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𝗜𝗡 𝗧𝗢𝗢 𝗗𝗘𝗘𝗣

chapter seventeen:
new injuries !

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ALL OF THE girls — which was Violetta, Athena, Ashlyn, Nini, and Gina — had separated from the boys. Well, except for Seb. He didn't really seem that thrilled to go with the rest of the boys, which basically meant that he didn't really seem that thrilled to go with Carlos. At least that was how Violetta saw it.

Nevertheless, Seb tagged along, and all of them were more than happy to have him there. They had taken a quick trip to Target, courtesy of Athena and her driving, for the supplies that they would need for the Beast's transformation. And, well, on Violetta's insistence, they got some snacks.

They all walked into Ashlyn's house, their arms full of Target bags. Violetta kicked off her shoes by the door and wandered into the living room, setting down her bags on the couch.

Kourtney took out a sheet of fur and laid it out on the table. "One hundred percent real faux fur."

"Oooh," Nini commented.

"Thirty yards."

"Must've been a truly enormous faux animal," Ashlyn voiced.

Violetta tilted her head at the fur, staring at it as if it would magically reveal what its purpose was. "So, Kourt . . . what exactly are we doing?"

"Okay, so you know those sequined tops where if you rub them one way, they're purple, but if you rub them the other way, they're red?" Kourtney asked.

"Duh, love it," Gina replied.

"So, we're gonna do that with the Beast cape. But instead of purple and red, it's going to be fur and satin." She grabbed her sheet of blue satin and wrapped it around herself dramatically. "Y'all feel me?"

"Kourt, you are a visionary," Nini said.

"Oh, thank you. The boys can build something that spins the Beast around to disguise the transition."

"Wow, won't that take a while?" Seb questioned.

"I'm in if you are," Kourtney answered.

"I guess I could sleep over tonight," Gina responded, and they all let out small laughs at that because Gina lived in Ashlyn's house.

"You guys, I'm all about costumes, but I don't know if my parents will be cool with me at a co-ed sleepover," Seb revealed.

Kourtney gave him a serious look. "Chip, this is your mother speaking. Go call your mother."

Seb pointed to her in compliance and walked off into the kitchen to call his mother. Ashlyn then dramatically turned around, holding a bucket that held multiple pairs of scissors in it.

"Behold, my scissors bucket," Ashlyn announced proudly. She put it down on the table on top of the faux fur. "Yeah, guys."

Violetta shook her head in amusement. Once Seb joined them again with his mother's permission to sleep over, they all got to work.

About an hour of cutting and measuring, they had successfully attached the faux fur to the blue satin. Kourtney was now having Seb stand in front of the mirror to model their creation. Violetta sat on the couch next to Athena, her knees tucked into her chest. She was absentmindedly eating an Oreo while watching Seb model in the mirror before her phone screen lit up. She glanced away to see that it was a text from EJ.

How's it going over there?

Violetta slightly smiled at it and responded. Good. Kourtney tried to teach me to sew but I was awful at it. How's it going on your end?

EJ typed for a second. Fine. I've learned that Big Red has an emotional attachment to his skateboards, though.

Yeah, he gets like that. Did he also get really bossy when he pulled out the power tools?

How'd you know?

Violetta laughed to herself. I've been best friends with him for years. I've picked up on his strange habits.

Sorry, I have to get back to our creation. Just wanted to check up on you :)

Violetta felt butterflies rush throughout her stomach. Thanks, talk to you soon ❤️

"Ooh, this is going to be so good, Carlos would wear it," Kourtney voiced, making Violetta lock her phone.

"Does he just walk around in Armani sweatpants?" Ashlyn inquired.

"I guess," Seb replied, his sad voice a stark contrast to their laughter.

Athena frowned and set down the Goldfish she was eating. "Sebbie, don't lie this time. What's going on with you two?"

Seb turned away from the mirror to look at them all. "I guess you could say he met a group of extremely photogenic guys when he was down in Mexico, and he seems pretty happy. So, now I'm pretty sad."

"Oh, Seb, come on," Gina protested lightly.

"You want to see him happy," Ashlyn insisted. "That's with you."

