by Disney Books
Gina found Ricky by the water fountain outside the gym. When he told her about his mom’s boyfriend being in the audience, she asked if that was the only reason he gave up playing Troy.
“Honestly, this is Nini’s big moment,” he confessed. “The best thing I can do for her is just take a step back and…watch.”
Gina wasn’t sure that was true, but she wanted to support Ricky. She encouraged him to watch the show with her from the back of the gym. “Let’s go watch E.J. Caswell sweep himself off his feet,” she said.
Ricky laughed, despite how he was feeling. He was glad Gina was back. Nini saw the two of them come in from her spot on center stage. She froze and missed her line.
“Remember kindergarten?” E.J. said again. Only this time, he ad-libbed the next line. “There’s nothing like the friends you made back then. And they never really leave, do they?”
Nini looked confused. She put her hand on her mike. “What are you doing?”
“Something right, I hope,” E.J. replied, covering his mike. “I’m going to play to lose. I’m not the Troy you want.” He backed away into the dark wings.
Nini knew what she had to do. She began singing “Breaking Free” and walked out of the spotlight into the audience toward Ricky. She held up her phone and hit the flashlight to shine on him.
“I’m really not at my best,” Ricky said, unsure of what Nini wanted him to do.
“Look at me, Ricky,” Nini said, quoting the movie. “Right at me.”
She continued to sing. By the time she got to the chorus, the orchestra was playing. Ricky took her hand and joined Nini in the song. He could forget everything that had happened tonight when he was singing with Nini. Together, they headed to center stage. Their voices blended in perfect harmony, and their chemistry was amazing.
Gina watched them and smiled. They were a great couple, on and off the stage.
“Some wonderstudies we are, huh?” E.J. kidded, joining her at the back of the gym.
Gina smiled. “Yeah, we are,” she told him. She turned to face him. “Thank you for buying me that plane ticket.”
“It didn’t seem fair for you to miss all of this,” E.J. said.
The song ended, and Nini and Ricky soaked in all the applause.
“That…just happened,” Nini said, gushing. They raced backstage to change into their finale outfits. Nini was finally going to get to wear that red dress onstage.
“We’re All in This Together” began, and the cast went through their bows as the audience clapped and sang along. As Nini and Ricky were about to go back out onstage, Ricky leaned in. “Can I ask you a question?” he said.
“Can it wait until we bow?” Nini asked.
After their well-deserved curtain call, Nini and Gina left the stage. Gina dragged Miss Jenn out into the spotlight, and Nini came back holding a bedazzled lunch tray with a red apple. She looked over at Miss Jenn. “You know what to say,” she said.
Miss Jenn clutched her heart. This was a dream come true! “Is that the last apple?” she asked. The crowd cheered, and starting chanting, “Wildcats, Wildcats….” This was a big moment for Miss Jenn. She stood onstage soaking in the applause.
“This is kind of the best,” Ricky said.
“Oh, honey, wait till you see what I picked for the spring musical,” Miss Jenn told him.
Big Red had a surprise as well. Just as Mr. Mazzara thought publicizing his robotics program was not going to happen, Big Red hit a button that released thousands of robotics club stickers into the crowd like confetti. Mr. Mazzara grinned.
After the show, the cast returned backstage. They still didn’t know who had sent the giant flower arrangement.
Carlos searched and found a card. He read the inscription: TO ASHLYN, BECAUSE YOU GET ME.
Ashlyn looked over at E.J. “E.J., really,” she gushed.
“I didn’t write that,” E.J. said.
Big Red stepped forward. “I did.”
Ashlyn’s heart stopped. That was incredibly sweet of Big Red. As the room began to clear out, she thanked him for the massive arrangement. They both shared a smile and headed out to join the rest of the cast and their families in the hallway.
“Have you seen Nini?” Ricky asked Kourtney.
“She’s packing up,” she told him. “That boarding school person took off, and I think she’s taking it pretty hard.”
