[Avni: Last night was a high, and this morning, I feel nauseous. My Julliard letter is here. I- yeah.]
"How was it?" Gina asked at rehearsals the next morning, too excited.
"Honestly? It was amazing. He's so sweet, and so cute." She paused, "But- I don't know- I felt too rude the whole time."
"What do you mean?" Gina frowned.
"I kept feeling like my personality was too brash for him. Like he's so nice and I felt pressured. But that's my problem, so we'll see where that goes."
Gina nodded, "Okay, but-"
"Have you seen Nini?" Ricky asked, coming out of nowhere.
"Every time I open Instagram," Avni said.
"Yeah, thanks. I meant in school."
Avni and Gina shook their heads.
"I think-" Gina started to say, but then Miss Jenn called EJ and Big Red to the front and Gina went to talk to them instead.
EJ and Gina were getting really close, Avni had to admit. They were all giggly and what-not. But it was none of her business.
The dancers stood on their marks, and Avni honestly didn't know what to expect. It had been a while since she'd had this much 'exposure' to EJ. They'd made up, but they mostly just greeted each other in passing.
Here we go.
The music cued, and Big Red started his lines.
"Gosh, it disturbs me to see you Gaston, looking so down in the dumps..."
Avni watched as moved around the 'stage', perfectly in sync with each other and the music.
Wow.
The choreography. The dancers. The composition. Just- everything was so amazing.
How did Big Red get so good at this?
And EJ- crushed it. Avni had sort of forgotten he could dance like that- and what dancing men did to her.
The stunts, the jumps, his lines and forms, his smile, his biceps- oof.
She couldn't take her eyes off him.
Old crushes die hard?
♡♡♡♡♡
"Effective immediately, this production will shut down rehearsal for one week as punishment for trespassing by order of the... Monkeys," Mr. Mazara said.
What?
"For the record, your competition has been punished as well. North High is benched for the week," he added.
What the hell.
"Feels generous," Ashlyn said.
"Miss Jenn, what are we gonna do? We can't lose a whole week when we haven't even started blocking the second act yet," Carlos said, sounding panic-y.
"North High is the one that stole our mask. How are they punished the same?" Avni asked.
"Exactly- they made the first move," Big Red remarked.
"I bet they're real glad they got away with this so easy," Kourtney said.
Angry murmurs broke out around the room.
"Maybe you could text Hrithik and find out," Gina said to Avni.
Avni nodded, "Hell yeah." She paused, "Wait what would I even say?"
"Hit him hard!" Steph called.
"Wait, no. Start easy. Something like- oh, this punishment sucks," Kourtney said. "When he gets comfortable, hit him hard!" She mimicked Steph's tone.
Avni nodded, "Okay, yeah I-"
"Is this a letter from Julliard?" Gina asked from across the room. Everyone paused to look at her.
Avni looked around awkwardly as they all now started staring at her. "I don't Gina, you're the one holding it," she hissed.
"Sorry, I was looking for your phone and I-"
"Did you apply to Julliard?" Ashlyn cut her off.
"Well, yeah," Avni said quietly.
"Did you get in?" Carlos asked.
"I haven't actually opened it yet. I was hoping to get through Career Day," Avni replied. "Didn't want to sit through all those speeches knowing I hadn't got in."
"Well, you have to find out at some point," EJ said in a strange tone.
"Open it," Ricky piped up.
"What? Now?"
He nodded, and everyone else joined in the effort of convincing her to make a fool out of herself.
"Okay, okay," Avni conceded. "Peer pressure is real."
She took the letter from Gina with shaky hands. She took calming, deep breaths. "I can't believe I'm doing this," she shook her head.
"Just open it," Ricky urged.
Avni took another breath and then peeled off the envelope.
She slowly began to read.
"Are you reading the whol-"
"I got in," Avni breathed.
Ricky stopped abruptly. "What?" he asked, eyes wide.
"I got in!" Avni announced, with more flair and excitement.
"Oh my god!" Gina cried, initiating a group hug. Cheers went around the room, enveloping Avni in love.
Oh my God.
♡♡♡♡♡
"Hey, I'm throwing like a get-together slash celebration at my place today. Please come?" Avni texted Hrithik.
"Yeah :) What's the occasion?" He texted back almost immediately.
"I sort of didn't want to do this over text but I'm at school and I wanted to give you notice in advance so."
"I got into Julliard."
"Holy shit," he said. "Congratulations!!!"
She grinned to herself, still giddy over everything. They texted back and forth, going over the details.
"What are you grinning about?" Gina asked. They were all waiting for the next guest speaker.
"Like you don't know," Avni fake-scoffed.
"I do know, I just want to hear you say it," Gina grinned. "Is he coming tonight?"
"Yeah."
"Is there any way to un-delete a comment on Instagram?" Ricky texted her.
"If there isn't a name for it..." She texted back. What has he gotten himself into now?
"Ya I thought so."
♡♡♡♡♡
Avni wasn't sure how she felt about Cash Caswell. On one hand, he was EJ's father. On the other hand, she'd never actually heard anything nice about him. Whenever EJ talked of him, it was always when he'd been pushed too far by him.
The man just exuded I-don't-care-about-anything-but-money vibes but not in a cute Mr. Crabbs way. More so in a manipulative that-dad-from-Riverdale way.
