༺ Sense and Sensibility ༻

     Megara couldn't stop hearing Ricky's voice ring through her ears; "guys don't wanna date girls who already have boyfriends."  She couldn't help but feel guilty, was she wrong to be stringing them both along like this?  What was her defense for this, that Ricky had done it first?  How did that make things any better?

     Besides her ongoing fake relationship crisis — which was starting to take over her life — there wasn't much going on.  At this point, besides the couple of Instagram posts and TikTok videos that garnered attention from other kids at East High, there wasn't really a need to constantly check her phone.

     Needless to say that when her phone buzzed multiple times on her way to Ricky's new apartment to pick him up for school, Megara was confused.  She didn't get a chance to really check her phone well after they got to school (no way was she going to let Ricky drive her baby again after he nearly killed them both in Colorado), and when she did she was very surprised by the caller ID of the person who texted her.

     Rosetta Montez, under the nickname "Garden Fairy".

     Ricky instantly noticed the wrinkles forming on Megara's forehead as she read the text messages with a confused look.  "Everything okay?" he asked, taking her hand into his with ease as they walked into the warm atmosphere that their school provided them.

     Megara heavily sighed, sliding her phone into her tote bag under her armpit.  The tote bag, which had a printed picture of Goofy and Clarabell, matched her cow print cardigan and black long-sleeve, paired with a red beanie atop her head to keep her ears from freezing.  "It's nothing.  It's just Rosetta."

     Ricky snapped his head sideways to instantly look at her, surprised, to say the least.  Out of all the things he expected her to say, that was one of the last things on his list.  "Your sister Rosetta?  Is everything okay?"

     Megara nodded.  "Yeah, perfectly fine.  She just wanted to let me know she was probably going to go to the wedding with mom."

     Ricky exhaled for a long moment.  "Wow, how old is she now?"

     "Well, let's see.  If I'm seventeen and I want her to stay six forever... she's, unfortunately, turning thirteen soon.  She's the Pisces freak baby."

     "Wow, it seems like just yesterday she was learning how to walk," Ricky slowed as they neared Megara's first class of the day.

     "Tell me about it," Megara added as they came to a full stop outside the door.  She glanced inside.  "I have Mazzara first thing," Megara rolled her eyes.  She hadn't really been a fan of him since last semester when he insulted Carlos by saying he had zero friends.

     "It'll be over before you know it," Ricky leaned forward, placing a kiss so quick she hardly felt it on her nose.  "See you later."

     "Say what you want about her being shy, but she totally kissed me first," KC placed her hands up in surrender as the friend group made various faces.

     Ricky nodded.  "Well, you know Nini.  She is a real go-getter."

     KC nodded in response.  "I think she would tell you that I'm a great kisser, even on such short notice."

     Megara gagged from Ricky's right.  "I don't need to hear about who's kissing who."

     It almost seemed like Phillip was going to say something from his spot across the table, but instead, a whole new topic came up.  "Attention, thespians!" Carlos announced.  "I have a brief announcement."

     "Speech!  Speech!" some of the other kids from the ever-growing large theatre gang started gathering around and egging Carlos's dramatic self on.  Megara wasn't very close with many of them, definitely not like she was with Ricky and Big Red, but she was starting to get used to them.

     "After spending the last couple of weeks Google-stalking the Menkie Awards, I've discovered that there is no category for Best Choreography," he leaned across one of the tables.  "And since the Menkies is step one to me becoming the first-ever winner of a MEGOT..."

     "Megot?" Big Red asked.

     "Menkie, Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony," Ashlyn clarified.

     "I've decided that I will be auditioning to be on stage this year.  Thank you, all!" Carlos ended his announcement with a smile, radiating from the positive feedback he received, mostly by clapping and some other kids patting his shoulders.  Of course, Seb was standing behind him, beaming from his proud excitement.

     "Big Red's trying out too!" Ashlyn said with a cheerful grin, leaning her head on Big Red's shoulder while lifting his arm and waving it around.

     "Yeah, he is!" Ricky said while Megara clapped her hand around her mouth and hollered in agreement.  She, for one, knew Big Red was an amazing dancer and had a great monotone voice that could be well used for the theatre.  Or at least the theatre Miss Jenn had created.

     "Super cool," Phillip folded his arms over the table and smiled.  "Hopefully you'll land a good role."

     "Yeah, big ups, Big Red," Gina said in agreement.  "You gonna teach me some of those allegedly great tap moves?"

     Big Red's eyes widened.  "I'm so scared."

