"Hello, party people." Nova greeted as she skipped down Big Reds stairs, leading to his bedroom, "I brought cheese puffs."
Everyone was sitting around in complete silence, crowded together. Nova gave a awkward laugh, laying the cheese puffs on the small table and taking a seat next to Seb. Ashlyn had been by his side and EJ by hers, he looked across the duo toward Nova.
"This is a terrible party." Natalie stated from the corner, "And cheese puffs are kinda gross."
"Your face is kinda gross." Nova defended herself quickly.
"Oh, wow, A+ comeback." EJ nodded his head, giving Nova a knowing look.
"We all ended up in the same basement after a really bad day." Ashlyn spoke up before Nova could say anything back, "Someone should say something."
"I thought my cheese puffs said enough." Nova mumbled. Seb laid his head on her shoulder with a pat on the knee.
"Fine. I'll say something." Carlos stated quickly, "I'm mad at Miss Jenn."
"Why?" Gina asked in disbelief, "Because she's got a couple skeletons in her closet?"
"No, because she's giving up." Carlos corrected her quickly, "She was the first teacher to not see me as a punchline."
"She risked her job just so I wouldn't have to move." Nova added in, watching EJ lean forward and take one of the cheese puffs.
"And now she's not even a real teacher?" Carlos asked with a shake of his head.
"Define real teacher." Ashlyn rolled her eyes.
"He's got a point." Kourtney stated.
"Does he though?" Natalie questions right after.
"Define real at all. Non of us are real. We've all lied about something before. We've all done thing we shouldn't have but did it anyways." Nova went on after her with a small sigh, "She messed up, yes, but so have I, so has every single person in this room. Or, basement, I mean."
"Novas right." Big Red agreed.
"So, why are we all here then?" Natalie asked again.
"Yeah, good question. This is a waste of time." EJ stated, pocketing half of the cheese puffs in the process.
"Honestly? Because she gave me a shot." Carlos said with a sad look. Seb nuzzled into Novas neck at his words, "And it's been a long time since someone gave me a shot."
"She gave me a voice." Nini spoke up from behind Kourtney.
"Yeah, and now nobody's gonna get to hear it because Miss Jenn screwed up." Kourtney stated with a eye roll, clearing overly annoyed at the blonde woman.
"Okay, does anyone here actually care if her past is a little bit sketchy?" Ashlyn asked, looking around at each of them.
"I think it makes me kinda cool." Nova shrugged, messing with her bracelet, "Don't tell her I said that though."
"I do." Ricky stated with a sigh.
Everyone looked his way is disbelief before Big Red shook his head, "Seriously dude?"
"What, because you live some perfect life?" Kourtney questioned Ricky with a judgy look.
"Not at all." the brunette shook his head, "Because she put our show in jeopardy. And now we're all here, maybe for the last time, together." Ricky scoffed as he stood to his feet, looking around at each of them, "And for some of us, this has become..."
"Family." Nini finished for him.
Nova frowned, leaning into Seb more as she put a arm around him.
"What team?" Ricky asked, staring at Nini and glancing at the rest of them.
"Wildcats." they all said back.
"Okay, wildcats." Ashlyn stated, "So, what are we doing about it?"
"Making more cheese puffs?" Nova asked, looking at the empty plate then over at EJ with a laugh.
"Please do." Gina laughed slightly.
The sound of humming echoed through the cafeteria, cutting the school board meeting short. The theater students all stood from the crowd or came down the stairs.
"Don't say another word." Kourtney sang from the top of the balcony, holding the stereo above her head.
"Some of us need to be heard." Nini sung alongside her from where she stood on the lower steps.
"You want her big confession?"Ashlyn and Nini harmonized together.
"She never saw Dear Evan Hansen." Kourtney sang again as the students gave gasps.
Nova jumped over the staircase and landed on her feet, "Whatever you think of her, the show can't go on without her."
Big Red and Ricky bumped fist as the students headed into the center of the cafeteria.
"Maybe her class could be a little more classy." Kourtney sung again, standing above the dancing students.
"Maybe her heads not in the game." Gina and Ricky sung together.
