PERFECT TWO! ricky bowen

CHAPTER NINE, a night of nights

"We thought you'd be dead again." Ashlyn replied after the lights were turned back on. Maddox chuckled and Ashlyn laughed nervously. Maddox then nodded and walked away awkwardly.

"Change of plans," Ricky's voice brought Ophelia's attention to him and she smiles at him. "Meet me in the dressing room at intermission."

"Of course." Ophelia promised, grinning as she followed his lead when he started to lean in. But when they heard their friends exclaim a familiar name, they pull away and glance over with surprise.

"Mack?" Kourtney gasped.

"Mack!" Ashlyn smiled as everyone else greeted Mack.

Ophelia and Ricky are surprised to see the boy walk into the room, holding a flower. "Don't mind me. I was never here." Mack smiles, walking over to Ophelia and Ricky. "Ophelia, these are for you. It's a hundred year old bird of paradise."

"Oh, um, thank you?" Ophelia said in confusion, not really sure what to say to this as Ricky took the flowers from him for her.

"A friend of mine grows them." Mack explains. "It was John Stamos, guys."

"Wait, hold up." Fallon gasps from where she was at the other side of the room with EJ. She hits EJ's shoulder as she stared at Mack with wide eyes. "That's Mack from Mark and Spark? Dude, literally so jealous of Ophelia that she got to work with a hottie like him."

"Uh, dude, your boyfriend is standing right here and you're hitting him." EJ grimaced, grabbing her hand to stop her from hitting him since she kept doing it.

"Sorry, babe." Fallon apologizes, leaning up to kiss his cheek and earning a smile from him. "I love you."

EJ chuckles and smiles at her. "I love you too."

"Wow." Ricky muttered, looking annoyed with Mack.

"Hey, you still got it!" Mack chuckled, smiling at Ricky and walked away. Ricky mocked him, rolling his eyes. Ophelia laughed when she saw this, smiling when Ricky glanced at her and smiled softly at her.

"Everyone, let's circle up." Miss Jenn calls out, walking into the room dressed as Miss Darbus. "Circle up." Everyone gathers together in center of the room and held hands. "And hands. Hands. My babies. I know that some of you are disappointed that we don't have the auditorium tonight because Quinn and her band of Hollywood elites have secured it for some other kind of event. But tonight, after promising the principal that this is now an unofficial event, we have the homecoming gym, and an audience of loved ones, and each other. And we have our dreams. And to quote a wise coach, 'You only have two hours left to be a team. So go out there and hold each other close tonight because you never know who might be taking flight tomorrow.'"

Ophelia's heart clenches as Miss Jenn said this. It made her think about Quinn's new movie that she would be doing. She didn't have much time to dwell on this because then Maddox came in and calls out, "Places!" Everyone screamed excitedly and ran out to the gym.

****

EJ and Fallon sat in the audience with Fallon's family, Kourtney's mom and Luca's family. Ophelia's family, Ricky's family and Big Red and his family even sat nearby them as well along with Seb and his family. Ricky had been surprised when his mom suddenly asked if it was okay to bring a plus one but during the performance of 'Now or Never' he saw that she meant her plus one was his dad which made him smile. Everyone cheered loudly at the end of the first performance. And yes during the song Fallon was singing along every word and yes EJ was too although most of the time he was staring at Fallon with a loving smile.

Now it was moments before Ophelia's and Ricky's next scene. They stood in the wings, grinning at each other. "Look at me and look at you." Ricky commented.