Soaring [ej caswell]

Twenty Three: Showtime

Tonight's opening night and I am so nervous. When Ricky fell, he landed on me and sprained my wrist, we both did. So now we have matching braces on our wrists. Miss Jenn decided that it wasn't that bad so we could still play our parts without our understudy's. This is just great.

"You almost ready to go, babe?" EJ asks coming in and sitting on my bed.

"Yes, I'm just trying to keep myself from throwing up" I smile at him as I fix my hair in my bathroom.

"There's no need for that. You will do amazing"

"I'm Belle, EJ. I'm half of the title of Beauty and the Beast. This is a huge deal, I can't screw this up" I whine.

"Well," he walks into the bathroom and wraps his arms around my waist, "You are definitely a beauty, that's for sure"

"Stop it, I'm being serious" I blush.

"There it is" he smiles, kissing my red cheek.

"Get away from me, you already make me nervous enough as it is" I say.

"A good nervous I hope"

"Only the best kind of nervous" I grin turning around in his arms. He kisses me sweetly and twists the loose strands of my hair around his finger.

"You do look beautiful though. A true Disney princess" he looks at me lovingly.

"Thank you love. I'm not ready for you to have your obnoxious eyebrows and sideburns though"

"Yeah, it won't be my best look" he sighs.

"Definitely not" I giggle.

"Will you still love me though?" He asks.

"I guess so"

He gives me an offended look and I laugh.

"I'm joking, yes of course I would. You being hot is just a bonus"

"Oh, I'm hot?" He smirks.

"Duh, but you already knew that. I don't have to tell you"

"I love to hear you say it though" he mumbles.

"You're also really freaking cute" I say touching his nose with mine.

"That's not as cool though"

"Is this the kind of face who gives a shit? No, its not. Okay, let's go, don't want to be late" I say pecking his lips before heading downstairs and out to the car.

We get to the school and I get into my first dress. I honestly feel beautiful in this dress. Literally just like Belle.

I walk out and see Ricky.

"Look at you! A real prince!" I say, my jaw dropping.

"Well, look at you! An actual princess!" He says and I give him a spin.

"How are you feeling?" I ask.

"Terrified, how about you?" He asks.

"Same, very terrified"

"We've got this right? We can do this!"

"Yeah" I laugh nervously.

"You kill it every time, Bella. You have nothing to be worried about" he encourages me.

"Thanks Ricky" I smile

"A little note for good luck" Nini says coming up to us and giving me her opening night note.

"I'll take what I can get" I say bouncing nervously.

"You guys feeling all right?" She asks.

"As fit as a fiddle" Ricky says.