Now Or Never ~HSMTMTS

What Else Can I Do

POV Ricky

Miss Jenn walks into the room at high speed and claps in her hands two times. "Kids, we have no time to lose, we're gonna rehearse What Else Can I Do," she yells.

"Where are Carlos, Ashlyn and Big Red?" she asks us. I realize I haven't seen either of them today.

"Ashlyn and Big Red are probably just together and forgetting the time, and Carlos is probably looking how he could fly or something like that," EJ thinks out loud.

I laugh at his thoughts. He sounded serious, though. But EJ's right, they're probably minding their own business.

"Well, we will continue," Miss Jenn says. "Nini, you start the song, and since our Mirabel isn't here, Kourtney will do the lines of Mirabel," she explains.

I look at how Nini takes the stage. She glances my way and I smile but she doesn't smile back.

"I just made something unexpected," she starts and she puts a little riff on the unexpected. "Something sharp, something new."

It's hard to see if she is acting or if this is her real expression.

"It's not symmetrical or perfect but beautiful, and it's mine. What Else Can I Do," she sings. Kourtney sings along. "Bring it in, bring it in."

"I grow rows and rows of roses, Flor the Mayo, by the mile. I make perfect, practiced poses, so much hide behind my smile."

She is just like Isabella. She is perfect.

Nini sings further. "A hurricane of jacarandas, strangling figs, hanging vines. Palma de cera fills the air as I climb and I push through."

I stare at her. I love her. I need to tell her. What Else Can I Do.

Suddenly, Carlos, Ashlyn and Big Red run into the room and stop the music.

"Dude, we're in the middle of a song!" I yell at Big Red. Nini should've at least finished the song. It was so magical and-

"We need to tell you guys something," Ashlyn says. I notice that Carlos is crying. "It's pretty important," Ashlyn continues.

We all gather around in a circle around Ashlyn. Big Red walks to Carlos to comfort him but he only starts to cry more.

"It's about Seb," Ashlyn says and I can see her eyes fill with tears. "We went to his house but he wasn't there. All we could find is-"

"Blood."

What.

No.

That can't be true.

The world is filled with one monotonous tone.

I look around and I see Ashlyn's face full of tears, Big Red goes to her and gives her a hug.

I see Nini, it breaks my heart to see her like this.

I need her.

I need her now.

Slowly, I walk into her direction and give her a tight hug. I'm a lot taller than her but now she seems even smaller than how she normally is.

"Don't worry, I'm here for you," I whisper into her ear. Nini hugs me back and we cry together.

POV Carlos

I've never felt so bad.

My heart broke when Seb broke up with me but now it just disappeared.

What is life without Seb?

What is life without my best friend?

What is life without my boyfriend?

I feel like I'll collapse in a minute. All the water of my body is gone, through my eyes. The most important muscle isn't inside my body anymore.

No.

I don't want to live like this.

I'm gonna avenge Seb's death.

I will kill Seb's father or something like that. Or maybe something a little less murderer-like.

This is not the end.

Or maybe it is the end. The end of me.

Guys, this is not okay, I'm at school, I can't cry now.

I was actually very excited for What Else Can I Do but now it's just a very sad chapter...

I still hope you liked it. I hope you have some tears left. You'll need them.

Love, Anna <3