"Mom, I promise I'll get to it once I get home." Soul said, speaking into her phone as she made her towards the bunker.

"Well you know how Jeff gets when you don't listen to him." Mom's voice was heard through the phone as the sound of movement was in the background."He isn't very happy Souline"

"Mom, I understand that," Soul said, letting out a sigh as she opened the door of the bunker to see everyone except Miss. Jenn, already there, realizing she was already late. "Mom I can't talk right now, I'm already late to rehearsal."

"You know what useless little girl! When you get home we'll finish this!" Jeff's loud voice booming through the phone before, quickly hanging up before Soul had the chance to even say anything.

Soul looked around the bunker to make sure that no one was paying attention, seeing that the only one who was looking her way was EJ Caswell. He gave a small smile as she returned the gesture before putting her bag down as she went to join Gina in stretching.

"Okay people." Carlos calls and catches everyone's attention. "Let's take it from three counts of eight, right before Troy and Gabriella's entrance for the bows."

Everyone got up and moved out of the way as the dancers took their positions as Soul was standing next to Ashlyn as Gina went to talk to EJ.

"A five, six, seven," Carlos called, causing everyone on the floor to begin dancing and you could tell Ricky was struggling with the dance.

"I'm sorry," Ricky says, causing Seb to stop playing and everyone stopped dancing, turning to look at Ricky, Nini and Carlos.

"What is he doing?" Nini asked turning to Carlos, instead of talking to Ricky.

"Why are you talking to him?" Ricky asks Nini. "I'm right here."

"'Cause you're not here." Nini interjects, still not looking towards him. "Not for the right reasons."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Ricky asks, turning his full attention towards her.

"What I said Ricky." Nini said, finally turning towards him. "You hate musicals. You're only doing this so we're in each other's grills."

"Back to the dance, please!" Carlos said, stepping in between the two, trying to lead them back to their starting position.

"Now you're rubbing some weird cologne on your neck." Nini adds, ignoring Carlos as she walks away.

"Hey, you love Throb!" Ricky says, following her as Carlos walks away from the pair.

"And wasting everybody's time by making fun of something that the rest of us take seriously!" Nini says, ignoring Ricky's comment as well.

"Okay, that's five! On a break, people!" Carlos announces, turning to the rest of the cast. "Everybody Out! Get Out!"

Soul quickly made her way out of the bunker and went straight outside, taking a seat on one of the benches that sat in front of the school, pulling out her phone.

Not long after, an upset Ricky emerged from the school's front doors followed by a worried Big Red.

"Dude, what did she say?" Big Red asked as he rushed and followed Ricky. "Why are we leaving?"

"'Cause operation Troy was a huge mistake. It just made things worse." Ricky said as he turned to Big Red as they stopped about 5 feet away from Soul. "Not even just that. Soul doesn't even want to be my friend anymore. She won't even look my way. I think she hates me."

🎥

Soul, East High Junior

'Wow. I didn't want to make it seem like I hated him... I - He just hurt me really bad but I don't hate him, it's just that I'm upset. Like really upset .'

🎥

"There you are!" Carlos screamed, running from the school building, stopping in front of Ricky. "Miss. Jenn wants everyone back in the room."

"Tell Miss. Jenn I'm done. Okay?" Ricky told Carlos. "Sorry I can't dance like Fred Rogers."

"It's Fred Astaire," Carlos said, correcting him as Soul silently giggled to herself. " Fred Rodgers is Mr. Rogers. He never danced, he potty-trained puppets."

"Seriously?" Big Red asked Carlos, surprised. "I was impressed they made dolls that could cry."

"Ricky, please, you have to..." Carlos started, ignoring Big Red's comment but was cut off by Ricky.

"Nini's right!" Ricky interjected, cutting off Carlos. "I'm taking up space. I don't belong on stage."

"So untrue, you..." Carlos said.

"Save it, Carlos." Ricky said, cutting Carlos off once again. "You don't want me in this. If I go back, Nini will probably quit. And you need her a lot more than you need me."

With that Ricky turned away from Carlos and started walking away and once again Big Red began to follow him, surprisingly they passed me without noticing.

"Do you want to come back to my house?" Big Red asked and Ricky shook his head. "Alright, I'll go to yours."

"Nah it's weird there right now." Ricky said as they stopped once again.

"Is your mom back from Chicago yet?" Big Red questioned with concern.

"No, and I don't think she is there just for work." Ricky said and Big Red asked why. "Because my dad's not."

"If you wanted to..." Big Red started.

"Look..." Ricky said, pausing for a second. "Thanks, bro, really. I just need some alone time, okay?"