"Maybe her past is just a little bit sketchy." Carlos commented, raising his thumb and index finger.
"We need her all the same."
"She's the one who cheers us on. So what if she's dropping the ball?" Seb sung, snapping his fingers alongside Nova, Big Red, and Ashlyn.
"She stands for truth, justice, and songs in our key. She stands for us and we believe. Ooh, ooh."
"Before she got here we were so off track." Ricky sung on his own, mimicking Ginas dance moves.
"Then Miss Jenn have us a chance." the taller girl sung right by his side.
"We use to fall asleep in chemistry class." Ashlyn sung after them.
"It made me want to smash my head in some glass." Nova sung, circling Ashlyn and giving her a spin Big Reds way.
"Now it makes us want to dance!"
"She's the show that must go on." Natalie sung, placing her hands on Miss Jenns chair, "So we're putting in a good word, cause we heard-"
"She stands for truth, justice, and songs in our key. She stands for us and we believe. Ooh."
"Whats my motivation? She provided the inspiration." Nini grinned, pointing Miss Jenns way.
"Whatever about her reputation!"
"Seems about time for a modulation."
The sign that read Miss Jenns name was held up as Carlos pulled her up from her chair.
"She stands for truth, justice, and songs in our key. Jazz squared in our choreography!"
"Sharpay and Ryan, you know they'd agree." Nova and Seb sung together, grinning Miss Jenns way as she stared in amazement at the pair.
"She stands for us and we believe. She stands for us and we believeeeeee."
The song came to a stop with jazz hands all around their theater teacher. The cafeteria went silent a moment before Ninis moms began to clap, making the rest of the parents so the same.
"Settle down, settle down!" Their principal yelled, tapping the microphone quickly and looking down the lines of teachers, "Do we have any further questions?"
"Just one." the teacher from the end spoke, standing to her feet, "So, how do I snag two tickets for opening night?"
"Remind me to host a party in Big Reds basement next time I get a detention." Nova laughed as her and EJ headed out of the school together, "I'm gonna start breaking out into song every time now."
"Yeah, and if you need back up, i'm your guy." he laughed alongside her, pushing the door open and letting her head out first, "I can't believe it actually worked though."
"You doubted us?" Nova asked, glancing his way.
"Honestly, yeah." EJ said honestly, pulling his jacket around him better, "Not us, I guess. Just in general, I didn't think they'd buy into it."
"Well, things we usually think won't work out always end up being perfect." Nova said, her arm brushed his as they walked. EJ looked at her as Nova gave a small smile, "In it's own way."
"Oh, there they are." Alaric stated at he stood with EJ's parents and Ashlyn and her mom, "We were just talking about the two of you."
"Uh oh," Nova said with a faint grin, "Good or bad?"
"Oh, cmon, I wouldn't let anyone talk back about you." Ashlyn said, nodding EJs way after, "Just him."
"Ouch, Ash." EJ joked, placing a hand on his heart.
"Alaric actually invited us to the lake house for dinner later." EJ's mom said, placing her hand in his arm.
"I wanted to show your old man the classics in the garage." Novas dad stated, looking toward EJ as his father laughed slightly, "And it's been.. what? A few years since we all sat down together."
"It's been a while." Ashlyns mom nodded before looking Novas way, "We haven't even seen the lake house yet."
"It's nice." Nova gave a smile before she nudged EJ, "I can pull out some monopoly again."
"Please, no." Ashlyn begged, looking between the pair, "Not both of you."
"I think that's the best idea i've heard all day." EJ agreed, looking away from Nova with a grin, "We've grown up since then, not nearly as competitive."
"I'll believe it when I see it." his mom hummed, opening her passengers seat, "We'll see all of you in a few hours."
"Bring your check books." Alaric said to EJ's dad with a snap of his fingers.
"Bring your A game." Nova said to EJ with a smirk, walking backwards, "I don't wanna loose."
"We won't loose." he grinned, watching as she smiled before turning and hurrying off with her dad.
•
kylie speaks
stop, i loved how
soft and natural
they felt this chapter.
the next one is PRECIOUS