Chapter Twenty-Three:
You Deserve This
SNUGGLED UP ON the couch in the media room with Ej on the last day of Winter Break was the ultimate way to end the holidays in Lucy's opinion. They were watching Beauty and The Beast in preparation for auditions when they returned to school, and Ej could tell that there was something off with Lucy when she didn't immediately sing along with Belle.
He was about to question it when Mr. Carlisle poked his head into the room and caught both of their attention, "Hey, I'm gonna make a Starbucks run, you guys want your usuals?"
"Yes please, Mr. C," Ej smiled warmly as Lucy nodded her head rapidly. She placed her hands on the back of the couch to turn around and face her dad more.
"Dad, can I also get a—"
"Chocolate croissant?" Carter smiled knowingly at her, Lucy nodded her head sheepishly. "Of course you can, LuLu. I'll be back then. You guys be safe, call me if you need anything!"
The two teenagers called a thank you to the man before turning their attention back around to the tv. Lucy leaned into Ej's side again, her head on his shoulder as he leaned down to place a kiss to her forehead.
"Hey, what's up with you? You always sing along when we watch this? I figured you'd be going all out singing along with auditions coming up," Ej questioned with a frown. Lucy looked up at him and his frown deepened when he saw the sad look on her face.
"I don't know if I'm gonna audition for a lead," she admitted softly.
"Of course not, you'll be auditioning for the lead," Ej poked her nose gently. Lucy shook her head and smiled sadly at him.
"No, I don't think so," she told him. Ej looked at her confusedly, pausing the movie suddenly and turning to look at her face on.
"Lucy, what's going on? Why aren't you auditioning for the lead? We all know you're gonna get it, everyone knows you're basically Belle," He insisted, tilting his head in concern.
"I just," Lucy let out a small sigh and looked down, "I honestly think you're the only person who thinks that. You heard everyone at the party the other night. Everyone was sure Nini would get it."
"Yeah, well, Nini's gone now, Luce. Even if she was here though, Miss Jenn would be dumb to not give you this role. You're literally made for it, you deserve this, Lucy. If anyone deserves this role more than anyone else, it's you," Ej told her honestly. Lucy smiled hopefully at him, her eyes full of adoration.
"You really think so?" she asked softly, she was so unsure of herself, but she looked so hopeful at his words, that it broke and melted Ej's heart all at once. He wished she could see how truly wonderful she was.
"I know so," he said, placing his hands on either side of her face. Lucy's smile widened slightly and she leaned in and quickly kissed her boyfriend on the lips, then cuddled into his side again.
"I love you," she said softly. Ej paused for a second, then a wide smile crossed his face. They had said it to each other so many times before, but it still made his heart swell whenever she said it.
"I love you too, Lulu," he mumbled, cuddling into her as well. He pressed play on the movie and was happy to hear Lucy promptly start singing along with Belle finally.
The couple sat with most of their friends at lunch the first day back, Lucy and Ej chatting and laughing at something one of their friends had said as they shared a container of apple slices that Lucy brought.
"Attention, Thespians! I have a brief announcement," Carlos called out, gaining Lucy and Ej's attention as they both turned to look at him mid bite of an apple slice each.
"Speech! Speech!" Seb called out jokingly, earning some cheers around the room.
"After spending the last couple of weeks Google-stalking the Menkie Awards, I've discovered that there is no category for Best Choreography, and since the Menkies is step one to me becoming the first ever winner of a MEGOT... I've decided that I will be auditioning to be on stage this year. Thank you all."
Lucy smiled warmly at Carlos and giggled briefly as she and Ej turned back to their food while the rest of their friends cheered for him. She put the lid back on her apple slices and joined Ej at the table with the rest of the group.
"You're welcome," Ej told Ricky, making the boy looked at him and hum confusedly. Lucy sighed and rolled her eyes at her boyfriend. "Uh, I've decided to take myself out of the running for the Beast. I'm just... I've got a lot on my plate. Which reminds me I should probably pick a meal plan for Duke."
