen gave a pep talk.

"So now, what I would like to do, is everyone think of a phrase from the show that expresses where your head is tonight. Anyone want to share?"

Every looked around at each other for a moment.

"You're my guys and this is our team!" Big Red said with a smile. Everyone laughed.

"What if you want to try something really new, and it's a total disaster and all your friends laugh at you." Ricky said quietly.

"Do you ever feel like there's this whole other important inside of you just looking for a way to come out?" Nini piped up.

"My shower head is very impressed with me!" Said Kourtney.

"We're all in this together!" Said Alexis. Every laughed.

"Okay, what a great one to close with. Okay wildcats, take a moment to settle your nerves!" Said Miss Jen.

Ricky tried approaching Alexis after but she quickly ducked off, and Ricky decided to just let her be. He didn't want to piss her off even more than she was, especially right before the show.

He poked his head out from the curtain and was happy to see his mom at the show, and she was hugging his dad! Maybe things were better with them two after all.

Ricky and Alexis went out onstage and did their thing. The crowd laughed and cheered, and it was great. If Alexis was still hung up over earlier, she didn't show it.

After the first scene, they ran offstage and Alexis went over to Gina. "Time for our even together in..." she glanced at the stage. "1 minute!" Gina grabbed her hands and they jumped up and down. "Besties on and off stage!"

"That's your cue!" Carlos told them. They smiled at each other and went out.

"So..." said Alexis as Gabriella. "What do you know about Troy Bolton?"

The play went on without a hitch... well, until the big performance of "Getcha Head in the Game" before the intermission.

Ricky was being lifted mid air when he caught a glance of Tod. His mom's new boyfriend. He dropped his basketball and everyone stared. They pulled him down quickly ran offstage.

He sat down in the hallway, the same hallway where he'd had one of his first interactions with Alexis. His heart panged at the thought of her.

Alexis, on the other hand, spent the whole intermission searching for Ricky. After she saw what had happened during the last song, she couldn't even think about how mad she was with him. She just wanted to see if he was okay.

"2 minutes until act two starts... where the hell is Ricky?" Carlos demanded.

"I'm working on it!" Alexis shouted as she dashed around looking for him. Where was he?