"Perhaps a dress? Blue? Green? Red? Purple? Yellow? Orange? Pink?" Nova began to list on, saying her lines before pretending to fall asleep, head dropping as dramatic snores escaped her throat. The audience laughed.
Ashlyn touched the side of the wardrobe. "Miss-"
"Oh!" Nova yelled as she opened her eyes wide, hands from the inside began to throw the clothes around. "Reds! Greens! Silk! Fleas!"
Ashlyn followed her as she began to twirl away. "Wait! How would I know-"
She was cut off by Nova doing yet another loud snort, head dropping as she fell backwards. Being so close to the side the the curtain, EJ and Ricky caught her. The audience clapped for the scene, Novas face lighting up as she was pulled from the stage as much as possible.
The search for the harness had everyone panicking, searching high and low as loud chatter escaped from backstage. Miss Jenn was pacing badly, "No, no, no, this can't be happening."
"It was here!" Natalie exclaimed.
"We'll find it." Nova promised with a nod of her head.
"What else can I use?" Ricky turned to Miss Jenn.
"Oh for heaven sakes! Can't you just jump off something high?" Miss Jenn yelled at him. Everyone froze completely, a string of gasps in disbelief flooding the crowd. Nova held herself back from a glare, putting a hand on Ricky's back with a small rub. "Nope. Forget I said that."
It was clear no one would, all looking at her in compete disbelief and hurt.
"I will be not here." Miss Jenn breathed out as she hurried away. The search began again.
"I knew something would go wrong!" Ricky huffed.
"All of you! Stop it!" Ninis voice had them all halting once again. "Richard, let's just spin you around without the harness and you can toss the mask into the wings. Okay? Just like rehearsal."
"Right! Which I never got right once." Ricky huffed her way. "And now i'm suppose to do it with one hand."
Nini rose her hands with a shrug.
"Sorry. Second acts haven't traditionally been my strong suit." Ricky apologized with a sigh.
Nini shrugged. "Well, first time for everything, right?"
"Nova and I can spin the table." EJ suggested, his hand on her shoulder.
"Yeah." Nova agreed with.
"I can throw snow!" Carlos suggested.
"And i'll catch your mask." Nini promised.
"Hello, Nova." Kim greeted her daughter after the show, approaching her slowly.
Nova blinked. "Hi, mom."
Alaric stood with his daughter, holding her flowers he'd gotten her.
Kim nodded. "You did nicely."
Nova inhaled. "Thank you."
Kim swallowed. "I hope I will be able to see you preform again one day."
Nova nodded. "I hope so too."
Kim gave one final nod, turning and leaving.
"Progress." Alaric nodded.
Nova grinned, "Progress."
"Novalie Sháo?" a new voice heard. Nova turned to find a middle aged woman behind her, dresses in a pantsuit with a clipboard.
"Hello." Nova greeted her. "Sorry, do I-"
"Rebecca Rowlenhoward from DePaul university." she held a hand out. "I enjoyed your performance."
"Oh, thank you so much." Nova grinned, feeling herself flush.
Rebecca smiled as she handed her a small card with her name and number. "We'll be in touch."
"My little DePaul resident." EJ kissed Novas forehead as they sat in slices. "What did I tell you? It would work out."
"It's not official." Nova pointed out with a cheeky grin. "But it feels amazing."
"We're so proud of you." Seb smiled after her. Nova smiled back, EJ's arm around her head leaned onto his shoulder some. They looked so happy, so content. So meant to be together. It was a breath of fresh air to see EJ and Nova back together. This time, for the better and radiating positive and healthy love for the other.
"Tonight was one for the record books!" Ashlyn called as she held her drink up into the air. Everyone cheered as they knocked their cups together, cheering loudly.
"I literally don't even remember being on stage." Carlos admited.
Seb held his hand. "The rest of us will never forget it."
A string of aws went through before the bell rung, seeing Lily and her french friend walk in. They all began to boo and yell toward them.