"Wait you officially got in?" Ashlyn asked excitedly.
"No, he didn't," Lucy shook her head, looking at her boyfriend with a small frown. She was worried about him. He was obsessing over Duke a lot. "But he will. I'm sure of it."
"Back up, you're not doing the musical either?" Ricky questioned, Lucy let out a huff as soon as she realized what Ricky was saying.
"No, I've only got enough bandwidth for a supporting role," Ej shook his head, Ricky's words suddenly clicking on his head. "Wait what do you mean either?"
"Uh," Ricky chuckled awkwardly. "I'm, uh, not sure if I'm auditioning this year. You know, once a skate rat... right?"
Lucy scoffed loudly and rolled her eyes, "Please, I did not stick out my neck for you last semester for you to just bail on us this year because Nini's not going to be in the show. Don't be ridiculous, Bowen."
"That's not—"
"Cut the act, Ricky," Lucy deadpanned, looking at him pointedly. "We all know that's why."
Everyone looked between the two shocked. Lucy and Ricky legitimately fighting? They weren't blind to the fact that something was wrong between the duo, but good lord the hostility was strong today. Ej was the most confused, considering the fact that Lucy brushed off the topic of Ricky whenever it got brought up.
"Okay, uhm, sorry, I've been trying to work up the courage to say this. Okay, I can't believe I'm standing in front of both Troy Boltons right now," a blonde girl said, walking up to the group and smiling widely at Ej and Ricky. "Both of your performances last semester in HSM were incredible."
Ej and Ricky both smiled awkwardly and then thanked the girl, Lucy smiling warmly at her boyfriend when he talked about how blessed he had been with the crew they had to put on their shows.
"No, no, thank you. I mean really, you both inspired me to wanna try out this semester. It's intimidating being basically, like, brand new to theater. Hey seriously, you guys are all so talented," The blonde continued. Lucy smiled politely, but she got bad vibes. She did not like this girl.
"Oh thank you," Ashlyn beamed at the girl.
"Hey do you mind if we...?" the blonde asked. Everyone agreed and leaned in to take a picture with the girl. She took the picture and then started to type rapidly on her phone. "I made sure to tag you, Ej."
Lucy let out a small fake laugh and smiled at the girl facetiously when she turned her attention to Lucy. Ej wrapped his arm around Lucy's shoulders reassuringly and Lucy's smile brightened as she looked up at him. The taller boy smiled knowingly down at her and shook his head to reassure her that she had nothing to worry about. She was always going to be his number one from here on out.
"So, did you finally decide on a song?" Ej asked, swinging his and Lucy's hands back and forth as they walked down the hall later.
"I think so," Lucy nodded in confirmation. "It's gonna be great, I'm excited."
"Which one did you pick? You were tossing up between like three," Ej reminded her with a chuckle. Lucy giggled as she looked up at him.
"That's for me to know and you to find out," she teased, poking his nose on the last word. He chuckled at her and released her hand, throwing his arm around her shoulders as they continued down the hall.
"Ahem, alright! As you all know, this year's auditions will be a two step process. One, a group vocal warm up to the classic song Belle, and two, a song of your choice. Whatever shows you off the best," Miss Jenn told them. Lucy smiled up at Ej who grinned reassuringly at her and gently nudged her shoulder. "Okay, circle up, take your neighbor's hand. For a moment of silent reflection."
Lucy knew exactly what was about to happen.
"Certain as the sun..."
[Lucy to camera]
"Yup, saw that one coming a mile away."
[Presently]
"... Rising in the east. Tale as old as time, song as old as rhyme. Beauty and the—" Miss Jenn was cut off by Ricky coming in through the auditorium doors.
"Guess he decided to come after all," Miss Jenn commented.
