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𝗕𝗜𝗚 𝗣𝗟𝗔𝗡𝗦
chapter ten:
promise is a big word !
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ARGUABLY, WHAT DO You Know About Love? was one of the bigger numbers of the show. It was a duet between Anna and Kristoff, which meant that it was duet between Athena and Ricky. The two were talking backstage with Carlos, who was giving them instructions on their duet, while Channing was somewhere.
Violetta stood on the stage, feeling quite restless. She had all of these feelings inside of her, ones that were so familiar because she had felt them her entire life, but she had gotten used to them because they had come from her parents. But now, she didn't know exactly how to deal with them, because it was coming from EJ this time.
Speaking of EJ, he had disappeared. Violetta mindlessly stood by the costume rack, her head pounding. This day really could not be over faster. All she wanted to do was curl up under the covers and not come back out until the next morning.
Well, after she talked to EJ. That was still a thing that needed to happen.
"I'm not looking forward to V seeing me like this," EJ's voice then admitted.
Violetta's head snapped up from looking at the floor, only to let out a loud laugh at how EJ was wearing a full reindeer costume. "Oh my God, no way."
EJ sighed in response. "There it is."
Carlos clapped his hands together to urge them on. "Let's do this."
EJ started to approach Violetta, although it was kind of slow because of his costume. Violetta sighed and turned around, not really having the strength in her. She walked up to Kourtney and Carlos, who were standing on the ground by the stage.
Kourtney raised an eyebrow at her. "What is going on with you? Your energy has been so off today. And I'm not saying that to be judgy this time."
"I'm troubled," Violetta answered, watching as EJ, his face slightly crestfallen, stood on the stage while Athena and Ricky sat next to each other.
"Let me guess. It has something to do with that boyfriend of yours."
"It's a famous saying that secrets aren't fun." She shrugged. "And they aren't."
"Hey guys, um, I know we've barely run this song, so just mark it," Val ordered to Ricky and Athena before Kourtney could respond. "Use the space, but be safe. Half-energy."
"Gotta agree," EJ interjected. "No reason to go crazy, you guys."
"I disagree," Violetta called from the stage, tilting her head as EJ looked at her. "Athena, send it."
Athena apparently took those words to heart, because once the song started, she basically acted like a whole other person, one that Violetta didn't even know was inside of her. She pushed Ricky around the stage — quite literally — and acted so confident that Violetta could tell that Ricky's mind was spinning. At one point, she even had him push her up against the wall, and Ricky had even grabbed her waist to dip her.
Violetta watched the whole thing in amusement. She never thought that she would see Athena act like this. The tension between her and Ricky was off the charts, and Violetta placed her hands on her hips, a small smirk on her face. Well, this was interesting, wasn't it?
However, in true Ricky and Athena fashion, it ended sweet. They stood on the platform on the stage, the curtain opened behind them to reveal some lights. They both had small smiles on their faces as they stood close to each other, holding onto the last note.
But then everything faded away, and Violetta's smirk fell from her face, because Athena suddenly got a panicked look on her face and her chest started to heave up and down. She dropped her hands and stared up at her best friend in concern. Oh no.
"Attie?" Ricky's voice began in worry. "Athena, hey—"
"I don't feel good," Athena whispered, and even though she was kind of far away, Violetta heard it, and it broke her heart.
"Okay." Ricky placed his hands on her shoulders. "You're okay. Let's get you outside."
"Ricky, I don't — I can't—" Her hands started to shake, and she kept her gaze on the floor past his shoulder. "I have to go."
Athena then ran down the steps of the stage, and Violetta watched her go, her concern rising fast. Channing tried to follow her with the camera, but Ricky swiftly pushed it away so that it wouldn't, sharing the same sentiment with Violetta — Athena's panic did not need to be displayed on film.
"All right, let's take a five, everyone," EJ instructed.
"Vi," Ricky stated, walking up to her.
"I know," Violetta replied. "She's doing that thing where she gets all caught up in her thoughts. Just give her a minute before going to find her, okay?"
"Oh. I thought you—"
"Would go after her?" Violetta guessed, and Ricky nodded. "I'm going to be honest with you, Ricky, this is something that she needs to figure out with you. And she probably doesn't want anybody else but you."
She suddenly felt a burning gaze on her. Violetta looked over Ricky's shoulder, only to see EJ staring directly at them. She slightly narrowed her eyes at him, her jaw clenching for what seemed to be the millionth time today.
Violetta turned around and walked out of the barn, ignoring everyone else behind her and how Channing was pointing the camera directly at her. She walked into the warm summer air and over to one of the trees beside the barn. Violetta leaned her back against it and stared down at the ground, her mind racing.
It was really all too much.
"V," EJ greeted, back in his button-up and jeans instead of that ridiculous reindeer outfit. "Hey."
He placed his hand on her arm. Violetta really wanted nothing more than to lean into his touch, but she pushed herself of the tree, wiping her palms against her skirt.
"I know that the reindeer costume is upsetting," EJ continued. "Well, maybe not for you. But . . . are you mad at me? You've been acting . . . cold today. No pun intended."
