**********************
"Y'all," Kourtney exclaims, running backstage, "Ricky's transformation.." She trails.
"How did it look?" I question, as we all anxiously await her response.
"Honestly.." She pauses for the dramatic, sharing a smile with Ricky, "Passable!" She beams, and we cheer.
"Give it up for our leading lady!" I announce as Ashlyn walks in.
As we cheer for her, she grins and chuckles appreciatively, "Aw, you guys! Oh, has anyone seen my boyfriend? It feels like I've been missing him all night."
Carlos shrugs, "I think he pushed himself a little hard."
"But," Ricky starts, with a teasing smile, "I'm pretty sure he left a letter at your locker."
"Uh, a couple letters, actually." EJ adds, with the same teasing smile.
"Oh, okay, wow, that's sweet." Ashlyn masks her worry with a grin, glancing down, "Um, maybe I'll read them on the way to Slices. Good show everyone." Her tone was weak.
All of us shared a nervous grin, feeling bad that she was so down, but knowing how happy she was going to be when she found out why Big Red was so absent all night, would be worth it.
We all gathered in the doorway, admiring the couple, while watching their sweet moment when Big Red shared the sign he made for her: Ashlyn's name in lights, the project he was working on all night.
"Big Red isn't the only one who pushed themselves too far." I start, following Carlos backstage.
He huffs a laugh, "I know."
"This is the most you've spoken all weekend." I tease.
"Not a word would need be spoken." He quotes If Only, and winks.
I chuckle gently, squeezing his shoulder, "Well, I've missed you."
"Not too much, hopefully." He wiggles his brows teasingly.
I tilt my head in curiosity while confusion crosses my face, "What does that mean?"
"Because of Ricky!" He beams.
I playfully shake my head in shame, scoffing a laugh, "Oh, right. I'll explain all that later."
Carlos sighs in relief, clapping in excitement, "I'm just so happy he told you he feels the same way."
My face fell, "What?"
Confusion crossed his face, with a gentle laugh, "What?" He was confused as to why I was.
"What do you mean?" I blurt.
Shock shadows his features, but before he could speak, my family approached, dressed to the nines; my brother is sporting a dark green, linen shirt, with matching pants. My sister-in-law is rocking a sunflower print, slip dress. And my mother looks gorgeous in a dusty rose, Kelsey wrap dress, with Mr. Mazzara in a suit beside her.
However, I noticed that my Dad and Aunt Laura are absent.
I force a smile, "Hey, guys!"
"Bianca, Carlos, you two were amazing!" Mom compliments.
Mr. Mazzara nods in agreement, smiling, "Yes, you were."
"Thanks!" Carlos grins.
"The original song.." Damian starts, taking a deep breath with his hand on my shoulder, "Gave the tin man a heart. I cried!" He whispered the latter in fake horror.
I playfully gasp, "No way!"
"We're all so proud of you guys!" Kat beams.
"Thank you, guys!"
Mom smiles, pulling Carlos and me into a hug, "I was so glad to be in the front row this time."
"Thank you so much," I grin, pulling away, "Where's Dad and Aunt Laura?"
Mom's smile faded, and my family appeared tense.
Damian even looked like he was hiding something, but masked it with a smile, "Dad was needed back at work super early in the morning, and Aunt Laura drove him to the airport."
I smile, nodding along, not quite believing him, but I am too stressed about Ricky to pry.
My family kept me for so long, that Carlos eventually slipped away. So, afterward, I go on the hunt to find him.
In the hall, I finally find him and Seb. "There you are! Sorry, my family wouldn't leave." I jest, catching up to them.
"We're heading to Slices. Come on." Seb grins.
"Carlos, I need to know what you were talking about." I blurt, my tone now serious.
"I was trying to reach you all weekend to tell you what Ricky told me: he feels the exact same way you do. He promised he'd talk to you! I saw you hugging, so I figured he did." Carlos explains.
The corners of my mouth quirk up joyfully, huffing a laugh in disbelief, "You're kidding." I blurt.
"No!" Carlos beams.
Seb claps in excitement, "Talk to him!"
"Where is he?"
"He just left." Carlos frowns momentarily, before gaining an idea, "Talk to him at Slices!"
"After we eat, or before?" I panic.
"After!" Carlos encourages.
"She might throw up." Seb jokingly points out.
I gasp, "I might."
"Can I just say," Carlos blurts, "I called this, I called this!" We laugh, rushing to the door.
******************************
"Tonight was one for the record books!" Ashlyn announces, raising her cup. We cheer and clink our glasses.
"I literally don't even remember being on stage." Carlos points out.
Seb smiles, placing a hand on his boyfriend's, "The rest of us will never forget it."
