Climb | ✔

Chapter 23 | Premiere

Gina and Daisy had patched things over slowly over the past week. They were now more inseparable than they had been before now that they had the opportunity to respectively explore and support Daisy's budding homosexuality. Gina had never been more invested in her friend's love life.

Bringing her arms around her two best friends, Gina squeezed them into her chest as the boys offered their congratulations. Even Joe knew better and made the effort to support his friends on their big night despite his inner turmoil.

"Combos on us at Stinky's?" Louis asked.

"Yes, I'm starving!" Daisy exclaimed, hand resting on her stomach for emphasis.

"I could really go for a milkshake," muttered Winter through their collective cheers, earning a soft smile from Luke.

Before they left the theatre, though, Rick approached the girls, two tiny bouquets clutched in each of his hands. He thrusted them forward for Winter and Daisy to take, eliciting giggles from the whole set. Murdoch, who'd hung back so as not to invade Winter's space, simpered and looked away.

"The set was great, guys. It really made the show," Rick complimented, sincerity coming through the sweet gap in his teeth as he grinned.

"Aw, thanks Rick," said Winter, bringing him in for a hug, Daisy mimicking the action soon after. "But it was really all Daisy. She did most of the animation and really brought the vision to fruition. There would be no set without her."

Daisy smiled bashfully and slapped Winter's shoulder. "Oh shut up! None of this would have even been thought of without you."

Rick smiled between the two of them, and then said to Winter. "You both deserve the credit. Don't be too humble," and then, leaning into Winter with a whisper, "the worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt."

Winter quirked a brow at him, trying with all her might to recall if she'd heard that quote before.

"Sylvia Plath," he offered.

"Ah," she said astutely. "Well, thanks Rick. For the kind words and the flowers." She held the bouquet of orange roses and sunflowers up.

"For the words, my pleasure," he said. "As for the flowers, as long as we're giving credit where credit's due, those were Murdoch's idea."

Winter glanced at the boy in question, who'd brought his fingers up to pinch his nose in vexation. Without looking at the group, and particularly at Winter, he waved his hand in dismissal.

"It's nothing," he murmured, an endearing pink color brushing the tips of his ears.

Gina eyed him suspiciously, then looked to Winter with a knowing smirk. Winter returned the look, her expression begging Gina not to read too much into the current situation.

Over Gina's shoulder and down in the theatre, Evie could be seen working a group of people surrounding her with praise and adoration. With handfuls of bouquets in hand, she turned to look over her shoulder at Winter, offering a comforting smile but a suspicious eye between the members of her group. Her gaze lingered over Murdoch, her cerulean eyes giving way to the depths of her love for him, and Winter felt suddenly sick.

Eventually, they made their way to the front of the school, Winter and Daisy stopping and being stopped to say their goodbye-till-next-times to the cast and crew. At the front gates, the usual group parted from the Rick-Murdoch pair, waving goodbye as Luke slung an arm over Winter's shoulder, strolling down the streets of Sharpton until they reached their favorite diner.

Needless to say, the guilt eating away at Winter did little to stoke her appetite, so she couldn't indulge in much more than her usual strawberry milkshake. This trend would continue throughout the week, on through the remaining showing of the musical and up until Evie's cast party on the night of the final showing.