     Megara giggled, turning her attention back to the book in her lap, Sense and Sensibility (never mind that she had seen Jess Mariano read it first).  But just as easily, her attention was captured again.

     "Oh, just remember you cannot play Chip, the teacup, since it'd obviously be weird for you to be my son," Ashlyn said, nodding away as if in her own thoughts, and if Megara had come to learn anything about her, it was that she was definitely overthinking something.  "I mean, I'm probably getting Mrs. Potts.  Not that we don't all have an equal shot."

ASHLYN: After playing Ms. Darbus, this is pretty much in the bag. It's called Disney-bounding. Yeah, I dabble. 

MEGARA: Yeah, of course she would think that she is going to get typecast.  Thankfully, Miss Jenn doesn't think that way.  I mean, she made Kelsi a hot second-generation Mexican woman. [motions to self]  Anything is possible.

     "What's up?"Kourtney asked Carlos when he made his way over to her, making the group's circle tighter as some people stood around the tables where most kids were sitting.

     "Miss Jenn tells me you're also going out for a role this year," Carlos noted.

     "What can I say, I play Taylor for half an act of HSM and suddenly I think I'm Regina King," Kourtney chuckled, twisting her hair around her finger.

     "You're gonna kill it," Megara looked back over her shoulder as Kourtney beamed, placing her hands on Megara's shoulders, then Megara placed her hands right over Kourtney's.

     "You're welcome," EJ broke through the conversation, taking a seat in between Ricky and KC.  When Ricky muttered something like Huh? over the confusion for the sudden interruption, EJ decided to clarify.  "Uh, I've decided to take myself out of the running for the Beast.  I'm just I've got a lot on my plate.  Which reminds me, I should probably pick a meal plan for Duke."

     "Wait, you officially got in?" Ashlyn asked.

     "Back up," Ricky shook his head.  "You're not doing the musical either?" 

     "No, I've only got the bandwidth for a supporting role," EJ said before also becoming confused.  "Wait, what do you mean "either"?"

     Now everybody was looking at Ricky expectantly, including Megara, who was curious about what Ricky had to say.  "I'm, uh, I'm not sure if I'm auditioning this year.  You know, once a skate rat... right?" he asked, but he sounded more unsure than anything.

     The girl on his arm was also unsure.  Ricky and Megara had discussed their plan to get Phillip to take notice of her, and arguing over Ricky spending his time doing something else was vital to their plan.  It didn't really work out if they weren't arguing over something huge, since they'd almost totally successfully made every single person in their lives believe they were head over heels for each other.  Real love didn't just disappear overnight, and they knew that.  Ricky throwing in all his time and commitment for the school's musical was the perfect cover.  Assuming things magically worked out in his favor again and he got the lead role, which Megara believed he would.

     "Oh," Megara couldn't hide her disappointment more if she tried.  She tugged the hem of her beanie down more.  "Are you being serious?"

     "Um, sorry, I've been trying to work up the courage to say this," a blonde girl Megara had never seen before broke through their circle and interrupted their current conversation.  Megara rested her right temple against her newly painted midnight blue fingernails as she listened to the girl finish her piece.  "Okay, I can't believe I'm standing in front of both Troy Bolton's right now.  Both your performances last semester in HSM were incredible," she finished, clapping her hands together in front of her.  There wasn't much else to say about her other than she wore a preppy ponytail, a white collared shirt with a denim dress over it, and a pink headband in her hair with a bow.  Megara was sure she had never seen this girl before at school.

     "Thanks," Ricky said quietly.

     "Thank you.  That means a lot to us.  It honestly takes a village to get a show up on its feet.  I've been blessed," EJ said, definitely visibly happier than Ricky.  It was hard to make fun of him when he genuinely cared about the show and everyone in it.  That was something Megara couldn't make fun of.

     "No, no, I mean, thank you.  Really.  I mean, you both inspired me to wanna try out this semester," the girl said.

     "And who are you?" Megara dropped her hand from her temple as she squinted, thinking long and hard about possibly seeing her around before, but still, nothing.  She wasn't even at her party last week, and tons of people were there.

     "Uh, no one, really.  You wouldn't know me.  But... It's intimidating being basically, like, brand new to theater.  Hey, honestly, you guys are all so talented.  Even you," the girl motioned back towards Megara, who wasn't taking to the backhanded compliment.

     "Oh, thank you," Ashlyn beamed.

     "Hey, do you mind if we...?" the girl held her phone up sideways, motioning for them all to get together for a photo.

