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PHOEBEWAS OKAY. She wasn't great, but she was better. She twirled in her cloak. There was two weeks left until opening night, so they were rehearsing the Beast's transformation.
It wasn't going so well.
"All right, let's get started!" Carlos instructed, but nobody listened to him. "Hello? Let's get started!"
"Okay, Wildcats," Miss Jenn got their attention. "Let's shake spring break out of our systems and try the Beast transformation one last time. And remember, this is the triumph of the show, the moment the audience has been waiting for, this has to work!"
"No pressure, right?" Ricky mumbled to Phoebe, and the girl laughed nervously.
"Ricky, try not to rush this time," Miss Jenn told him. "We'll speed it up when you're more confident. Phoebe, I need you to be more dramatic. Feel the moment. Let's take it from you came back."
Phoebe got down on her knees. Ricky put his mask on and laid his head on her lap.
Ricky cleared his throat when they got the okay to start the scene. "You came back."
"If only I'd come sooner."
Ricky gripped her arm. "Maybe it's better this way-"
"Don't talk like that," Phoebe shook her head. "Everything will be fine."
"No-"
She shushed and almost broke character, having to remind herself that everyone was counting on them. "We're together now. You'll see."
Ricky cupped her cheek. "I'm just glad I was able to see your face one last. . ." His hand fell to his side as he began choking.
Seb began playing the piano and Phoebe started singing. "We are home. We are where we shall be forever." Ricky was very obviously trying to get the hair from the mask out of his mouth. Phoebe grabbed his hand to stop him and shot him a small look. "Trust in me for you know I won't run away."
"Belle, I-"
"Yes?" Phoebe gasped as Ricky rolled over. "No, no, no, please don't leave me. Please. I love you."
Ricky struggled to get his mask off. Phoebe used her cloak to cover him and even attempted to help him get it off. "It's stuck!"
"Rip the velcro!" Kourtney exclaimed.
He finally got it off and crawled out from under her cloak, tossing it to Natalie. The stage manager stumbled back and bumped into a prop tree, causing them all to fall down liek dominoes.
