It was a beautiful monday morning the sky was bright It felt good i got dressed and took a shower

And got dressed into my favorite outfit

I went down stairs and got. Out the door no time to wait for anything or anyone because today is a good day I can just feel it

But apparently life had other plans because when I got to school

There were five fire trucks parked outside

As soon as i got inside i went to check if the theater was ok

When i walked through a tarp that was blocking an entrance I saw atleast 17 people standing right there I looked to my right to see the whole stage was burnt down plus all of backstage

" excuse me kids " a fire fighter said passing by

" oh my God what happened?" I said out of pure shock

" it's ok, no one was hurt there was a small fire in the theater over the holiday and the sprinklers did there job " ms.jen said as we looked at the water trickling down from the ceiling

" were almost done in here ,just need to finish up in the facilty room next" the fire fighter said holding up the paper mache basket ball big red made " some circits blew in there and we think that's what caused the fire "

My jaw was dropped wide open to the point where I could have been a cartoon character

" unfortunately the show cannot go on " the fire fighter continued " the fire ripped through half you costumes and your sprinklers ruin most of your sets I'm sorry but I'm going to have to red tag the entire back stage area for a month"

Evryone was in shock

" did she just say costumes?" Kourtney sounded devastated

" um ok listen um hug your neighbor take a moment and lets reconvening in the cafeteria after school to talk about what we can do, nini and ricky spread the word " ms.jen says

" ricky?" Ms jen continued

" huh? Yeah got it spread the word " ricky says obviously distracted

After barley even thinking about anything else all day I made my way to the cafeteria

" ok guys ... wait wheres gina " ms. Jen asks

" I think shes going through family stuff right now " ashlynn says

" oh ok well prayers to our gina, " ms.jen starts " I'm not sure what to say we've all worked so hard I've seen all of you grow so much but if we dont have a theatere we dont have a show,"

I start to tear up a bit and lean my head on e.js shoulder without thinking , I feel his arm hold me in

Without the show I dont know what I would be doing right now I definitely dont think I would ge hanging out with e.j that's for sure

"Cmon ms.jen we gotta do something " Carlos begs

" I dont know mabye we could consider other venues " she suggest

I take my head off his shoulder and start to think

"Oh what about the old kingston downtown " ashlynn brings up

" it was condemned " ms.jen shuts it down

" oo what about the lucky ducky puppet pavilion ?" E.j suggest

" it's a massive Starbucks now" ms.jen says

" how bout the el ray "carlos suggest

" any other ideas " ms.jen adds

" i feel like you just had a really weird reaction to what i just said " carlos adds

" I'm sorry what did you say?" She asks

" carlos is asking if we could try and use the el ray thetere" I say

" yeah my uncle Rubin is a listing agent there, the last thing they had in there was a fashion shows like 4 years ago " carlos says trying convince her

Carlos walks to the side and goes to call someone

" woah this place has 500 seats " seb adds

" that's like way more than what our school can fit " I say

" cant imagine we would be able to get in on such short notice " ms.jen says

Carlos starts speaking spanish to his uncle
( im sorry I have 0 idea what hes saying I'm just really stupid and dont know spanish )

" si si " uncle ruben replies

" sounded like a yes to me " ashlyn says

Evryone cheers

" the el ray theater it is" ms. Jen says " ok wildcats let's grab all the props and costumes that didnt get damaged and load out "

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We go back down to the theater and start grabbing things

" hey e.j what's that box ?" I ask

" I dont know I found it it looked important so yk moving it out " he replies

" oh hey mabye I should carry that " carlos says trying to pry the box from e.js hands

" why " e.j asks

" no reason " carlos says suspiciously

" nah it's fine I can carry it " e.js says trying to walk away

" it's just a little bit sensitive " carlos shouts

" are we still talking about the box ?" I ask

" yes and its actually ms.jens show file so if I could just take that " he says taking it from e.j " thank you " he says walking away

E.j stands there empty handed and confused

" here take the top box I cant really see " I say

" then why'd ya take two " he says grabbing the top box

" I honestly dont know " I say

Once we got evrything out we headed over to the elray theater

" mmm mold that's a sign of life" ms.jen says as we walk through the dark and early theatere

