"Hi. Thank you all for coming to rehearsal in the morning." Miss Jenn said, greeting the cast. "I know it's a crazy day with the career fair and all, but given all your behavior last week, I believe we are lucky to be rehearsing at all. For future reference, singing and dancing, good. Breaking and entering, bad."

"Miss Jenn, we didn't break anything. Well, Soul almost did when she fell over the railing but lucky EJ caught her." Seb said, confused look on his face when Carlos hit his arm, causing everyone to give him a look as Miss Jenn's eyes widened. "I mean we didn't break anything."

"Would you like me to be the first?" Miss Jenn asked, looking directly at the boy.

"I'm good." Seb said, shaking his head.

"Soul we will speak on the matter at a later time." Miss Jenn said, looking over at the small brunette girl, causing her to slightly nod.

"Okay, I'm just going to say it." Carlos said, sticking his hand up. "Zack Roy stole our Beast mask. Why are you not freaking out?"

"Because winners don't freak out, Carlos." Miss Jenn explained to the boy, before turning to look at the entire group. "They rise. When they go, we sing high."

Miss Jenn then sung a really high note, surprising the cast.

"Okay, let's rehearse!" Miss Jenn said, excitedly. "EJ, remember where you are emotionally. Belle has just rebuked your marriage proposal andLeFou is rallying the guys to boost you back up. Let's hit it."

Everyone turned to make their way to the stands, Soul meeting eyes with EJ as he sent her a smile, causing her to send a small one before quickly making her way to the stands.

🎥
Soul, East High Junior
Yeah, me and EJ haven't really talked since the kiss and I mean yeah it's a little awkward. I mean when isn't it awkward when you accidentally kiss your best friend. I mean it's not like I'm avoiding him or anything... I'm definitely avoiding him.
🎥

"That totally wasn't awkward at all." Gina said, taking a seat beside Soul after she got done talking to EJ. "Did something happen between you guys."

"Uh, yeah." Soul said, nodding her head, looking over at the girl. "I'll tell you later."

"Big Red, whenever you're ready." Miss Jenn said before nodding over at Seb as he played the music.

Gosh, it disturbs me to see you, Gaston
Looking so down in the dumps
Every guy here'd love to see you, Gaston
Even when taking your lumps
There's no man in town as admired as you
You're everyone's favorite guy
Everyone's awed and inspired by you
And it's not very hard to see why

No one's slick as Gaston
No one's quick as Gaston
No one's neck is as incredibly thick as Gaston
For there no man in town as manly
Perfect, a pure paragon
You can ask Tom, DIck, or Stanley
And they'll tell you whose team they'd prefer to be one

No one's been like Gaston
A king pin like Gaston
No one's got a swell cleft in his chin like Gaston
As a specimen, yes, I'm intimidating
My, what a guy, that Gaston

When I was a lad I ate four dozen eggs
Every morning to help me get large
And now that I'm grown I eat five dozen eggs
So I'm roughly the size of a barge

No one shoots like Gaston
Make those beauts like Gaston
Then goes tromping around wearing boots like Gaston
I use antlers in all my decorating

Gaston

"Dancers, glorious. Big Red, hilarious. And, EJ," Miss Jenn said, standing from her seat as she looked at the group with a smile. "Victorious."

Everyone cheered and clapped for the group.

"Nice emotional connection to the material." Carlos said, standing from his seat.

"I've got no notes." Gina said, standing up beside the boy, showing her blank notebook.

"And as much as I hate to break that connection, I'm afraid I'm the bearer of some hard news." Mr Mazzara said, walking into the room, causing everyone to turn and look at him. "We just got a call from the disciplinary board of an organization I'm not sure really exists." Pulling a piece of paper from behind his back as he read it, "Effective immediately, this production will shut down rehearsal for one week as punishment for trespassing by order of the... Monkeys?"

"It's pronounced Menkies." Miss Jenn said.

"Ah. For the record, your competition has been punished as well." Mr. Mazzara explained. "North High is benched for the week."

"Okay. Feels generous." Ashlyn said, shaking her head.

"Miss Jenn, what are we gonna do? We can't lose a whole week when we haven't even started blocking the second act yet." Carlos questioned.

"We're..." Miss Jenn started. "We are going to keep our heads down and our chins up."

"I don't..." Seb said, trying to put his head down and his chin up. "I don't think that's physically possible."

"It's an expression, Sebastian." Miss Jenn said, looking back at the blonde boy, putting on a fake smile as the bell rang and Mr. Mazarra turned to leave.

...

"Oh my god, you guys kissed." Gina whisper-yelled, as the duo walled down the hallway.

"Keep your voice down." Soul said, looking around the hallway before looking back at her best friend. "It was an accident, I went to kiss his cheek as a thank you and goodnight but he turned his head and it ended up on his lips instead."