"But I guess he has to be, out of default, right?" Seb asked.

Violetta frowned, concern running through her veins. "What do you mean, Seb?"

Seb sat down on the couch next to Athena, and Violetta peered over Athena to look at him. "There's not a lot of other choices for a boy like Carlos here at East."

Nini shook her head at that. "No, Seb."

"Have you told him how you feel?" Ashlyn asked.

"I'm not so good at saying the feelings part out loud," Seb admitted.

"Never hurts to put yourself out there," Gina cut in. "Or so I've heard."

"At least two of us here have perfectly stable relationships," Athena muttered, using her hand to gesture to Violetta and Ashlyn.

Violetta sighed, giving her a look. "Athena."

"Oh, by the way, how are you, 'Thena?" Nini questioned. "You know, with the whole Ricky situation."

"Not well," Athena stated. She threw her phone down on the couch in frustration, and it landed right next to Violetta's foot. "Him and his stupid Vans and high-top Converse are making me rethink my entire decision."

Violetta shook her head. That girl was so in love with Ricky that even his shoes was making her more head-over-heels.

Seb just looked confused. "Why are his shoes making you rethink your decision?"

"Because he looks so good in them," Athena complained. "It's so ridiculous."

"Why don't you just tell him how you feel?" Gina suggested. "You were the one to initiate the breakup, so maybe you should be the one to initiate the the make up."

Violetta's eyes widened and she frantically gestured at Athena, trying to get her point across. "You hear that, Athena? That's what I've been saying, and you're not listening to me!"

"It'll just confuse and hurt him even more," Athena argued. "That's quite literally the last thing I want." She looked down at her hands sadly. "He doesn't need that right now."

"Come on, I saw you two talking at rehearsal today," Gina voiced. "You should've seen him. He stared at you like you were his whole universe."

"Literal heart eyes," Ashlyn agreed.

"Trust me, I've been wrong before, but 'Thena . . . I'm right about this one."

"Oh my God, the chocolates," Ashlyn suddenly announced.

Violetta glanced over at Athena worryingly, seeing her best friend wince and avert her gaze to the floor. She had been told by Athena the whole story about the chocolates. Apparently, Gina had been sent chocolates on Valentine's Day and thought they were from Ricky. That's why she made that comment about the Twix bar on the day they all got trapped in school. Violetta just didn't understand why Ashlyn was bringing it up now.

"What are the chocolates?" Nini inquired, since she had been stuck at the hospital with her moms on Valentine's Day.

"Oh, um . . ." Gina began. "I . . . I thought Ricky sent me some chocolates on Valentine's Day, and I kind of melted a little, as a friend. But he didn't send me chocolates. It was my mom."

"Did you know about this, Athena?"

"Hmm?" Athena replied, looking up from the ground. "Oh, uh, yeah, I did. On the day of the really bad storm."

"It was funny," Ashlyn admitted. "We laughed and laughed."

Athena nodded slowly, letting out a laugh that was quite evidently fake — it could've passed off as real to anyone else, but Violetta knew better. "Yep. Real funny."

Violetta stared at her in concern. "Athena—"

"Anyone else want a root beer?" Athena stood up from the couch, and they all looked at her. "No? Okay. Uh, I'll be right back."

She then wandered off into the kitchen. Violetta stared at her best friend's figure as she opened the refrigerator, almost like she was trying to hide herself away. She wanted to go after her, but quite evidently, Athena just really needed space at the moment.

"Guys," Violetta complained quietly, trying to make sure Athena didn't hear. "You might've meant well, but you really shouldn't have brought that up. She's hurt enough as it is."

Ashlyn's eyes were sad. "I didn't mean to hurt her."

"I just . . . she doesn't need to be reminded of anything Ricky right now. They actually wanted to talk today, but then this came up, so . . . no mentioning anything about him or situations that made her confused, okay?"

Violetta straightened up once she saw the refrigerator door shut, trying to act as discreet as she possibly could. She glanced down at her phone again and tapped the screen, only to see it was another text from EJ that she hadn't seen yet. Violetta instantly felt a smile spread across her lips.

