As if it couldn't be more of a relief, East High's production of Beauty and the Beast was finally over. Ricky's transformation had honestly gone pretty well despite not having his harness. Dylan was now back in her regular clothes.

Some of her stage makeup was still on, but she didn't mind. Kourtney was now dragging her and Ricky along to the bomb shelter where the rest of the cast was gathered. They were in the middle of trying to remove all of Ricky's Beast makeup, but Kourtney insisted that they should tell everyone how the transformation went. 

"Oh my God, y'all," Kourtney announced, scurrying into the room with Ricky and Dylan right behind her. "Ricky's transformation." 

"Wait, how'd it look?" Lauryn, one of the dancers, asked. 

"Honestly?" Kourtney glanced over at Ricky.

"Passable." Dylan shrugged. The whole room cheered.

Nini then focused on Ashlyn, who was the next person to walk through the door. "Hey, give it up for our star!" 

They cheered again. Ashlyn smiled gratefully at all of them, practically glowing.

"Uh, has anyone seen my boyfriend?" Ashlyn questioned. "It feels like I've been missing him all night." 

"I think he pushed himself a little hard," Carlos admitted. 

"But I'm pretty sure he left a letter at your locker," Ricky added. 

"Uh, couple letters, actually," EJ corrected. 

"Oh, okay, wow," Ashlyn replied. "That's — that's sweet. Um, maybe I'll read them on the way to Slices. Good show, everyone." 

They all watched as Ashlyn slowly left the room, her mood seemingly deflated at the thought of Big Red not waiting for her after the show. Her hand brushed against the flowers in the huge basket she had gotten for Big Red before leaving completely. Everyone else shared knowing looks. They all knew what Big Red was actually putting together for Ashlyn, which is why he had been kind of avoiding her during the show.

Dylan — quickly and quietly — ran excitedly up to the door, the rest of the group following them. They stopped in the doorway, bright smiles on their faces as they watched Big Red show Ashlyn his gift. Everyone else then peeked their heads out to watch as well. 

"Biggie?" Ashlyn began, her voice quiet and kind of choked up since she had started to cry. 

"Oh, uh . . ." Big Red stood up from kneeling on the floor and held up a Broadway-looking sign that read ASHLYN. "I've always seen your name in lights." Her name then lit up on the sign. 

Ashlyn stepped closer to him, sniffling slightly. "This is what you were doing in between scenes all night?" 

"Yeah. No. Sometimes I was actually puking. You were the perfect Belle, tonight. I was really proud." 

"Come here, you evil genius," Ashlyn demanded, crying harder — but not of sadness this time. 

They went to embrace, but the sign was in the way. Big Red moved it to the side of him before indulging in Ashlyn's hug. With a quick reassurance that getting paint on her was okay, Ashlyn took Big Red's face in her hands and kissed him sweetly. Dylan smiled happily at them, before she sighed.

The brunette turned around, leaving the bomb shelter out the other entrance to get into the hallway. She took a deep breath as she made her way over to where her mum was standing.

"Mother." Dylan stated, gaining her attention.

"Dylan, baby. How are you feeling? You were fabulous." Camilla complimented, bringing the girl into a hug, that made Dylan severely uncomfortable.

"I'm fine, thanks." Dylan smiled awkwardly.

"So, there's some people I want you to meet." Dylan raised her eyebrows. "They're not here, like right now, but eventually I want you to meet them. You see I'm doing a lot better you know, I'm sober and everything."

"I'm proud of you, mum." Dylan nodded, as her eyes watered slightly.

"And I was hoping that we could be good again?" Camilla asked, her voice hopeful. "Because I am sorry for everything and I was hoping you would forgive me?"

"Okay."

"Okay, what?" Camilla looked confused.

"Okay, I appreciate your apology, but we won't ever be... good again. And I don't forgive you." Dylan shrugged.

"But I apologised."

"And I appreciate it but I don't forgive you." Dylan repeated. "And I don't want to meet your new family, because quite frankly they can have you. I don't care about you anymore."

"I'm your mum of course you care." Camilla scoffed.

"No you're not."

"Yes I am, I gave birth to you!" Camilla spoke angrily. Dylan looked around, noticing how they were now stood in an empty hallway.

