XXXVIII.   beauty is a beast that roars

      It was surprising how fast EJ and Marlowe were able to move on from their fight as if it never happened. How quick they were to go back to acting like best friends because that's what they were. His head was rested on her lap and she leaned over him with a pair of tweezers in her hand. "How did I let you talk me into this again?" EJ complained when she yanked an eyebrows hair from his face.

"Because you said you'd do anything to make it up to me," Marlowe said in a sing-song voice, rubbing the spot she plucked.

"Oh yeah, that's right," he muttered and sighed. When she plucked another hair, EJ whined again. "First I let Ashlyn paint my nails and now I'm letting you pluck my eyebrows. What's next, I let one of you wax my leg hairs?"

She opened her mouth.

"Don't answer that."

Marlowe chuckled. "It just means you're too sweet to say no," she told him and plucked another hair, feeling him flinch. "If it makes you feel better, you have really good eyebrows. I'm kind of jealous."

EJ opened his eyes and smiled. "Aww. You have really long eyelashes. I'm kinda jealous."

She chuckled again. Her phone started to ring and when she looked over, Marlowe saw that it was Nini. "Nini?" She spoke when she answered the phone. "What's up?"

"Mars, you have to get back on Zoom. North High's dropped a video on us on Instagram." Nini spoke at a fast, almost inaudible, pace.

Her eyes went wide. "WHAT?" With a frustrated sigh, Marlowe said, "Okay, see you on there." She hung up the phone. She patted EJ on the chest for him to sit up.

"What's going on?" EJ asked her and sat up, rubbing his now red eyebrows.

"North High. They dropped a video about us," Marlowe grumbled and grabbed her computer from the side table. "Those hijos de perras." sons of bitches

He poked her cheek. "Hey now, no cursing in Spanish."

Marlowe opened her computer and clicked on Zoom. When she entered the chat, she saw most of them already there, and the first thing she heard was, "who has time to talk when you're busy posting selfies with random guys in a cabana?" which she would figure out later.

"Hey guys!" EJ smiled big and waved, leaning over on his elbow so that his head was rested on her shoulder.

Luca, who was now at Knox's house in his room, narrowed his eyes. "EJ, why are at my house?"

"And why are your eyebrows so red?" Asked Carlos, his eyes squinted.

Ashlyn gasped. "Omg, are you guys back together?"

"We were never broken up," said Marlowe with a slight frown.

"I finally realized how much of a jerk I was being," EJ began to explain.

"So he showed up to my house in the pouring rain—"

"Again?" Said Luca.

"I apologized to Marley—"

"And then he let me pluck his eyebrows," said Marlowe with a smile and she turned to him, rubbing his freshly plucked brow. "And now we're all good."

"Heck yeah, congrats guys!" Said Knox with his usual goofy smile.

"As beautiful as this is, I need all of wildcats QUIETTT!" Said Miss Jenn and their conversation stopped. "I've called you all here for a very serious reason. It seems Zack Roy has yet another trick up his sleeve."

"Miss Jenn, they just dropped the video on their Instagram," said Nini dreadfully.

"Are you ready?" Miss Jenn asked her with a sigh.

"Ready, Miss Jenn."

"Kids, Nini is going to share her screen, so we can all watch together." Their teacher explained.

"Ooh, we should definitely have a theater movie night," Knox conjured up.

Luca looked at him and patted his back. "We'll talk about it later, babe." He said with a small shush.

Nini shared her screen with them and the video started to play. "East High," Lily's excruciatingly annoying voice recorded with the camera pointed to their school. "For decades, the students of this institution have had greatness thrust upon them," it showed various photos of the school, "they've had fame. They've had popularity. But do they deserve it?"

"Of course we deserve it," Marlowe spoke out loud with pinched brows.

"No. We say it's time to give another school a shot at the spotlight. North High has spent its spring break on an immersion trip with nothing but theater in their hearts and minds." It then changed to various photos of them on their spring break. "Meanwhile, East High had been slacking off in style, almost as if they know they can't win."

EJ's gaze darkened. "What's a curse word in Spanish?" He asked his girlfriend.

"Capullos." assholes

"Capullos." He recited.

"Okay, okay. We've seen enough!" Said Miss Jenn loudly.

"Did you just watch what I watched? That was insane!" Carlos exclaimed.

"We all watched it, Carlos. Remember?" Said Knox, and Luca closed his eyes while sighing.

"Yeah, everyone calm down. We just need a plan," said Miss Jenn. "If we want to beat them at their own game, we need to play by their rules."

"So dirty?" Said Luca, and most of them hummed.

"No, Luca, not dirty." The teacher said firmly. "Let's do something subtle, but public. To show them that we're still in this to win."