Miss you, angel ❤️

═════════ • ° • ✰ • ° • ═════════

AFTER A LITTLE while of fixing up their cape, some snack breaks, and a little begging from Kourtney, they had acquired the original Broadway plans from the Beast's transformation that North High was allegedly using from Howie. They took their finished Beast cape and went back to East High, and Kourtney called Big Red to tell the boys to meet them there.

They had told the boys to meet them at the stage door, but they actually found them walking in the hallway on the way to the auditorium. The first thing Violetta noticed was the sort of spinning contraption made out of a table and some of Big Red's old skateboards, but then the next thing she noticed was that Ricky and Carlos weren't there.

"Wow," Violetta stated, making EJ and Big Red turn around. "What is that? A lazy Susan? Or should I say lazy Ricky?"

Big Red's eyes widened. "That's what I called it!"

"We're so on the same wavelength, Red." Violetta then grinned up at EJ, scrunching her nose the tiniest bit as she linked her arm through his. "'Sup."

"'Sup?" EJ repeated. "That's all I get? A 'sup?"

"Yeah, problem?"

EJ rolled his eyes fondly at her before leaning down and kissing the top of her head. "You're impossible."

"Yeah, yeah, I . . ." Violetta's voice suddenly died out. Was she actually about to say that? The l-word? Oh God. She quickly shook off her shock. "You're impossible too, sweetheart."

They finally started to reach the stage door. Big Red was walking ahead of their group, holding his key ring. He was looking at all of his keys, trying to eliminate some so he could find the one for the stage door.

"These two are for the pizza shop," Big Red explained. "This one's for the front door of my house. This one's for my bike lock, that one's for Athena's house—"

"You have a key to Athena's house?" EJ asked.

"She gave me, Ricky, and Violetta ones in case of emergencies."

"Also known as we all gave each other keys to each other's houses when we were twelve," Athena added.

Big Red then turned to face all of them, holding up a key. "Oh! I haven't seen this one in a while."

"You do have the key, right, babe?" Ashlyn questioned.

"Yeah, I narrowed it down to this half of the chain."

Big Red then tried to open the door. However, none of the keys he had narrowed it down to would fit the lock. Violetta watched him in complete boredom. This was such a Big Red thing to do. Suddenly, the stage door opened from the other side, revealing Natalie.

"You could've just knocked," Natalie said.

They all walked onto the stage. Leaving the lazy Ricky on the side, they rolled out the blueprint for the Broadway transformation that they had acquired on the floor of the stage. They all gathered around to study it. Violetta unlinked her arm from EJ's and crouched down to the floor, making sure her eyes weren't deceiving her. Especially for Broadway, this just seemed so . . . simple.

Gina was the first one to speak up after a moment of silence. "Wait. So, in the Broadway show, all they did was suspend the Beast in the air, and then he takes the mask off."

"Wow," Nini commented.

"Seems almost . . . anticlimactic," Violetta admitted, her eyebrows knit in thought. "Like, it's this whole big thing, and he just . . . takes off the mask?"

"But combine this with the wire from Get'cha Head in the Game, we're golden," Ashlyn responded. "Do we still have Ricky's harness?"

"Ooh, it's in the costume shop somewhere," Kourtney voiced.

"Everyone, let's meet back in fifteen," Natalie suggested.

"Thank you, fifteen," all of them chorused.

Violetta stood back up and went back to the lazy Ricky. Athena joined her side, and Kourtney came as well, taking the blueprint from Natalie. She spread it across the top so they could have a better look at it.

"So . . ." Seb began.

"So, this came from Howie?" Big Red inquired.

"Yeah, good luck getting a comment out of her," Nini responded. "I've been trying for an hour."

"Okay, the comment is, he's finally figured out my love language," Kourtney revealed.

Violetta raised an eyebrow at that. "Which one is it? Physical touch? Words of affirmation?"

"Uh, gifts, music, flattery, and begging."

"Hi," Carlos suddenly greeted, literally coming out of nowhere, making Violetta blink.

Seb turned to face him. "Hi."

"Can I steal you for a minute? I'm really nervous, so please say yes before I change my mind."

