four,
be my valentine
IT WAS VALENTINE'S Day, the day that Phoebe both loved and hated. EJ always got her an expensive gift and took her to an expensive restaurant no matter how many times she'd made him promise not to. Honestly, Phoebe preferred being lowkey. She was perfectly content on baking cookies before watching a romcom and cuddling.
"It has to be Tatum," Phoebe said, walking alongside Clara as they headed to EJ's locker. Phoebe was trying to guess who the redhead's mystery date was.
"Nope," Clara shook her head. "Tatum's a dick." Clara turned towards the brunette. "I didn't tell you?"
"Tell me what?" Phoebe blinked.
"Tatum has a girlfriend - or had a girlfriend. I'm hoping she dumped him," Clara told her, Phoebe's eyes widened. "Yeah. I texted him one time and she answered back."
"Oh, wow," Phoebe frowned. "I knew he was too cute and sweet to be true."
"Who's too cute and sweet to be true?" EJ asked when they got to his locker.
"Tatum," Phoebe answered.
"The one that you were talking to?" EJ looked at Clara. She nodded. "Why is he too cute and sweet to be true?"
"Was," Clara corrected. "He has - or had, I'm not sure if she broke up with him - a girlfriend. Anyways, Tatum doesn't matter anymore. I have a date."
"Someone would willingly go on a date with you?" EJ raised a brow.
"People adore me."
"Keep telling yourself that, Clara," EJ muttered, pulling a heart-shaped box out of his locker, putting it behind his back. "I know you don't like the chocolate that usually comes inside of it and Hershey's are your favorite chocolate. And it's not Valentine's Day without chocolate, so. . ." He handed her the box. She opened it to see a bunch of Hershey's bars cut to the shape.
"EJ," Phoebe's smile widened. "I love it, and I love you so much."
"So I'm guessing this means that you'll be my valentine?"
"I don't know," Phoebe joked as she closed the box. "I mean. . . since when did you become Harry Styles?" He rolled his eyes at her with a small grin. "Yes, of course I'll be your valentine."
EJ put his thumb under her chin and slightly tilted her head up as he kissed her.
"Ew," Clara scoffed, making the couple pull apart.
"I guess since you have a date, you don't need these," EJ pulled out another heart-shaped box.
Clara quickly grabbed the box from his hand before she turned around and walked away. "See you later, Bee!"
Phoebe laughed. "Bye!"
○●○
PHOEBE AND CLARA sat in the bomb shelter, eating their mostly melted chocolate. They were going to continue to rehearse Belle and Beast's big dance. Phoebe was scared. They'd been rehearsing the dance for a while since it was a big part of the show. Everyday, Ricky stepped on her feet. Because he was tired (he'd gone to Denver to surprise Nini for Valentine's Day only to find out she had come back to Salt Lake to surprise him), she knew it would be worse.
"Okay, people," Carlos began when Ricky and EJ walked into the room. "The title song of Beauty and the Beast is the centerpiece of our show. Written at the height of Ashman and Menken's powers, and it's their most romantic ballad since Suddenly, Seymour. As a reminder, Belle is finally falling for the Beast, and it's not just because of Stockholm Syndrome, y'all. Love is love."
"Ricky and Bee, it's time to review the waltz," Gina instructed. Phoebe took a deep breath and quickly wiped her fingers on her napkin before standing up. "Let's take it way under tempo."
Kourtney began singing and Ricky and Phoebe began dancing. Phoebe tried her best to lead him but it wasn't going well.
"Kourtney, honey," Miss Jenn interrupted, making everyone stop what they were doing. "I know we aren't up to show tempo but sing out, and make sure to really look at Belle and the Beast during the song. Remember, what Mrs. Potts is observing is a miracle. Belle is the most beautiful girl in the land and the Beast is, I'm sorry, Ricky, beastly. Maybe close your eyes and imagine the full scene in makeup and wardrobe. Ready?"
So they went again. The bell seemed like it was never going to come and Phoebe was relieved when it did. She pulled away from Ricky and shot him a small smile. "If I got chocolate on your shirt, I'm sorry."
Ricky laughed at her. "Depends on what chocolate it is if I'll be mad at you."
"Hershey's," she told him.
"You're good then," Ricky reassured her.
"I was worried," she sarcastically stated.