"Is this Mamma Mia 2? Cause here we go again," Carlos added, earning a snort from Lucy who buried her head in her own shoulder to muffle her laughter.
The warm up started a little after that and Lucy was fighting through her nerves with every line of the song.
"Little town, it's a quiet village," Carlos started them off, "every day, like the one before."
"Little town, full of little people, waking up to say," Kourtney continued.
"Bonjour."
"Bonjour!"
"Bonjour?"
"Bonjour!"
"Bonjour!"
"There goes the baker with his tray like always, the same old bread and rolls to sell," Ricky sang, playing with his necklace nervously.
"Every morning just the same, since the morning that we came to this poor provincial town," Seb sang.
"Good morning, Belle," Ej continued, winking at Lucy who rolled her eyes at her boyfriend in dismay, ignoring her blushing cheeks.
"Bonjour, good day. How is your family?"
"Bonjour, good day, how is your wife?"
"I need six eggs, that's too expensive!"
"There must be more than this provincial life."
"Look there she goes that girl is so peculiar, I wonder if she's feeling well?"
"With a dreamy far off look, and her nose stuck in a book."
"What a puzzle to the rest of us is Belle," Gina sang.
"Ohh, isn't this amazing?" Lucy sang, looking out into the crowd with a dreamy look on her face. "It's my favorite part, because, you see, here's where she meets Prince Charming, but she won't discover that it's him till chapter three!"
Miss Jenn smiled knowingly to herself and jotted down a few notes at Lucy's performance. Ej couldn't stop watching her in wonder. She was so amazing, anyone who didn't see that was an idiot in Ej's book.
"Right from the moment when I met her, saw her, I said she's gorgeous and I fell," Ricky sang in a deep voice.
"Here in town there's only she, who is beautiful as me," Ej continued with a smug grin, Lucy couldn't help but grin at her talented boyfriend. She could already tell he was going to get Gaston.
"So I'm making plans to woo and marry Belle," Carlos sang unsurely.
"Madame Gaston, can't you just see it?" Gina continued.
"Madame Gaston, his little wife," Lucy sang mockingly, rolling her eyes in dismay.
"No, sir, not me, I guarantee it," Ashlyn added.
"I want much more than this provincial life!" Seb continued.
"I want adventure in the great wide somewhere! I want it more than I can tell, and for once it might be grand, to have someone understand, I want so much more than they've got planned," The blonde girl— Lucy discovered her name was Lily. She still does not like Lily— sang.
"Look there she goes that girl is strange but special, a most peculiar mademoiselle," they all sang together.
"It's a pity and a sin," The girls all sang.
The boys continued, "She doesn't quite fit in."
"Cause she really is a funny girl, a beauty but a funny girl, she really is a funny girl, that Belle," The whole group sang, Miss Jenn and those left in the audience clapping for them as they finished.
"Alright! Alright! I've already learned so much!" Miss Jenn chuckled. "That's it for the warm up, please prepare your individual songs."
Lucy turned to Ej and the couple double high-fived one another, intertwining their fingers and dropping their arms as they both let out small laughs.
"You killed it," Ej told her proudly, wrapping his arms around her neck. "I'm so proud of you."
"You're proud of me?! I'm proud of you!" Lucy exclaimed with a giggle. She lowered her voice and looked up at him seriously. "I think you'll get Gaston."
"See, but that just won't work. Because Belle isn't supposed to like Gaston, and you can't resist me," Ej joked with a grin. Lucy let out a scoff and a laugh, shoving him playfully.
"You're such a dork, but at least if we get Belle and Gaston it won't be hard for you to act like you're madly in love with me," she shot back. Ej laughed at her and the duo walked away to go get a drink of water to make sure they were refreshed for their auditions.
Gina, Ashlyn, and Kourtney did a trio audition that was absolutely iconic, and then Lucy had her go. Ej cheered loudly, very supportive and excited for his girlfriend as she made her way to the stage and smiled at Miss Jenn, Carlos, and Natalie warmly.
