— act two, scene six: the night of nights

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     "I don't believe this!" Ricky exclaimed as he looked down at his phone screen.  "This dude steals my girlfriend and 12 seconds after they break up, he's already playin' the field."

     "You could take a lesson from that, my man," Big Red said.  K.C. nodded in agreement from the other side of him.  Since Big Red asked her to the dance, she decided to wear an A-line dress in the same color as his suit.

     "Gee, thanks for defending my mortal enemy," Ricky scoffed.

     "No, he's right," Megara tapped Ricky's forearm.  "Hey, you should post the picture we took on the way in!"

     "Okay, which one.  You made me take a hundred," Ricky opened up his photo app as Megara peered over his shoulder.  While K.C. had opted for an A-line, Megara had found a long lilac dress with golden claps holding the straps up for a supportive cowl neck and topped it off with a sheer glittery shawl that she held up over her elbows.  Her long black hair was pulled into a high ponytail, only leaving a chunk of her bangs out, which she combed to one side and curled away from her face.

     "I only dress up once a year, Bowen, so I was trying to take advantage of it," Megara said as she rested against his left shoulder.  "Oh God, we look so good in this one," Megara said, tapping the heart on the bottom of his screen to favorite the picture of Ricky's arms wrapped around her waist as she stood in front of him, both flashing a quick grin for the camera.

     "Speak of the devil.  Get a load of this player," he showed the group his recent notification from his dad, revealing a Mike Bowen selfie.  "He's texting me for fashion advice.  Me!" 

     "Excuse us," Gina's smooth voice cut through their conversation, the four of them turning to look up at her, revealing her to be on the arm of a very annoyed EJ.  "These seats taken?"

     "He'll show up, okay?  Maybe he just hit traffic," the group at the table took turns comforting a quickly decomposing Carlos, whose chin was sinking into the palm of his hand as he didn't want to tear his eyes away from the door.

     "We live in Salt Lake City.  There hasn't been traffic since the 2002 Winter Olympics."

     "What's going on?" Megara whispered as best as she could to K.C., across Ricky and Big Red.  Since Megara was sitting the closest to Gina, she was trying to find anything else but the obvious fake couple interesting.

     "Oh, I think he asked Seb to the dance with him," K.C. smiled as the two girls leaned in closer to try and hear each other better, forgetting that the boys were there.  "So cute, right?"

     Megara smiled and nodded.  Her bangs bounced as she did.  "Oh, totally."

     "Don't assume Seb stood you up, okay?  Maybe he was just in a farming accident."

     "Not helping," Carlos groaned.

     "Could you get me some punch, babe?" Gina turned to EJ, speaking loud and clear for the whole table to hear.

     "Sure, babe," EJ responded before getting up and walking over to the punch table.

     K.C. scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest.  "You can do better than EJ.  Not to intrude on date night or anything though.  He just... sucks."

     Megara turned to K.C. in partial awe and partial shock.  Rita and K.C. were always the first ones to speak their minds, but she had to say she was shocked to hear K.C. say it to her face.  It was probably a good thing that Savannah and Rita were placed at a different table, Megara realized.

     "Hah, you're not exactly one to give relationship advice though, are you?" Gina bit back.  "And when I want your opinion, I'll ask."

     "Whatever dude," K.C. sat back in her chair, stretching out her arms.  Megara didn't realize she was holding her own breath, knowing K.C. was about to say something explosive.  While Big Red and Ricky looked like they were in shock, they had no idea.  "Maybe you really are what people say you are."

     "And that is?" Gina tilted her head.

     "Just drop it, Gina," Megara placed a hand over the girl's balled fist next to her.  The girls shared a long glance, one that sent shivers down Megara's spine and made her fear turn away from her.  Gina's eyes were like that of a cobra, but something told Megara she wouldn't bite.

     "Dude," Big Red tried to shush K.C., to no avail.

     "Just a little too ambitious for your own good, or anyone else's," K.C. finished with a shrug as if she didn't care at all.