"I don't really do subtle." Said Carlos.

"But you sure do public," Seb quipped.

"Oh shit." Luca whispered and shared a wide eyed look with Knox.

Marlowe gasped. "Ooh, can we pull a Blaine Anderson and have a Somewhere Only We Know moment in the courtyard?" She asked with an excited smile.

"I'm down," EJ agreed while raising his hand.

"Maybe another time, Marley, honey." Miss Jenn kindly declined.

"We're on it, Miss Jenn." Nini said quickly.

Miss Jenn sighed again. "Godspeed." She said and clicked off the Zoom.

Marlowe clicked off and shut her computer. Her and EJ sat in silence for a few seconds. "You okay?" He asked her after seeing her tightened expression.

"I need something to take my mind off plotting Lily's murder.

"Want me to braid your hair?"

"Yes, please."

Later that night after they uploaded their video choreographed by Gina and written by Nini and Ashlyn, and EJ returned to his home, Marlowe was laying in bed on her phone, EJ's Duke sweatshirt practically swallowing her. She was watching YouTube when Ricky called her. "Hey, Richard. How's Chicago?"

It took him a minute to answer. "Hey, Mars. Uh, it's g-good." Ricky stammered.

Marlowe sat up. "Are you okay?" She asked, concerned.

"I wrote this song and, uh, I really want you to hear it."

"Okay, yeah," she nodded even though he couldn't see. "Go for it."

Marlowe waited for him to play and when he did, she immediately heard the sadness as he sang.

"Who thought that one first kiss could turn into two heartbreaks?"

Her whole life had been knowing that Nini and Ricky were meant for each other. She knew it, Luca knew it, Big Red knew it, and hell, even their parents knew it. Ricky loved Nini, his life had always been about her. And maybe that was the problem.

They were getting older, their lives were changing, and people change. Nini wanted to focus on the future and Ricky wanted to remain the same.

"I love you so much that I've gotta let you go."

Marlowe wiped her tears filled eyes. She could feel Ricky's pain, that he knew what he had with Nini had come to an end and that he was okay with it. But it was hard accepting it when it's been their whole lives. At the end of the song, Marlowe sniffled. "It's a beautiful song, Ricky."

She heard him sniffle. "It hurts, Marlowe." Ricky cried.

"I know it does, and I'm so sorry."

"I don't know who I am without her," she heard him sob again. "And I know that's the problem."

Marlowe felt her heart sink. "I know it seems like the end of the world right now, but I promise you Ricky, you're so much more than who you believe you are. You're so great. You have your own goals and dreams, and just because they're different than Nini's doesn't make them unimportant. Trust me, you're not alone, okay? You have me, Red, Luca, and so many more people on your side. It's going to get better."

It was quiet after that but Marlowe could hear Ricky's harsh breathing. "I should go to bed now," he finally spoke and sniffled. "Thanks for letting me play you the song."

She smiled sadly. "Of course."

"Love you, Mars."

"Te amo, Richard."

Marlowe felt relieved that Spring Break was over so that they could finally continue with rehearsals for the show. Coming back to school that day felt strange after everything that happened over the break, and now everything was okay. She really wanted to forget it ever happened so that she could put all her focus into her performance as Belle.

She channeled all of her focus into looking like Belle as much as possible even if it was only a rehearsal. She wore a powder blue sundress with white flats and she braided her hair like Belle, putting in a blue bow she draped the blue cape over her dress and stepped out from behind the curtain, her friends that were already on the stage turning to her. "Wow, look at you, Belle!" Ashlyn gasped and smiled.

"You look so cute, Mar," Kourtney complimented her.

Knox walked by and eyed her attire. "Looking cute, Mars." He said with a goofy smile.

Marlowe smiled giddy. "Thanks guys."

Ricky had been unusually quiet the whole time, holding his beast mask in his arms while shifting his eyes around the noisy room. Luca came up beside him and patted him on the back. "You good, man?" He asked, already knowing the answer.

"Me? Yeah, yeah," Ricky answered quickly and nodded. "I'm all good."

"It's okay if you're not. I'm not judging." Luca assured him. "I know I can't exactly relate, but, you're my bro. I'm here for you."

"Thanks, Luke. I appreciate it." Ricky responded with a small nod.

"Just make sure you don't mess up in today's rehearsal so nutcase over there can go home happy," he added and jerked his head in his sister's direction, seeing her cuddled up next to EJ.

"All right, let's get started!" Carlos announced when he walked onto the stage. He was unfortunately ignored as everyone continued with their conversations. "Hello? Let's get started!" He repeated louder. "Marlowe?"