"Easy, easy, easy, Wildcats." Lily held up her hand to calm them all down. "We just came to congratulate you all."
"It is true. Your show had a beginning, a middle, and an end. It was wonderful." the french student spoke as he looked around to each of them. "Big Red, you were also in it."
"Yeah, we'd still have done just as well if we didn't get back our stolen beast mask." Nova commented, making a few East High students laughs as well.
"Okay, well, thank you guys for dropping by. But this is kind of a private party. So if you could-" Ricky laughed slightly at the pair.
"Bye!" they all began to yell, mocking the two students into leaving as Ricky lead them away.
"Amateurs." Nova quotes Lily, causing Ashlyn to laugh across the table.
"Can you guys imagine if they actually win at the Mankies?" Big Red asked in disbelief.
"Honestly, and don't sue me, but I kind of don't care anymore if we win or lose to the competition." Kourtney spoke honestly as she looked around.
"I actually feel the same." Gina nodded her head.
"Okay, I thought it was just me." Carlos agreed.
"I mean, we did it, right? We already got everything we wanted." Big Red nodded his head as he looked around.
"Absolutely." Nova agreed, her arm around EJ's waist tightening as he grinned down at her.
"But just let the whole competition go, after all this work?" Ashlyn asked them as she looked around.
EJ squeezed Nova a second before letting her go, standing up with a clear to his throat. "If i can have a, uh, senior moment here. I've won a bunch of trophies over the years, you guys. But i'd trade it all for this group right here tonight."
Nova reached for his hand as the group all gushed around him, showing nothing but love and support to each other. EJ sat back down as Nova whipped his tear and laid a kiss to his forehead.
"So, what are we gonna tell Miss Jenn?" Natalie broke the dying question. The room was silent until heels running across the floor made them look over.
"The envelope, please!" Miss Jenn called as she waved the large envelope in her hand, jogging in. "Wildcats, I have in my hands the nominations for the Alan Menkens Awards for Excellence in High School Musical Theater. I haven't opened it yet, but who's ready for the biggest moment of the year?"
A string of nothing but silence and awkward glances went over the students.
"Am I muted?" Miss Jenn asked them.
"Uh, Miss Jenn, we were kinda thinking, you know, maybe we won already." Ricky broke the news to her with a clear of his throat.
"Yeah." Nini spoke up as well. "Maybe we don't need or want to see what's in the envelope?"
"The best moment of the year has already happened." Nova added in with a grin, chin digging into EJs shoulder.
Miss Jenn sighed in relief. "Oh, thank God. I had to stop four times on the way here because I was physically ill."
The students laughed.
"Hey, I get it." Big Red announced as he held up his bottle of Pepto.
"So, it's settled." Miss Jenn sighed as she looked around at them. "We're dropping out of the competition."
"Yeah." Nini spoke for the group as they nodded honestly.
Miss Jenn held the envelope higher. "But what am I gonna do with this?"
"Oh, give me that. We got a pizza oven." Kourtney stood up and reached for the envelope while they all cheered once again.
Moments passed and EJ nudged Nova. "Wanna go look at some geese at the park or something?"
Nova snorted. "Read my mind."
"Bye, happy couple!" Seb yelled to them, causing the rest of Slices to do the same.
And that was it. EJ and Nova. Leaving slices hand in hand, heading to the park to look at some geese, sharing kisses every now and then. Happy, the two of them. There was no toxicity anymore, no pressure, no possibly girlfriend, no reasons of jealousy, no lack of trust and need to control. Just two seventeen years olds in love, living out their own little Happily Ever After.
•
kylie speaks
ugh, im so sad it's over and
i have to say goodbye to my
baby! i've had such a blast
in this fic and you guys have
shown me sooo much support
from the very beginning all
the way to the end. i heard we
are getting a s3 so fear not, our
girl and favorite couple will
return one way or another!
for now, go look at some
geeses in honor of casova
finally getting their happily
ever after.