"Success is all about legacies. The ones that we inherit. And the ones that we build," Mr. Caswell addressed the class. "I'm lucky to have a son that carries the Caswell name with pride. In fact, I wasn't gonna do this today, come on up here, Eej. My father gave me this when I got into Duke. Now it's yours." He held up a Duke sweatshirt.
EJ looked as surprised as Avni felt.
When he took his seat again, she leaned in, "Congratulations, Eej."
He offered a half-smile.
Avni was going to question why he didn't say anything to her, but then she remembered she was the one distancing herself from him, so she bit back her words.
♡♡♡♡♡
The party was in full-swing when Ashlyn walked in.
"Hey," Avni went to greet her. She paused, taking in her outfit. "Why're you wearing a Slices shirt?"
"Is Biggie here?" she asked.
"He's here. Is everything okay?"
"I hope so," she smiled nervously.
Avni nodded in understanding. "You'll be fine. You're like the strongest couple I know."
Ashlyn smiled again, and walked away to find Big Red.
"Where is he?" Gina asked.
"Ricky or Hrithik?"
"Hrithik," Gina said. "I'm not missing Ricky."
"Okay," Avni said, her tone suggestive. "He'll be here."
Right on cue, Hrithik walked through the door. "Hey," he smiled.
"Hi," Avni grinned back, and he pecked her on the lips.
Hrithik looked over her head, and then back at her. "Shit, I'm so nervous."
"Why?" Avni frowned. Oh fuck, this is too fast for him, right? We haven't even discussed labels and I've known him for like four days and I'm scaring him off- "I- is this too fast? Because I was celebrating and I wanted you to be here-"
"No, no. I don't mean it like that. I just- they're the competition," he said awkwardly.
Avni relaxed, "Right, because this is your first spy mission and you suck at deception."
His eyes widened, "No- no- I mean-" he spluttered.
Avni grinned, "Calm down, I'm kidding."
"Oh," he smiled.
"And besides, the only thing you'll take away from today is that we're kind of weird, but super tight. C'mon," she took him by the hand and urged him forward.
"Who's this?" EJ asked, coming out of the kitchen. His eyes flitted from Hrithik to Avni.
Great. Just great.
"Oh this is Hrithik, he-"
"North High's choreographer," EJ cut her off. "What is he doing here?"
Avni frowned at his tone. "I invited him," she said.
"What?" His eyebrows furrowed, but then his expression cleared. "Oh, I get it," he smiled darkly.
"Hey, man," Hrithik extended a hand, not realising or choosing to ignore the tension. EJ eyed it, and then took it, his jaw clenched.
Avni watched the clasped hands cautiously, as they lingered for a second too late, and EJ eyed Hrithik dangerously.
Shit.
♡♡♡♡♡
"Hey!" Avni called. "You're leaving?" she asked EJ.
"Yeah," he breathed, putting on his coat.
Avni frowned, "So early?"
"Yeah."
"What happened?"
He paused, "Nothing."
Avni stared at him.
He sighed, "Look, it's your day. I don't wanna," he held his hands up.
"You don't wanna what?"
"Step on your toes."
Avni paused for a second. "Wait. Is this about you getting into Duke?"
"Avni-"
"We have room to celebrate two people, EJ. It's not that big of a deal."
"I don't wanna-"
"Everybody's here- we could just-"
"Yeah. Everybody and Hrithik," he sneered.
Avni looked at him in confusion, "What is your deal?"
"There's no deal," he shook his head.
"Cut the crap, EJ. What's your problem?" she asked viciously. "Hrithik's a great guy. He's really sweet and he's been trying really-"
"I didn't get into Duke, okay?" he said abruptly. "So stop- I don't want to hear you sing praises of him."
"What?" Avni asked, confused.
"I applied, I didn't get in. Then my dad made some 'calls'," he made air quotes. "I'm not going. I've been trying to be a better person and this feels like a backtrack."
Avni stared him for a beat and then stepped forward to pull him into a hug. His arms went around her waist and he buried his forehead into the curve of her neck, instead of resting it against hers as usual. Ignoring the butterflies in her stomach at the action, Avni pulled him in tighter, trying to communicate all of her support and upset (and slight guilt) for him.
"My mom wanted me to be a lawyer," she whispered into the hug after a while.
EJ pulled apart, but didn't separate completely. "What?"
"She sold it really well too. About how I loved to act and being a lawyer is basically acting in front of a judge and jury, with heavier consequences. I was almost convinced too- but then she said I would be great at it because I had a 'flair for lying' and it made me feel like shit. So I said no. I'm definitely happier here."
"You do have a flair for lying," he smiled slightly. His eyes are so blue right now.
"Not the point."
He nodded. "I'll talk to my dad. Just have to- work up the courage," he said, hugging her again, but this time the side of his face was almost pressed against hers.
"You'll be fine."
She felt him nod again, and then he moved away, walking out of the house. "Bye," he called behind him.
It was when he walked away that she realised how close he had been standing and how his hands had never left her waist and how natural it felt and how swept up she still was in him.
She leaned against the wall, closing her eyes, trying to calm her nerves that always seemed to be buzzing around him.
When will I stop feeling like this?
___________________________________________
A/n
The Hrithik-EJ interaction we've all been waiting for!!
Did someone else aww during the hug, or was it just me during proof-read?
Also Ricky and Nini broke up in this episode, which is why Ricky isn't here. I felt like they had to have their own private moment, so it didn't make sense to merge their break-up with the party like I did with the Ashlyn- Big Red thing.