But Marlowe was too busy laughing at something EJ had said to her, her arms circled around his torso, and the smile on her face so big that it was surprising her lips didn't rip.

"Okay, Wildcats!" Voiced Miss Jenn and she clapped her hands, everyone going silent that time.

Marlowe detached herself from her boyfriend and stood with her hands behind her back.

"Let's shake Spring Break out of our systems and try the Beast transform one last time. And remember, this is the triumph of the show, the moment the audience has been waiting for. This has to work," Miss Jenn said with a painful chuckle.

Marlowe gave an odd look to the camera.

"No pressure, right?" Ricky muttered to the Belle with a nervous chuckle.

"Ricky, try not to rush this time. We'll speed it up when you're more confident," the teacher gave him a note. Miss Jenn looked at Marlowe. "And Marley. . .oh, I have no notes. I just can't." She said with a motherly kind of smile.

It made Marlowe smile widely again.

"Don't get a big head, Little Miss Perfect." Said her twin brother and she reached over, thumping him on the forehead.

"Let's take it from. . . you came back," Miss Jenn instructed in almost a breathy whisper.

EJ pressed a good luck kiss to the side of Marlowe's head and backed away. Marlowe inhaled a sharp breath, let it out, and then repeated it three more times to loosen up. "You got this, Marley. You got this." She encouraged herself quietly. "Ready, Richard?"

"As I'll ever be," Ricky responded sarcastically as he put on his beast mask.

She kneeled onto the stage floor and he draped himself over her lap, positioning the head of the mask onto her dress. At Miss Jenn's cue, Ricky placed his hand over his chest. "You came back," he uttered in a painful sounding voice.

"If only I'd come sooner," Marlowe's voice wavered with fear and she clutched onto him.

He placed his hand on her arm. "Maybe it's better this way. . ."

"Don't talk like that! Everything will be fine."

"No!"

Marlowe shushed him, staggering her breathing so that it made it sound and look like she was going to cry. "We're together now. You'll see." She talked lightly.

"God, she is so good." Kourtney whispered as she watched.

"Yeah, she is," EJ agreed, his chin rested on his palm.

Ricky put his hand on Marlowe's cheek, and even though they both found it gross, they stayed in character. "I'm just glad I was able to see your face one last—" he dropped his hand back to the stage floor and pretended to choke.

"Oh, Richard." Luca muttered and shook his head.

Seb started to play the piano. "We are home," Marlowe began to sing, her brown eyes glistening. "We are where we shall be forever," she tried to hold in her annoyance as Ricky pulled hair from the beast mask out of his mouth. She gave him a stern look to which he immediately went back into character. "Trust in me. For you know—" she yanked away his hand when he started going it again. "—I won't run away."

Seb stopped playing the piano. "Belle, I. . ." Ricky struggled to talk.

"Yes?"

Suddenly, he flipped over, pretending to be dead, and Marlowe exhaled a shaky breath. "No, no, please don't leave me," she pleaded and pressed her hands to his back. "Please." She started to cry. "I love you."

Miss Jenn touched her hand to her heart.

There was a pause and Ricky tried ripping the velcro on the back of his mask but he struggled. Marlowe's face and shoulders fell. "Little help here, Mars," he grunted.

She rolled her eyes and covered him with her cloak. Ricky continued to struggle.

"Oof, she does not look happy." Knox voiced from the back of the stage.

Luca shook his head. "I tried telling him."

"It's stuck!" Ricky said from behind Marlowe's cape.

"Rip the Velcro!" Kourtney yelled frustratingly.

"Yeah, before Marlowe rips off your head." Said Luca, EJ and Big Red trying not to laugh.

Finally, Ricky was able to get the beast head off. "I got it." He grunted.

"Okay, okay," said Marlowe and she took the cloak off of him.

He threw the beast mask at Natalie, making her gasp and she stumbled into one of the set trees. All three of them dominoed into each other. "Watch out!" Marlowe yelled before they could hit EJ, Kourtney, and Red.

"Cut!" Miss Jenn yelled.

"Sorry, Natalie." Ricky called out.

"It's okay. It was just my face." Natalie said back, still holding the beast mask.

"Guess I should practice that throw, huh?" He joked and laughed a little. Marlowe's annoyed glare caused him to stop.

"The throw is great, Ricky. The mask is great. This is working," Miss Jenn began with a very anxious ridden smile on her face. "I will be in my office."

Sighing out of frustration, Marlowe rose to her feet. "I need a water." She announced with an obvious vexation.

They watched her stomp away, her blue cloak flying behind her. "Belle doesn't seem to full of beauty at the moment." Knox uttered.

"Beauty is a beast that roars," said Luca and then he laughed comically.