"That's so cute though," Gina said, slightly cheering. "You guys are already so adorable but you guys as a couple would be like the next level of adorableness."

"Woah, who said anything about being a couple." Soul said, stopping the girl as she leaned up against a wall. "All I said was we kissed, I never said anything about getting together."

"But you do have feelings for him, right?" Gina asked, looking at the girl as she stood silently. "Soul, not every relationship is going to end up like what happened with Ricky."

"I know it's just that he's my best friend and I don't want to lose him. Our friendship means everything to me." Soul said. "Besides I don't even know how he feels. Gosh, I barely know what I'm feeling."

"Well when you're around him how do you feel?" Gina asked, crossing her arms as she looked down at the girl.

"I don't know. I guess I'm happier when he's around, it's like he knows how to cheer me up without even trying." Soul explained, shrugging her shoulders. "He just gets me, I can just give him one look and it's like he can read me and knows exactly what to do. And he actually cares about and I mean he really cares. We both kinda helped each other last term change into the better version of ourselves."

"Soul, I hate to break it to you." Gina said, placing her hand on the girl's shoulder, causing her to look up at her. "But you definitely have a crush on EJ Caswell."

Before Soul had the chance to utter a word the warning bell rang, causing Gina to grab the girl's hand dragging her into the classroom nearby.

Gina quickly took the seat in the front beside EJ, causing Soul to sit in the seat behind the boy and beside Carlos as he sat beside Seb.

EJ turned, smiling at the girl, causing her to send the boy a real smile back, before he turned his attention to the entire group.

"So do you guys have any guesses on the guest speaker?" EJ asked.

"Unless it's Alan Menken himself coming to apologize for what just happened to us, I'm not here." Carlos said.

"Ooh, I would die if it was, like, Greta Gerwig." Seb said, smiling brightly, Soul and EJ made eye contact, causing the duo to smile big, turning back to look at the group.

"Sebie, you do know you're not picking the person. Right?" Soul said, looking over at the blonde boy, causing the boy to shake his head.

"Whoever it is, I'm sure they'll remind us to 'seize the day and then let it'." EJ explained. "Every year, same speech."

"Wait. What does that even mean?" Gina asked, looking at the group confused.

"I was hoping that one of you knew." EJ said, honestly causing Soul and Gina to chuckle as Soul accidentally snorted as she quickly covered her face, causing Gina to laugh more as EJ smiled back at the girl. "No one heard that."

"Oh. Class, class." Mrs. Day called, gaining everyone's attention as the turned to face the front as the guest entered the classroom as Soul noticed EJ's sudden mood change, making her place her hand on the boy's shoulder for reassurance. "I would like you to meet one of East High's most generous benefactors, Mr. Cash Caswell, with tips on success in life."

"Well played, Caswell." Gina said, turning to look at EJ.

"Surprise." Cash said, causing the class to clap their hands. "Thank you, Mrs. Day. Students, it's an honor. Success is all about legacies. The ones that we inherit and the ones that we build. I'm lucky to have a son that carries the Cawell name with pride. In fact, I wasn't gonna do this today, but... come on up here, Eej."

EJ looked around the room confused, looking back at Soul with confused eyes, causing the girl to shrug as she clapped along with the class, making him stand up as he walked up to his dad.

Mr. Caswell pulled out a blue Duke sweatshirt, causing the Walker girl to grow confused.

"My father gave me this when I got into Duke," Cash said, holding up the sweatshirt as he turned to face his son. "Now it's yours."

"Wait, what?" EJ asked, confused looking from the sweatshirt back up to his dad.

"Congratulations, EJ." Mrs Day said, causing everyone to clap and cheer as the smile on Soul's face grew.

Soul watched as Mr. Caswell whispered into EJ's ear and she watched as his demeanor changed.

"Now, how many of you are familiar with the phrase, 'seize the day'?" Cash asked.

"Way to go Eej." Gina said, causing the boy to send her a small smile before he looked back at Soul, causing her to send him a confused look as he shrugged before they both looked forward.

...

Soul was home alone since the rest of her family decided to go and see Sarah for Spring Break early, Soul wanted to stay back because of her commitment to the musical.

She decided to sit in her living room and watch movies as she got her drinks and snack ready but was interrupted by the sound of the door bell ringing, causing her to quickly rush to the door.

"Special delivery." Ej said, holding up the girl's ordered pizza with a smile.

"EJ, hi!" Soul said, sending the boy a smile. "What are you doing here?"

"I was actually hoping we could talk. Can I come in?" EJ asked, causing the girl to nod as she opened the door wider, allowing the boy to slip in before she closed the door as he placed the box on the table. "Are you here alone?"

"Yeah, my family decided to go visit Sarah early for Spring Break." Soul explained, causing the boy to nod. "I decided to stay back for musical rehearsals but we both know what happened there."

