As It Was: Chapter Four
How's your heart after breaking mine?

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     "Where are the scripts?"

     "Scripts?" EJ asked, clearly confused.  More than that, he was flustered with everything going on, the news that he would be directing this show wrapping around him enough that he was starting to have trouble breathing.

     Megara watched as he couldn't remain nonchalant in the face of being asked, "For the scene work auditions?"

     "We're doing a show with no script?  What is this?  Curb Your Enthusiasm?" Rita asked no one in particular.

     "Hey," Megara said softly, but sternly enough to gain her attention.  Rita and Megara's relationship was currently in the 'it's complicated' pool, but there was a lot of that going on at camp.  They weren't on bad terms, but Megara preferred to give her some distance while they were still sorting out the Savannah situation.

     "Yo, Mr. Director-man," someone said.  "Where do you want us all to stand?"

     "Can everyone just wait one second?  Please?" EJ said.

     Silence fell over the room for about three whole seconds before Megara found it in herself to speak up.  "Alright everyone, stand shoulder to shoulder in a straight-shot single file line so the director can see you," her voice boomed between the wooden cabin walls.  "The director needs not only to hear your voices but to see each of your faces," she swiped the clipboard from the white table — the only clipboard of information EJ was not looking through — she pointed one of her fingers at the face of a young boy.  "You, fix your face," she ordered.

     "What if they all just acted out the lyrics from the songs?  You know, like a dramatic reading,"

     "I don't know.  I'm just a stage manager," Val said.

     "No, that's a horrible idea.   We're doing monologues like every regular audition," Megara said.

     "What if we don't have one prepared?" someone asked.

     "If you didn't come to this audition prepared, our director doesn't want you in this musical," Megara said.  "Simple as that."

     A stunned EJ tapped her on the arm to grab her attention, she almost didn't notice because he was so gentle.  "What are you doing?"

     "Helping you out, Elton.  You were totally choking up there," Megara whispered back.

     EJ nodded in agreement.  "No, that's a great idea.  Thank you."

     The auditions began pretty well with a makeshift team of Megara, EJ, and Val working as a judge group reminiscent of American Idol.  As an avid Disney Channel Original Movie watcher, Megara was probably more familiar with Camp Rock than anyone else in that room.  She enjoyed watching everyone's auditions and placing them in the cast After about an hour, Jet showed up.  Val warned him he was late, but he still stayed.  Megara tolerated this.

     He also delivered an amazing monologue of Troy Bolton from the first Disney movie, which Megara largely appreciated.

     She however did get distracted when she noticed Jet glanced at Ricky, and when she followed his gaze, she noticed his eyes were already on her. 

RICKY: Arriving late to auditions with a bang.  Blowing everyone away.  Pretending he's not a theater kid.  He's like a little Ricky.

MEGARA: I need him in my show.  EJ's show. 

RICKY: Megara has to cast him in the show.  I still don't know the three guys' names from Camp Rock, but I'm sure she knows what she's doing.

MEGARA: Our show.

RICKY: [Sighs] Megara looks really good with her natural hair.

MEGARA: If that flatworm tries to come anywhere near me, I might lose it.

KC: Did anybody see how Lip has been hanging around with Gina?

MEGARA: I mean, has he apologized, yes.  Should I really let it go for the sake of my mental health?  Probably also yes.  But I can't yet.  His heart is perfectly fine after breaking mine.

KC: Technically he's not hanging out with her, I just happened to notice he was looking at her earlier throughout her audition.  It probably doesn't mean anything.

PHILLIP AKA LIP: Do I have a crush on Gina?  No.  Don't get me wrong, super cool girl.  She's just not the one for me.

EJ: What is wrong with all these kids at this camp?  I mean, Lip's walking around like he just got his heart stomped on, and he did but I mean come on dude that was like a million years ago.

PHILLIP AKA LIP: I haven't been really interested in dating at the moment.

EJ: Like, maybe he needed to get his heart crushed a bit so he could come back to earth.

GINA: KC looked a little upset today, but when I asked her if it was something I said, she said we were still good.  I just don't know.  I feel like we're still good friends, but something has changed.  Something's there that wasn't there before.  No Beauty and the Beast pun intended.

KC: No I do not have a crush on Gina!

GINA: Do I have a crush on KC?  Pfft.  She wishes!

KC AND GINA (TOGETHER): Why did she say something?

MEGARA: I still feel so bad about what happened between me and Lip.  No one ever tells you how to be ready to break someone's heart.  How you'll feel afterwards.  

EJ: I don't know much about teenage girls, but from what I've heard, both Ricky and Lip need to leave Megara alone.

PHILLIP AKA LIP: I know why she did what she had to do.  I have learned to let her go.  I know she's not the one for me, even though I thought she was.  But that doesn't mean I'm over it.  I don't think I'll ever put my heart out there like that again for a while.

MEGARA: Everyone thinks I'm a hundred percent upset about Ricky, and I mean I am.  I am so mad at Ricky.  He hurt me in a way I'll never be able to understand how he hurt me.  But I also carry Phillip and what I did to him with me.

     "Oh, it's you."

     Megara furrowed her eyebrows as she looked at the boy speaking to her.  When she'd snuck behind the barn door inside to get some peace of mind, she hadn't counted on possibly being followed.  "Uh, nice to see you too?"

     "Sorry, I thought you were somebody else," Phillip explained.  When Megara gave him an expectant look, he continued.  "I just heard Ashlyn talking about Gina 1.0 outside, and... I don't know."

     "Oh, yeah, that." She was quiet for a long moment before answering. 

     Phillip licked his lips.  "Uh, what are you doing?"

     "Baking."

     "Smells like peanut butter."

     "It is.  Some form of cupcake will be done soon."

     Phillip took a long moment to consider this.  "You don't like peanut butter that much."

     "No, but you do," Megara answered earnestly.

     Phillip furrowed his eyebrows.  "Megara..."

     "Phillip, you don't have to say anything."

     "Megara, I'm sorry."  He took her by surprise, and it showed when she stared at him with her doe eyes wide.  "I'm sorry for the way everything happened.  I'm sorry for how I've been acting.  I'm sorry this summer we got off to a weird start.  You were always a cool girl to hang out with, and I miss you.  No weird shit.  I just miss having you around.  It's been weird pretending like any of this matters.  I mean, we weren't dating and it was just one kiss, right?  It doesn't have to be weirder than it already is.  Your friendship means more to me than heartbreak does."

     Megara drew in a long breath and sighed, as if a million weights just rolled off her shoulders.  Tears swelled in her eyes as she said, "You have no idea how much this means to me."

     Phillip nodded.  "I can imagine.  You don't really want peanut butter cupcakes, do you?"

     Megara shook her head sadly.

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