Better Place, Better Time

The Tech Rehearsal

The theatre burned down because of some mysterious fire. So now we were going to perform at the El Ray. Once we arrived here I was shocked at how abandoned it was. It hasn't been touched in years and it seemed like if you touched an old prop you'd get a disease.

"Troy take your Chad and find somewhere to go over the library scene and to go over your song," Miss Jenn instructed. "Everyone else stay close and let's work on sound and lighting." E.J. signaled for me to follow him and we found a dusty little room close to the stage.

"Shall we start?" E.J. asked. He had forgiven me for the way I snapped at Thanksgiving. I had texted him later apologizing and I told him about my mom and this Todd guy. We ended up talking about it for hours and he made me feel better.

"What spell has this elevated-IQ temptress girl cast that suddenly makes you wanna be in a musical?" I said reading off my script.

"Look, I just did it, Who cares?" E.J. said continuing the scene.

"Who cares?-" I started.

"Sorry, can we start over. I know this scene, I want to do without a script." E.J. nodded and I set my script down.

"What spell has this elevated-IQ temptress girl cast that suddenly makes you wanna be in a musical?" I started again. "Wait sorry, remember that time you joined the middle school soccer team because you wanted to impress Ellie."

E.J. groaned before laughing. "I'm definitely better at water sports than land sports. I'm glad you went to my games though. I had one loyal best friend."

"We still are besties," I said putting emphasis on the besties part. "Without you, I'd be Richard Bowen still."

"Well one Richard is an old people name and two without you I'd be Elijah still," E.J. said. E.J.'s first name is Elijah and his middle name is James. He introduced himself to me when I was in kindergarten and he was in 1st grade as Elijah James and little 5-year-old me couldn't pronounce my a's right so Elijah James became E.J. That's also how Nini went from Nina to Nini but that's a different story.

"We've been through a lot," E.J. said. "Remember that time you called me crying because you microwaved Nini's Barbie and you thought she was going to hate you?" I did remember that. I ended up buying Nini a new Barbie and she forgave me.

"What about the first time you slept over and I ended up wetting the bed?" I said. That was not my finest moment.

"Or what about the time I tried to show a cool new trick on my bike and I ended up eating shit?" E.J. said.

"Or what about the time you told me I love you and I couldn't say it back?" I said regretting it as soon as it came out of my mouth. E.J.'s hand slipped causing the piano to make a sound.

"How about we uh start warming up and go over Out of the Old?" E.J. said trying to move on from the awkward moment. I nodded my head before sitting next to him on the piano bench.

"Me Me Me Me Me Me," E.J. said playing the notes on the piano.

"You, You, You, You, You, You," I said copying the notes he played.

"Ricky.." E.J. said laughing. "Actually can I talk to you about something?"

"Yeah what's up?" I asked.

"I want to go to college in New York but my dad says it's not gonna happen. He says I won't even get in because I'm not talented enough," E.J. said sighing.

"What? E.J. you're so talented, you'll get in," I told him rubbing his back. I didn't want him to go to New York but I wanted him to be happy. And if that means being miles and miles away then I was ready to accept it.

"Ricky no offense but you've never been out of Salt Lake. You don't know how much talent there is out there," E.J. said.

"Hey, my parents took me to Disneyland once and I met the very talented Minnie Mouse," I joked with him. E.J. cracked a smile at that.

"Oh yeah Minnie Mouse, your first ever crush," E.J. said laughing.

"She's not the one who mattered though," I said. E.J. and I started leaning in and E.J. cupped my face. We were centimeters away before the door opened. We quickly broke apart.

"Miss Jenn is going through something and we're ordering pizza," Big Red said. "Is soy cheese and pepperoni okay with you guys?" We both gave Big Red the stamp of approval and he left.

"Let's work on the song?" I said awkwardly. E.J. and I worked on the song until the end of rehearsal. At the end of rehearsal, we bid each other goodbye and left the room awkwardly. Once we left the room Kourtney, Big Red and Nini gave me a questioning look.

I was driving them home so I just told them to not say anything. "We'll talk on the way home." When will things get any easier with E.J.?