𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 , ricky bowen.

007.

WHILE RICKY WAS LEADING THE THREE GIRLS BACK TO THE BOMB SHELTER, HE GLANCED TOWARD HATTIE. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" Hattie whispered.

"Messing up the dance.. I won't do it again." Ricky answered, earning a smile from the three girls.

"Thanks Rick. That means a lot."

Back in the bomb shelter, Miss Jenn was unboxing something filled in bubble wrap. When the three girls plus Ricky went back in, they all went their separate ways. Nini went back to EJ, Ashlyn sat next to Carlos while Hattie sat next to Seb. Finally, Miss Jenn took out the long awaited Gabriella Montez phone prop. 

"Here it is people." Miss Jenn announced, holding the phone gingerly in her palms.

"Is that a garage opener?" Seb asked.

"No Seb. This is Gabriella's phone.. from the film." Followed by gasps, shock erupted in the room. "I plan on creating a time capsule display in our lobby. If they can have 40 sports ball trophies, we deserve a little movie museum. Okay people, enough dazzle! Fetch your scripts please." Before Hattie went to grab her script, she felt obligated to hold it. "Can I hold it Miss Jenn? You know.. to get in character?"

"Of course sweetie. If you hold it up to your ear, you may hear Vanessa Hudgen's voice singing to Zac Efron." Hesitant to put it near her ear, she pursed her lips, holding it still in her palms. "Or of course you can let me disinfect it first."

"Yeah of course!" Hattie nodded and gave it back to her, walking toward where her script was located.

"That was really nice of Ricky to apologize." The familiar voice of Nini made Hattie jump. "Sorry. I guess what I said paid off."

Pretending to be oblivious as if she didn't hear the first few seconds of the ex lovers argument, she furrowed her eyebrows. "Wait what did you say to him?"

"I said that you deserved this part, gave him a speech about commitment.. and it looks like that really got to him." Nini patted Hattie's shoulder. "You're going to be such an amazing Gabriella."

"Thanks Neens. You're gonna portray Kelsi beautifully." Both girls went their separate ways as rehearsals continued on.

After rehearsals were over, Hattie went home and started straight on homework, she really didn't have a lot of work to do tonight. Once she was done, she looked through her lines again and made sure they were memorized. It was a boring night for Hattie, she ate dinner, washed up, took a shower then went to bed.

SOON IT WAS THE NEXT DAY AND IT WAS ANOTHER DAY IN REHEARSAL. Currently, they were running the song 'Stick to the Status Quo' Of course to project her amazing dance skills, Gina had to add a dance solo in the song for Taylor which as always was flawless. "Everybody hold, Nini where were you? We've been here for an hour!" Miss Jenn asked, making everyone's attention avert to Nini.

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

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

"Why would I have to know about the new idea? Hattie's Gabriella and she's here." Nini questioned, gesturing to the brunette that was sitting next to Ricky.

"Just in case something happens, a true understudy must always know their role like the back of their hand. You should always be prepared, you have got to be more organized." Miss Jenn deadpanned. "Hattie dear, since you were here can you teach Nini the choreo?"

"I-um.. can't Gina do it? It was her idea after all." She reflects, "She has better flexibility than I do."

"Good point sweetie. Gina, can you?"

"Absolutely!" Gina beamed as she walked up to Nini, the two having a conversation and then started to practice the choreo. Later that night, Hattie and Kourtney were laying down on Nini's bed, listening to her ramble.

"So here's the deal, are you two sitting down? Excellent. So it seems like Gina really wants Hattie's part, but is demolishing me first because I'm the understudy. She is basically willing to kill me to get it." Nini rambled.

"I could have told any of you guys that days ago." Kourtney deadpanned, the two girls sitting up on the bed. "Oh wait, hang on.. I told you."

"I mean.. she hasn't gone for me yet." Hattie whispered.

"Because, have you not been listening? She's demolishing me first then you!" Nini yelled quietly. "Sorry, I'm just mad with this whole situation. But listen, now she's stealing phones, better hide your phone because Hattie she's after yours next! Also, she's also inventing special ways for Hattie or me to hurt myself. So here's what I came up with."

Grabbing her tablet from her backpack, she sat in the middle of both girls, earning a sound of disapproval from Kourtney as she opened up her tablet to her 'Ways to handle Gina problem' presentation. "What are we? Back in the fifth grade?"

"Not the point. So, the way I see it, I can do one or six things. One, talk to Miss Jenn. Two, Hattie and I magically learn the dance, Three, have Hattie and my mom's yell at her mom, Four, quit the show, Five, eat so much ice cream or Six, steal something back." Nini listed, putting the tablet down.

"Well.. we can scratch out number six cause that's an act of war." Kourtney advised. On cue, Nini reached inside her backpack and pulled out Gina's sneakers that she wears to every rehearsal. "Too late."

Hattie gasped, "Nini Salazar-Roberts, you did not."

"Nini!" Kourtney cried out.

"I thought you guys would veto the ice cream." Nini spoke meekly. Shaking her head, Hattie laid her head on Nini's pillow and looked up at the ceiling, hoping for the best.