CHAPTER FIFTEEN
·.¸¸.·♩♪♫ mr perfectly fine ♫♪♩·.¸¸.·
REECE SAT ON THE STEPS of the high school, her eyes bloodshot red and her face stained with tears. She kept her head buried in her knees as she heard someone come out the doorway.
Everyone had already left for Denny's except for Reece and someone else. They wrapped their arms around the redhead letting her soak their t-shirt with her tears.
"Today was supposed to be perfect," she sobbed. The person didn't reply, the two just sat there as they stroked the girl's hair in silence.
♪♫ ♫♪
Earlier that day, opening night T-35 minutes
The redhead stood in the backstage area along with the rest of her castmates anxiously waiting for Ms. Jenn's instructions. She kept telling herself there was nothing to be nervous about, but she didn't believe herself. There was no particular reason as to why her anxiety was through the roof...it just was.
She flicked the rubber band she was wearing around her wrist. She used to wear the ring EJ got her, even after they'd broken up, but Kelsi didn't wear rings so she had no other option.
"We've got mystery flowers, people!" Carlos interrupted her thoughts. He came in caring a huge (but beautiful) bouquet of pink, purple and white flowers.
"Wow, those are massive." EJ said. He'd finally looked up from his phone that he had been staring at for the past 5 hours. Reece had tried to get him to stop but it was no use. His excuse was that it was something important, and although she highly doubted it, she didn't ask again.
"Why mystery?" Big Red asked.
"There's was no card, so, I'm guessing it's dealer's choice." Carlos chuckled. "But, if I had to bet I would say it's for our leading lady." He motioned towards Nini. She looked over at Ricky, expecting him to be the one who got them.
"Not from me. Sorry." He said.
"It's okay." She brushed it off.
"Head up, Mr. Caswell." Kourtney said applying a touch of makeup to the boys cheek. "You know Miss Jenn says this is a phone-free zone."
"I know but this is important." He said looking back down.
"Always is." She mumbled.
"I've been trying to get him to put it down all day, Kourt, it's not happening." Reece inputted as she applied mascara like Kourtney told her to.
EJ playfully rolled his eyes at the redheads comment. She smiled at him, finally finished applying the mascara she made her way to Nini who seemed to be struggling to apply it herself.
"Need some help?" She asked.
Nini looked up at the girl and let out a breath. "Yes, please." She practically begged the girl.
She laughed as she placed the brush on the brunette's eyelashes. "So, you ready?"
"Mhmm." Nini mumbled.
"You'll do amazing, Nini. You were born to play Gabriella." Reece rubbed the girl's arm.
Nini looked back at herself in the mirror brushing her hair over her shoulders. "I guess, I'm just finally realizing that I've never gotten the lead, on purpose before."
"Well, there's a first time for everything." She looked at Nini and smiled. It felt like forever ago when she'd disliked the young girl because of what happened during the summer, when in reality it was merely months ago. It seemed like Nini was thinking the same thing. "I'm really sorry about the whole EJ situation. I think we could've been friends if that didn't happen."
Reece frowned, how could Nini not think they were friends? "Nini, we are friends. I mean, I was upset about what happened but I never thought it was your fault or anything." She gave the girl a tight squeeze (which she returned back as she chuckled nervously).
"Half hour!" Natalie announced.
"Okay, last touches, anyone?" Kourtney asked. "Speak now, or forever hold your face!"
"Why? Where're you going to be during the show?" Seb asked turning around in his chair.
"My beautiful babies, let's gather round for some housekeeping!" Ms. Jenn announced as she walked into the room. The group followed her instructions and stood in a circle. "First of all, who brought Versailles?"
"No one knows." Carlos shrugged.
"Well, I suppose we'll just have to share, then. Oh, and speaking of sharing most of you know that our dazzling Taylor had to leave under family circumstances." Reece gave a saddened look to the teacher. She'd wished she'd formed a closer relationship with Gina when she had the chance. "Gina sends her love and support to all of you, but unfortunately she's on the East Coast and won't be able to make it to tonight's performance. And so, I have asked Kourtney to fill in, in her stead." Ms. Jenn pointed towards the makeup artist. The group cheered and clapped.
