Showtime

14. The Storm

[Avni: Usually, it doesn't take me long to get over stuff. I have a routine for when things go wrong- take the evening off, binge a show, cry yourself to sleep, and wake up with a fresh perspective which helps me move on systematically (or repress all the icky emotions). But for the past two days, and today, I woke up with a jumbled-up mind and a heavy heart- which honestly scares me. What if I'm heartbroken forever?]

"Okay, everyone, gather around," Miss Jenn called. "We have got a two-hour window before the storm is expected to hit, and I intend to use every minute of it. Big, splashy group numbers always succeed at the Menkies. So we need to workshop a punchy, breath-taking number that will put us in the number one spot."

"As our head choreographer," Carlos started. Avni frowned at that, glancing at Gina behind him. She knew they were both thinking the same thing. "...to announce that today we will, at last, begin rehearsing one of the most showstopping, iconic, and bar-raising numbers of the entire show," he paused dramatically.

"Be Our Guest," Gina cut in. "Yeah, it's Be Our Guest, guys." Which led into a slightly awkward silence.

Which prompted Miss Jenn to launch into a slightly disturbing story of a burglar and her mom, which literally no one asked for, but that's just her.

"Thank you, Miss Jenn," Gina said. "That wasn't terrifying at all." Ricky chuckled at that. Avni's eyes turned wide at the reaction, and she turned the other way to hide them. Why is he so clueless?

"Okay, so, my vision to make this dance really soar is to stage... wait for it, a Cancan-style dance that features a feather-dusting spectacle. I don't know, it'll probably go a little something like..." she demonstrated a series of high kicks which honestly looked great. But maybe were a little tone-deaf for Be Our Guest?

"Interesting. I had a different path that's a little more elevated and less basic," Carlos said. "Think. A noir-inspired performance that Lumiere guides our audience through the entire time." That sounded kind of okay, but still not right.

"M'kay. But I actually spent a month in France once, so I kinda know this dance inside out," Gina said.

"And I choreographed all three of my sister's quinceañera dances, despite not getting one for myself, so I think I know how to twirl with a salad fork, okay?" That was just sad.

"Okay! You know what? Let's stick a pin in Be Our Guest and brush up on Gaston," Miss Jenn said. Avni's heart beat faster. "EJ and Big Red, to the front of the room, please. Wait, where's EJ?"

Where is EJ?

"Yo! I think the feather duster brigade sounded cool," Ricky's words distracted Avni.

"Really-really?" Gina asked.

"Yeah. What, do I need to send you a random box of chocolates to prove it?"

"Sick burn."

Okay, maybe I need to have a talk with this dumb ass.

"Okay, well, if anyone sees EJ, would you please tell him that rehearsals are mandatory, even for soon-to-be college students who are obviously suffering from senioritis," Miss Jenn said.

"Nini!" Kourtney yelled.

Every one turned to see that Nini was standing at the door, watching on.

"I don't wanna interrupt. I just needed one more group hug," she said, and every one rushed forward for a hug, and then Ricky and Nini stepped outside to say goodbye.

"You doing alright?" Avni asked Gina.

"Just gotta power on, right? You?"

"Yeah, I'm in a similar space, but significantly less powerful," Gina frowned at her. "I don't know. When I went to sleep last night, I thought that I would wake up with a clear mind and a solid plan to go forward. Didn't happen, so I'm a bit thrown."