⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 𝒙𝒗𝒊𝒊𝒊. 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥

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𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧
━━ 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍

The start of something new sang by Ricky and Nini filled the shelter, which they had taken as their own little refuge, while the dancers moved around them according to the choreography and holding disco balls and (provisional) drawings.

The two voices sounded perfect together, making everyone smile at the hearing of the well-known song. It does not matter how many times they had heard it that day already, the harmony of the two leads made it worth it every single time. The musical was really starting to come together and they were all eager for opening night to arrive. Moreover, Ricky and Nini's relationship had got so much better and that was obvious on rehearsal (and, consequently, on stage), which made things much easier for everyone around them.

"Okay, hold on. I know everyone is excited for the holiday break. But I'm me, I have notes," Miss Jenn chuckled, talking for the whole room and stopping the two teenagers' singing, "Nini and Ricky, that was good, but it could be better. She said in the spirit of holiday cheer."

"But I thought we sounded okay," the boy said looking at his co-protagonist.

"Heck yeah, we kinda killin' it," Nini agreed, smiling.

"Wait, you mean... both of us?", asked Ricky, making both of them start chuckling. However, before they could say anything else, Miss Jenn interrupted by saying that she wanted all of them to be on vocal rest for the upcoming holidays. Even if she knew they were most likely not going to, it was worth a try.

Just then, the bell rang and E.J. got up from his sit yelling from excitement for Thanksgiving. Juliette understood him perfectly well, Thanksgiving was one of her favourite days of the year as well and especially this one, in which he had a lot to give thanks for.

The teacher left the room and, as if he had not heard her asking for vocal rest, Carlos announced that Ashlyn was holding a party the next night and that everyone was invited.

The few members of the art crew that remained there (for the decorations were already over and they hung there just because they love being with the cast) look at each other. Were they invited as well? As if he had read their minds, Carlos looked at them: "you too, of course."

Her whole family was there, dressed elegantly as if Thanksgiving was a kind of etiquette party.

Well, actually, for them it kind of was. Her parents had got married in Thanksgiving and it was in Thanksgiving when her mom found out she was pregnant with the two twins. Plus, it was in Thanksgiving that Juliette got her first painting hung in a local art gallery. In short, it was a special day for them.

And that year, they luckily had a lot to be thankful for. Her mother had been promoted, her father had made a great inversion, the twins were on their way to having all A's at school and Juliette was as happy as could be, also doing great in her junior year.

They all sat down to dinner and had a happy chat, as they did every year. Time went so fast that, while they were still having dessert, Juliette's mother told her that she was going to be late to the party. The older redhead brushed her teeth in a hurry and got out of the house with her dress still on, she did not have time to change clothes.

Ricky was not answering her texts so, figuring that maybe he was still having dinner with his father, she went directly to Ashlyn's house, texting him that they would meet there.

On her way, someone honked at her, making her jump slightly. She turned around only to discover that it was E.J. telling her to come into the car, he did not want her walking around all alone at night.

"Thanks for the ride, E.J. I should start paying you for gas."

"Don't even mention it, it is my pleasure. You look great, by the way. Pretty fancy."

"Oh," she giggled embarrassed, "Thanksgiving is quite big in my family and we always make it a fancy thing but I didn't have enough time to get changed. Do you think I'm going to make a fool of myself dressed like this?"

"Not at all, you look amazing."

The car ride was pleasant and the conversation simply flowed, there was not a single second of uncomfortable silence, which Juliette appreciated. Once they got to the designated party house, E.J. parked their car and then, once he was out, he rushed to open Juliette's door so she could come down. She threw a smile towards the boy al they both walked towards Ashlyn's door, where they rang the bell. The redhead took a deep breath before entering her first party. Everybody was already there, everybody except Ricky and Gina.

"Oh my God, Juliette you look amazing!", exclaimed Nini receiving them at the door and making Juliette smile.

"See who is talking! You might blind me with your beauty, guys," she told them making everyone laugh. Before they could even get to the living room, someone else rang the bell.

Nini opened the door once more, since Ashlyn was in the kitchen organizing everything, and she could not be more astonished as to who had just arrived. Ricky and Gina had come together, laughing about something the rest of them did not get. This surprised everyone at the entrance hall, who did not expect Ricky to arrive with the tall girl, and all eyes directed towards Juliette, who was trying her best to keep a smile on.

