a/n - voteetetetete

i stand out in the halls, bringing my phone to my ear. "this is nini! talk to me, me!" the line beeps. i hang up, typing. 

"there you are!" mom says. i lean off the wall, standing up. "hey," i say. "are you okay?" she asks. "yeah, check your texts." "well, is it stage fright? because people are counting on you, honey. you've made a commitment to this." "you're one to talk about commitment," i scoff. "i'm sorry?" "it's not about nerves, okay? it's about doing something for somebody i care about." "okay y/n, what's going on?" "why'd you bring him to the show?" i ask. "todd? uh... i wanted him to meet you, i didn't tell you before 'cause i didn't wanna throw you off." "so you waited until i levitated above a basketball hoop and had to see him put his arm around you in the audience?" "y/n-" "how do you think dad feels?!" "honestly... i think dad is happy that i'm happy." "you two looked plenty happy before the show started. you were hugging, i saw it. it was like... it was like how it used to be." i shake my head. "y/n, not all couples are meant to be together. sometimes people change." "i've gotta... i wanna watch this. support seb and stuff," i walk past her, into the gym.

i text nini. 'sos, don't freak out, but ej is going on as troy. i am so sorry. my mom's boyfriend showed up and i'm a mess. you deserve a real leading person out there in front of that scout.'

"hey, what happened to you?" i turn around, seeing gina. "it's a long story. i could ask you the same thing," i say. "also a long story. i got a last minute flight." "yeah? so did todd." "is todd the only reason you left the show?" gina asks, walking towards me. "honestly... this is nini's big moment. the best thing i could do for her is just take a step back and watch," i admit. "come on then, let's watch." "i don't know, seeing that dude in my costume..." "nightmare fuel for sure," gina says, smiling, "but we owe it to the team! let's go watch ej caswell sweep himself off his feet." i chuckle, nodding, "i'm glad you came back. it's been really weird without you during volleyball." "i really miss you guys," she says. we walk back to the gym.

we walk in, nini and ej looking at us. ej's hand was on her cheek. "like kindergarten, remember?" he says. nini sighs softly as the piano music plays in the background. she looks at me, and ej does too. "i'm not the troy you want," ej says, touching nini's shoulder and walking off stage. nini looks back at me, bringing the microphone closer to her mouth and walking to me, "you know the world can see us..."

she walks up to me, stopping. "i'm really not at my best," i say, moving her microphone down. "just look at me, y/n. right at me," she nods to the orchestra, which they start playing again. "but your faith, it gives me strength..." "strength to believe," we both sing as a smile creeps on my face. "we're breaking free!" nini sings, holding my hands and pulling me to the stage.

"there's not a star in heaven that we can't reach," we sing, nini's hands trailing to my jaw as mine go to her waist. 

"you know the world can see us... in a way that's different than who we are," nini and i hold hands as we sing, smiling. the crowd cheers, and nini lets go of her hands slowly as we stare at each other.

"hey, can i ask you a question?" i ask nini as we watch everyone sing we're all in this together. "uh, can it wait 'till after we bow?" she asks. "yeah," i chuckle, connecting our hands as we run on stage.

i watch as carlos fishes out a small card that was dug in the bouquet of flowers. he reads it, "to ashlyn! because you get me!" "ej, really?" ashlyn says, smiling at him. he snorts, "i didn't write that." "i did," big red says.

i walk up to kourtney, "hey um, have you seen nini?" i ask. "um, she's packing up. that boarding school person took off. i think she's taken it pretty hard," she says. i sigh, walking to the dressing room.

"hey! there you are," i say, making nini turn around. "hey," she says. "i was wondering where you went," i say, walking up to nini. "yeah, just making sure i have everything i need." i place my bag on a seat. "sorry that teacher chick left. she doesn't know what she's missing." "no, it's okay," nini chuckles. "you sure?" i ask. "honestly, i was kinda dying to get in all of a sudden. but now she's gone and it looks like i'm meant to be at east high, so, that's okay," nini says. "yeah," i say, nodding. "oh uh, what was your question?" "hm?" i hum, confused. "the question you were gonna ask me before we bowed?" "oh," i chuckle, "i was just um, i was just gonna say... what happens now?" "what do you mean?" she asks. "i've never open a show... or closed one. so like, what happens now?" "usually the theater kids cry, then we go to denny's." i laugh, "i mean, now that it's all over." "uh, don't you have like a hundred volleyball training sessions to go to?" "yeah, i guess so," i say, smiling at her.

nini chuckles lightly. i looka t the floor, looking back up at her. we stare at each other for a few seconds. "is that it?" nini asks. i exhales, and nini breaks the eye contact, picking up her bag and slinging it over her shoulder. "great job tonight, y/n," she says, walking past me. i turn around, "i love you!"

immediately, nini turns around too, making me nervously chuckle. "i love you more than friends do. more than best friends do. i've loved you since the first time you picked up your ukulele and you wrote a song about clouds, a silly little song about clouds," i walk up to her as she stares at me, "i love you. i love everything about you. the way that you get dizzy when you do cartwheels, or when you do a british accent when you're nervous. i love all of you. i loved you since seventh grade, when i made you ride in the front row of demon's destiny at six flags, and you told me you get a little seasick on roller coasters, and i said 'come on, live a little'," i say as nini chuckles with a bright smile. "i remember," she says, giggling once again. "and then i puked all over your shoes and you didn't even make me feel bad about it! no! you just said, um..." "no worries. i've been wanting to get rid of these shoes for a while," nini finishes off my sentence. "yeah, because you outgrew them. the thing is... i'm never gonna outgrow you. and i don't really know what happens tomorrow, or in two minutes when we walk out that door. all i know is, i want this feeling to keep going. because this whole experience... i'm not ready for it to be over," i say.

i exhale, "for us to just continue being friends. i don't want this to be just a showmance, really. i want it to be the real thing. i mean, i think it is the real thing, i just... i want a chance to prove it. i do. i mean, look-" "y/n... you know in musicals when people burst into song when they've run out of things to say?" nini asks. "yeah?" i respond, nini walking up to me. "sometimes it's easier to just kiss." "yeah?" i nod, smiling. "yeah," she chuckles.

we take a step forward, nini's lips colliding with mine as my hands connected to her waist. if it weren't for nini's hands on my jaw keeping me up, i would've melted right then and there.

my right hand goes to her chin as we pull apart, looking at each other, leaning back in. 

nini pulls apart, looking at my lips then at my eyes, taking her hands away from my face and reaching into her back. i exhale, watching her. she hands me a small bag. "what's this?" i ask. "open it," she says. i laugh, opening it. "to the one who gets me," i read the small in engraving in the thin bracelet bar. nini giggles, helping me clip it on my wrist. "i got you something too, i just hope you don't lose this as much as you do with your own," i say, getting out a box from my bag. i hand it to her and she opens the box. "my other half," she reads the golden guitar pick, giggling. "thank you," we both say at the same time. nini smiles, moving closer and kissing me once more. "uh, knock knock?" kourtney says at the door, "nini, your moms are asking for you and i think your grandma wants pictures." "got it," nini says, turning back to me. "i should probably..." "yeah," i say, smiling. "one more," she leans forward again for another kiss, pulling away and pecking my lips again. "okay," she says, turning around as we both chuckle. "i'll catch up," i say. "okay," she responds, turning around and chuckling before turning the corner. i smile at the door, turning around and i scrunching my face up as i smile widely.