"You may have given birth to me but you left. You left me and I spent ages, I spent weeks, months and years wondering why you did. Whether it something I did? Was it because of me? Did you not want me? I didnt know but I wanted to. I wanted to know so badly. And it wasnt until a few years ago when I woke up and realised I dont care anymore. The only thing I needed to know was that you left and every time you came back, you were drunk or high or drugged up and all you would do was criticise me. And you made it so hard for me to love someone else. You made me hate some many things that I did or wore or liked about myself. And I hated you for it." Dylan ranted angrily, tears filling her vision.

"Like what? What have I made you hate? What did you used to love that you now hate because of me?" Camilla asked with raised eyebrows.

"I hated theatre because of you. I hated the idea of going into a theatre because all it brought back was memories of you. And then I realised I didnt hate theatre but actually I hated change. Because I thought that all change brought was tears and crying and hurt. So I never changed anything, for a while there was no variety in my life. Then Nini dragged me to auditions for the stupid school production and I learned to see all the good change brings. If I still hated change, if I still hated the theatre and I never went to those auditions I wouldn't've met some of the best people in my life. I wouldn't've met my best friend or someone I consider a sister and I wouldn't have gotten to know, to care for someone that I thought I disliked so much, that I considered one of the worst people alive. And my dad wouldn't have found happiness again." Dylan shook her head.

"And why is that?"

"Because I hated Eve when I first met her, I thought she was going to be like you and dad wouldnt have gone any further in their relationship if I didnt like her. But I got to know her and you know what? She is incredible and caring and the exact opposite of you."

"And yet I'm still your mother."

"No you're not! She is. Eve has been more of a mum to me in the last few months Ive known her than you have been since you left. You havent been my mother since you left and I dont care. You dont get to walk back into my life now and pretend that everything is okay, that we can be one big happy family because you left. And you have your perfect family now, and we don't need you." Dylan told her, wiping her eyes. "I don't need you."

"But you need someone." Camilla shrugged as Dylan sent her a confused look. "I saw how you were looking at the boy who played Gaston, and he was looking at you."

"Don't bring EJ into this?" Dylan stated firmly.

"Ooh EJ." Camilla mocked. "You know Dylan, I did leave and you wanna know why. It's because I didn't want you. You were a spoilt rotten brat and I hated you, so I abandoned you, and one day he will realise that too because you, my darling, darling daughter are unlovable. And you always will be."

That's when Camilla decided she was finished with the conversation, waving sarcastically at her daughter as she spun on her heel and sauntered away. Dylan stood frozen in the middle of the hallway, was she really unlovable?

"Hey Dyl, you ready to go?" Dylan turned around to face EJ.

"I don't think you should come to dinner tomorrow." Dylan told him.

"What?" EJ's eyebrows furrowed. "Okay, we'll reschedule."

"I don't think you should come to dinner, ever." Dylan sighed. "It was a mistake going out with you. This, whatever this is, was a mistake, okay?"

"What, did I do something?" The look of pure heartbreak on EJ's face made Dylan die a bit inside.

"No, no, it wasn't you. This is all me." Dylan sniffled. "I'm not the kind of person that does relationships. I'm not the person that someone chooses, that someone loves, and you're leaving soon so there's no point in getting attached. I'm sorry."

It was like the light had drained out of his eyes as she stared at him. He looked like he was in so much pain that is broke Dylan's heart. She sent him a small smile as she turned around, making her way to the auditorium, where she knew no one would be. Dylan slumped down on the floor, her shoulders racking as she sobbed.

"Hey Dylan, what are you—? What's wrong?" Nini asked as she stepped into the room.

"Can you just hug me for a minute?"

Nini didn't hesitate to wrap her arms around the girl, Dylan holding onto her like she was her lifeline. The two stayed like that for a few minutes, Nini simply stroking the girl's hair. When Dylan pulled away, Nini's wiped the tears from her cheeks.

"What's up?"

"My mum." Dylan stated. "She came, and then she tried to get me to forgive her after everything. And when I didn't, she got mad at me and then she brought up EJ and said I was unlovable and so I broke whatever it was I had with EJ off."

"Oh Dylan." Nini sent her sympathetically.

"I just feel like I ruin everything good." Dylan shook her head.

"You're not unlovable, Dyl. You're incredible and amazing and you shouldn't listen to a word your mum says because plenty of people love you. Eve, your dad, Ash, Gina, Kourt, Ricky, Big Red, me. I love you, Dylan Valdez so you don't need to listen to one person who doesn't love you." Nini reassured her.

