new years eve i open the door to ashlyn's house, "i'm not gonna stop, that's who i am! i'll give it all i got, that is my plan! will i find what i lost? you know you can bet on it, bet on it, you can bet on me!" i point to ej as everyone claps.
i talk to everyone as nini does too. "okay everyone! rule of the game are important! we need to set intentions and be accountable to one another this year. all right, resolution number one. anyone's guess. i resolve to... oh this is so stupid i can't," she chuckles, "i resolve to remember everybody fondly when i go to duke. any guesses?" "ej! you got into duke?!" ashlyn exclaims. "i mean, have i technically gotten into duke? did my father and our grandpa before him also go to duke? guys, i think it's just a matter of time," he says, doing a lot of air quotes as he exaggerates on his words. "okay, i lost track of all the air quotes," i say, laughing.
"i resolve to follow my dreams, however far they take me," kourtney reads. "oh that's gotta be gina, right?" i say, looking at her. "nope, not me," she says. nini looks at me, "uh, it's me, actually." i look at her, and she looks back at kourtney, "back to the game, kourt."
i walk to the kitchen, seeing gina. "another root beer?" i chuckle. "yeah, want one?" she asks. "no, i'm good. does nini seem a little weird to you?" i ask. "uh... a little, now that you mention," gina says. "it's probably nothing," i try and convince the both of us.
seb starts playing the piano for the 'pre-audition workshop'. after seb and carlos sing fabulous, ash starts to play you are the music in me. i pick my up, tapping ashlyn on the shoulder. "you're a harmony... to the melody," nini and i sing as i play the guitar, standing opposite. "echoing inside my head." "a single voice..." "a single voice," i overlap. "above the noise," nini continues. "like a common thread," we sing. "when i hear my favorite song, i know that we belong, you are the music in me. yeah, it's living in all of us, it's brought us here because, you are the music in me," we sing. as i sing with nini, i can't help but notice the fluttery warmth in my chest.
"you are the music in me..." we both lean in, looking at each others lips. "one minute till midnight!" we pull away before our lips touch, and i take my guitar off.
"ten! nine! eight! seven! six! five! four! three! two! one! happy-" i look at nini, nini looking at me back. "i have an announcement!" we all turn around to miss jenn. "you cut your hair!" carlos exclaims. "thank you- wait, do you like it? that's not the announcement, okay. contrary to rumor, we are not doing high school musical 2." "what?" gina says. "we are doing an american classic. beauty and the beast." everyone cheers. "and i know east high just did it a couple year ago, but you didn't do it my way, and you didn't win the most important award in all of theater." "the tony?" gina assumes. "the second most important award." "the drama desk?" seb also assumes with a smile. "this semester, we are entering the alan menken awards for high school musical theater... and we going to win." "what means beating north high, miss jenn," carlos says. "we've already beaten them once in volleyball," miss jenn does a dramatic wink to me.
"they have a thousand-gallon little mermaid aquarium," carlos adds. "then we will have an aquarium too," she says. "in beauty and the beast?" "okay, i need to study the text. so who is ready to show the world they deserve to get that scholarship to nyu?! i mean, who is ready to go from amateur thespians to statewide award winners?!" everyone cheers. "what team?" i yell. "wildcats!" everyone yells back. i clap, laughing. "i'm in if you're in," i say to nini with a smile. we stare at each other, nini scrunching her face up, "y/n, i'm moving to denver."
nini and i get in my car in silence. i start up the car, reversing out of the driveway. "are you mad at me?" nini asks softly as we stop at a red light. "no," i shake my head, "i just really wish you told me sooner, not the day before you're leaving." nini sighs, taking my right hand in both hers. "i'm sorry y/n. you're right, i should've told you sooner. i just... i don't want you stressing out, but clearly it's not working very well." i look down, loosening my grip on the steering wheel. "i just can't imagine my life without you, nini," i say. "you won't have to. i'll call you every night, i promise. i'll come down and visit every holidays," she says as i step on the pedal. "i'm really happy for you, nini. i'm glad you're using your talent to it's fullest potential, you deserve this," i say, squeezing her hand. "thank you, this is why i love you," nini chuckles, brushing my knuckles and leaning back to watch the road.