"Okay, Miss Lucy, what have you prepared for us this afternoon?" Miss Jenn asked hopefully.
"I will be singing Speechless from the Live Action version of Aladdin," Lucy announced. Miss Jenn smiled to herself, nodding once and making a note on Lucy's application. In the crowd, Kourtney, Gina, and Ashlyn were all sat together, and Gina could see Lily roll her eyes at Lucy. The younger girl grit her teeth annoyedly and rolled her eyes right back. She was tired of this girl so much.
"Whenever you're ready, Lucy," Carlos smiled warmly at her. Lucy nodded in reply and the music started as Lucy got into character.
"Here's comes a wave meant to wash me away, a tide that is taking me under. The swallowing sand left with nothing to say, my voice drowned out in the thunder. But I won't cry, and I won't start to crumble. Come on and try, try to shut me and cut me down. I won't be silenced, you can't keep me quiet, won't tremble when you try it. All I know is I won't go speechless," Lucy sang, Lily crossing her arms and sinking into her chair annoyedly.
"Cause I'll breathe, when they try to suffocate me," Lucy continued, placing her hand over her chest as she portrayed a determined and desperate expression, "don't you underestimate me. Cause I know that I won't go speechless."
"Written in stone every rule every word, centuries old and unbending. Stay in your place, better seen and not heard, but now that story is ending. Cause I, I cannot start to crumble, so come on and try, try to shut me and cut me down. I won't be silenced! You can't keep me quiet, won't tremble when you try it. All I know is I won't go speechless, speechless! Let the sun in! I cannot be broken, no I won't live unspoken, cause I know that I won't go speechless."
Everyone watched in awe as Lucy performed with passion and grace like a true princess. It was then that most of them accepted that Lucy would most likely be their lead.
"Try to lock me in this cage, I won't just lay me down and die, I will take these broken wings and watch me burn across the sky. Hear the echo saying I won't be silenced!" Lucy belted out the bridge, so wrapped up in her performance that she didn't hear the cheers in the crowd for the note she hit. Ricky was shocked, this didn't seem like the same Lucy he met at the beginning of the school year. "Though you wanna see me tremble when you try it, all I know is I won't go Speechless, speechless! Cause I'll breathe when they try to suffocate me, don't you underestimate me! Cause I know that I won't go speechless! All I know is I won't go speechless. Speechless!"
Lucy cut off her performance, and held her intense expression for a moment, before breaking into a grin at everyone as they all clapped and cheered for her, Ej obviously being the loudest, but that didn't mean that her other friends weren't equally as loud.
"That was wonderful, Lucy! You never disappoint with a performance," Miss Jenn grinned at her. Lucy thanked her and was sent back to her seat. She ignored Lily's glares and immediately made her way to her boyfriend who grinned at her proudly, taking her seat next to him and leaning forward towards her friends to give them all subtle high fives.
Everyone else's auditions went spectacularly, and afterwards when they were all waiting for the cast list to go up, Lucy finally got a chance to chat with Kourtney, Ashlyn, and Gina.
"Girl, if you don't get Belle, it will be a crime. You are literally a princess inside and out," Kourtney told her pointedly, making Lucy giggle and grin at them bashfully.
"I love you guys, seriously, but we all have an equal opportunity for Belle. Don't even try and tell me otherwise," Lucy told them pointedly. They all grinned at one another, their attention immediately turning when Carlos brought out the cast list.
"Clear!" he called out, everyone immediately beginning to gather around. Ej found his way beside Lucy and his fingers interlocked with her's as Carlos walked away. They looked at the list and Lucy's jaw dropped.
"Oh my god," she whispered.
"Hey, I got Gaston just like you thought!" Ej chirped excitedly, his eyes fell on the name next to Belle and he quickly let out a loud shout of excitement. "Yes! That's my girl!"
