SOUR

Favorite crime

"The things I did, just so I could call you mine"

EJ Caswell
(High school musical the musical the series)

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Willow Stephens stood at the side of the stage in her costume nervously. The heavy jacket and hat atop of her head felt so wrong to her and she wanted nothing more than to take them off and flee the school. She retreated back to the small dressing room knowing that she had time to wait and dropped onto a seat, putting her head into her hands. She had never expected to get this roped into a situation and definitely not for a boy. Her best friend of two years had begged her to take part in this musical so that she could help him win his girlfriend over and later, get her back after they broke up. Of course she agreed instantly, she had a crush on him and had done for many months. What was worse was the way she had agreed so quickly, as if this would somehow make him turn around and, like a Taylor swift song, see that she had been there along and that they belonged together. She didn't even deserve to be in the show and she knew that because a few weeks prior after finding out what their teacher said about him, her best friend confessed that he switched out the papers and made sure she got the role. It hurt her slightly because it made her feel like she didn't even deserve to be on stage with these amazing people. She had made friends with his cousin and the boy playing Sharpay, Seb, who she adored.
She had spent hours on the phone the night she found out, just crying her heart out to Gina, someone who had moved away but was very close to her heart. The girls had cried to each other about how much they missed the other and how they had been wronged. After a few minutes, Kourtney came through and told the girl she had to get on stage and so she made her way on, did her scene, smiled, acted and then left, trying not to let anyone see how it was all fake.
She walked back into the dressing room and took in a deep sigh as she closed her eyes.
"Hey Will, you okay?" she hears a voice ask.
She opens her eyes and gasps as she throws her arms around Gina who was miraculously stood in front of her and started to let a few tears slip as the pair held each other close.
"Oh my god, what are you doing here?" She asks as they pull away and she looks down at her costume.
"EJ bought me a last minute ticket back so I could perform"
"I'm so glad you're here"
She nods at the girl before she moved round her and made her way to the stage leaving Willow stood in the room with only EJ left at the mirrors.
"Thank you for buying Gin-" She starts but was cut off by Ricky coming and shoving past her to ask the boy to take over from him.
She sighed and walked out. He was going to get the girl again and she would've just been his willing accomplice.
She spent the rest of her night by the stage until the curtain call started and she lined up with the rest of her cast mates ready to go out onto the stage. She heard her cue and ran out waving to the crowd who cheered loudly. The light shone on her face and the world felt like it was going in slow motion. She saw camera flashes go off and heard the music playing slowly and felt the forced smile on her face start to hurt. She felt guilt sink into her heart as these people acted like she deserved to be on that stage when she knew that she didn't. She stopped waving and retreated back to her spot in the cast line. As everyone made their way out, they all grabbed hands. She felt EJ take hers and he smiles at her and she sighed as they raised their hands up before they all bowed and made their way backstage to get changed. She shimmied out of the jacket and took off her hat letting her hair fall down her back and she put on her jean jacket, going around her friends asking them to sign one of the sleeves to commemorate the night. After a few minutes she came across EJ and sighed as she started to sign the space by her wrist.
"Oh the things I did, just so I could call you mine" she thought as she stared down at him.
She hated that she'd never gotten the chance to tell him how she felt but now they were alone and nothing could get in her way.
"You know, I almost feel like a criminal thinking back on all the things I did this past six months, thank you for never giving up on me" he says laughing a little as he finishes signing his name.
"Well of all the things you did, I hope I was your favourite crime" she giggles before they look up at each other and make eye contact, her breath hitching in her throat.
"Will, I'm so sorry that I dragged you into this, I can't imagine how it must've felt but I promise it won't happen again-"
"It's okay EJ, you know I would do anything for you, I may have been going down but I was doing it with you, you're my person" she tells him and he takes her hand into his as he kisses her cheek lightly.
She sighed knowing they were never gonna make it. They weren't cut out for being together and it was a sad fact she had to face as she watched him run out to try and find the rest of their cast mates.
She really did hope she was his favourite crime, cause he was hers.