Sweeney & Bowen

Chapter Twenty-Three: Showtime

I nod along, "If either one of us actually auditions for the next musical." I jest.

He huffs a laugh, "I'm sure one of us, if not both again, will show up at the last minute."

We share a gentle laugh, both exaggerating how funny it was to avoid awkward silence.

"Sweeney," Ricky blurts, "If there's anything you wanna say to me..before we don't see each other for a while.."

It was like he was both pleading and reminding me.

I shrug as if I were clueless to it, "You look kinda hot in eyeliner."

He smirked, taken aback a bit, "You think so?"

I huff a laugh, nodding, "Pre-Beast/Prince Adam looks good on you." I compliment.

"Red's your color. You look beautiful."

The sincerity in his voice caused me to smile wide, as heat rose to my cheeks.

He immediately notices, "I'm not gonna say anything this time. It just confirms red is your color." Ricky teases.

I chuckle, covering my face, "I can't stand you." We laugh.

"So.." He starts, once our laughter fizzled out, "That's it?"

I nod, "Yeah. Good luck tonight."

Ricky smiles, "Yeah, you too. Well..." He uncomfortably trails off, "Sucks to know ya!" He jests, huffing a laugh—fist in the air playfully.

I nod in agreement, "Sucks to know ya, back." I awkwardly blurt, grinning, and mirroring his hand gesture.

Ricky silently stared at me for a moment, as if he were trying to decide something.

Until finally, he wrapped his arms around me.

Shock crossed my face, and then I suddenly melted into his embrace. While sinking my face into his chest as if pleading for him to hold me closer. I shut my eyes to accept and enjoy his warm embrace.

I pulled away first, suddenly getting the courage to confess how I've been feeling.

That was until, once I pulled away, I stared into his eyes and backed out.

"So, that's it, right?" Ricky pressed.

"Yeah! You?" I blurt.

"That's it." He confirms, nodding.

The pre-show chatter was somehow drowned out by the unspoken words in the air, as we stared at one another; our intense eye contact said so much.

"Wildcats! Villagers!" Our drama teacher's voice broke Ricky and me out of our strong gazes on one another. And her emerging from backstage and walking between us, pulled us away from one another; making us lose each other in the crowd of the rest of the drama club that gathered around Miss Jenn. Our eye contact still lingered for a moment, then soon broke apart.

"My friends and allies. As you know, there is a judge out there in the audience tonight who is very important to the future of this theater program. He is going to score every performance, our music, our sets. And in two weeks at the Menkies, we could win $50,000." She announces, and we cheer.

I have been trying to be as supportive as I can of Carlos. Since this is his first time being in the show, and he is so nervous that he can barely form any words. Miss Jenn constantly reminding us what is at stake, doesn't help, on top of how great North High's Lumière was, even though I know that Carlos is gonna outshine him. So, as he stared off in a nervous and stressed trance, I supportively put my arm around him. Carlos put his head on my shoulder and shut his eyes in defeat.