"The great shut down, how could I forget." EJ said, causing the girl to chuckle as they both took a seat on the couch.

"So what's up?" Soul asked, wrapping her arms around her legs, looking at the boy with a concerned face.

"You remember how I told you I didn't get into Duke?" EJ asked, causing the girl to nod.

"Yeah, during the storm." Soul said, causing the boy to nod. "So what happened? Did they take back their decision? Did you not get in?"

"Technically I did but only because my dad made it happen." EJ explained, holding the blue sweatshirt in his hands. "Don't get me wrong. I am incredibly grateful for the privilege but..."

"You didn't earn it. Not the way you wanted, anyway." Soul said, causing the boy to nod. "You should tell your dad how you feel, E."

"Yeah, um... It's just that my entire life has been mapped out for me for as long as I can remember. You know?" EJ said.

"Not really." Soul said, shaking her head. "My parents never really pushed the idea of college on me or any of us. I never thought it was totally for me, especially since the things that interest me don't really need school."

"Yeah?" EJ said, causing the girl to nod. "What's that?"

"Singing and Songwriting." Soul said. "I feel like I can touch people with my music and the response I got already... I feel like once I'm fully into it I can go far. That's what my aptitude test said anyway."

"Well that's great isn't it?" EJ asked, causing the girl to nod as she sent the boy a smile.

"Yeah, there was actually this music producer who reached out to me, saying he wanted to see me live so I invited him to the musical so hopefully he comes." Soul said.

"Soul, that's amazing! I'm so happy for you!" EJ said, his smile growing even bigger, causing the girl to smile at him. "Your family must be excited."

"I haven't told anyone yet, actually. Only you." Soul said. "I mean, I would hate to jinx something before it even happened. I mean anything could happen. Who knows he might not even come."

"Hey, don't say that. He's going to come and he's going to absolutely love you." EJ said, causing the girl to nod.

The duo both sat in comfortable silence before the boy spoke up, "About the other day."

"I really am sorry about that." Soul said, shaking her head.

"Hey, no need to be." EJ said, shaking his head with a small smile. "There's actually something I've been meaning to tell you."

"Is it that you don't want to be friends anymore because I made things weird?" Soul asked, covering her mouth. "Is there anything I can do to change your mind? A cake? A-"

"Soul, Soul." EJ said, grabbing the girl's shoulders, causing her to stop rambling as she looked at the boy. "I don't not want to be friends with you anymore."

"Then, what's that?" Soul asked, rocking back and forth as she looked at the boy.

"Do you remember on Valentine's Day, the conversation we had?" EJ asked.

"You mean the one where I asked you who died cause you wore all black?" Soul asked, causing both of them to laugh.

"No, but now you mention that I regret that decision." EJ explained, causing the girl to chuckle. " But the conversation where you told me you never had an actual Valentine and I was like shocked because I didn't understand how."

"Yeah, I remember. It was the first day I actually got something from someone." Soul said, a smile growing on her face as EJ looked away as he scratched the back of his neck. "Wait, that was you."

"Guilty." EJ said, sending a small smile.

"So the card..." Soul asked, trailing off, looking directly at the boy sitting in front of her.

"I meant every word." EJ said, causing a small smile to grow on Soul's face as he lightly grabbed the girl's hand. "Soul you are just amazing. The way you can quote any and every movie we watch. The cute way you crinkle your nose when you're confused or when you're thinking of lyrics when writing a song. How you mess with your hair and babble when you're nervous... You know I never planned on falling for you but those months when we first started hanging out last semester really put things into perspective for me and these last few weeks have really put everything together. It's the way you would do any and everything for those you care about no matter the extent or how you are feeling. You helped me see the good in things and you really changed me."

"EJ..." Soul said, a tear rolling down her eye as she sent the boy a smile.

"I really like you, Soul Walker." EJ said, looking the girl in the eyes.

"I really like you, too." Soul said, causing the boy to smile at the girl.

"You do?" EJ asked, causing the girl to nod with smile.

"I do."

"G-great!" EJ said, causing the girl to chuckle. "So what now?"

"How about now we watch Beauty and the Beast and eat this pizza." Soul asked, smiling at the boy.

"That sounds great." EJ said, smiling at the girl, causing her to chuckle.

The two got comfortable on the couch as the boy opened the pizza box and the girl pressed play on the movie.

...

Tale as old as time
True as it can be
Barely even friends
Then somebody bends
Unexpectedly

The lyrics of Beauty and the Beast filled the living room of the Walker house.
EJ peered down at the brunette beside him to see her peacefully sleeping, causing the boy to smile to himself.

Reaching over to grab the blue Duke sweatshirt he had, placing it over the girl, carefully standing as he turned the light off, softly smiling once more before making his way out of the house.

Just a little change
Small to say the least
Both a little scared
Neither one prepared
Beauty and the Beast