I nod in agreement, at the head of the table, "It was magical!"
The bell on the door rang, only for Lily and Antoine to walk in. My smile fell upon remembering Lily inviting Ricky out on a date.
They claimed they were here to congratulate us, but it was mockingly, so we dismissed them, then Ricky led them out. Lily said something to him before walking out, and while they were too far away for me to hear, especially with everyone chattering in my ear about how much they hate North High, I grew confused, and almost afraid that I might be making a mistake if I talk to Ricky tonight.
Big Red scoffs, "Can you guys imagine if they actually win at the Menkies."
"Honestly, and don't sue me," Kourtney nervously starts, "But, I kind of don't care anymore if we win or lose to the competition."
Gina nods in agreement, "I actually feel the same."
"Okay, I thought it was just me." Carlos confesses.
"I mean," Big Red starts, "We did it, right? We already got everything we wanted." He grins at Ashlyn.
Ashlyn weakly smiles, "But, just let the competition go, after all this work?"
The room fell silent until EJ approached the front to earn the attention, "If I can have a, uh, senior moment here." He huffs a laugh, glancing down, "I've won a bunch of trophies over the years, you guys. But, I'd trade it all for this group right here tonight."
I avert my gaze as everyone mutters agreements and praises for his cute speech, wiping away my tears that fell—to hide them.
Honestly, if someone asked why I was crying, I would not have an answer.
I don't know if it's because of EJ's sweet speech, the fact that I'm proud of all of us for pulling off the show, or because I'm worried about what will happen when I talk to Ricky.
I don't know if he'll laugh at me for feeling the way that I do, because maybe Carlos misinterpreted wrong. The uncertainty of it all is killing me.
I don't know why I feel so strongly about it. Or why Ricky is the only one who can make me blush.
"So," Natalie starts, "What are we gonna tell Miss Jenn?"
The room fell silent with uncertainty.
"The envelope, please!" in a dramatic, fake British accent, Miss Jenn announces, as she walks in.
"Wildcats!" She beams, "I have, in my hands, the nominations for the Alan Mencken 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?"
The drama club grinned tensely as we all turned to face one another, unsure of how to break the news.
"Am I muted?" Our drama teacher blurts, puzzled by our silence.
"Uh, Miss Jenn," Ricky took one for the team, "We were kinda thinking..you know, maybe we won already."
"Yeah." Kourtney chimes in, "Maybe we don't need or want to see what's in the envelope." She nervously shrugs.
Miss Jenn sighs in relief, "I had to stop four times on the way here because I was physically ill."
"Hey," Big Red grins, "I get it." He refers to how ill he was during the show.
"So, it's settled. We're dropping out of the competition." Our drama teacher declares, and we nod in agreement. "But, what am I gonna do with this?" She motions to the envelope.
"Give me that. We got a pizza oven." Kourtney grins, earning a few laughs and cheers from around the room.
"So," I question, "Is this something that's gonna keep us up at night for the rest of our lives?"
"No." Carlos grins, "But.." He quietly starts, motioning over to Ricky, who just left the booth. "It's time."
I nervously squeal, "No, it's not!"
"Go!" Seb encourages, waving me off.
I take a deep breath as I stand up, going into the back where Ricky went. I found him on his phone, dialing a number.
"Hey." I greet.
Ricky smiles, puzzled, "Oh, hey."
"Sorry, were you.." I trail, motioning to the phone, assuming I interrupted.
"I was calling Lily, actually." He informs, mockingly.
My smile fell as my heart sank.
"Oh." I blurt, huffing a laugh to mask my despair.
He shrugs, "Everyone deserves a second chance, right?" It was like he was purposely provoking me.
I scoff a laugh, crossing my arms, "Okay, what is this, Bowen?"
"I thought we said everything we had to say to each other?" He snaps, throwing his arms out.
"Do you have something to say?" I question.
"Do you?" He shot back.
"You're going out with someone who tried to destroy our musical!" I snap.
Ricky scoffs a laugh, holding his hand out dismissively, "It's not that dramatic, Sweeney. You're the one who is getting back with their ex."
My brows furrow, "What are you talking about?"
He shrugs, "You and EJ."
"You and Lily." I shot back.
We were both attempting to get the other one to confess first, but it wasn't working.
I roll my eyes, "Whatever, Bowen."
I stormed off and left Slices, ignoring Carlos and Seb's concerned questions.
(Ricky: in the back room)
He shrugs, sighing in defeat, "Carlos obviously told Bianca how I felt, and she obviously doesn't feel the same way. She probably laughed in his face when he told her."
Ricky scoffs a laugh, shaking his head in shame, "Now, she's provoking me by being all over EJ again. Two can play at that game, Sweeney."