With that Ricky put his board on the ground, put his helmet on and skated away from Big Red and the school.

🎥

Soul, East High Junior

'I didn't know things were bad in the Bowen household. The last time I was there everything was fine... or was it.'

🎥

Out of the corner of her eye, Soul watched as Gina stood up, making her way back into the school. She must have been listening to the conversation too.

As Big Red was about to put his skateboard down, Soul called his name, causing him to slowly turn around, smiling at the old friend..

"Does Ricky really think that I hate him?" Soul asked, getting straight to the point. Big Red tried to look everywhere besides at the girl. "He does know I don't hate him, right. I'm just really upset."

"Look, Soul..." Big Red said, finally looking directly at the girl. "It's just that things aren't the greatest for him at home and he just really needs a friend like you to talk to."

Before Soul had a chance to respond, Carlos was yelling that Miss. Jenn needed to talk to her. She gave Big Red one last smile before making her way back to the bunker for rehearsal.

🎥

Soul, East High Junior

'I didn't think things were that bad... Maybe I should talk to Ricky.'

🎥

....

Rehearsals were over and Soul was back at home in her room, finishing up some homework, when her door swung open and a screaming Jeff stormed into the room.

"Listen here little girl, I am the man of this house, so you do as I say!" Jeff screamed as mom followed trying to stop him, causing Soul to quickly scramble and back up as far as she could into the headboard. " Not that brother of yours who thinks he's a man! Do you understand me?!

Soul quickly nodded her head as a few tears fell. Mom tried to calm him down, telling him that he was scaring her.

"Oh, I'm scaring her, Stella? I'm sorry that she is dramatic and acts like an immature 5 year old" Jeff screams into mom's face.

Sam came barging into the room and saw Soul balled up against the headboard while Jeff was yelling in his mothers face.

"Well if it isn't Superman himself," Jeff said, jokingly as he took a step back as he turned to look at the teenage boy.

"Why don't you leave her alone Jeff." Sam said, taking a seat beside his sister, trying to comfort her. "Don't you ever get tired of picking on kids? I mean can't you find someone your own age to argue with?"

"She is just overreacting like always," Jeff said, rolling his eyes, making his way to the door, stopping in his tracks before he actually left. "She cries when she wants to."

The sound of a loud slam of the front door closing, followed by the engine of the car starting, until it was gone.

"Are you okay?" Sam asked, looking directly at his sister, causing her to quickly nod, before he turned to face his mom. "Were you not going to do something to stop him?"

"Well he is kinda right," Mom said, quietly, agreeing with Jeff as she slightly shrugged.

"How could you say that?" Soul asked with disbelief and shocked, standing up from her spot on the bed. "I'm your daughter! You're supposed to stand up for me! You're supposed to believe me!"

"Well, Souline, it's hard when you act so childish and are always stuck up here in your room! Maybe I wouldn't say those things." Mom said. "Ever since your father died..."

"No! You don't get to bring dad into this!" Soul said, a few more tears fell, causing her to quickly wipe the tears away. "If you didn't jump into a new marriage so quickly you wouldn't be so stone cold."

Suddenly a large smack was heard as Soul felt a sting on the left side of her face. Soul looked up to see a worried and angry Sam and her Mom who had nothing but regret.

"Soul..." Mom said, stepping forward trying to reach out and touch her but she quickly pulled away and shook my head.

"Have you been drinking?" Soul asked just above a whisper, looking her straight in the eyes, causing her mom to quickly look away, causing Soul to scoff. "I hate you."

"Baby, you don't mean that," Mom said, once again trying to reach out, tears falling down her face, causing Soul to walk right past her, grabbing her bag, and stopping at the door.

"I'm going out, don't wait up." Soul said, looking directly at her brother causing him to nod, giving her mother one more look before making her way down the hall but stopped when she saw a worried Sully.

"Where are you going?" Sully asked, looking at the bag and then at her cheek. "Are you okay?"

"Sul I'm fine, I promise. I just need some air." Soul said reassuring him, giving him a tight hug. "I Love You. I'll be back soon."

Soul quickly made her way down the stairs and out of the front door and just kept walking until she found herself in front of a house.

Soul quickly let out a shaky sigh debating whether to knock or not, until she finally grew the courage to knock. After like a minute, the door swung open and the person on the other side looked very surprised.

"Soul, hey! what are you doing here?"Gina asked with a small smile until she saw her face, causing her smile to disappear. "Oh my god what happened?"

"Uh, I just really needed someone to talk to," Soul said as a few tears fell. "I hope I'm not intruding."

"No, of course not. Come in, Come in." Gina said, shaking her head, pulling the girl into her house, letting it close behind them.