XVI.   October eyes

      EJ still had that dreary expression on his face and it was dampening her mood even more than it already was. Marlowe snapped her fingers in front of his face. "Dude, seriously, perk up."

EJ groaned. "Okay, one, don't call me dude. And two, I'm fine."

"Do you wanna know how to change Miss Jenn's mind about you? Put more effort into your role."

"But I put in my best effort every single time."

"Do you?" Marlowe questioned and crossed her arms.

EJ stared at her for a minute before sighing. "No, not really." He grumbled, confirming everything she thought since ninth grade.

She uncrossed her arms and put her hands on his biceps, which she tried really hard to not pay attention to. "You're a great actor, EJ, but looking pretty and saying the correct lines doesn't mean you're a great performer."

When he smirked, she knew the words went right over his head. "Again with you calling me pretty."

Marlowe rolled her eyes and dropped her hands. "I don't even know why I try to help you."

EJ felt his spirit start to lift and he laughed.

"Okay! Let's have some real talk," Miss Jenn announced and walked to the front of the stage. All the theater students gathered around her. "Welcome to tech rehearsal. I don't know if you've noticed, but most of the tech in this particular theater appears to be hand cranked. Natalie Bagley, my dear, my stage manager, this is your chance to be a hero."

Everyone looked around for Natalie but she was nowhere to be seen. "Where is she?" Ricky asked.

"What is it? What's happening?" Miss Jenn frantically said.

"Natalie Bagley's getting her wisdom teeth out," Seb explained to her.

Marlowe rolled her eyes. "Of course she is."

EJ looked at her. "How are you going to hate on someone for getting their teeth removed?"

"Because only she would get them removed on an important day like this."

"Okay. Okay, so I'm down a stage manager and  'Taylor's' MIA," Miss Jenn reflected in a panic. 

"Gina's okay. She's a fighter and she'll be back for opening night."

"Did she text you?"

"No. You?" Ricky asked.

Nini shook her head.

Marlowe let out a scream when a bag fell from the sky and onto the floor, shaking it entirely. The students murmured to themselves and looked up at the ceiling in shock. "Totally normal! Just, heads up, from now on." Miss Jenn told them

"Yeah, so we can keep our heads." Knox emphasized.

"All righty. Big Red, do you know how to hang a light?"

"I know how to hang. . . out." He trailed, making them all laugh.

She wasn't impressed. "Cool! Carlos, let's set marks to light Status Quo," she instructed. "Troy and Gabriella,  find somewhere quiet and run the rooftop scene. It's been a while and I need you opening night ready by dinnertime, k?"

Marlowe smirked at their faces. "Have fun. Behave yourselves." She pointed her finger.

Ricky sent her a sarcastic smile. "Thanks, Mars."

"Um,  we're staying through dinner?" Ashlyn asked. "I have baking club tonight. . ."

The students chuckled and Miss Jenn gave her tight smile, which made her fall back. "Which is completely irrelevant in the midst of our tragedy."

The teacher hummed and chuckled nervously, "This is going to work. I can feel it." She clapped her hands. "Clear the stage! Let's go!"

Big Red grabbed Marlowe's arm. "Mars, help me.  Now." He panicked.

She didn't even get a chance to respond before he dragged her to the light system backstage. "Okay,  wow." She let out when she saw the massive system.

"I have no idea what i'm doing."

Marlowe patted his back. "Don't worry, cariño. We'll figure it out." Honey

They started going through the lights and tried figuring out which one was for the stage. Marlowe realized this is why she was always the actor and never the crew. Ashlyn came into the small room. "Hey, you guys okay? It's a lot."

"I-I just don't know how to make things light up," Big Red said, cluelessly.

She softly grinned. "You walk into a room."

Marlowe's face went soft and she mentally let out the biggest awe. She melted when Big Red's face turned red. "I'm gonna go see if anyone needs my help. I'll leave you guys to it." She announced and patted him on the back.

She let them be and quickly went down the steps of the stage and ran to where EJ was sitting, reading through his script. "EJ! EJ!"