Seb hesitated momentarily. "Yes."

Violetta glanced over and shared a knowing look with Athena. They were for sure going to make up.

Deciding to make the most out of her fifteen minutes, Violetta wandered over to the edge of the stage and sat down, her legs dangling over the side. She stared out at the rows of seats, which were only slightly illuminated from the stage lights.

"Hi," EJ greeted, sitting down next to her, so close that their shoulders were pressed up against each other's. "Penny for your thoughts?"

"I have no thoughts," Violetta told him with a small laugh. "Like, absolutely none. I'm just staring at the seats."

"Well, I have a thought."

Silence.

"Wow," Violetta commented, nodding at him. "I love where you're going with this.

"I'm getting there," EJ insisted. "Just . . . nervous."

"Nervous?" She suddenly got a smirk on her face. "EJ Caswell, do I make you nervous?"

His cheeks dusted a light shade of pink. "Shut up." He nudged their shoulders together, making her laugh. "And you know you do."

"EJ," Violetta said quietly, reaching over and taking his hand, lacing their fingers together. "It's okay. You make me nervous, too."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." She squeezed his hand. "Tell me about this thought that you have."

EJ let out a deep breath. "I . . . I couldn't stop thinking about how weird you felt when I pretended to be Gina's boyfriend at East High, and, well, I wanted to make it up to you."

Violetta's eyebrows knit in confusion. "EJ, baby, that wasn't your idea, it was mine. I literally brought it upon myself."

"I know, I know, but . . . do you want to get risotto with me sometime?"

Violetta blinked in shock for a moment before smiling. "You actually want to go on a risotto date?"

"With you, yeah," EJ confirmed.

Violetta leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Eej, I would love to go on a risotto date with you."

"Hearing you calling me Eej is also something I didn't know I liked until now."

"I like it." Violetta shrugged. "And why were you so nervous? You've asked me on plenty of dates before."

"I don't know," EJ replied. "It just feels . . . different."

Violetta nodded. "Okay, Mr. Perspective." She then stood up, tugging lightly on his hand. "Come on, we should go help set up."

They helped the others set up, with the exception of Seb, Carlos, and Ricky, who were still missing. Athena also disappeared for a moment. Seb and Carlos came back together, followed after a moment after by Athena and Ricky. Violetta didn't really know what was going on, but when did she ever?

Ricky got strapped up in his harness that he had used in Get'cha Head in the Game and put on his Beast Mask while Athena put on her blue traveling cloak. Violetta stood off to the side, her arms crossed across her chest as she leaned comfortably into EJ's side, who had his arm wrapped around her waist. Athena was kneeling on the ground next to Ricky who laid there, and they started to act out the scene of the transformation.

"I, I, I . . ." Ricky fought out, pretending to be hurt, like the Beast was.

"Please," Athena said recited. "I love you."

Ricky pretended to choke before rolling over onto his stomach.

Athena looked at Big Red. "Now."

Big Red started to slowly spin the wheel that would bring up a rope that was attached to the strings on Ricky's harness. Ricky started to get lifted up into the air, and Violetta watched as he was suspended.

"Y'all, this is some Broadway stuff," Kourtney stated.

"We're gonna win," Natalia voiced excitedly. "You guys, we're actually gonna win."

"We're gonna make Miss Jenn so proud," Carlos agreed.

They spoke so soon.

Everything happened so fast. Once Ricky had reached his full height, the rope that was holding him up started to unravel at once. Violetta's eyes instantly shot down to Athena, who was in the pathway of Ricky's fall, which he was evidently going to. However, Athena was completely frozen in shock.

"Athena!" Violetta exclaimed.

Violetta watched in horror as Ricky fell with a scream, landing on top of Athena and forcing her to fall, too. They both groaned in pain, the sound being the loudest thing in the shocked silence of the auditorium. Violetta slowly looked up at EJ, both of their eyes extremely wide.

This was not good. This was really not good.

∘ ₊ ✧ ──── ✧ ₊ ∘

BYE I FORGOT HOW FUNNY RICKY FALLING WAS

also ricky's smile when carlos sings that song to seb :') my boy