"Cold?" Violetta repeated. "If you want cold, I can show you cold."
"Hey, no, come on," EJ protested. "I know today is weird, but we'll hang out when this whole Corbin thing is sorted out. I promise."
Promise. Big word, huh?
"Will we?" Violetta countered. "EJ, I don't know if you've noticed, but you and I have been living totally different summers."
EJ nodded. "I know, I know. But I promise tomorrow will be better, okay?"
There was that word again.
Violetta paused for a moment, rocking back and forth on her heels. "EJ, do you remember when we watched High School Musical 2 on my couch that night you said you didn't want to go to Duke?" He nodded. "Gabriella was right. Promise is a big word."
He let out a soft laugh. "I know."
She nodded. "Right."
Violetta brushed past him, going back to the barn. She vaguely saw Athena, looking a lot less panicked than before, and Ricky sitting on the bench. Violetta's stomach twisted uncomfortably — had she fooled herself into thinking that her and EJ could have the same communication level as them?
She knew she shouldn't compare relationships, but it was kind of hard not to when Ricky and Athena were basically the gold standard.
Violetta walked back into the barn to see everyone was gathering in front of Channing. She caught eyes with Ashlyn, who did nothing but extend her arm out to her. Violetta went to stand by her and sunk into Ashlyn's side, and Ashlyn put a comforting arm around her. EJ came back in as well, his gaze on anything else but her, and stood at the middle of their group.
"Well, I underestimated you guys," Channing admitted, packing up all his equipment. "What a mess. And I mean a mess in an award-winning way." He then laughed. "You were terrified. You guys should've seen your faces. That was good. All right, Channing out."
Carlos stepped forwards, waiting until Channing left to turn to all of them excitedly. "Congratulations, everyone. We did it."
"Thanks for being our fearless leader, Carlos," Val told him. "You have a very weird gift."
They all started to chant his name and jump up and down. Violetta sighed, not exactly feeling happy enough to join in. God, this was pathetic. She needed to get everything off of her chest. Violetta untucked herself from Ashlyn's side and went to go up to EJ, only to be interrupted.
Channing suddenly came back in. "Children, I forgot about the group photo. Can't do publicity at the Mouse House without a super fierce cast pic. Am I right?" He held up a sign. "It's Frozen time."
He had given all of them hand-held props, and they all gathered on the stage underneath their Frozen banner. Violetta sat on the edge of the stage, holding a snowflake on a stick, absentmindedly twirling it between her fingers with a frown on her face. Ricky and Athena then came back into the barn, both of them looking positively happier. Channing handed them their own sides, and Ricky sat down on the steps next to EJ while Athena took her place next to Violetta.
"All right, smile, guys," EJ voiced. "We're almost home."
Home.
Violetta felt sick to her stomach. She had officially reached her boiling point, and everything spilled over. Her mouth moved before her mind.
"I'm sorry, which home are you talking about?" Violetta asked. "Salt Lake or St. Louis?"
"Wait, what?" EJ replied, glancing back at her.
"You seem confused." Violetta's eyes flashed with anger. "Congratulations, because. So. Am. I."
"What's this about St. Louis?" Channing questioned.
"Uh, it's where the World's Fair was held in 1904," EJ responded, and Violetta rolled her eyes. "It's a great city." He fully looked back at Violetta, and her heart clenched. "V, please, can we talk about this later?"
Her eyes narrowed. "We better."
"Smile," Channing instructed, starting to take multiple pictures. Violetta placed a fake smile on her face, but it must've looked sickly from how sugary-sweet she was making it. "Harder, harder. Like you're angry happy. Yeah." After he took a lot of pictures, Channing lowered his camera. "Thanks again. Great day, you guys. The Bleu Man's gonna be so happy. And I can call him that 'cause we're close. Peace."
Violetta watched as Channing left the barn. She got up from the stage, her smile immediately falling and letting the snowflake drop from her grip without a care. Violetta walked towards the piano and stood by it.
"Oh, well, that couldn't have gone longer," Ashlyn admitted.
"I, for one, at I looking forward to being reviled by America," Ricky said.
"Ricky," Athena protested.
"You know, a simple thank you would do the trick," Carlos responded.
"Guys, can we stop getting worked up over this, okay?" Kourtney pleaded. "If we can't pull this summer together, then we're gonna have bigger problems than just some labels on a poster. I gotta be Elsa by the end of the week, and if I can't land that high E flat, then — then they're gonna edit me out of the show!"
"Kourtney, they're not going to edit you out of the show," Athena reassured her calmly.
Gina glared at her. "Stop, Athena. Nobody needs your sweetness right now."
Violetta didn't really think it was possible to become this angry in the span of one day. Everything just kept building up, and building up, and building up. Right now, it seemed to be exploding. She shoved her hands into the pockets of her jean skirts when they started to shake.
Athena blinked in shock and stared at Gina incredulously. "Why are you suddenly coming for me? What have I done?"
"You've done more than you know," Gina insisted.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Hey," Carlos interrupted loudly, making them stop. "Kourt, do you wanna take it down like a thousand? Being this anxious all the time is literally bad for your skin."