     "Was this, like, a huge mistake?" K.C. asked the circle around her consisting of Megara, Ricky, and Big Red.  Savannah and Rita had sworn off men for the school year so they were dancing together on the dancefloor.

     "What?  Calling Gina out like that?" Megara asked.

     "Yeah, that was mad harsh, dude.  You owe her an apology," Big Red insisted.

     "Eh, I don't know," Ricky chimed in.  "She showed up to the dance with my ex's ex.  What's that about?" 

     "Maybe it's not actually about you at all," Big Red said.  "Maybe people are allowed to go out with whoever they wanna go out with and be whoever they wanna be.  Sorry, I've been falling asleep to Dr. Phil lately."

     "He's right," Megara said, swirling the drink around in her cup.  "Besides, it's obvious they're just doing it to push Nini's buttons."

     "How do you know?" K.C. asked.

     Megara pressed her lips together.  "I mean, why else would they come together?  I heard them talking during rehearsal a long time ago about a plan, maybe some elaborate scheme to try and get Nini and EJ together?" Megara shrugged, quickly feeling suffocated by her own lies.  "I don't know, I'm just grasping at straws here."  But by the way Ricky looked right into her eyes, she understood that he understood that she understood where Gina and EJ were coming from.

     "Can we just get outta here?" Ricky sighed.

     "Now?" Megara frowned.

     "Dude, we're at Homecoming," Big Red added.  You should be finding eligible hunnies for me to dance with.  No offense, K.C."

     "None taken."

     "Hold that thought," Ricky's index finger twitched.  "Drama, two o'clock."

     "What is wrong with you, EJ?" Big Red said in a girly voice, reading their lips.  "I'm intimidated by how fly Big Red looks in that suit he borrowed from Ricky," he said in a deep voice, followed by the girly one again.  "Don't be intimidated, be inspired.  Big Red is an underrated style legend."

     "Dude.  You're an idiot," Ricky chuckled.

     Their small moment of happiness was thrown after they watched Gina chuck a drink at EJ, completely drenching him.  "Awh, K.C. you've got her in a bad mood," Megara said as they watched Gina storm off.

     "Come on," K.C. whined.

     "Nah, I gotta play the big sister this time," Megara shook her head.  "Go apologize to her."

     "Fine," K.C. bowed Big Red goodbye before turning on her heel to go catch up with the girl in the sequin dress.

     "And us?" Big Red asked.

     "And we dance," Megara held out a hand for both boys to drag them to the dance floor with her.

     "Sorry, I don't do cash.  Could you send me a Venmo request?"  Gina shut her handbag in her hands as she sighed and tugged her coat on tightly.

     "Do you need to borrow a buck?" K.C. smoothed her hands against her dress as she took long strides toward the girl in front of her.  "Gi?"

     "You do not want to clap at me right now.  I will clap back," Gina warned before pushing past the smaller girl.  Of course, she had that advantage since Gina wore heels while K.C. was still wearing her everyday Converse.

     "Wait, wait!  I was actually gonna apologize."

     "Okay, go ahead."

     "Um... that was the apology.  Look, I'm sorry, who you hang out with or don't hang out with isn't any of my business."

     "Then why are you making it your business?" Gina asked with a head tilt.

     K.C. shrugged quickly, ignoring Gina's gaze at all costs.  She suddenly felt a lot more embarrassed, especially now that she was talking to her alone.  "Um...  I don't know.  It's like you're an outsider in your group, right?  And I'm, like, an outsider in my group.  I thought we sort of, like, got each other?" K.C. said, but it came out as an awkward question.

     "I mean, we did until you came for me," Gina said in a low voice.

     "Yeah, I'm sorry.  Everything's been a little off lately, mostly at home.  It's a whole thing, I don't mean to bother you with it."

     "You're not the only one with home drama."

     "Well, I didn't need to add to yours," K.C. rocked on her feet for a moment before taking a leap.  "I know it doesn't make up for it, but let me walk you home."

     "Did you come with a ride?" Gina nodded towards the gymnasium.