      "No, absolutely," Gina flashed her perfect grin as Megara shook her head.  She had known this blonde girl all of two seconds, and already she was getting on her last nerve.  Megara wasn't even sure why, but she noticed all day today she had been short-fused, and she just wanted to get through the rest of it in one piece.

     "Cheese," the girl said as she pressed the button on her phone screen, freezing Ricky and Megara's uncomfortable faces among the group's grins in time.

     "Hey, you can tag me in that.  It's just EJWaterPoloTheaterGuy.  Theater E-R," EJ beamed, causing KC to groan.  Thankfully, Savannah and Rita weren't there to help cause a scene.

     "Just did," she smiled.  "Bye."

     When she was out of earshot, Megara turned to Big Red and Ashlyn.  "I did not like that."

     Ricky tapped her hand gently.  "There, there."

     "I just didn't like it," Megara repeated before taking a deep breath in and returning to her book, trying to shake her nerves.

     "Dude, I need your help bad," Big Red turned the corner opposite of Megara quickly as Ricky was taking his time leaving his class, as the bell had just rung moments before.

     "What's going on with you?" Megara asked as she approached the two, still wearing her cow print sweater and red beanie.  She had stuffed her tote bag into her locker, so she was only carrying her cell phone in her hand.  Her phone case was metallic black, but when her lock screen lit up, you could easily see the picture her dad had taken of her, Savannah, and Ricky right after the last production.

     "I'm experiencing the German word for anxiety, hunger, and the deathly fear of disappointing the one person you really wanna impress.  I wish Ashlyn had never walked in on me tap dancing," he groaned as Megara shifted to walk in sync with them.

     "There's a German word for that?" Megara asked, but it went unanswered.

     "I mean, your dark and horrible secret was bound to surface someday," Ricky dryly said.  Megara glared at him, but in his defense, he wasn't always the best at comforting people or confronting emotions, so she dropped it.

     But Big Red didn't.  "Dude, I'm serious," he dragged his feet and slowly walked to the side of the hallway as everybody else left so the three were alone.  He leaned his back against the wall and sunk into the ground.

     "Look, it's actually pretty simple," Ricky said, taking a seat next to Big Red on the floor, Megara towering in front of them as she maintained a distance.  "You like Ashlyn, right?"

     "Understatement of the year," Big Red softly scoffed.

     "Yeah.  Okay.  So, you really like her.  If there's one thing last semester taught me, it's that really liking a girl can get you through a lot of crap.  Including stage fright," Ricky said, slightly tilting his head.   Megara admired these small rare moments of Ricky's where he was being genuinely kind and gentle with his friends (the two of them), but they didn't come so often so when they did, Megara wanted to observe as quietly as she could as if watching a wild animal in its natural habitat.  Ricky scratched his curls and turned his attention to the girl standing in front of him.  "Right, Meg?  Remember how scared I was?"

     Megara cleared her throat before nodding.  "Um, yes.  Yes, he's right.  And he lives to tell the story."

     "Hey, at least, if I choke up there today, I won't be alive to see Ashlyn's disappointment," Big Red said.

     "Dude, I don't think you've ever disappointed anyone in your whole life," Ricky said, finally making Big Red lift his gaze from the floor.  When Big Red looked at Ricky, he nodded, and when Big Red looked at Megara, she also nodded.  There wasn't much else to be said at that moment, but hopefully Big Red could tell how loved he was by Ricky and Megara.

     "You know what'd actually make me feel better?  Knowing you were gonna be up there too.  Are you sure you don't wanna audition?"

     "I..." Ricky began, stopping before he had even begun to shake his head and start over.  "I haven't ruled it out."

     Now it was Megara who scoffed.  "Well, the clock is ticking on that."

     Even though their little conversation had worked to cheer Big Red up and set him straight before setting through the doors to the auditorium, something was still unsettled with Ricky (and Megara, honestly).  The two were quietly standing in the hallway outside, mostly just Megara watching the wheels in Ricky's head turn and offering to be there for him whenever he chose to speak up.  Which hadn't been a lot, and she was sure Miss Jenn was due to sing a cover of a Disney song in a high-pitched voice soon.

     "Last-minute jitters?" Mr. Mazzara asked as he passed through the empty hallway.

     "Yeah.  Er, no?  Not really jitters this time.  I told a couple people I might audition, but honestly I'll probably just bag it," Ricky shrugged.

     "Well, you're Ricky Bowen," Mr. Mazzara replied.  "Pretty much checks out."

