✰✰✰
✰✰✰
𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙏𝙬𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙮 𝙁𝙤𝙪𝙧:
"Opening Night."
The finale of Act One was now in progress, and things were still going well. It's almost time for Ricky's 'Getcha Head In The Game' number, and I was excited to see it.
The music began and the audience cheered.
"You gotta getcha, getcha head in the game." Ricky sang.
"We gotta get-a, get-a, get-a, get ahead in the game." The others continued.
I found myself dancing and moving around a little crazily, but I still made sure I was out of sight.
"Let's make sure that we get the rebound, cause when we get it then the crowd will go wild...a second chance, gotta grab it and go...maybe this time we'll hit the right note..." Ricky continued singing. "Wait a minute, not the time or place...wait a minute get my head in the game, wait a minute, wait a minute..."
All was going well, and the harness was due to come down any second; Ricky's gonna be lifted into the air for the big finale and I'm supposed to pull the rope to get him up. I gotta say I'm freaking out a little.
At first, I thought the idea was absurd and there was no need for that, but then I got used to Miss Jen's wild ideas and just went along with it.
I found myself chewing on one of my fingernails in anticipation, as the pulley came down with the basketball attached to it; EJ and one of the other dancers hooked Ricky up and then EJ pointed to me. I stopped my chewing and pulled down on the rope, lifting Ricky into the air and there was a mix of murmurs, 'ooh's' and 'ahh's' from the audience.
"Why am I feeling so wrong? My head's in the game but my heart's in the song. She makes this feel so right...should I go for it?" Ricky sang.
Then there was silence.
The basketball fell out of Ricky's hand and bounced loudly against the ground. I frowned in confusion, still holding tightly onto the rope, and looked around to see what was happening.
"I-I gotta shake this, yikes!" Ricky stammered after a moment.
The music resumed and I pulled the rope upwards to bring him back down to the ground.
Just as the number was finishing, Ricky was walking off stage looking distraught. I watched from my side of the stage as he talked to Carlos, Seb and Kourtney.
"We will now have a ten minute intermission." The announcer on the PA system said.
I took off my headset, letting it sit on my neck and ran across the stage to join them.
"Actually, I do." Ricky said and walked off.
"Guys, what's going on? Is he okay?" I asked the three of them.
"He said his mom's new boyfriend showed up or something..." Seb replied. I looked out into the crowd and scanned the audience for Ricky's dad. I didn't know what his mom looked like, but I know his dad, so wherever Mike is sitting, that's where his mom will be.
Finally, my eyes landed on a woman sitting next to Mike, with another man on the other side of her.
Oh no...I thought.
"Sammy, he looks like he's gonna pass out." Kourtney said worriedly.
"I'll go find him." I assured them, and rushed off to find Ricky.
I checked the bomb shelter first, but there was no sign of him, only EJ was there. I reluctantly asked him where he went.
"He came in here, really frantic, and said he couldn't go on for act two. He mentioned something about screwing up the show for Nini because there's some lady in the audience here to watch her, and he said he didn't want to disappoint anyone else, so he told me to go on as Troy for him." EJ explained.
My heart was beating so fast right now. "He did what?!"
"He also asked me where you were, and obviously I assumed you were side stage, but I don't know if he went looking for you or not."
"Okay...I have to find him..." I said and ran out of the bomb shelter, and back into the gym.
Again, I couldn't see him anywhere. Everyone had disappeared, I assumed for the ten minute intermission. Then I remembered that I was supposed to hand out those flyers, but frankly, that's the last thing on my mind right now.
I walked out into the foyer and scanned the place for my family and Paige. I spotted Paige and my dad lingering by the door and quickly ran over to them.
"Sammy!" Dad grinned.
"Hey, where's mom?"
"In the bathroom with Lou." He informed me. "The show is going great, though the end was a little strange."
"Yeah, that wasn't meant to happen. Something's up with Ricky, have any of you seen him?" I asked them. They shook their heads.
I pulled Paige aside and she frowned. "Sam, is everything okay?"
I shook my head. "He's not going on for act two."
"What? Why not?"
"I think it has something to do with his mom and her boyfriend, and EJ mentioned something about him not wanting to screw things up for Nini because of some woman here to watch her. Then he said Ricky told him to go on instead, and I'm just trying to find him to see if he's okay."
"Do you want help looking?"
"Please!"
The two of us carefully walked past other audience members and started looking around the school once more.
God, I hope he's okay...
✰✰✰
Unfortunately, mine and Paige's search together was cut short when intermission was over; she returned to the gym with my family and Miss Jen told me to go check on everyone. I obliged, albeit reluctantly, and went back to the bomb shelter.
"Have you found Ricky yet?" EJ asked when I came in.
"Nope. I'm still looking."
"He couldn't have gone far."
"EJ, if you're playing Troy, who's playing Chad?"
"Carlos..."
Oh my...
"Right." I sighed. "Break a leg." I said and ran off again.
I've never done this much exercise in my entire life.
I snuck side stage quietly, just to see if everything was going okay - which it was; Nini and Gina were in the middle of their scene, so I snuck back out. I went out into the hallway and released a breath I didn't know I was holding.
There he was, leaning against the wall, looking at his phone.
"Ricky!"
He looked up and tucked his phone in his pocket.
"Where on earth have you been? I've been looking for you for half an hour."
"Sorry, I just needed a moment."
"What happened out there?"
"My mom's new boyfriend showed up and I just wasn't expecting it. I can't go on Sammy, I'm gonna screw it up for everyone."
"You're not gonna screw anything up, okay? You were doing amazing."
Ricky shook his head. "No. I'm not."
"Ricky-"
"There you are!" A female voice from behind said, followed by the door shutting.
I turned around and saw Ricky's mom walking towards us.
"Sammy, you should go back inside. The show needs you."
I stood there for a moment and stared at him. Nothing I say is going to change his mind.
"The show needs you too." I said finally, and sighed. I gave his mother a tight smile and turned on my heel, sneaking back into the gym and carefully making my way to side stage.
✰✰✰