𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐅𝐄𝐂𝐓 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐘 ― r. bowen ¹ ✓

023

"Wow, you guys, I don't wanna interrupt," Gina voiced.

"How did you get here?" Carlos questioned.

"A friend bought me a last-minute flight back. I was gonna drop off these cupcakes and then hide in the gym and cheer you guys on."

"Gina, no one in the gym wants to hide more than I do right now," Kourtney stated.

She looked at Kourtney's costume. "Wait, are you playing Taylor?"

"I was, and it was nice, and now it's your turn to save my butt and do the dance." Kourtney held out the bedazzled tray. "Please. I'm asking you."

Gina looked to Miss Jenn for approval. "Can I?"

"Of course," Miss Jenn replied. "You can do the curtain call together. Let's hit the halls, people!"

"Come on, let's go get you ready," Athena told Gina, nodding her head over to the costume racks.

After a short couple minutes of Gina getting into her Taylor costume and having some makeup applied to her face, it was finally time for Stick to the Status Quo. Gina and Violetta were the first ones out of the bomb shelter since they were actually in the number. Athena tidied up the room a little bit before rushing out of the room once she heard the music start.

Athena ran as quickly and quietly as she possibly could to the backstage area so she could watch. However, she spotted Ricky in the hallway, pacing back and forth while wearing his red and white baseball tee costume. He looked up to see her walking straight towards him. Ricky smiled, his eyes brightening once she got closer.

"Hey, Attie," he greeted. "Where—"

She grabbed his hand. "We gotta go."

"Woah, woah, woah, Athena, slow down," Ricky commented quietly with a laugh once Athena had dragged them to the gym. "Why are you in such a rush?"

She looked up at him with the biggest smile on her face. "You're never gonna believe it. Come on."

The two of them walked inside just in time to see Gina go on. Athena squeezed Ricky's hand excitedly as the two of them watched Gina do her intricate tray choreography with ease.

"Gina," Ricky breathed out.

Athena nodded. "Yeah, I told you you wouldn't believe it."

"Everybody quiet!" Seb as Sharpay yelled from the makeshift balcony.

The crowd cheered, and Athena's smile widened even further. There was no doubt that Seb was pretty much born to play the role of Sharpay. He looked amazing in his pink costume and the pink makeup he had on really tied the whole look together. All of the dancers turned to look up at him. Athena caught Violetta's eye among them, and Violetta gave her a quick wink before focusing back on Seb.

"This is not what I want, this is not what I planned," Seb sang, walking down the steps while the boy who played Ryan did the same on the other side. The two of them reached the bottom and began to perform their duet dance. "And I just got to say, I do not understand. Something is really, something's not right, really wrong. And we gotta get things back where they belong."