i dig my face into nini's shoulder, embracing her as tight as i can. i exhale, letting go. "hey! i said if you cried, i was gonna cry," nini says. "i'm not crying, okay? i'm just... allergic to my girlfriend going to colorado without me," i say, nini chuckling. "i'm gonna facetime you every morning as soon as i wake up," i say. "okay... maybe not as soon as i wake up?" nini asks. "fine. but definitely plus or minus 300 times a day." "at least. we are going to make this long distance look easy. plus, we aren't selling the house, not yet, anyways. just in case yac doesn't work out for me, i'll be right where i started again." i sigh, "okay." i lean in, our lips connecting as nini softly hums.
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i clear my throat, reaching for a small gift bag. "what's this?" nini asks, smiling. i laugh, "i mean, you could open it." "hmm, okay," nini takes it, sitting on the side of her bed. i join her, watching as she takes a snow globe out of the bag. "it's perfect," she says, smiling at me. "every time i miss you, i'm gonna shake this." she looks down, shaking it. she chuckles tearfully, and i take it, shaking it too.
"this is the final boarding call for flight 372A to colorado, please proceed to gate 4 immediately. the final checks are being completed and the captain will order for the doors of the aircraft to close in approximately five minutes time. i repeat, this is the final boarding call for flight 372A to colorado."
i look down from the ceiling after hearing the boarding call, looking at nini and her moms. "i'll miss you guys a lot, i'm sorry my dad couldn't come to say bye," i say, smiling sadly. "it's not a bye, more like a see you later," mama d says. i chuckle, nodding. "i'll let you and nini have some alone time for 2 minutes," mama c says. they stand out of the way, and i look at nini, who was tearing up.
i sigh, hugging her tightly. "don't go, salazar-roberts," i mumble into her collarbone. nini chuckles, rubbing my back, "this is could potentially change my life, i need to." we pull away. "just kiss me 'till i forget," i sigh. nini leans forward, one hand going to the back of my neck and the other on my cheek, kissing me.
mama d and c walk back to us. "have a safe flight you guys," i say. "drive safe home, thank you for driving us here," mama c says. "i'll call you when i reach colorado," nini smiles. i smile back, nodding. i watch as they walk away.
nini turns her torso to me as she walks, smiling. i give a small wave, and she waves back, turning back forward. once they were out of sight, i turn around, walking away.
2 weeks later "you're welcome," ej says randomly as he sits next to me. "huh?" i say. "uh, i've decided to take myself out of the running for the beast. i've just got a lot on my plate. which reminds me, i should probably pick out my meal plan for duke," ej takes out his phone. "wait, you officially got in?" ashlyn asks. "back up, you're not doing the musical either?" i add, feeling gina's gaze on me. "no, i've only got the bandwidth for a supporting role. wait, what do you mean either?" "uh..." i chuckle, looking at everyone staring at me, "i'm not, uh, i'm not sure if i'm auditioning this year." "wait, for real?" gina asks.
before i can speak, a blonde girl comes up to us. "okay, um, i'm sorry, i've been trying to work up the courage to say this," she says, looking at me, "okay, i can't believe i'm standing in front of both troy boltons right now! both your performances last semester in hsm were incredible!" "thank you!" ej says. "thanks," i say, nodding. "that means a lot to us. it honestly takes a village to get a show up on its feet. i've been very blessed," ej happily says. "no, no, i mean thank you, really. i mean, you both inspired me to wanna try out this semester. it's intimidating being basically, like, brand new to theater. hey honestly, you guys are all so talented." "aw, thank you!" ashyln giggles. "hey, do you mind if we..." she takes out her phone. "no, absolutely," ej says. the girl turns around, bending down to get us all in frame. "cheese!" she says. i smile a little, looking at the phone as she takes 2 photos. "hey! you can tag me in that. it's just 'waterpolotheaterguy'," ej says. her cell phone chimes, "just did. bye!"