"Uh, I'm sorry, what was that word?" Kourtney inquired.
"Anxious?"
Kourtney turned to Gina. "Did you tell him what my mom . . ."
"Wait," Gina voiced.
"Told me what?" Carlos asked.
"Guys, this is all a natural response to a day of high tensions and intense emotions, so let's just walk it off, take a deep breath—" Val began.
Ashlyn rounded on her. "Val, maybe now's not the time for your psychoanalysis. Read the room."
"Well, in my own experience, Val likes to read letters that aren't hers," Violetta revealed, venom practically dripping from her voice, because she couldn't help it.
"Vi, come on—" Athena started to say.
She gave her a look. "Do not, Athena."
Ashlyn suddenly laughed loudly at something Maddox said to her. "I'm sorry, what? Wow, that's . . ."
"Okay—" Jet voiced quietly.
"I have a boyfriend."
Jet looked right at Maddox. "Can you just once stop telling everyone who they are and how they should be?"
Maddox turned to him. "Oh, you're talking to me now?"
"Forget it." Jet started to walk towards the doors. "You're just gonna yell."
"Oh, yeah, that's right, Jet. Make me the bad guy, once again."
"Did I miss an episode of our reality show?" Ricky questioned. "Did these two know each other before camp?"
"Look, Maddie, I'm here, aren't I?" Jet protested. "I'm trying."
"Yeah, only because you were forced to come here after you literally got expelled from school," Maddox argued, and Violetta suddenly saw less red as she immediately became confused. "Or are we just pretending that that didn't happen?"
"You have never let me explain that."
"Okay, then why don't you also explain why you didn't show up to my fifteenth birthday party? Explain why I lose all of my confidence when you're around me, and heck, Jet, why don't you explain why you told mom and dad about me and Madison when you found her texts in my phone? Explain that."
Jet didn't reply to her and completely left the barn. Violetta blinked in surprise. Jet and Maddox were siblings, and he had outed her to their parents?
Talk about a plot twist.
"Mom and . . ." Carlos repeated.
"Wait, what?" Ashlyn inquired.
"I have done a terrible thing."
"I need to sit down," Ricky stated. He sat down on the stage in front of Athena. "I need to lie down." Ricky then completely laid down on the stage, staring at the ceiling and putting his hands on either side of his face.
"Seems to be a lot of secrets floating around," Violetta commented.
EJ approached her, and Violetta had to resist the urge to take a step back. "V, whatever you saw, whatever you read in that letter, it's not what it looks like."
"EJ, it said you were going to St. Louis. You had me believing that you were going to spend my senior year with me in Salt Lake, and you lied."
"No. I'm going to spend your senior year with you. My dad — you know how he is. He's trying to make me go to Caswell Success School, but I'm going to change his mind. If he sees that I can make this docuseries a success, he'll let the whole training thing go. I'm not leaving Salt Lake without a fight, I promise."
"I told you promise was a big word," Violetta insisted quietly, her voice slightly shaking from hurt.
"And I'm going to keep it," EJ said.
"I just don't get why you didn't tell me. I hate feeling like you're keeping things from me."
"Can I be Team Violetta on this?" Val asked.
Ashlyn took a step forwards. "Elton John Caswell, I am so disappointed in you."
Violetta straightened up in surprise, shaking her head. There was just absolutely no way this was happening right now.
"Wait, that's what EJ stands for?" Carlos cried.
"Huh," Kourtney let out. "Rocket Man."
Violetta laughed, but it was completely void of humor. "Wow, another thing that I didn't know about you. What else do I have to find out?"
"I always assumed you were, like, Eric Junior," Carlos revealed.
EJ blinked at him. "My dad's name is Cash."
"That is on brand."
"You guys!" Ricky exclaimed, sitting up. "Jet and Maddox are siblings?"
Athena let out a deep breath of frustration. "We've moved on, baby."
Violetta locked eyes with EJ. Against her own will, she felt her bottom lip start to quiver and tears prick at the back of her eyes. From anger, or from sadness, she wasn't sure. Probably both.
"V, please," EJ pleaded. "I didn't — wait, no . . ."
She ignored him and walked towards the doors, not even looking back at him. "I said that I don't like liars. Look what you've become."
Violetta pushed the doors open and left him behind, also leaving behind a big piece of her heart.
She returned to that same tree she had gone to earlier. Violetta leaned against it and crossed her arms defiantly over her chest, almost like they could guard her from everything. They definitely couldn't, but she could at least try.
Athena suddenly appeared next to her, staring out ahead. "He's really going to St. Louis?"
"Unless he really sticks to his promise this time," Violetta answered. "I don't know how long he's had that letter, but I assume he's been lying to me for the past couple of days. At the read-through, he made it seem like he was going to be with me for my senior year."
Athena shrugged and glanced at her. "I could be a better boyfriend than him."
Violetta, even through everything, allowed a small smile to appear on her face — because, after all, Athena always knew how to make her feel better. "Ditch Ricky and let's get married."
"I'm so in."
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the way this episode is one of my favorites of the entire series
1x10 still owns my heart though <3