Lucy let out a laugh of disbelief, quickly turning and jumping up to throw her arms around Ej's neck, "I did it, Eej! I got the part!"
"Oh what a princess!" Ej breathed out in a small grunt as he lifted her up and twirled her around, she let out a small squeal and laughed excitedly, the rest of her friends all congratulating her excitedly. She was aware that Ricky would be playing Beast. She could get past that. It was going to be okay. This cast list was everything though, like seriously kind of iconic.
Lucy was still over the moon that night when the cast all went out for pizza. Ricky was on the phone with Nini, and as soon as Kourtney got up to take his phone to talk to her, Lucy was right behind.
"Neenerz, we miss you so much!" Kourtney exclaimed excitedly.
"Kourt! Mrs. Potts? That is the tea!" Nini said over the phone.
"That's funny, she's got jokes," Kourtney giggled, suddenly remembering that Lucy was standing beside her when she heard the blonde giggle. "Oh! And don't forget everyone's favorite princess!"
Kourtney panned the phone over to Lucy who grinned widely and cheered, "Hello, Miss Girl, I miss you so much!"
"Oh I miss you too, Mama Lu! I'm seriously so proud of both of you, you don't even understand the half of it," Nini smiled proudly.
"Well we're proud of you too, Neens, seriously," Lucy giggled as she leaned over Kourtney's shoulder.
"Nini!" Carlos cheered when he realized who was on the phone. Kourtney brightened and turned around to pass the phone over to Carlos. "You are lookin' at Latinx Lumière!"
"And LeFou!" Big Red cheered.
"And Chip!" Seb added.
"And Cogsworth," Adam grinned.
"Don't forget Madame de la Grande Bouche!" Ashlyn added.
"And Babette zee feather duster!" Gina chirped in an attempt at a French accent.
"Wait what are you doing?" Carlos asked with a laugh. Ej stood behind Lucy with his arms wrapped around her waist as they both chuckled at Gina's accent.
"A French accent?" the girl deadpanned. They all chuckled as Ashlyn took Ricky's phone now.
"Nini, what is going on at your big fancy boarding school right now?" Ashlyn asked.
"Yeah, girl, make us all jealous," Lucy piped up with a giggle, Ashlyn panned the camera over to Lucy and Ej briefly, the latter waving kindly at Nini who smiled half heartedly at them.
"Nothing nearly as exciting as what's going on with you guys. Luce, I'm serious, you were made for Belle," Nini insisted, she was so happy for Lucy. The older girl really deserved this role.
"Ah, well, I wasn't sure I was going to get it for a while," Lucy admitted with a sheepish smile. "There was this new girl who auditioned and let me just say... wow. She had a killer voice."
"Not to mention she honestly looked like a literal Disney princess," Ashlyn added with a small scoff of a chuckle. Ej tightened his grip around Lucy's waist ever so slightly as a form of reassurance. He never wanted her to think that she was anything less than the extraordinary person she was.
"Yeah I'm pretty sure I saw a bird land on her finger while she was singing," Gina added jokingly.
"Yeah, a crow like Maleficent," Adam joked. "Did any of you see the way she glared at Mama Lu during her audition?"
"Please, I was ready to fight her right then and there if she kept looking at my girl Lucy that way," Gina assured him with a laugh.
"I just think it's funny that my girlfriend will be rejecting me for the entirety of this show," Ej piped up.
"An alternate reality where Belle and Gaston end up together," Seb chuckled. Big Red's mom brought over cupcakes with little figurines of each of their characters on top of them, snapping a picture of the group before finally allowing them to eat their dessert.
Staring at her cupcake with the figurine of Belle on top, Lucy couldn't stop smiling to herself. She had waited so long to get a lead in a show, and she finally got there after all that time of just allowing herself to simply remain in the background. Semester two of senior year was really looking up for her.
Notes—
hi i love you all. xoxo
-SMK