Dylan wrapped her arms around her best friend, "I love you too Nini Salazar Roberts."

Dylan then stood up, walking over to the piano and grabbing her notebook out of her bag, placing it on the stand, "EJ convinced me to write a song on Valentine's Day because I felt as if I was ruining my dad's relationship."

"Okay?"

"And I couldn't finish it, but I feel like if I just play it then right now I would be able to finish it fine." Dylan explained. "Wanna hear it?"

"I'd love to." Nini smiled, sitting next to the girl.

"Okay here goes." Dylan began to play the piano, her hands gliding across the keys as she sang. "Sit in your car, wait in the dark, radio is up and so is your guard. You dont know what to say. Youre faking a smile, you say that youre fine and maybe it'll all work out in time. Youve always been good that way."

Nini smiled at the girl. "Feel like Ive done this before, youre fighting your tears as I open the door and you deserve much more."

Dylan looked down at the piano as she began the chorus. "Seems like I always hurt the ones I love and I watch you cry, 'cause I wasnt enough. Watch you disappearing down the road. Seems like I always hurt the ones I love the most. Ones I love the most. Seems like I always hurt the ones I love the most."

Dylan thought about EJ as she sang the beginning of the next verse, "You told me your past, you hated your dad and when you left college, couldnt wait to go back cause you really trusted me."

When she sang the next part, she thought about when she wrote it. She wrote it from the perspective of her mum, it was what she hoped her mum felt every time she called her. "And what did I do? What did I do? I built you up, abandoned you and Im too proud to say sorry. Feel like Ive done this before, youre fighting your tears as I open the door and you deserve much more."

Dylan took a deep breath, looking up at Nini, who was staring at her with a mixture of proudness and sympathy, "Seems like I always hurt the ones I love and I watch you cry, 'cause I wasnt enough. Watch you disappearing down the road, seems like I always hurt the ones I love the most. Ones I love the most. Seems like I always hurt the ones I love the most."

Dylan took a deep breath as the bridge came up. It was the part of the song that hadn't been written yet. She thought about her conversation with Nini, and her conversation with EJ and how she knew she regretted it. "I didnt mean it, baby. I didnt think it all through. I didnt mean it, baby, always ruin good things like you. I watched the light drain out of your eyes, and its no surprise. Its no surprise."

Dylan thought about the look in EJ's eyes as she continued to sing, tears silently falling down her cheeks, "Seems like I always hurt the ones I love. Now I watch you cry, 'cause I wasnt enough. I watch you disappearing down the road. Seems like I always hurt the ones I love the most. Seems like I always hurt the ones I love and I watch you cry, 'cause I wasnt enough. Watch you disappearing down the road. Seems like I always hurt the ones I love the most. Ones I love the most. Seems like I always hurt the ones I love the most. The ones I love the most. Seems like I always hurt the ones I love the most. Ones I love the most."

As Dylan played the last note, she looked towards Nini, who immediately hugged her again.

"Dylan that was amazing!" Nini smiled. "You need to speak to EJ."

"I will." Dylan nodded. "But let's go to slices now, instead."

Dylan put her arm over Nini's shoulder as they walked out of the auditorium. And as they walked down the hallway of East High, laughing with Nini, she suddenly got a flashback. She was wearing her black jeans, a black cropped hoodie, Nini's denim jacket and her red converse — the very outfit she had worn on the first day of school. Nini was stood next to her, giggling about the boy she had started dating at summer camp after her breakup with Ricky, while Dylan simply rolled her eyes, knowing she hated the boy.

Little did first day of school Dylan know how much her life was about to change. In a whirlwind of two musical (which she never thought she would do), many laughs, a couple of deep chats, Dylan now walked down the same hallway in a leather jacket, combat boots and an AC/DC top on. A sad smile graced her face as she thought about the certain Caswell boy she 'hated', knowing she had to make things right with him again, her arm slung around Nini's shoulder. The two laughing at the terrible ideas Nini was giving her about an epic love confession.

Dylan and Nini were there for each other through everything. Whatever it was, no matter what, they would be there for the other in a matter of minutes. They loved each other, through thick and thin, no matter where in the world they were.

( 💌 ) isobel's notes
um so here you go :) don't be angry with me
nini and dylan i love you both and your friendship deserves more than what tim is going to give you
ONE MORE CHAPTER THEN SEASON THREE!!!