chapter six
stifling laughs at bad songs

The next day at rehearsal, Dylan sat in between Ashlyn and Seb. A wide smile on her face as she watched the dancers kill it with their routine of Stick to the Status Quo. Dylan wished she was part of the dance but since her and Seb, as Sharpay and Ryan, spent the whole song watching everyone dance she couldn't.

Finally, Gina came in with her big solo. It was her new idea, which was why the whole group was there early. It was actually supposed to be a duet between her and Nini, one that Dylan helped choreograph, but Nini was nowhere to be found.

"Everybody hold!" Miss Jenn announced. She walked over towards the door, and Dylan turned to see Nini come in the room. "Nini where were you? We've been here for an hour."

"I'm so sorry." Nini apologised as she rushed into the room. "I- I lost my phone and basically spent last night living as a hunter-gatherer. Which, by the way, did you know there are things that are only on TV at a certain time? Okay, anyway, I finally picked it up in the lost and found and- wait, did you say an hour?"

"Gina sent you and me a text asking if we could come in early so she could talk through a new idea, you didn't get it." Miss Jenn explained.

Dylan scoffed as she listened to Nini. Her eyes narrowed as she made her way over EJ, the boy turning to her with wide eyes when she punched him in the shoulder roughly. The two turned to face each other as the blocked Miss Jenn's and Nini's conversation out.

"What was that for?" He exclaimed quietly.

"You were supposed to return that phone to her not put it in the lost and found. Now she's an hour late and in trouble." She snapped at him angrily.

"Okay, I panicked." Dylan took a deep breath and turned back to the conversation with Miss Jenn in order to not pummel EJ

"Well if you had been here you'd know that Gina pitched a whole new dance break for gabriella and taylor in the middle of the status quo and she had carlos and dylan work it all out with her and it is just dazzling." Miss Jenn explained, the words coming out her mouth faster than Nini could understand them.

"You, Carlos and Dylan." Nini commented to Gina, while Gina held out a bedazzled tray to her.

"Gina why don't you hydrate and show Nini the new choreo, would you?" Miss Jenn suggested.

"I am so sorry, I tried to keep it as simple as possible but Gina is well... Gina." Dylan apologised, rushing over to Nini once Gina was out of ear shot.

"It's okay D." Nini smiled. Dylan hugged her friend before watching Gina try to teach her it. It was quite hard to watch, everyone knowing Nini wasn't nearly as flexible as Gina, and while Dylan had try to make it more suited to Nini, it was still hard for the brunette to do. The Valdez girl knew why Gina had added in the solo - so she could show of her skills and take the role of Gabriella off of Nini.

✿✼:*ﾟ:༅｡.｡༅:*･ﾟﾟ･⭑

Seb and Dylan were on the stage running through their lines with the girl who plays Kelsi. Dylan walked on stage, the girl stopping her.

"What key?" She asked, reciting her line.

"Oh we had our rehearsal pianist do an arrangement." Dylan smiled slightly at her before walking to the middle of the stage. The two met in the middle of the stage, turning and gesturing for the music to start. They smiled at each other before crossing their arms over each other and clicking to the rhythm. They pretended to take their mics and began walking forwards.

"It's hard to believe that I couldn't see." Dylan sang.

"You were always there beside me. Thought I was alone, with no one to hold. But you were always right beside me." The duo sang together, doing the steps Miss Jenn told them to.

The two slide so Seb was in front of Dylan as he sang, "This feeling's like no other" 

They swapped around so Dylan was in front of Seb, "I want you to know"

"I've never had someone that knows me like you do. The way you do. I've never had someone as good for me as you." Seb and Dylan clicked on the beat before starting to do the choreography.

"No one like you. So lonely before I finally found what I've been looking for."  The two posed as Miss Jenn clapped.

"That was perfect guys, i'll see you in rehearsal tomorrow." She praised. Seb and Dylan turned to each other, smiles wide.

"We were great." Seb smiled.

"No Seb, we were fabulous." The two laughed before Dylan wrapped Seb in a hug and they made their way out of school.

The next day, Dylan was walking down the hallway, headphones in as she blasted Taylor Swift. She began to hum the chorus to picture to burn when a person began walking next to her. The brunette took one of her headphones out, turning to the side to see Ashlyn.

"So EJ is coming over later to show me his apology song for Nini." Ashlyn stated. Dylan furrowed her eyebrows. "And obviously even if Nini forgives him he doesn't deserve to live this down."

