(editing) 𝗠𝗥. 𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗙𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗟𝗬 𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗘, 𝘦𝘫 𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭 ¹

xii. let's save miss jenn

"She gave me a voice," Nini spoke up.

"Yeah, and now nobody's gonna get to hear it because Miss Jenn screwed up," Kourtney said looking at Nini.

"Okay, does anyone here actually care if her past is a little bit sketchy?" Ashlyn asked. "Anyone?"

"I do," Ricky said shocking many of them.

"Seriously, dude?" Big Red asked rhetorically, shocked his best friend would say something like that.

Kourtney scoffed, "What because you live some perfect life?"

"Not at all." Ricky started as he stood up. "Because she put out show in jeopardy. And now we're all here, maybe for the last time, together. For some of us, this has become...I don't know." He trailed off.

"Family," Nini answered.

"What Team?" Ricky asked, still starring at Nini.

"Wildcats." The group responded.

"Okay, Wildcats. So, what are we doing about it?" Ashlyn asked.

They got to work.

♪♫ ♫♪

Reece sat beside Nini as people began to gather in the cafeteria. Her leg began bopping up and down, Nini placed a hand over it, "It'll be fine. This will work." Reece smiled gratefully at the brunette.

She looked around, Ricky sat in front of the girls on the other side of the cafeteria, while EJ, Ashlyn, Big Red, Gina, and the others sat in between the parents (in order to make them less visible) and Kourtney, along with Josie, Anne, Willow, and a few others stood at the top of a platform waiting for their cue. There was a table with the board members sitting while Miss Jenn sat in front and facing them. "Let's save Miss Jenn." She whispered to herself.

"Miss Jenn, it may not surprise you to learn that we have heard earfuls about your unorthodox style ever since you got to East High." Mr. Gutierrez said to the drama teacher. "Personally, I always chalked it up to the well-known fact that people in the dramatic arts are insane." He chuckled, earning a scoff from Reece.

"Thank you." Miss Jenn leaned towards the microphone, causing feedback to erupt from the mic.

"But now, we have news that your résumé is exaggerated. Your teaching credential is from some obscure online university and even your official name might be some version of a stage name. What do you say to this charge?" He asked.

"I have always done my best by these kids." The women spoke.

"Just answer the question."

"Excuse me." Some interrupted. "Can I say something?" Reece recognized him as Mike Bowen, Ricky's dad.

"I'm sorry. We're not opening up the floor to parents on this."

"Let him speak." Said (one of) Nini's moms. Nini smiled at this action. Parents murmured in agreement.

"I'm a little late to this party, but I gotta say the real crime here would be booting a teacher who's making a positive impact. I've never seen my kid this invested in anything and I don't think that's something we should punish, Your... honor." Reece chuckled at the last remark.

"Mister Bowen, I appreciate your statement, but I think we can all agree that theatre isn't unique in this regard. It doesn't have some special fairy dust that can't be filled by another extracurricular."