"So, now, what I would like to do is please think of a word or phrase from the show that expresses where your head is, or your goals for tonight. If anyone wants to share?" She looked around the group waiting for someone to speak up.
"You're my guys and this is our team" Big Red spoke up.
"What if you want to try something really new and it's a total disaster and all your friends laugh at you?" Ricky stood up from his stop at the piano.
"Do you ever feel like there's this whole other person inside of you just looking for a way to come out?" Nini then spoke.
"Do the romp and strut your stuff!" Carlos said.
"My shower head is very impressed with me" Kourtney said.
"Hey, you know what?" Reece spoke up. "Someday you guys might thank me for this."
"I'm proud to call you my sister" EJ turned towards his cousin as he spoke.
"It's close enough." Ashlyn laughed. "My nail beds are history."
"Sharpay's kind of cute, too" Seb said before the rest of the group cut in to finish it off, "So is a mountain lion but you don't pet it!"
"And I'll just say," The teacher began. "no matter what happens tonight we're all in this together. Okay, Wildcats," she clapped, "Take a moment to settle your nerves. If we had a curtain, it would be up in twenty minutes!"
The group disbursed to separate ends of the room. As Reece was ready she decided to see Willow (she would've gone to see Anne and Josie but they were busy making sure the props were ready).
She walked to the front doors of the school, where they had agreed to meet. She approached the blonde who seemed to be in deep thought. "Hey," Reece said as she reached her girlfriend. "You okay?"
Willow quickly put on a smile, "Of course, why wouldn't I be?"
Reece shrugged, "Just seemed deep in thought, that's all."
"Just spaced out for a sec." She explained, but Reece knew she was lying. Something had been going on ever since Thanksgiving, Reece never brought up but she'd noticed the change in the girls demeanour and Willow never brought it up because she thought ignoring the problem would make it go away. But it didn't. Everyday she went to school to see Reece and EJ talking as if nothing every happened. Even if he didn't believe it, Willow knew the boy still had feelings for the redhead and, although she refused to admit it, Willow knew deep down Reece still had feelings for him.
Willow looked at her girlfriend, "Enough about me, how are you? I mean you get on stage in a few minutes."
Reece took a deep breath and exhaled. "Honestly, I'm terrified. No matter how many time I've done this it does not get any easier." She explained still flicking the rubber band. Willow noticed and put a hand on her girlfriend's.
"You're going to hurt yourself." She said taking the band off. Reece was thankful for that because if she'd flicked it one more time she might've bleed on her costume.
"5 minutes 'til showtime!" Reece heard someone say on the PA system.
"I better get going." Reece said, giving the girl a short, but sweet, kiss. Again, the sparks were no longer there but neither said anything.
♪♫ ♫♪
After a few minor complications with the lighting and music, Reece finally sat at the piano as she watched the rest of the cast preform the audition scene. They quickly left the stage to do a quick costume stage for Stick to the Status Quo number.
As she fixed her hair she came over to Carlos who was teaching Kourtney the steps. She watched as the girl struggled with the split. "Uh uh." She mumbled. "Carlos, this is as far as I can split." To be fair the girl was wearing jeans. Carlos shrugged in response.
"Ladies and gentlemen," Ms. Jenn came in, "it's time for Stick to the Status Quo." They cheered. "This is our biggest Act One showstopper, and you're all going to kill it because I love you. Any questions?"
"I have a couple hundred." Kourtney replied raising her hand.
"Wait, how is the Taylor dance break gonna work?" Seb asked, "Gina's tray-ography is really complex."
"I can run to the out and have the orchestra cut that part!" Carlos suggested. The group grew disappointed, they'd been looking forward to that number for months.
"Or we could just have Gina do it!" Kourtney exclaimed.
