[Avni: Last night was kind of a train wreck. But it ended well- and I have EJ to thank for that. I sort of gave him a free pass, but he still took out time for me and he made me feel so incredibly special- and I really appreciate that. It's just- moments like that really just make all of this that much harder- because I don't want them to go away. I don't want him to go away.]
"EJ," Avni heard someone say. "EJ." The voice came again. "EJ, wake- oh, hi Avni."
Avni opened her eyes just a smidge.
"What is it Carlos?" EJ asked him drowsily.
"It's Ricky's birthday and we're gonna surprise him," he said awkwardly?
Oh, 'cause I'm in EJ's bed.
"Alright, fine, I'm getting up," Avni grumbled.
♡♡♡♡♡
"On three or after three?" Kourtney asked, and Avni grinned to herself. HSM photo day seemed like a lifetime ago.
"Not this again," Carlos groaned.
"Happy bi-" Gadget started, obviously over the discussion. Everyone else joined in, "Happy birthday, Ricky!"
Ricky woke up with a start.
"And happy opening night, to those keeping score," EJ said. "Our show might be in danger, but right now our focus is Ricky."
Avni rolled her eyes at him.
"You guys, you shouldn't have," Ricky said. "Seriously, you almost gave me a heart attack."
"You're an old man now?" Jet asked.
"Wait, there's more," Carlos said.
"There is?" Ashlyn asked and Avni smiled at her.
"C'mon in, your best friend is old enough to vote," Carlos gave the cue, and Big Red walked in with a cake in his hands.
"Please tell me these bunks are air-conditioned," he said. No, they are not.
"Of course you showed up!" Ricky said, hugging him.
"We've spent every birthday together since preschool," Big Red said, glancing at Avni. She winked at him.
"And of course you brought a lotto ticket!"
"Brought a what now?"
"A lotto ticket? It's the last thing on my bucket list. That's why you're here, right?"
"You walked on the moon?" Big Red asked the same time Avni asked, "You became a superhero?"
"He actually did it all this summer," Jet said. "I'm Jet. Who are you?"
Big Red stared at him, channelling what Avni could describe only as Charles Boyle energy. He recovered quickly, though. "I'm Ashlyn's boyfriend," he said, going to hug her.
Ricky sat down in front of the cake.
"Make a wish!"
He closed his eyes and blew the candle, and cut the cake as everyone cheered for him.
♡♡♡♡♡
Avni knocked on the door of the boys' dorms a little later, now that she'd had a chance to return to the guest dorms and shower.
When no one answered, she opened up one of the windows and peered inside. "Hey- hey!" protests arose. They were elbow deep in cake.
"You're eating cake without me?"
"EJ's in the shower, if that's who you're looking for," Ricky said.
"I'm looking for you actually."
"Why?" He asked, coming closer to the window.
Avni stared at him. "Okay. Here," she handed him a wrapped box. "Happy 18th."
"What's this?" He asked. Like he didn't know.
He'd all but outright asked for it.
"Would it be a gift if I just told you?"
He grinned and opened it. He then gasped when he saw what was in the box. "You caught my hints," he smiled, admiring his vintage mini Luke Skywalker bust. How is he 18?
"They were very obvious."
He placed the figurine very carefully back in its box, and raced out.
"Oh, now you're coming out."
He bolted out the door and hugged Avni. "Thank you."
"You're welcome," she smiled.
"D'you want a slice of cake?"
"Sure," Avni said, walking with him towards the door. "I can't believe you're eating cake without your girlfr- oh, Gina's right here. Hi, G," she said when she caught sight of her.
♡♡♡♡♡
"Nini?" Avni called. The girl was standing in the doorway of the barn- the show was going to start in five minutes.
"Hey, Avni," she smiled. "Didn't think I'd ever see you in camp again."
"Yeah, me neither." And then- "You taking a seat?"
"Umm, yeah. I think Miss Jenn's up front over there with Big Red," she pointed.
"Oh, okay. Thanks. It was good to see you Nini," Avni smiled.
"You too."
♡♡♡♡♡
They were amazing.
I don't know what EJ was so worried about.
All of them- literally every single one- Carlos as Olaf, Gina and Ricky as Anna and Kristoff, Jet as Hans, Kourtney as Elsa- all of them were crushing it.
That on-stage costume change for Kourtney was blowing her mind. She was also so incredibly proud of the way she found her nerve and absolutely powered through that power- lapse in Let It Go. Avni literally got goosebumps in the audience.
♡♡♡♡♡
"What is this hollow kind of helplessness I'm feeling? This kind of terror is new." Ricky sang, sitting in one of the most beautiful sets Avni had ever seen. Gadget had really out-done herself this time.
His voice was so soft and pure and she could tell he really meant every word he was singing.
"I thought that I was strong till I bumped into you. What do I know about love?"
He'd come such a long way since Troy auditions- with his singing, performing, just so much better at being himself- Avni's heart swelled with pride for her best friend.
"Everything I thought I did, you've gone and changed it, kid."
Avni didn't miss the little glance into the wings. She assumed Gina was standing there, and that just made her grin wider.
She shared a look with Big Red, and she knew he was thinking the same thing.
"Can you meet me in the Yurt please?" EJ texted.
"Hurry pls"
♡♡♡♡♡
"Hey," Avni said as she entered the bunk. "What's up?"
"Uh- my dad didn't make it today."
"Oh," Avni said as she felt a surge of anger towards Cash Caswell. Not your place, Avni.
"I'm gonna call him. I just needed some moral support."
Avni nodded, taking a seat beside him. He was staring at his phone. "Take your time," she told him.
Silence fell between them.
"Okay, not that much time," she said a beat later. "Give me that."