     "Wait, what's that supposed to mean?" Ricky asked, past confused.

     "Well, I've had you in my class.  You're not exactly the type of person who finishes what he starts.  You don't complete assignments.  You walk off stage in the middle of performances.  It can't exactly be news to you that people think of you as unreliable, right?" Mr. Mazzara said.  When Ricky and Megara stood there confused (and bewildered, on Megara's part), Mr. Mazzara then shrugged and walked away.

     Ricky turned around hastily.  "What if he's right?"

     Megara shook her head, taking a couple of quick strides to be right in front of him.  "What if... he's wrong."

     "Hey, G," Carlos crept up to the corner where Gina was stretching with KC and Rita.  "So, Miss Jenn and I were thinking since I'll be playing a role this year, I mean, if I end up playing a role this year — she has not already basically precast the show, — I won't be able to fulfill my duties as choreographer."

     "Wait, you guys want me to be choreographer?  Carlos!" Gina exclaimed.

     "Close... Co-choreographer."

GINA: Okay, I don't mean to sound ungrateful.  I don't, but why does everyone suddenly want to do "co" stuff with me?  I'm trying to make my mark, not co-make-my-co-mark.

KC: That hit to her heart was obvious from miles away, I'm not sure why Carlos thought that was a stellar idea.  But I'm sure she can handle her own, right?  This is Gina Porter we are talking about.  This is why I should mind my own business.

     "Oh, thanks, Carlos.  Um, I'm really flattered.  Uh, I just don't think I'm gonna have the time," Gina said.

     "Cool.  What's the real reason?" he asked, pressing his lips together as the Alvarez sisters pretended like they weren't eavesdropping — which wasn't too hard since they were stretching right next to Gina.

     "I think it'd just mean a lot for me to have this one thing for myself," Gina clarified.

CARLOS: I guess I kinda get that.  Seb and I aren't really sharers.  We can't even split French fries.  Not exactly sure the stage is big enough for two tenors.  Well, one tenor and one alto with whistle tones.

RITA: I knew KC was getting too close to her, but what the hell do I know about love anyway?

     "You heard him," Ricky scoffed.  "What he said was one hundred percent true.  I can't even get through a performance of HSM."

     "Hey, screw Mazz.  He has no idea who he's even talking to," Megara crossed her arms over her chest, bitterly watching the corner where Mr. Mazzara had disappeared to.  "Your version of Troy was terrific, and I'm not just saying that because I want Operation Heart Stealer to continue."

     "Megara—"

     "You're such a great kid, Ricky," Megara cut him off.  "A couple of bad days are not your defining moment.  You are worth more than you even know."

     She was sure she had never seen Ricky look at her like this.  Sure, many times they had shared intimate moments (even some blurring the lines in their fake relationship, but hey, that's what the contract was for), but nothing came close to this.  It was as if Megara had stripped a layer of herself down, clean, right off.  Her words may have been a product of her own rough day, but if she could help anybody in the world, it would be Ricky every time.

     The curly-haired boy softly chewed his bottom lip as he stared at her, and Megara could see his two sides battling it out.  His feet stuttered, but ultimately, he decided to go for the door.  Once he had his hand wrapped around it tightly, he still had the desire to see Megara's face.

     "I know who you are, do you?" was the last thing on her mind that she could think of saying, and she let it come out as she saw the needing in his eyes.  She wasn't sure what he truly wanted, so the least she could do was try to be his friend.

     "Certain as the sun... Rising in the east... Tale as old as time... Song as old as rhyme... Beauty and the..." 

     Miss Jenn's singing had been cut short as the squeaky door echoed throughout the auditorium, alerting the group of Ricky's presence (with the short Megara trailing in behind him).  KC, Gina, Rita, Savannah, EJ, Big Red, Ashlyn, and Kourtney all smiled as they realized who it was disturbing their warm-up.  As if they could imagine anyone else doing it.

     "Guess he decided to come after all?" Miss Jenn leaned closer to Carlos as to whisper.

     "Is this Mamma Mia 2?  'Cause here we go again."

     After Megara sat through the group warm-up where everybody sang the song Belle together, she made a break for her bag where she had packed herself a snack knowing how long these auditions went and she wanted to be able to sit through the whole thing.  So what if she was a ten-year-old?

     On her way back, she saw Gina and the blonde girl having a somewhat heated conversation which ended in the blonde ultimately walking away, looking smug.  Megara was hesitant to include herself, but then she saw Gina's daring eyes land on her.  "Que pasa, Porter?"