He dropped the script on his lap when he saw how quickly she sat down. "Whoa, Marley, Hey. You good?"

"You're never going to believe this! Or you might, I don't know, but it's the cutest thing ever!" Marlowe rambled with a big smile on her face. She grabbed his arm. "I was helping Red try to figure out the lights and Ashlyn walked over and asked if we needed help and Big Red said, 'I didn't know how to make things light up' and Ashlyn said, and I quote, 'You walk into a room'!" She explained and let out another quiet squeal. "You probably think that's gross considering she's your cousin but I think it's so cute! I love them together!"

EJ stayed silent the entire time while she rambled and he couldn't help but smile at the way her face lit up when she got excited. Her smile took up her entire face and it was so bright that it could light up a whole town.

Marlowe stopped rambling. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

He snapped out of it. "Oh, um. . ." He started and rubbed his neck. "Sorry. It's just. . . you get this look on your face when you're excited."

"Is that bad?"

"What? No, no, no! It's cute. It's really cute." EJ rambled nervously. "You're, uh. . . Your smile takes up your whole face. It's. . .it's really cute, is all.

Marlowe's stomach shifted to the point where she felt like she was going to throw up. "Oh," she muttered and smirked. "Who's giving the compliments now?"

He rolled his eyes and shoved her face to the side, making her giggle. "Shut up."

After a while of clearing the stage and everyone reading through their scripts, Miss Jenn was ready to get started. "Okay, we just need to nail down our lighting and our sound and ta-da, we've got a show!" She exclaimed.

Luca narrowed his eyes and leaned closer to Knox. "I think it takes a lot more than that." He whispered.

"Let's not tell her that." The senior whispered back.

"I need some bodies for the rooftop scene."

"I can do Troy!" EJ immediately spoke up.

She nodded his way and had him come to the stage.

"Or at least some people think so." He muttered bitterly.

Marlowe rolled her eyes when she heard him. "Perk up,  Troy."

"Carlos, stand in for Gabriella," said Miss Jenn. "Do we have a working light board? Do we have a working light switch?"

"Found it!" Big Red shouted from the light board and turned on one of the lights, only it was a blue light and and EJ let out a small scream when he saw the mannequins on the side of the stage.

Marlowe instantly let out a cackle. "Oh, I am never letting him live that down."

"S-Sorry, everyone! My uncle Ruben said there was gonna be some leftover stuff from the fashion show. I guess, the theme was  '80's rave'?"

"In a nuclear reactor?" Ashlyn added making them all laugh.

"Big Red, do we have anything more flattering?"

"I dunno, the blue really brings out EJ's teeth."  Marlowe said out loud from where she was sitting.

The students laughed and EJ sent her a sarcastic smile,  barring his very white teeth at her. She winked in return.

"Uh, working on it!" Big Red shouted back, the nerves getting to him. He turned off the blue light and it went back to normal.

"Okay, Troy, basketball stuff; Gabriella, math stuff,  nobody doesn't cry, and we end up here center stage,"  Miss Jenn rambled. "Gabriella, give us your cue."

Marlowe leaned forward in her seat by Luca's ear.  "$10 EJ starts to cry." She whispered.

He leaned back. "You're on."

"Remember in kindergarten, you'd meet a kid, know nothing about them, then ten seconds later, you're best friends?" Carlos read from the script.

"Yeah." EJ replied.

"Singing with you felt like that."

The senior took a step forward. "Look, I never thought about singing, that's for sure. Until you. And now, I don't wanna stop. ever,"

Carlos gave him a strange look, as did everyone else watching. "That's excellent and. . . a little weird," Miss Jenn critiqued. "Big Red, can we hit these guys with a spotlight?"

"Uh, I'll look for it!"

"What the hell is he doing?" Knox wondered.

Marlowe shook her head even though she knew. "Trying to be emotional, I suppose."

"What is happening right now?" Carlos asked the older boy, referring to the scene.

"Oh, I'm just emoting, Carlos. Feel free to join me."

"This is a tech rehearsal and I'm your choreographer."