"Okay, thank you, everyone," Miss Jenn said. "Good job. We'll nail this number in time for the Menkies. The Beast's castle wasn't built in a day. Have a wonderful Valentine's Day."
EJ walked up to Phoebe as she grabbed her stuff. "I'll meet you in the car. I think you're going to love what I have planned for today."
"Okay," Phoebe nodded, eyes widening when he walked around. She turned towards Clara.
"No, believe me, you'll like what he has planned," Clara assured her. Phoebe slightly tilted her head. "I have to have his number, Bee. You're dating him."
"That's fair," Phoebe nodded, leaving the bomb shelter. The two girls walked out of the school together. "Have fun on your date, call me if you need anything."
"Okay," Clara grinned at her. "You too."
Phoebe smiled and headed to EJ's car.
○●○
THE FIRST THING they did was go to Phoebe's house. Apparently, her dad had agreed to let Phoebe stay the night at EJ's house. His parents usually went out and stayed in a hotel on Valentine's Day, so Phoebe was sure that EJ had gotten threatened by her father before he agreed.
While Phoebe changed into something a little more suiting for Valentine's Day and packed a bag (though she was most likely going to end up wearing one of EJ's shirts to sleep), EJ left and came back. Phoebe quickly said bye to her father and Jack before leaving.
A playlist of love songs (specifically Taylor Swift love songs) made by EJ himself played in the background while they drove. As Paper Rings came on, they pulled into a park - the park that Phoebe had taken EJ to on their first date. A grin broke out on the girl's face when she noticed the blanket with a picnic basket resting on it in front of them.
EJ smiled at her smile and got out of the car, opening the door for her. He held out his hand for Phoebe to take. He led her over to the blanket. "Do you like it?"
"EJ," Phoebe looked at him. "I love it."
They sat down and EJ motioned for her to open the picnic basket. She did as told and opened it, revealing the McDonalds inside. Phoebe's mouth fell open and she turned to EJ as she laughed. "You're a McDonalds freak," he told her, laughing also.
"I think this is the most romantic thing you've ever done."
"Oh really?"
"Definitely."
After they finished eating, EJ pulled the basket over to him and pulled out strings and small rubber bands with beads. "I figured we could make each other matching bracelets, or is that too corny?"
"It's cute," Phoebe assured him, beginning to take the stuff she needed.
They'd ended up playing on the equipment instead of finishing their bracelets. Eventually, they got tired and went back to the blanket. Phoebe and EJ watched the clouds and the sunset until he realized it was getting pretty late.
Walking into the Caswell house, EJ flicked on the lights before he and Phoebe put everything down. He turned around, grabbing her hands. "Time for cookies - chocolate chip, obviously. And then when we're done with that, we're gonna watch one of those stupid romcoms that you love so much."
Exactly what she wanted.
"Perfect," Phoebe smiled softly, grabbing her phone to put on music.
Despite it being EJ's idea to make the cookies, he was very distracting. He'd pull Phoebe away from the recipe and into him so he could kiss her. The previous song had finished playing and Can I Have This Dance came on. Phoebe began quietly singing the lyrics as she finally put the cookies in the oven.
EJ wrapped his arms around her waist. She closed the oven door and turned around, placing her hands on his chest. "Take my hand," he sang. "I'll take the lead and every turn will be safe with me. Don't be afraid, afraid to fall. You know I'll catch you through it all. And you can't keep us apart."
"Even a thousand miles," Phoebe's voice blended in with Gabriella's voice. "Can't keep us apart."
"'Cause my heart is whenever you are," the couple duetted. Phoebe wrapped her arms around EJ's neck as they stared into each other's eyes. They couldn't help but feel at home. "It's like catching lighting, the chances of finding someone like you. It's one in a million, the chances of feeling the way we do."
Phoebe pulled away from EJ and put her hands in his. EJ spun her away before walking over to her. "And with every step together," Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens harmonized. "We just keep on getting better." EJ began doing the choreography to Belle and Beast's big dance which Phoebe immediately picked up on. "So can I have this dance?"
"Can I have this dance?" Zac repeated.
"Can I have this dance?" Vanessa and Zac's voices came together once more as EJ pulled Phoebe back into him like Beast did with Belle. However, instead of dipping her, he softly pressed his lips against hers.
𝒎𝒆𝒍 𝒎𝒆𝒍 !!
i hate this chapter so much😭