Ricky found Nini in the dressing room. “I’m sorry that teacher chick left,” he said. “She doesn’t know what she’s missing.”
“It’s okay,” Nini said. “Honestly, I was kind of dying to get in all of the sudden, but now she’s gone, and it looks like I’m meant to be at East High.”
She looked up at Ricky. “Wait,” she said, “what was your question from before we bowed?”
“Oh, I was…” Ricky stalled. He took a deep breath. “I was just gonna say, what happens now? I never opened a show or closed one. So what happens now?”
“Usually the theater kids cry and we go to Denny’s,” she replied.
“I mean now that it’s all…over,” Ricky said, feeling the weight of his words.
Nini stared at him, wishing that he would say more. What was he feeling? She wasn’t sure and felt awkward, so she grabbed her backpack to head out.
“Don’t you and Big Red have like three months of video games to catch up on?” Nini asked.
“Yeah, I guess so,” he said.
“Is that it?” Nini asked. She started to walk away.
“I love you,” Ricky blurted out.
This stopped Nini in her tracks. She turned to him.
“I’ve loved you since the first time you picked up your ukulele and wrote a song about clouds,” he said. “And that night in your room, when you told me you loved me, I meant to say it, and I’ve kicked myself every day since then because I didn’t say it. But I do. I love you.”
Ricky went on to recall a time in seventh grade when they’d gone on a roller coaster and he puked on her shoes. She had been so cool about it and just shrugged the whole thing off by saying that she had wanted to get rid of the shoes because she had outgrown them. “But the thing is,” Ricky told her. “I never outgrew you.” Nini’s eyes welled up. “I don’t know what happens tomorrow, but I want this feeling to keep going. I’m not ready for it to be over. For us to be over. And if that means doing another musical, fine.”
Nini laughed. “I get to pick the musical,” she said.
“Fine,” Ricky said, smiling. “I don’t want this to just be a show-mance. I want it to be the real thing. I think it is the real thing. I want a chance to prove it.”
Nini put her hand on Ricky’s arm. “You know how in musicals, people burst into song when they’ve run out of things to say?”
Ricky nodded.
“Sometimes,” Nini said, moving closer, “it’s easier to just kiss.”
The kiss was perfect. They exchanged opening night gifts. Nini gave Ricky dog tags engraved with TO FREAKY CALLBACK BOY, and Ricky gave Nini a gold guitar pick engraved with TO FREAKY MATH GIRL.
There was a knock on the door, and Kourtney stuck her head in. Nini’s moms and grandmother were eager for her to come out for pictures and hugs. Nini left Ricky to pack up his things.
Out in the hallway, the cast and crew were getting ready to head to Ashlyn’s house for an opening night celebration.
“Hey, are you coming?” Ashlyn asked Gina.
“I’m flying back in a couple of hours,” Gina said.
“Cancel it,” Ashlyn said. “You can spend the night in our guest room. Honestly, you can stay through Christmas if you want. Or actually…” Suddenly Ashlyn had a great idea, and by the look on Gina’s face, she was thinking the same thing.
Principal Gutierrez interrupted Miss Jenn and Mr. Mazzara in mid-conversation. He informed them that they were the ones who had started the fire in the theater. Miss Jenn and Mr. Mazzara were shocked into speechlessness.
In the lobby, people were still mingling as the cast made
their way to the front of the school. Nini didn’t expect to see the dean of Youth Actors Conservatory standing there as well. She hadn’t left the show. She had just stepped out to make a phone call…to the president of the board!
“Nini, you have talent, but more than that, you have a unique voice,” the dean told her. “It’s clear you have things to say. I’d like to offer you a spot starting next month.” She handed Nini her card. “You’ll let me know.”
Nini stood silent for a moment as the lobby cleared out. Ricky peeked his head back in the door. “Hey, Nini! Ready to go?” he asked. This was the most incredible opening night ever. But she had to wonder, were all her dreams coming true? Was this truly the start of something new?