I start looking around at all of the statues that are on the stage

When i see a head through a painting

" ah" I let out a short and high pitched scream

" ha you scream like a girl " ej says taking his head out of the painting

" omg and I look like one too " I say rolling my eyes

Once evrything got cleared off the stage I went to go look around

I found a stair well so i decided to go look in it

I heard foot steps so i decided to peek around the corner

It was e.j it looked like he was looking at something

Ooo payback time

I sneak up behind him and touch him on the shoulder

"Boo" i say

He shut the box quickly letting out the most high pitched scream

" and i scream like a girl?" I say " wait is that the director's file ?"

" yes but i just wanna know why i didn't get the part" he says looking at me

" I think it's better if you dont " I say

" ok fine I wont look at it " he says

" good now I'm getting out of this spider filled stair well and I'm trusting you to put that back and not read it " I say going back up the stairs

Once I got out of there I made my way back up to the theater

After a few minutes e.j makes his way into the theater

" ok let's have some real talk " ms.jen says " welcome to tech rehearsal, I dont know if you've noticed but more of the tech in this place as hand cranked ,natile bagley my dear stage manijor this is your time to shine " she says

" um actually natalie bagley is getting her wisdom teeth out " seb mentions

"Ok so I'm now down a stage manager and my Taylor's M.i.a " ms.jen continues

" Gina's ok shes a fighter and she'll be back b4 ya know it " ricky says

She hadn't texted me in a while I hope shes okay

All of a sudden a sand bag drops from the ceiling

Evryone screams

" totally normal just keep a heads up from now on , alrighty big red do you know how to hang a light ?" Ms.jen asks

" I know how to hang out???" Big red answers

" oh boy " I say under my breath

" ok , um troy and Gabriella find somewhere quiet and rehearse the roof top scene " ms.jen asks of them " ok evryone else clear the stage let's goooo!!!!"

I notice e.j looks a little down

" hey you ok?" I ask

" huh yeah I'm fine " he says picking up a fake rock and putting to the side

After we finished cleaning off the stage
_____________________

" ok evryone I need some people for the rooftop scene " mrs jen asks

" I can do troy " e.j says

" ok great uhhh jules how about Gabriella " she suggest

" uh ok then " I say walking up the stage with e.j

" ok do we have a working light bulb " ms jen asks

" found it " big red says

Suddenly a black light turns on and a bunch off mannequins light up

" Aaaah" e.j screams again

I cant help but laugh

" sorry everyone my uncle Rubin said there was supposed to be some left over stuff from the fashion show .......I guess the theme was 80's drag race " carlos says

" ok big red anything more flattering?" Ms.jen asks

" uhhh working on it " big red replies then turning on a nicer light

" ok troy basketball stuff Gabriella math stuff nobody dosent cry and we end up here " ms.jen says sitting down in her chair

" remember in kindergarten when you would meet a kid know nothing about them then ten seconds later your bestfriends?" I start off

" yeah" ej says very dramatic

" singing with you felt like that " I say

" I never though about singing for sure until you " ej says putting his hand on my shoulder

Ok normally I would like this but this is a little over the top

"And now I dont wanna stop ....ever" ej says with tears in his eyes

" that's excellent, and a little weird ....um big red can we hit these two with a spotlight ?" Ms.jen asks

" uh I'll look for it " he replies

" what was that ?" I ask e.j

" oh I'm emoting jules feel free to join. Me " e.j says wiping the obviously not from a real emotional place tears away

" ok so this is a tech rehearsal and you are acting so weird " I say

" ok you two let's not wait for the lights just stand on your Mark's and give me your que again " ms.jen instructs

E.j clears his throat " I never thought about singing that's for sure.... until you" e.j says giving us a whole pool of tears

" and now I dont wanna stop " he says putting a hand on my cheek as he continues " ever "

