Better Place, Better Time

The Audtions

"Junior year let's go," I said excitedly to my best friends Nini and Big Red. The fourth member of our squad, Kourtney was meeting us at school.

"Heck yeah," Big Red said excitedly. "Only one more year to go."

"That means we have to start getting our lives together now, you know for like college and stuff," Nini said.

"Chill Neeners, when have I ever prepared for something?" I asked her.

"You prepared what you're going to say to E.J. today," She pointed out.

Oh right, that. I did prepare for that. It was my idea to take a break with E.J. He told me something that I didn't know how to respond to so I panicked and told him let's just take a break. Biggest mistake of my life. I miss him so much, I missed him the entire time he was at theatre camp. Worse thing is I told him he probably wouldn't get reception at the camp and it'd hard for me to talk to him but yet I spent the whole time he was gone texting Nini who had perfect reception and was at the same camp. So yeah I messed up on that one. I spent the the whole time he was gone asking Nini what he was up too. Turns out he took the break better than expected because he had a camp romance. Nini assured me though that the girl goes to West High so it's safe to say that it was over.

"You got this big guy," Big Red assured me as we walked into the school and saw E.J. talking to his water polo teammates.

"Hey E.J., can we talk?" I asked him after going up to him. We left his water polo and went to a more secluded part of the hall. This is normally where people make out but since it was early in the morning no one was here. "I heard you had a summer fling."

"Yeah what about it?" He asked me annoyed. That hurt me knowing he didn't want to be talking to me as if the basically a year we spent together meant nothing.

"What about us?" I asked my voice cracking. Fuck, I was messing this conversation up.

E.J. laughed harshly, "Ricky you know what you did or what you didn't do."

Flashback

Ricky was scrolling through Twitter laughing at memes, showing his boyfriend the super funny ones. His head was in E.J.'s lap as E.J. looked

"Do my feet stink, I feel like my feet stink," Ricky told his boyfriend. His boyfriend laughed before responding.

"Not really, well maybe a little," E.J. told him. " I like it though," E.J. pressed a quick kiss to his boyfriend's lips.

"This is why we work," Ricky told him.

"Ricky we've been together for almost a year and I've been wanting to tell you this for a while but I love you," E.J. said a smile on his face. His smile quickly went away when he saw Ricky's face.

"Ok," was all Ricky could say.

"Ok? That's it?" E.J. asked his feelings hurt.

"You're gonna go to theatre camp right? You're probably not gonna have good cell service. Maybe we should just take a break," Ricky said getting up leaving without even a response from E.J.

"E.J. it wasn't like that," I argued trying to tell E.J. why I couldn't say it back.

"It doesn't matter Ricky. You've made your decisions and I've made mine," E.J. said before walking away. I watched him disappointed in myself. I really messed things up. I went to go find Big Red and Nini and saw Kourtney had shown up as well.

"How'd it go Romeo?" Kourtney asked.

"It went," I sighed. Nini rubbed my shoulder in sympathy. I can't believe I really messed things up with E.J. The bell rang signaling it was time to go to the back to school kick off in the gym.  I zoned out not bothering listening to the principal speak. I was completely zoned out until I heard Nini squeal from besides me.

"I can't believe we're putting on a production of High School Musical," Nini said excitedly. "I hope I get a good role. There's no farm animals or trees so that means I'll at least be a person."

Theatre was not my thing. It was Nini's thing, and E.J.'s. Wait I just had a crazy idea.

"I'm going to audition for the musical," I told Nini, Big Red and Kourtney after-school. Once I told them, they all glanced at each other not sure what to say.

"Dude are you sick?" Kourtney asked me and I laughed.

"I'm not sick, I just had a crazy idea. E.J. is most likely going to be Troy so maybe I should audition and try to be Chad." I told the group. My idea may have been stupid but I was doing this for E.J.

"Ricky, you don't even like musicals," Nini reminded me. That may have been a tiny bit true.

"I just think it's weird when people randomly burst into song," I defended myself.

"That's a musical dude," Big Red told me.

"Come on guys support me please." I pleaded. They all nodded their heads signaling they were on board. "I need your help Nini, writing a song for the audition."

"There's already an audition song Ricky," Nini informed me. "The Start of Something New,"

"I know but I want to wow E.J." I said. Once again Nini nodded agreeing she'd help me.

"You're seriously the best," I told her giving her a hug.

After a long night, Nini and I came up with an incredible song. I'm really hoping operation Chad works.

The next day was auditions and Nini dragged me with her to make sure I was on time. I sat through auditions not really caring about anyone's. Then it was E.J.'s time to audition and my heart skipped a beat. I loved hearing him sing. It used to calm me when we were together.

"Chad's come on and line up to audition." Miss Jenn, the drama teacher called out once E.J. finished.

"My name's Ricky Bowen and I'm auditioning for Chad," I said trying to ignore the glare E.J. was giving me.

"What spell has this elevated IQ temptress girl cast that make you wanna audition for a musical?" I read off the page. I could see Nini giving me a thumbs up. I crumbled up the paper deciding to just wing this. "Actually Troy, do what you want and as your friend, I'll always be there and support you. And if I don't always show it, just know that I do. You're one of my favorite people in the world and I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Was this in the movie?" I could hear Miss Jenn ask the choreographer Carlos. "Thank you Ricky, now I'd like for you to sing."

"If you don't mind, I actually prepared an original song," I told her.

"Go ahead then dear," She told me. I picked up my guitar and started strumming to the song Nini and I wrote. We called it I Think I Kinda, You Know.

"So much has happened think of what we've done in the time that the Earth has traveled 'round the Sun." I began singing. Nini was smiling watching me sing the song and E.J. well his expression was hard to read. It was a mixture of annoyance and amusement. I guess he figured me going off script and this song was because of him. I kept singing not letting him throw me off.

"I can't help dreamin' of you. Guess I'm sayin' I don't not love you," I sang choking out the last words. Any amusement on E.J.'s face was gone. I couldn't even say I love you in a song. I was such an idiot.

After the auditions I packed up my guitar and began to leave. This was a stupid idea. I was in the hallway with Big Red when I heard footsteps behind me.

"Ricky what the hell, is this some kind of sick joke?" E.J. asked me.

"It's not E.J. I wanted to try something new." I lied.

"You're not a musical person Ricky, just stay away from the things I like okay?" E.J. told me. Our conversation was interrupted by the sound of theater kids excitedly chatting.

"Carlos posting the cast list," Nini said dragging me. She read the cast list and hugged me. "I'm Kelsi."

I looked at the list and saw E.J. was Troy and some girl named Gina Porter was Gabriella. Operation Chad wasn't a failure because I got the part. I was Chad.