EJ handed her the phone and she dialled his dad, handing it back.
He looked incredibly nervous- and resigned.
She held his free hand, squeezing it gently.
"Hello?" she heard his dad's voice.
"Hey Dad, it's me." He paused. "We're in the middle of Act Two right now and I actually fooled myself into thinking you'd be here."
Avni closed her eyes and bowed her head. She knew EJ wanted her to be there, but she felt like she was intruding on an incredibly private conversation.
"But- I know you think this is a waste of my time, and I know I took a chance tonight- people over profits-" he paused again. Avni squeezed his hand tighter. "But just once in my life, I want to hear you say that you're proud of me. Just- 'I'm proud of you, EJ'. How hard is that?" Another pause. "Dad?" He asked. "Hello- did you-"
"He hung up," he whispered, his grip on Avni's hand vice-like, but he wasn't looking at her.
He dropped his head, and Avni let go of his hand, hugging him from the side instead.
They sat that way for a second, before EJ turned completely towards her and wrapped his arms around her middle, dropping his head in the crook of her neck.
Tears escaped Avni's eyes as she felt him sob into her shoulder. She wished she could put this right, go yell at his dad, make him see sense- she wished she could tell him that his dad was just as proud of him as she was, tell him it would be okay- but that just won't be true. She wished she could give EJ every bit of happiness in the world- every ounce of success that his talent deserved.
But all she could do was stroke his hair and hold him tighter.
♡♡♡♡♡
The camp fire crackled and smoked, bathing everyone in its orange hues as they danced and talked and made s'mores on the fire.
"Boys," she said, coming up between Big Red and Ricky, slinging an arm over each of their shoulders.
"Mm, s'more," Ricky said, mouth full, handing her a s'more.
"Thanks," she said, taking a bite.
"I can't believe we're all at camp," she said. "That too on your birthday."
"Yeah, it's pretty sick," Big Red said.
Avni grinned at him. "Did you tell Ashlyn?" she asked.
"I did," he smiled. "I'm assuming you already knew?"
"I did."
"Knew what?" Ricky asked.
Avni glanced between the two. "I'm gonna let you talk," she said, turning to leave.
She walked over to Gina next. "Hey G."
"Hi," she said, slinging an arm around Avni's waist. "I can't believe this is over."
"Well, I mean, you get to go to a premiere. And then school. With a boyfriend. That's pretty cool."
"Yeah, I guess it is." And then- "Did you and EJ have your talk?"
"Not yet. I was hoping to have some material going into that conversation."
"Material?"
"Yeah, like a way out. A solution," she said.
"The only solution is to not break up, right? Stay together?"
"Yeah, no, I just-" She paused as something occurred to her. "Hold on a minute- stay together." It just makes sense.
Gina looked at her confused.
"I'm- I'm gonna go talk to him, okay?"
"Okay."
"EJ," she called.
He turned to look at her, "Yeah?"
"Uh-" she paused, taking his hands in hers. His face shone in the glow of the fire, his eyes almost grey- but he looked apprehensive, like he was bracing for some terrible news.
Before he could jump to conclusions, she said, "Do you wanna move to New York with me?"
He looked taken aback. He blinked, processing her words.
She prefaced them, "I haven't figured out the particulars- but I'm just putting it out there. Like, I'm moving there anyways and maybe you would find more opportunities there, after the premiere? I don't know-"
"Yeah."
"Yeah?"
"I'll move in with you."
"Are you sure? You don't wanna maybe sleep on it?"
"I could, but I don't think my answer will be any different."
"What about your dad?"
"I'll tell him," he said simply.
She smiled, "Okay."
"I guess we're living together."
She laughed, kissing him hard. He smiled into the kiss. "I guess we are."
♡♡♡♡♡
Avni smiled wide as she watched everyone grinning and laughing and just enjoying their last day here, as well as the success of the musical and the livestream.
The love and the vibes that surrounded them were just impeccable.
Her heart felt so full.
"I love you guys," she said out loud, feeling emotional.
Her sentiments were returned by 'aww's and 'I love you too's from the group.
She glanced at EJ by her side, holding up his sparkler in the impromptu walkway. She grabbed his free hand, grinning up at him.
He smiled, dimples and all- his demeanour so completely shifted from what it was literally fifteen minutes ago.
There was no coming back here, she realised. Not just to camp- but also to this part of her life, this time, this age.
When she would leave tomorrow, she would leave behind more than just camp- she'd leave behind every bit of security she'd found in her daily routine for the last four years- in her school, in her childhood home, in that rehearsal room, in the grounds of Shallow Lake. She'd have move on to new experiences and find new routines.
But she'd always have her people, and their memories. And isn't that all she really needed? Aren't performers all a production ever needs- whatever be the stage?
It was showtime now, she realised. For real this time.
___________________________________________________
A/n
I have a lot to say so like a true STEM student I'm going to write it down in points.
1)I'm sorry this chapter is so long- I had a lot to cover
2)The only. The only reason I wrote this entire fanfic was because I needed someone beside EJ when he talked to his dad- someone who was just solid in his life. I NEEDED his happy ending- so I wrote it. So naturally, this was the most satisfying chapter to write.
3)Can we just talk about this absolutely gorgeous set?! Just this whole scene *chef's kiss*
4)I don't like the plot-line of Corbin Bleu suddenly becoming nice- I feel like it was just done to preserve Corbin Bleu's image anyways- so I didn't write it lol.
5)There's no way in hell Ricky finds out about his best friend's sexuality from a documentary trailer- just no♡
6)I really hope you guys enjoyed this book just as much as I enjoyed writing it.
7)Should I write an epilogue? Please comment and let me know :)