     Gina only motioned toward the direction where the girl had gone.

     Megara felt a small twist in her stomach.  "Oh, don't tell me I was right about her," she said, clutching tightly onto the bag she had in her hand.  Miss Jenn told her she could snack in the room as long as she didn't disturb anyone and cleaned up after herself.

     "Afraid your hate-o-meter was correct," Gina forced a chuckle, but even that didn't feel right.

     Megara shook her head.  "I knew it.  She was too fake.  And I didn't like the way she was talking to and looking at Ricky."

     Before they knew it, they were back seated in the auditorium, Megara taking a seat next to Gina in support of her and her venturing out this time around.  However, the new girl, who Megara had come to learn was Lily, had taken a seat directly in front of her, which did annoy her.

     Finally, Ashlyn stepped onto the stage, which Megara was highly looking forward to.  "This is an original song I wrote about — Nerd-alert!  The power of friendship.  It was originally written as a solo, but then that was wrong, so I wrote it for three people, and we'll be singing for two."

     "Amateurs," Lily said, which made Megara's jaw drop open.  She couldn't believe someone in this room was being so adamant about ruining a good time.  That was her job.  But the theatre, and Miss Jenn, had no time for that.

     "Wait!" Gina exclaimed, rushing to her feet.  Megara smiled as she watched Gina walk to the stage, taking complete control.

     "Are you okay, honey?" Miss Jenn asked.

     "Sorry.  Is there still room for a third?" Gina answered the question with another question.

     Megara could feel her heart melting by seeing the look on Ashlyn's face.  "Do you know the song?"

     "I was curious, so I spent the afternoon kinda studying it.  It's brilliant," Gina admitted.

     "Get in line, Tercet," Kourtney grinned.

     "Whenever you're ready."

     "Oh, just one thing.  Uh, picture all of us in sequined jumpsuits.  On a light-up dance floor.  In an abandoned warehouse."

     "Very Spice Girls meets Drag Race," Carlos noted.

     "Exactly what I was going for when I wrote it," Ashlyn said.  "Hit it!  Okay, ladies, now I'm ready for the spotlight... No doubt about it, yeah I think it's finally my time..." the three began singing, each taking turns as they shifted around the stage and let the other shine before harmonizing their voices together.  They carried on for a minute or two, and not only were their voices good together, but the song was so catchy that even Megara was bopping her head back and forth.  "One, two, three — One, two, three!"

     "Yeah!  Whoo!  Yeah!" cheers and claps erupted throughout, the loudest applause Megara had ever heard of.

     "Period!" Megara shouted, loving how annoyed the scene was making Lily.  "That's how it's done!"

     "Well, now I'm a little sad we're not doing Dreamgirls," Miss Jenn pouted as she and Carlos even stood to clap for them.  Next up, would be a cover of Ashlyn's song Wondering, the very one Megara was lucky enough to help her perform last semester.  Also, the one Ricky had walked on her singing, but that was a different story.  And while Megara could admit it wasn't done justice, Ashlyn was just happy someone was singing her song.

     "If I had everything would it mean anything to me?" he finally finished.  "Thank you!"

    "Love the choice, Mr. Darbus," Miss Jenn complimented him.  And while it was definitely a choice, Megara would be keeping that thought to herself.  "And next up, we have... Okay, where's Ricky?  Ricky?" 

     "I'm here!" the boy in the green shirt pranced onto the stage.  "I'm here.  I didn't have time to prepare anything original, so, I hope this is okay.  Do you know... Bet On It?" 

     "Really?" Miss Jenn whispered to Carlos, who only shrugged as Ricky prepared his song.  Megara could say she was at least confident he knew all the words this time, which was more than she could say for the first time he auditioned.

MISS JENN: The kid's got the charm.  The kid's got the voice.  But can I trust him to be there for his scene partners? 

CARLOS, bringing her a warm coffee: Is that a rhetorical question, Miss Jenn? Or...

MISS JENN, absentmindedly taking the cup from him: I'm not sure anymore.  I'm just not sure.

CARLOS: Definitely rhetorical.

     "You can bet on me..." Ricky finished out his song, which Megara clapped for anyways despite feeling like the 3D experience she received in Big Red's basement was more exhilarating.

     "What was that?" Carlos and Miss Jenn whispered to each other as Ricky quickly went backstage to get his jacket.

     "Uh, I'm sorry, Miss Jenn," Big Red was the next to run on stage.  "Um, I know you didn't call me yet.  But if it's all right with you, I know I'm the last person to go, and I'd kinda like to get it over with?"

