Loverboy - EJ Caswell ²

"Jesus, are you trying to kill me."

Scarlett stood over at the side of the stage, laughing quietly to herself as she watched EJ hold Ricky's beat mask over his head, whilst Ricky jumped repeatedly as he tried to reach onto it and take it from his grasp. She shook her head as she moved, grabbing her sheet music from her bag as Carlos shouted for people to be quiet, but no one seemed to listen to the boy.

"Okay, Wildcats!" Ms Jenn clapped causing everyone to quiet down as Scarlett hopped down the stairs of the stage and toward her beautifully painted piano.  "Let's shake spring break out of our systems and try the Beast transformation one last time." She smiled nervously, but it was supposed to be more of an encouraging smile rather than one of worry. "And remember, this is the triumph of the show, the moment the audience has been waiting for. This has to work." Ms Jenn chuckled slowly and Ricky nudged Ashlyn who stood next to him.

"No pressure, right?" He smiled as Ashlyn laughed nervously.

"Ricky, try not to rush this time. We'll speed it up when you're more confident. Let's take it from... You came back?" She instructed as everyone moved to get into position, Scarlett opening the lid of the piano.

They began the scene, Ricky pretending to, well, die, before Ashlyn began to sing as Scarlett played the music for the 'home' reprise. She chuckled as she looked up to the pair, seeing Ricky try and move the Beast's fur out of his mouth without a care in the world. Or so it seemed. Ashlyn grabbed his hand, holding it firmly so he would stop, but Ricky just began to use his other hand causing Scarlett's laughs to get a little more defined as she tried to draw her focus to the instrument in front of her.

Scarlett stopped playing as the song came to an end and she slowly pulled the lid back down, leaning her elbows on the top of it as she watched the scene more intently. Ricky pulled on his mask, which didn't seem to want to come off of his head causing Ashlyn to throw the end of her cape over his body to try and hide it. He continued to struggle, Scarlett sharing an amused look with Valentina who was trying to hide her laughs and giggles behind Gina's arm.

"It's stuck!"

Kourtney brought her hands to her mouth. "Rip the velcro!"

Ricky finally managed to pull the mask off his head and he threw it toward Natalie Bagman, hitting her in the face and causing her to stumble and fall into the prop trees making them fall like dominoes.

"Cut!"

Ricky smiled awkwardly. "Sorry, Natalie!"

"It's okay. It was just my face."

He chuckled. "I guess I should practice that throw, huh?"

Ms Jenn stood up from her seat, putting on a crazy smile as her voice went higher than usual. "The throw is great, Ricky. The mask is great. This is working. I will be in my office."

She strode away quickly and Carlos soon followed, announcing a quick five as he scurried off after the woman.

______

They had decided, so Ms Jenn didn't have a nervous breakdown, to cut rehearsal off a little early and all meet up at Big Red's pizza restaurant to discuss the problem and attempt to find a solution. Scarlett pushed the door of the place open with her shoulder as she held her bag in one hand, EJ's hand locked firmly in her other one as they entered the building. She dropped her bag onto a random chair she passed by as the joined the others who were randomly littered around the room.

Only a few moments later, Carlos strode into the room and EJ noticed first. "There you are!"

"You guys, mother is freaking out." Carlos exclaimed, referencing Ms Jenn when he said 'mother'. "It's about the Menkies. Is everyone sitting down?" Scarlett looked around, noticing that no one was sitting apart from Big Red who slowly dropped into the chair closest to him. "We can't win." He announced.