"Okay, boys, let's not wait for the lights," said Miss Jenn. "Just stand on your marks and gimme your cue again."

They looked back at their scripts and EJ sniffled,  pretending to cry. "I never thought about singing,  that's for sure." He sniffled again. "Until you."

Marlowe slowly smirked and Luca rolled his eyes,  taking a $10 bill from his pocket and giving it to his sister. She took it triumphantly.

"And now, I don't wanna stop." He put his hand on the sophomore's cheek. "Ever."

Knox cringed uncontrollably. "Oh, god, someone please stop him." He covered his eyes.

Marlowe felt second hand embarrassment creep since her and she pinched the bridge of her nose.

"EJ?" Said Miss Jenn and the two of them slowly looked her way. She beckoned him to come to her. 

EJ chuckled and walked up to her, wiping away the tears. "Yeah?"

"Are you sick?"

In unison, the twins snorted.

"Wait a minute, I know what's going on here." Carlos realized.

A beam fell from the ceiling and made Miss Jenn screamed. "Big Red, did you do that?"

"No." He responded from behind her, making her scream again.

Miss Jenn called for another break and the students cleared out. Marlowe decided to stay where she was so she could look over her script. She was waiting for the day when she could start singing. She was craving it at this point.

She glanced up and the first thing she saw was EJ pacing back and forth on the stage with the script in his hands. He was groaning over the mistakes he was making. He looked miserable. Oddly enough, it made her smile, because at least he was trying. Even if it wasn't working to his favor, he was still trying. Marlowe looked at the open script again. "So lonely before, I finally sound what I've been looking for. . ." She unconsciously sang to herself.

When she looked up again, EJ waved her over with a pleading stare. She put her script away in her bag and made her way to the stage. "That's was, uh. . . Quite a performance." She teased.

He rolled his eyes. "You don't have to lie. I know I'm awful."

"Hey, I didn't say that! You're just trying too hard.  You're not letting things flow naturally," she emphasized with her hands.

EJ groaned again. "I don't know how to do that! I've never had to be in touch with my feelings."

Marlowe thought to herself for a second before taking the script from his hand. She went over it a couple times. "Okay, do the scene with me." She instructed.

His eyes widened. "What?"

She nodded. "I'll be Gabriella and you be Troy. If you mess up, I'll kick you in the shin until you get it right."

He leaned his head back. "Not sure if I want to be violated right now."

"Just do the scene, Polo Boy."

"Stop calling me that."

"Do what I say and I will."

EJ rolled his eyes. "Okay, okay. Your cue."

Marlowe cleared her throat. She had seen the movie so many times that she didn't need a script. "Remember in kindergarten, you'd meet a kid, know nothing about them, then ten seconds later you're best friends?" She recited as Gabriella.

He nodded as Troy. "Yeah."

She hinted a smile. "Singing with you felt like that,"

EJ cleared his throat. "I never thought about singing,  that's for sure. Until you—" he read, putting as much emotion into it as he could. When she kicked his leg, he yelped loudly in pain. "Ow! Marlowe!"

She shrugged like it was nothing. "I told you. Stop trying to be fake, EJ. Any good actor can fake emotion.  A good actor knows how to make it real. Now do it again."

"You're bossy, you know that?" He stated. All she did was smile. EJ cleared his throat and softened his expression. "I never thought about singing—"

"Ah!" Marlowe interrupted and held up her hand. "Talk in your natural voice."

He huffed. "Okay, um. . . I never thought about singing. That's for sure—"

"Look at me," she intervened, seeing that he kept looking at his script. "Look at me."

EJ looked up again and into her eyes, suddenly feeling completely different. Her eyes did that to him. "I never thought about singing, that's for sure," he read without looking at the script. "And now, I don't wanna stop. . ." The longer he looked at her, the more in depth the color of her eyes became. They weren't just brown, they were almost ebony – deep and velvety which reminded him of an October. Fall, romantic autumn, honey gold. "Ever."

