Wake Up | E. Caswell [SLOW UPDATES]

twenty-five | i need you

Chapter Twenty-Five:
I Need You

LUCY SPENT PRETTY much the rest of the day upset and avoiding Ej at all costs. During free period, Lucy was told by her teacher that she was requested to Miss Jenn's office. Reluctantly, the girl nodded, took her pass and made her way out of the classroom.

Just as she was leaving, her steps faltered when she saw Ricky walking in the same direction with a pass in his hand. She briefly read his from what she could read, and saw Miss Jenn's office as the room number.

"She asked for you too?" Lucy asked awkwardly. Ricky glanced at his pass then to Lucy's before looking at her face.

"Yeah, do you know what this is..."

"No," Lucy cut in, shaking her head. He took in a breath and nodded his head, the two silently walking towards Miss Jenn's office. When they arrived, Ricky knocked on the open door and their teacher looked up at them and smiled.

"Ricky, Lucy, come in quick," Miss Jenn requested. The two entered her office silently, both clearly confused and a little nervous as to why they were being summoned. "I wanted to ask you guys if you would be willing to get in a little extra rehearsal time today. Run a couple of the scenes between you two where you actually interact. I know you two have good chemistry, but as best friends. I need you guys to work on selling that you're falling for each other. I know you're both in relationships, so just pretend that the other person is Ej or Nini."

Ricky and Lucy exchanged a slight look before both nodding, Lucy agreeing, "Sure, Miss Jenn. Is it okay if we use the stage?"

"It's all yours," Miss Jenn agreed.

"What scenes should we focus on?" Ricky asked.

"I'm thinking the scene when Beast presents Belle with the Library, and the final scene before the beast transformation," Miss Jenn requested.

"Got it, we'll get to work," Lucy agreed. The two left to get their scripts, then regrouped on the stage. It was tense and Lucy just wanted to go home and nap at this point so she didn't have to face everything going on.

"Which scene do you want to start with?" Ricky asked.

"Uhm, the library scene is probably better," Lucy said awkwardly. Ricky nodded and they flipped to the pages in their scripts.

"Belle, there's something I want to show you," Ricky said, grabbing onto Lucy's hand and leading her to a fake door, "but first you have to close your eyes."

"But i—"

"It's a surprise," Ricky insisted. Lucy sighed gently and closed her eyes. He let his face light up and opened the door, leading her inside.

"Can I open them now?" she asked, her tone blander than she had intended.

"Not— okay, come on," Ricky sighed, Lucy opened her eyes and looked at him with furrowed brows.

"What?" she asked confusedly.

"Lucy, come on, I know we're not on good terms but Miss Jenn's right, we need to sell this. Especially if we want to win the Menkies," Ricky told her pointedly. Lucy sighed and dropped her head to the side. "Just pretend I'm Ej if it'll help you."