     With a smile, Miss Jenn nodded.  "Show me what you've got, honey."

     Big Red started out his routine confidently — Megara knew how nervous he was about it — but one misplaced foot sent him falling straight to the floor.  He landed quickly on his leg, sending everyone either to their feet to get a better look to see if he was okay, or in shock.  Except for Lily, who snickered.  "Seriously?"

     Megara rolled her eyes, and letting her intrusive thoughts win for the first time that day, Megara brought her flexed foot to the back of Lily's seat, giving her a firm and steady kick.  It didn't do much but feel like a quick pound to her back, but it was enough to jolt Lily forward.  Lily turned around, jaw dropped in shock over Megara's behavior, but Megara only waved her fingers as nicely as she could.  She was, in a sense, holding back.

    Ricky had rushed back out to help Big Red, grabbing him up by the arms.  "You got this, dude," he told him.  "Breathe.  Just breathe.  Okay?  I've got you."

     With that, Big Red rose to his feet again and started his routine from the beginning.  Megara watched curiously as she was sure she hadn't seen him do this before, and she was right.  But the longer she watched the more her smile grew, watching her friend twirl around on that stage.  She never would have thought so many of her friendships would now be owed to that stage, so she'd have to thank the theatre later.

     "Yeah!  Go, Big Red!"

     "Whoo!  Yeah, Big Red!"

     "And that concludes today's auditions," Miss Jenn proudly announced.

     Megara practically leaped out of her seat as she shouted, "Killed it!"  She could see Big Red and Ricky flash toothy smiles back at her, raising their hands in the air as if trying to grab her from across the room.  "My boys..." she said to herself, watching as they proceeded to give the other a large hug while still on a high.

     The lovebirds were standing to the right of the hallway as they awaited the news for the play.  Megara lazily twiddled with Ricky's fingers as they stood in silence.  Megara leaned against the wall behind her, too comfy to move.  Big Red had left them to get his bag since he had to go straight to work after this.  Ricky watched as their intertwined hands swung in between them.  "Aren't you worried Phillip will see?"

     Megara paused for a second before shaking her head.  She knew Phillip was also in the hallway, but she couldn't bring herself to care at the moment.  "This is more important."

     Ricky reached forward with his free hand, fixing her hair as it was catching onto the texture of the wall.  She wanted to ask more questions, namely about his lackluster performance, but then Carlos erupted.  "Clear!"

     Megara quickly let go of his hand and watched him slowly join the others who were already joining the crowd in front of the list.  "Oh, my God!" Kourtney, Gina, and Ashlyn were over the moon as they swarmed the sheet tacked to the wall.  Megara stayed against the wall, watching her friends as they gushed about their parts.

     Big Red finally came back and chose to stand next to Megara, but then Ashlyn approached the two.  "I think there's been a mistake," she said.

     Megara furrowed her eyebrows.  "What's wrong?"

     "Wait.  Did you not get a part?" Big Red asked.

     Ashlyn shook her head.  "I got the part."

     Megara's eyes widened as she brought a hand to her mouth.  "Oh my—"

     "Wait.  You mean—"

     "I got Belle!" Ashlyn nodded excitedly.  "I'm Belle!"  Big Red pressed a kiss to her cheek before wrapping his arms around her as Megara clapped her hands together and jumped up and down for her friends.  The cast list was shaping out to be something fierce.

     "Lily, you've got an incredible voice, but around here, we don't laugh at people who put themselves out there, even when they look a little silly.  In fact, we cheer for them," Miss Jenn told a disappointed Lily, who was a little distraught at first, but then changed her tone as she landed her eyes on Megara.

     Megara watched her leave the hallway (and presumably, her life) before returning her attention back to her friends.  Trying to get her mind off Lily's bone-chilling stare, she began looking for Ricky.  Finally finding him returning to her from the crowd that had gathered, she raised her eyebrows expectantly.  "So, wildcat?"

     "You are looking at East High's newest beast," he said with a wink, softly clawing at her shoulder with his nimble fingers.

     So much for sense and sensibility, Megara quickly wrapped her arms around Ricky's neck.  She didn't know how much she needed that hug until she was in it, breathing in Ricky's scent and feeling his skin against her bare cheek.  "I knew you could do it.  I'm so proud of you," she whispered, barely audible.

     Thankfully, Ricky caught it, smiling softly to himself as he wrapped his arms tighter around Megara and deepened the hug.

play the bottom by gracie abrams for maximum micky emotions