Marlowe didn't say a word and instead continued to stare at him. The level of emotion he spoke took her back, shocked her, and it wasn't forced. It was real like he wasn't playing a part at all. It wasn't like Troy talking to Gabriella, it was EJ talking to Marlowe. 

And a certain teacher noticed it from across the stage. "Okay! Let's pretend we've figured out the light!" Miss Jenn announced, making the pair break the intense eye contact

Marlowe rubbed the back of her burning hot neck.  "Wow, um. . . that was great, EJ." She stuttered.

His green eyes lit up. "Really?"

"Really. It was amazing." She smiled and softly hit his arm. "See, I told you. You have emotions, you just need to learn to apply them correctly."

EJ continued to smile.

"If we've got a sound system, we got a show. I need someone to sing for microphone levels. Who's not doing anything?" Miss Jenn continued to announce. "Marley, why don't you—"

"Actually, Miss Jenn, Kourtney is an amazing singer!"  Steph interrupted and pushed Kourtney forward. "No offense, Marlowe."

She waved her off. "Non taken. Kourtney is an amazing singer, Miss Jenn. One of the best." She encouraged the girl.

Kourtney laughed. "I'm a singer, not an actor. This voice is for church."

"Thank you for volunteering," Miss Jenn dismissed and gave her the microphone. She guided her to center stage. "Just sing anything from the show. Doesn't matter what. No judgement."

"Yeah, and if anyone tries. I'll break their legs.  Literally."

Miss Jenn looked at Marlowe, slightly frightened.  "Yes, thank you, Marley. This is a safe space." She told Kourtney.

Kourtney's nervous stare remained but she lifted the microphone to her mouth. "I believe in dreaming.  Shootin for the stars. Baby, to be number one you got to raise the bar. . ."

Marlowe's jaw dropped at her vocals.

"Yeah, we're gonna bop, bop, bop. Bop to the top. Slip and slide and ride that rhythm. Jump and hop. Hop till we drop. And start again. . ."

Luca leaned against his sister and hit her on the shoulder, the twins staring at her with amazement.

"Zip, zap, zop, hop like a mop. Scoot sound the corner.  Move it to the groove till the music stops!" Kourtney held out the last note, gradually growing louder till the point the microphone feedback went out.

Everyone groaned and held their ears from the piercing sound. But nonetheless, they applauded for the girl's beautiful performance. "Damn girl, you blew the sound out with those lungs. Literally." Luca said in utter astonishment.

Kourtney smiled at their praise.

"Kourtney, honey, that was a wow," Miss Jenn said. "Unfortunately, it seems we have now broken the sound system, the lights, and possibly me. Carlos,  could you please clear the theater right now?"

"Okay, everyone, follow me. We're going to take a long five?" Carlos announced, very unsure.

Marlowe narrowed her eyes but grabbed Kourtney arm and squeezed it. "Oh my god, Kourtney, that was incredible!" She squealed.

Kourtney smiled back the students praised her all the to the lobby of the theater.

Waking into the lobby, Marlowe founded EJ sitting on the floor by the snack stand, shoveling popcorn in his mouth. "Hey, Green Eyes." She said with a small laugh.

EJ looked up at her. "That's a new one." He pointed out and couldn't help but smile.

Marlowe shrugged. "Well, I can't use Polo Boy anymore, so, I had to get creative." She fell to the floor beside him and leaned her back against the popcorn cart.

"Does that mean I can give you a nickname?" He asked her and ate another handful of popcorn.

She narrowed her eyes. "I have a lot of nicknames that you call me."

EJ shrugged. "Well yeah, but. . .I want one of my own."

Feeling flattered, Marlowe smiled. "Okay. Sure, go for it."

"Thank you for what you did in there. Y'know, for helping me."

"I just want you to be your best." She stated with honestly.

EJ blinked softly. "Sometimes I think you're the only one who does."

A smile slowly grew on her face and she bumped her shoulder against him. "Gimme some of that popcorn."

He leaned the bag toward her and smiled, her cheeks turning a light shade of red from his staring.

them having a mental crisis over each other's
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