I take his hand off my face

" e.j " miss jen says waving her hand for him to go over there

" wait I know what going on here " carlos says standing next to me

" number 1dont scare me like that number 2 I would like to know " I said

" ok evryone I need someone to sing for a mic check " ms jen says

" kourtney has an amazing voice " I say pushing her towards ms.jen

" I'm a singer not an actor this voice is fa church " kourtney says exuseing herself from singing

" thank you for volunteering... just sing anything from the show it does not matter what no judgment " ms.jen says handing her the mic

" you got this" I say to her pating her shoulder

I believe in dreaming shouting for the stars baby to be number one you've got to raise the bars

Yeah were gunna bop bop bop bop to the top slip and slide and ride that rythm jump and hop hop till we drop and start again

Kourtney sings letting out a high pitch screech afterwards

Evryone starts applauding

" that was amazing kourtney but now it seems we have broken the lights the sound and possibly me ...carlos can we clear the theater " ms.jen says obviously stressed

After we got out of the theater I tried to find e.j but then I bumped into Carlos

" what ya looking for ?" I ask carlos

" e.j , you?" He asks

" same " I say

We hear a thump to the far right when we see e.js shoe from the side

We walk over to him sitting on the floor eating popcorn

" you looked in the audition files didnt you " carlos asks

" wait is that what happend I told you not to " say crossing my arms

" see we bolth tried to warn you those are for miss jens eyes only " carlos adds

" no problem because apparently I dont have emotions " e.j says standing up

" ok e.j dont be like that . but sometimes you do have a way of acting that isnt very authentic " I say as he gets more popcorn

" then what was I just doing on stage ?" He asks

" that felt more like you were chopping onions " I said

" and what's more authentic to you two oh mabye its a forest of human beings " e.j says directing that one to carlos

" that concept may need a little bit of time " carlos says offended

" I so do i" e.j says storming off

" Wait e.j dont- " i say getting cut off by him shoving the popcorn box in my arms

" well that went badly " Carlos says

" hey were gonna order pizza is pepperoni and lactose free cheese good? " big red asks

" uh yeah ... I need a second " I say putting down the popcorn and walking away

After I give myself a moment in the theatere I come back out to see e.j and carlos back by the popcorn stand but this time carlos is on the floor and e.j looks well the same

" it's been a while should we ask what's going on?" E.j asks

" shes having a midlife crisis " carlos replies

" anyways I'm gunna go " e.j asks

" you were right by the way" Carlos says making e.j turn around " the forest of boys was a mess and coming here was a huge mistake .... I have no business taking charge of anything "

" no you stepped up dude " I say

" shes right you always do and if I'm being honest its ...admirable " e.j continues

" was that a compliment?" Carlos says suprised

" don't make him start emoting again " I say chuckling

" ok . Well the words were a four but the sentiment was a solid ten ." Carlos says

" in gunna walk away now ..." e.j says pointing to the thetere door

" ooooooo" I hear carlos say behind me

" shut up " I say blushing

" you like himmmmm" he says

" pfft what no I dont that's crazy talk " I say

" you two kissed didnt you? " he says

" shhhhh keep your voice down " I start " how did you know ?"

" well you two have alot of chemistry but you also got walked out by him on thanks giving so I just assumed that you kissed then " carlos says

" actually your wrong on the last part it was after the dance " I say " also say one word to anyone and I will kill you "

" ok ok fine I wont " he says

" pizzas here!" Big red yells

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After a few slices of pizza me and carlos go and look for ms.jen

We eventually find her passed out behind stage

" oh god " I say

Carlos gets on his knees and starts to shake her

" hold on I got this " I say getting on the floor

I slap her

She jolts awake

" nailed it " I say

" ow" ms.jen says

" are you ok? " carlos asks

" I will be once we go where we need to go " ms.jen says leaving us confused

" Broadway?" Carlos replies

" no back to east high" she says

" oh my God how hard did I hit you ?" I say

We walk out of the theater

" ok people were making our way back to east high " ms .jen announces " but I will take care of that for now get a full nights rest you guys worked hard today and need to be performing in about 24 hours "

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After leaving the elray

I couldn't sleep so I went over to my desk and decided to write a little something down

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This was so fun to write

Cant wait for the last two chapters