"Right?"

"So, if you come over later to study then you'll be there, and you can make fun of whatever he shows me." Ashlyn shrugged. Dylan smiled at the idea.

"I'll be there." Dylan and Ashlyn laughed.

Once school was finished, the two girls made their way to Ashlyln's house. They spent the afternoon not doing a lot — rehearsing lines, singing and dancing in the red head's room, and now they were sat in the kitchen helping each other with homework, when EJ turned up.

"We're in the kitchen Ej." Ashlyn shouted.

"Uncle Dennis and Aunt Debbie aren't gone right? I don't really want an audience for this." Ej expressed.

"I'm not leaving." Dylan piped up at the same time Ashlyn answered,

"Uh thank you?"

"You know what I mean and Valdez you seem to be everywhere." Ej told them, "Okay you ready?"

"I'm just impressed you wrote a whole song."

"Yeah it's got metaphors and everything."

"Well i'm proud of you." Ashlyn told him sincerely, "Sing from the heart."

"Or you know sing from the imaginary one everyone thinks you have." Dylan instructed.

"Here goes." He pressed play on his phone, an upbeat tune coming out.

"Before you go and make that face you make when you're mad at me. So mad at me. Let me say it's not my place going through your voicemail. And your history. And if this were a TV show you know I'd have to go and plead insanity." He hopped of the table where he was sat, heading into the living room.

Ashlyn and Dylan shared a look before going to put their cups in the sink, turning to face EJ again. The song was already a bit of a surprise. You could easily tell both girls thought it was be more heartfelt ballad than boyband pop.

'"Cause the lyin' and spyin' and pryin' isn't really my personality. I'm an idiot for taking your phone."

He started to do some really bad dance moves as he sang, Dylan holding in her laughter, "This is my fault, my bad. If I said a million sorrys. How about a billion sorrys? Ooh."

He jumped back onto the table, "You shine just like the stars. And I'm not even a night light. Cause what I did wasn't so bright. I'm really sorry."

EJ dragged Ashlyn into the living room, the red head grabbing Dylan so she was forced to follow them, a smile on her face as she tried to stifle her laughter.

"Girl." He cleared his throat and bent on one knee in front of Ashlyn and Dylan who had sat down on a chair, "Girl. You know I was scared that this would end. That's why I checked your DMs. This has been so hard for me, keeping this secret from you and our friends. Ugh, but given the chance, I would definitely do it again."

He hesitated, "No, wait that's not right. I mean that I wouldn't do it again. No. This is my fault, my bad. If I said a million sorrys. How about a billion sorrys? Ooh Can't we just start again? Once upon a time I'm sorry. Nothing else to rhyme with sorry. Ooh. Not so great at sayin' sorry. Hope you know I'm really sorry. Ooh."

By the time the song had finished, the trio were back in the kitchen, Ashlyn unimpressed and Dylan doubled over in laughter.

"Okay."

"Did you like it?" Ej asked.

"There's a lot to admire." Ashlyn struggled to find the words.

"It would be good on a comedy show." Dylan laughed trying to regain her breath.

"It's too much."

"I guess I was just hoping it would feel a little less boy band and a little more heartfelt, maybe if you tweaked a couple of the lyrics." Ashlyn critiqued, "Like there are words that rhyme with sorry."

"I mean not really." Ej spoke.

"Starry."

"Hurry."

"You know what i can't do this, you're right this is her thing with Ricky. She'll see right through it." Ej started walking back towards the living room huffing. "I'm going to find her after rehearsal tomorrow, tell her what happened and straight up apologise."

"She might forgive you." Ashlyn tried to be optimistic.

"Would you?" Ej asked her, "Or you."

"No because i don't like you but Nini's does and she's a nicer person than i am." Dylan said bluntly.

"I'm proud of you either way." Ashlyn changed the subject.

"Yeah that's what i thought." Ej sighed, turning to leave. Ashlyn and Dylan watched the boy go, Dylan checking the time on her own phone and deciding it was time to go home.

"I'll see you tomorrow Ash." Dylan waved her goodbye after packing up her stuff, making her way back to her house.

( 💌 ) isobel's notes
We all know that Dylan
will never let EJ live a
billion sorry's down, so
be prepared for that
running joke.
I generally forgot how
boring these chapters
were because they're all
centred Ricky, Nini and Gina