     K.C. shrugged.  "It's worth it.  Come on."

     While K.C. and Gina were having a heart-to-heart, Megara found it in herself to dance with her other classmates, especially after Ashlyn first noticed Carlos dancing by himself.

     "From way up here, yeah, the view is gold... 'Cause I was born to be brave!  Now I'm standing miles high like castles in the sky!  Like castles in the sky!"

     "Looks like I missed a lot," Seb walked through the sparced crowd of kids with a distressed look on his face.  

     Megara turned to Ricky, who had an almost embarrassed look on his face.  When she thought he might say something like 'I still hate dancing' or maybe even burp, he instead extended his hand out to her.  He didn't have to say anything, not a single convincing word, for Megara to turn her lips up at his suggestion and take his hand into hers.

     "The dance started three hours ago," Carlos pointed out.

     "We lost one of our cows."

     "You could have texted."

     "We have bad reception at the barn.  I'm really sorry about being so late."

     "I'm really sorry about your cow."

     "Hey.  At least our ties match."

     "They are so cute," Megara whispered into Ricky's ear as she wrapped her arms over his shoulder.  The two weren't as good in the slow dancing department, but neither minded as Ricky's hands gently hovered over Megara's waist, swaying back and forth.  She pulled back to look at his face.  Still whispering, she scrunched her nose.  "Oh sorry, I meant, you're cuter."

     A warm smile fell upon his lips as he felt the ends of her ponytail flutter across his knuckles.  "Thanks.  You look... very pretty tonight too."

     Megara smiled as if she had never been more proud in her life.  "Now don't go falling in love with me, Bowen."

     Ricky shook his head, bringing his hand higher up her back and softly pressing her body into his again.  Megara huffed quietly as she rested her cheek against his shoulder.  "I wouldn't dream of it, Meg."

     "So, this is where I live," Gina said as she and K.C. strolled down the sidewalk in her neighborhood and came upon her house.  "Ta-da.  Let me guess, you pictured a wrought iron gate and a bunch of gargoyles?"

     "I actually pictured something more from the Addams Family," K.C. said, earning a playful slap to her shoulder from Gina.  "Kidding."

     Gina sighed.  "Thank you.  For, uh, walking me home."

     K.C. nodded.  "Anytime.  But um, thank you."

     "For what?" Gina furrowed her perfectly trimmed eyebrows.

     K.C. kicked a rock that wasn't there.  "Being a cool role model in the drama club," she shrugged.  "I shouldn't have called you an outsider, that was harsh."

     Gina nodded slowly.  "But it's the truth."

     "It's just inspiring that you came to this school not knowing any of us, knowing anybody, and you still grabbed one of the best parts.  I know you wanted Gabriella, but I always thought Taylor was pretty cool.  Anyways, being part of the play is so scary, but you make it look so easy."

     If K.C. didn't know any better, she would've said Gina was smiling.  "Well, it suits you."

     "I still don't know all the theatre terms, I feel like I have no idea what I'm doing.  Like I'm just filling a seat.  But it's nice to have somewhere to go after school every day, you know?" 

     "I know," Gina nodded.  "Believe me."

     "Yeah..." K.C. swallowed the lump in her throat.  "Hey, before you head inside, what was that big blow-up all about with you and your date?"

     "I already forgot about it.  And I don't do dates, by the way.  It's hard enough to make friends.  Try moving five schools in seven years."

     "How's that working out for ya?"

     A thick silence fell over the duo before Gina noticed the flickering lights from the patio — a warning sign from her mother.  "I should probably..."

     "Yeah, yeah," K.C. took a step back, not realizing how close in proximity she had gotten to the taller girl.  "See you at school," she said, watching Gina gravitate towards the fence in her yard.  "But you know, I meant what I said."

     Another ghost of a smile from Gina as she gently said into the night, "Goodnight, K.C."

     The shorter girl sighed.  "Goodnight, Gina."

#JJ
who are y'alls fave s3 characters so far 😏 i got jet