"Gina!" Reece exclaimed. There stood Gina Porter at the door with a box of cupcakes and a smile plastered on her face.
The brunette ran up to hug Carlos (and everyone else who wanted one). "Wow, you guys. I don't want to interrupt." She said.
"How did you get here?" Carlos asked.
"A friend bought me a last minute flight back." She explained.
"Gina, your friend is my new favourite person." Reece inputted causing the group to laugh, Gina on the other hand laughed but for a different reason. The reason being Reece had no idea who she was complimenting at that moment.
"I was gonna drop off these cupcakes, and then hide in the gym and cheer you guys on."
"Gina, no one in the gym wants to hide more than I do right now." Kourtney said.
"Wait, are you playing Taylor?"
"I was, and it was nice, and now it's your turn to save my butt and do the dance. Please. I'm asking you." Kourtney handed her the tray. Gina looked at Ms. Jenn for permission which the teacher agreed.
"Let's hit the halls, people!" Ms. Jenn clapped and the group dispersed to their places. Reece, (un)fortunately, wasn't apart of this number which left her more time to prepare for her number which would be in about four scenes.
She watched from the wings as EJ retreated off the stage and to the opposite end of the wings. She chewed her lip nervously, noticing this EJ gave her a reassuring smile, which she appreciated greatly. "You'll do great." He mouthed. "Thanks." She mouthed back.
She watched as the crowd clapped and cheered for the performance.
♪♫ ♫♪
They were almost finished with act one and Reece was freaking out because that meant her solo was up next. Instead of watching the performance from the wings, Reece sat at the piano rehearsing the lyrics. Even though she'd done it a million times before, she grew more and more nervous by the minute.
EJ walked through the halls looking for Reece, as Ms. Jenn had explained it was almost her turn (and since he wouldn't be on stage for a while it would be best if he got her). He stopped in his tracks as her heard the soft keys of the piano. "Reece?" He called out poking his head in the room.
Reece's head shot up, "It's my time, isn't it?" She asked nervously. Quickly grabbing her things she tried running out the door but EJ grabbed her arm. "EJ, we have to go! I'm gonna be late."
"You don't go on for another 5 minutes." He squeezed her shoulder, indicating she needed to relax. "Just breathe."
She did as he instructed her to. As they did the exercise they didn't realize how close they were. But someone did.
Willow Sloan stood in the middle of the hallway as she watched her girlfriend and her ex stand so closely. She knew she shouldn't be jealous, but how could she not? This had been going on for too long without Willow saying something about it. She refused to live like this. All she wanted to do was scream, and cry.
But she didn't.
She didn't because she knew how important this solo was for Reece and she didn't want to be the cause of her failure.
So she walked back to her seat in the audience. Watching as Reece put a (fake) frown on her face and sat at the piano. She said her lines perfectly (just like they'd rehearsed the night before) and sang beautifully.
The song brought the audience to tears (well almost, they were all really sad) and Willow knew in that moment, when they musical was over, she'd have to break up with Reece Hastings, no matter how hard it would be.
But, unbeknownst the them something much worse and something much more heartbreaking was about to happen. And no, it wasn't the fact that Ricky Bowen would no longer be playing Troy Bolton or that EJ Caswell would his replacement. No. Something far worse would be coming.
But you know what they say, the show must go on.
INEZ SPEAKS
*cue evil laugh*
You have no idea what's coming, and no Ivy I'm not telling you.
I'm so sorry for my hiatus, but to be fair I was sick for 2 weeks, had to catch up on homework/test, had writers block for about 2 weeks and then had to write this (plus One Percent). So, thank you for your patience, I really appreciate it.
This is the third last chapter of Mr. Perfectly Fine!!! IM SO EXCITED BC THIS IS THE FIRST BOOK IVE EVER BEEN CLOSE TO FINISHING/HAD MORE THAN 3 CHAPTERS IN. Oh and if you ever see a chapter note that has a name that's not Inez please let me know!
Kind of unedited.