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𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙁𝙞𝙫𝙚:
"The Read Through"
The next day I was in the library, on a mission to borrow something new to read, when I overheard two familiar voices belonging to Ricky and Carlos. I stopped in the middle of the isle and peeked through one of the holes between the shelves to check out what they were doing.
"I want to show you something." Ricky told Carlos. "Okay, check it out."
I moved a little further down the isle, in the same direction Ricky went and he started to dance. At first, I was confused as to what he was doing, but then I realised that he was doing Carlos's choreography for the musical. I don't know what changed his mind, but I'm glad he's started making the effort.
"Wow, you've been practicing." Carlos grinned. "I thought you quit."
"Not doing that anymore." Ricky said, still dancing. I chuckled softly at how awkwardly cute he looked.
Did I just say that? Or...think it?
"Still not sure on this last part..."
I saw Nini walk past me and I pretended to be looking for a book. She didn't notice me and kept walking. I focused my attention back on Ricky.
"You're doing spirit fingers. I want jazz hands. Here, try it again. Five, six, seven, eight..."
Ricky did the choreography once more and finished with jazz hands this time. Carlos had the biggest smile on his face.
That makes two of us.
"Ricky...that's it!" Carlos smiled and Ricky breathed a sigh of relief.
I smiled and continued on with my search of a new book.
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After leaving the library, I decided to go into the theatre again to practice on the piano for a bit.
I opened the door to the theatre and walked inside, taking in the peace and quiet. As I made my way over to the stage, I heard the piano and my curiosity grew. I walked behind the curtain and saw Ashlyn playing.
She jumped when she saw me and stuttered a few hi's.
"Hi. Sorry, I didn't realise anyone would be here." I apologised.
"I can be gone in like seven seconds, six if I don't zip my bag!" Ashlyn replied quickly.
"No! No, it's okay!" I said with a small smile. "What were you playing?"
"Oh...it's um...Miss Jen asked me to compose a song for my character. It's probably way too much but...I'm playing Miss Darbus."
"I know. I'm the stage manager. Well, co-stage manager, so I have to know these kinds of things." I chuckled.
"Sammy, right?"
I nodded. "And you're Ashlyn." I replied and she stifled a laugh.
"Can I hear your song?" I asked after a moment.
"Sure."
I smiled and sat down next to her. She started to play the notes and I listened as her beautiful voice filled the entire room.
"Seems like a part of me will always have to lose. Every single time I have to choose. Swore that it felt right, but was I wrong? Is this where I'm supposed to be at all? I don't have the answers, not today. It's like nothing makes the questions go away...What I'd give to see, if the grass was greener...On the other side of all I've had and lost...Would it be enough or would I still be wondering?"
Ashlyn stopped playing and I smiled. "Keep going!"
She smiled. "If I could go back and change the past, be a little braver than I had, and bet against the odds...would I still be lost? Even if I woke up in my dreams, would there still be something I'm missing? If I had everything, would it mean anything, to me?"
I decided to join her on the bridge; taking the Soprano part while Ashlyn did the Alto.
"Maybe I should turn around and take the other road. Maybe I should be looking for what I already know!"
"I'm just wondering." I sang softly.
"Sing it." Ashlyn said.
"Feels like I might have broke the best thing that I had. I said too much to ever take it back, scared I'll never find something as good...and would I even know it if I could?"
The verse was powerful, it didn't really have any real meaning to me but I still felt like it did when I sang each lyric.
"If I could go back and change the past, be a little braver than I had, and bet against the odds...would I still be lost?"
Ashlyn joined in and we sung the chorus together.
"Even if I woke up in my dreams, would there still be something I'm missing? If I had everything, would it mean anything, to me?"
"Would it be enough?" Ashlyn sang.
"Or would I still be wondering?" I sang, finishing the song and I let out a sigh. "That's an amazing song, Ashlyn, I can't wait to hear it in the musical."
"Thanks Sammy. You have an amazing voice. How come you didn't audition for the musical?" She asked.
"Um...it's complicated. I've just always thought I belong in the wings instead of on the stage. I kinda have this thing where if I sing in front of a crowd, or anyone really, I feel as if I'm being judged and my body tenses and I freeze. I just prefer to sing in my bedroom rather than on the stage." I explained, playing with my fingers in my lap.
"That's totally understandable. Am I the first person that you've sung with?"
I shook my head. "No, my best friend Paige was, but I kinda sang with Ricky the other day..."
She raised her eyebrows. "You did?!"
"Yeah...he kinda walked in on me singing one of the songs from the movie, and despite me being incredibly embarrassed, he sung with me anyway. Surprisingly, it was actually really fun."
Just as I said this, something caught my eye and I looked up to see Ricky standing there watching us.
How long has he been standing there? Oh god, I hope he didn't hear me say I enjoyed singing with him...
"Um...Miss Jen wants to see everyone in the bomb shelter..."
"O-Oh, right." I stuttered. He smiled awkwardly and turned on his heel to leave.
"Um, we should go." I said, slinging my bag over my shoulder.
"Yeah, let's go."
We walked out of the theatre and headed downstairs to the bomb shelter. Everyone else was there, standing around Miss Jen who was unpacking something excitedly out of the large cardboard box in front of her. I dumped my bag and stood next to Gina. Mine and Ricky's eyes met for a brief moment, before I gave him a half smile and looked away.
What is going on with me today?
"Here it is people..." Miss Jen said, holding a really old phone in her hands.
"Is that a garage door opener?" Seb asked.
Miss Jen looked at him as if he had just told her that her cat died. "No, Seb. This is Gabriella's phone from the film."
Everyone gasped excitedly. Gina moved past me, giving a single nod before, I assumed, heading over to her bag.
"I plan on creating a time capsule display in our lobby." Miss Jen said. "If they can have forty sports ball trophies, we deserve a little movie museum."
We do have a severe lack of that kind of stuff in this school, that's for sure.
"Okay people! Enough dazzle. Fetch your scripts please."
I sighed and picked my bag up off the floor, unzipped it and pulled out my script. I zipped it back up and put it where everyone else's bags were on the rack.
I quickly checked my phone to see if there were any messages from my mom or Paige, and was about to put it away when EJ appeared a little further away from me.
"Nini's phone..." He muttered confusedly.
Oh no...
He turned around and I saw him mime a thank you to Ashlyn, who looked at him confused.
"You're welcome." I overheard Gina say. "We want the same thing, but it's gonna take a little team work." She smirked and walked away.
"Places, for the top of the ski lodge!" Miss Jen called. I put my phone away and joined Big Red in sitting down.
This was not good.
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