— act one, scene four: not my type

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     "And I am also pleased to announce that this year, seniors will be allowed to wear baseball hats on Fridays."

     The back to school announcements was always kind of boring, but she'd rather sit through them than do her homework.  Megara sighed, fixing her posture and stretching her arms out over her head.  She cleared her throat quietly.  "Go seniors," she snickered, biting her lip and winking at Ricky and Red who were staring at her.

     "And now for a special introduction.  This year, East High has a new drama teacher with an announcement that she swore, in writing, would not cost too much money.  Please hold your applause."

     "Why?" Ricky asked.  Megara and Big Red both turned to look at the curly-haired boy sitting in between them on the cold bleachers.  "Why do things have to change?"

     Megara put a reassuring hand on Ricky's shoulder as Big Red opened his mouth.  "Some things never change, dude.  I've been wearing the same socks for three days."  Both Ricky and Megara's faces contoured into looks of disgust and discomfort.

     "Go, Wildcats!" the teacher came out, shooting a tee—shirt into the stands like they do at concerts.  " Yeah.  My name is Ms Jenn, and when I heard that the high school where High School Musical was shot had never staged a production of High School Musical, the musical, I was shocked as an actress, inspired as a director, and triggered as a millennial."

     Ricky turned to Megara.  MILLENNIAL? he mouthed.

     "Auditions are tomorrow after school.  This show could change your lives, and I'm saying this as a background dancer from the original movie.  Third from the left, back row, red headband, and those are my real teeth.  And so meet your student choreographer, Carlos.  You know him as captain of the colour guard.  I know him as an unpaid, rising star."

NINI: I've spent two years in the chorus at East High.  I mean, it would be insane to think I might actually have a shot at playing Gabriella.  Right? 

CARLOS: As the school's resident High School Musical historian, I basically have zero chill about this right now.  I've seen the original movie 37 times, and the first 15 minutes of both sequels.

MEGARA: Just when I thought today couldn't get any more interesting.  Yay.

     "Dude, are you seeing this? 

     "I'm seein' it, I'm hearin' it, I'm hatin' it," Ricky grumbled.

     "I can't believe it.  She's dating EJ Caswell," Big Red stated the obvious.

     "Yes.  I have eyes."

     "Co-captain of the water polo team.  Senior class treasurer."

     "That's correct."

     "What do you think?" Big Red turned to Megara, who was fiddling around with the leftover ramen noodles she'd made the night before, staring down at them on her plate and violently poking them, wishing for the conversation to end.

     "Uh, I dunno," she shrugged.  "He's not really my type."

     "He's kinda cute," Rita said, practically slamming her lunch tray down next to Megara, her thick silver hoop earrings swinging all over the place as she sat down.  Her younger sister K.C. followed with Savannah right behind her, who grumbled.  "What?  You can't even be mad at me, Sav," Rita rubbed her glossed lips together.

     "Whatever, I'm just happy he didn't cheat on me.  Which, is what half of the student body is saying right now," Savannah's head fell into her hands, K.C. patting her back with sympathy.  "I can't believe this, this is not what we planned!  I don't understand..." she trailed, finding it in her to pick up the fork on her lunch tray and begin eating, fixing her posture and blinking rapidly.

     Big Red turned back to Ricky, trying to ignore Savannah like the rest of the people at the table.  "What are the odds that the guy she hooks up with at camp goes to East High?"

     "Apparently, the odds are exceptionally good."

     "I'm sorry, dude.  What are you gonna do?"

     Ricky shook his head.  "I don't know.  No offence, but the one person I go to for advice is currently on her honeymoon in the cafeteria."

     "Ouch," Megara said, a noodle hanging from her bottom lip, slurping it up into her mouth as Ricky watched her.

     "I'm sorry, Meg," his face softened.  "I just need some time to myself right now," he got up from the table and walked away with his tray in hand.  Megara watched as he went, the table falling silent for a moment before Big Red struck up a conversation with the girls.

MEGARA: Savannah has a point... I don't understand either.

     "I'm doing something wrong," Ricky's dad said, looking over a big pot on the counter.

     "I mean, you're cooking, so..." Ricky said as the front door opened.  

     "You guys should probably invest in better security.  Or, you know, start locking your doors," Megara said as she walked into the Bowen's kitchen, hand holding her backpack strap tightly.  "What's up, Mr Bowen?"

     His dad nodded.  "Hey, little one.  How was school."

     Megara shrugged.  "Eh, you know.  Little bit of this, little bit of that.  We have a new drama teacher," she smiled, his dad returning it kindly.  

     Ricky seemed to be the only one confused as to why the brunette was standing in his kitchen right now.  "Megara, what are you even doing here?"

     "You left your sweater at school," she replied blatantly.

     "And... you decided to come to my house?"

     "I couldn't forget where you lived even if I tried," Megara shrugged.  "What's up?" she took interest in Mr Bowen's cooking and waltzed over to the side of the island opposite Ricky, dropping her backpack on the couch along the way.

     "This chicken's been in here for 10 minutes.  It's colder than when I put it in."

     "Call Mom," Ricky suggested.

     "How is that possible?  Did I hit a freeze-dry button?"

     "Just call Mom."

     "Yeah, we're not buggin' your mom."

     "It's, like, 9:00 p.m. in Chicago.  She can't still be in a meeting," Ricky argued as his dad took out the chicken by its leg.  The chicken fell to the floor, Megara's eyes widening.  "Okay.  I'm calling Mom."

     "Don't!" his dad said, startling both the kids slightly.  "She doesn't wanna hear from me right now, okay?"

     "What?"

     "You alright, Mr B?" Megara bent down to pick up the chicken.  Mr Bowen nodded and turned back to his son.

     "She just—she just needs a couple more days in Chicago to think things over," he said.

     Oh.

     "What is there to "think over"?" Ricky asked, growing increasingly irritated with everything his dad was saying.

     "It has nothing to do with you, okay?  It's gonna be fine, bud."

MEGARA: If anything, he's right about it not being Rick's fault or whatever.  Normally parents actually stay together longer because of their kids.  But what do I know?

RICKY: I mean, is he kidding with this? Shouldn't he be on an airplane right now to Chicago? Shouldn't he be fighting to save this? 

     Ricky scrolled mindlessly through Instagram before he raised his head, making eye contact with the brown-eyed girl.  "Oh no," she said, placing the chicken back on top of the counter.  "No, no.  I know that look."

     "You don't even know what I'm thinking," he said with a mischievous smile.

     "The answer is no!" she said.  "The puppy eyes do not work—" before she could even finish her sentence, Ricky grabbed her by her wrist and started running, the girl reluctantly following him up the stairs.  "What the hell, dude!?"

MEGARA: I wish I could say I'm surprised.  (Zoom in on face)  I'm not.

#JJ
happy valentines day!