"Oh my God, Juliette, you look great! All of you look great!", Gina exclaimed entering the house and leaning down to hug the girl. This took Juliette aback, not because she did not like Gina, but because she did not know they were on "hugging terms".

Nini took Gina to the kitchen so she could leave her homecooked cupcakes there, leaving Juliette and Ricky alone at the door. She was so tense that she had started sweating so, instead of making small-talk (which she hated), she took off her jacket and tried to hang it on the rack. Of course, being as short as she was, she could not reach it so Ricky did it for her.

"Um, thanks," she murmured turning around to look at him, only to find him just inches away.

"Don't mention it. You look great, by the way." Ricky's eyes stared directly into hers, slightly lowering his head so he could take a better look at the girl.

"Thanks, Thanksgiving is kind of a big thing in my family and I didn't have time to change into more 'party appropriate' clothes."

"I'm glad you didn't, that dress suits you. Makes your hair pop," he smiled making the girl giggle. Since the conversation they had had in Juliette's room, Ricky made sure to compliment the girl everytime he could, just so she knew how much he liked her and how beautiful he thought she was.

"I didn't know you and Gina were coming together," she casually let out when Ricky told her that it had actually been Gina the one to gift him the hat.

"I didn't either, she showed up at my house. I wanted to come with you but... I've had a rough night."

"Everything okay?" The girl put a hand on his arm, caressing it softly with her thumb as if to reassure him that she was there for whatever he needed.

"Not really. But I don't want to talk about it."

Neither of them said anything else and they just stood there, looking at each other. Until Carlos yelled at them to get to the living room so they could start with the game of 'High School Musical: the Choosical', a self-made board game that he had crafted when he was younger. After he explained the rules, they started the game. She got chosen for the Wildcats team so she sat down next to E.J. and the game started.

In the middle of it, however, Juliette and Nini got up to get some more root beer and, as they were entering the kitchen, Gina appeared behind them with the same aim.

"Crazy how many people made it to this party," Nini broke the uncomfortable silence.

"Uh, my mom and I had a really great meal but when you're new in town with no other family, there is only so much time you can sit around complimenting the green beans."

"I guess you're new in town a lot?" Juliette asked taking a seat.

"Yeah, goin' on six straight years of moves now. But I do have high hopes for junior year, East High."

"It's been nice sometimes, though, right? Getting a chance to start fresh?"

"Girls, come here, you're missing it!" a voice called from the living room, cutting their conversation short.

"Oh, um, that whole wonderstudy thing... I just want to say... "

"It's okay, same here. We're good. You're staying the night, right?"

"Oh yeah! Ashlyn is having a girl night. Apparently there is a ouija board somewhere in her attic," Juliette explained, smiling.

"As long as Carlos didn't make it, yes", Gina replied making all laugh. But before they could continue their conversation, they yelled at them back. They were taking a picture so both Nini and Juliette ran to the living room and accommodated themselves as they could to appear in it, flashing big and truthful smiles to the Polaroid camera.

"Okay, you guys, according to the Musical Choosical Handbook of Rulesicals... The only way to resolve a tie at the end of regulation play is with a lightning speed round of Getcha Head in the Frame trivia questions," Carlos explained, "you ready?"

Everyone nodded in agreement and the final round began. The game was amazing, Carlos had really outdone himself, especially taking into account that he had done it years ago and hidden in his room due to fear of judgement.

"Martha Cox!", the 'West High Knights' answered the last question after E.J. admitted cheating on the previous one. Since they got it right, they got the victory.

"You, my dear, get this homemade Scholastic Decathlon ribbon," Carlos told Gina, since she had been the one to answer right, "careful, it's just a straight pin and was never sanitized."

She was so excited that she decided to call his mom and, after everyone wished her a happy Thanksgiving, she asked to get taken off speaker so she could talk to Gina alone. After some time, it was clear that something had happened because she left in a rush without saying googbye to anyone.

This kind of killed the spirit and, worried about Gina, they decided to break it there and go home for the night. They would have time for a girl night when Gina was feeling better.

You are reading the story above: TeenFic.Net