Cruel Summer | Ricky Bowen

CHAPTER TWELVE | IT WAS REAL ENOUGH TO GET ME THROUGH

Raya hadn't called or texted Ricky or anyone from East High who weren't Gina, Ashlyn, EJ, MJ, and Thena since the cast list was released there, but the best they had gotten from her was when she sent them a video for Carlos' quinceañero, a song that she wrote after she had become fluent in Spanish.

Carlos cherished the song, so did everyone else. Ricky was struck by it however, having been able to understand some of it.

Ay, mariposas, no se aguanten más, Hay que crecer aparte y volver, hacia adelante seguirás, which he had translated into, Ay, mariposas, don't you hold on too tight, Both of you know it's your time to go, to fly apart, to reunite.

He may have played the song a handful times whenever he wakes up in cold sweat, or to be able to calm down.

Now was one of those times, in the halls of North High School with one earphone in his ear and the other was out. They were going to look for their Beast mask since they had suspected that they stole it, but EJ surprisingly doubted it because of Taylor— his rumored boyfriend since Valentine's Day from what very little information Gina had told him— and he agrees on that part. He would've said something immediately since he could be a terrible liar at times.

zack roy exclusionists

lily
the wildcats are here

meet me outside the
costume room

howie
raya and i are at the
auditorium, we can't go

robin
then stay there

lily
what the bird said

we'll meet you there

antoine
how long until rachelle
can talk again?

raya
about twelve minutes

why??

lily
good

i have a plan

edith
why is this the chat
name again??

sammy
not the time

"Or we could find out now," Lily told the group.

Big Red, confused, asked, "What does that mean?"

Taylor decided to take initiative of this and replied, "It means they— we challenge you to a good old-fashioned dance-off."

"Really?"

"A dance-off?"

"A what?"

Sammy tried not to (fondly) laugh at them before she picked up the pace by adding, "A school-versus-school dance-off to a Beauty and the Beast song chosen at random."

Lily nodded her head. "Yes. You'll do your version, and we'll do ours. We'll see which school has what it takes. No costumes, no makeup, just talent."

"I'm sorry, no," Ricky responded, sending a wave of relief through Taylor's, Sammy's, Riri's, Julius', Gwen's, and Robin's bodies. "That's weird."

Ashlyn agreed, pointedly saying, "Super weird."

"Even for me," Carlos replied in agreement before they turned to leave the room. "Let's go, guys."

"Classic East High. Walking out of here with your tail between your legs. Just like your Miss Jenn did when she gave up on Broadway— And, you know, let's be honest, maybe your Belle just can't cut it."