Soaring [ej caswell]

Four : Wonderstudies

"Here it is, people"

Miss Jenn pulls out a small grey device. It's a phone. Pretty sure my Mom had a phone that looked just like that.

"Is that a garage-door opener?" Seb asks. I giggle and rest my hands on his shoulders.

"No, Seb. This is Gabriella's phone. From the film. 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"

I grab my script out of my book bag.

"Is that really her phone?" Nini asks.

"Hold it to your ear like a sea shell. You'll hear echoes of V-Hudge crushing the B flat on When There Was Me and You" Miss Jenn says.

Nini lifts it up to her ear for a moment, a little weirded out.

"Or you can let me disinfect it first" Miss Jenn says grabbing the phone back and putting it back in the bubble wrap.

I look up and make eye contact with Ej. He mouths "thank you," and I give him a confused look. Huh? For what?

"Places for the top of the ski lodge!"

*Later*

"Thanks for waiting" I say climbing into Ej's car.

He told me last night before he left my house that he would pick me up and take me home today. When I asked why he said, "just cause." So I didn't pry any further.

He didn't say anything. He's thinking about something.

"You okay?" I ask.

"She told him she loved him" he says.

"Who?"

"Nini"

And here we go...

"I found an archived post on her Instagram" he says holding onto her phone.

You've got to be joking me.

"EJ, you can't go snooping around someone's phone like a stalker" I yell at him.

"I play to win, Belle. Have we met?"

"Go to June first" he says handing me her phone, "Security code is seven, seven, seven, seven"

"Can't help dreamin' of you

Guess I'm sayin' I don't not love you

You know, you know..." Nini sings with her ukulele.

"Okay?"

"Firstly, since when does he get a song?" He asks.

"It was four months ago" I roll my eyes.

"But it happened" he claps back.

"Okay. Ancient history. Ricky and Nini are over. There is no Ricky!"

"Yeah" he scoffs.

Nini's phone starts ringing.

"It's him" Ej says.

"I spoke too soon" I sigh.

"I'm gonna take this"

"Are you insane? Do not answer that phone!" I yell, "You need to return this. Now"

"I know"

"Nini could still be inside"

"I know"

"For the love of God, do not listen to that voicemail" I groan.

"I will! I mean, I won't. I know"