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Before Gracie knew it, the first day of school was over and she had yet to talk to Ricky since she walked away from him in the cafeteria. She wasn't trying to avoid him or anything, it was just that their schedules never managed for them to cross paths with one another in the hallway.
After the last bell of the day rang, Gracie stopped by her locker, grabbing her skateboard and headed outside where she found Big Red and Ricky waiting for her on the sidewalk.
"Hey," Gracie walked up to them, giving both boys a smile. "Ready to go?"
"Yeah," Ricky said, getting all of them to start skating back to their homes.
They rode in silence until Big Red's house came up, causing them to break the silence.
"See you, guys," Big Red said turning onto his driveway, leaving his two friends to continue on without him.
"Bye," Gracie waved.
"Later, dude," Ricky nodded before going back to an awkward silence between him and Gracie.
With one look, Gracie knew Ricky was wanting to break the silence but didn't know what to say. So she broke it for him. "You know I'm not mad, right?"
Ricky looked over to her with a glimpse of relief on his face. "You're not?"
"No," Gracie smiled and shook her head. "I was annoyed at first, but I get it. She was someone you confided in, someone you could trust being yourself around, and of course, you would want to go to her for protection. I know what you meant."
"Good," Ricky sighed, giving her a smile as they got to their houses.
"See you later?" Gracie asked as she got off her skateboard.
"Yeah. Definitely," Ricky nodded as he started walking toward the his house that neighbored hers. However something felt off to him, like the conversation wasn't done, then he realized why. "Gracie, wait."
Gracie turned to the boy. "What?"
"I'm sorry," Ricky said, finally taking his chance to make things better.
"I told you, I'm not mad-"
"I know you're not mad," Ricky cut her off. "But I can't have you going around thinking that you are just the person I go to when I don't have Nini around. Gracie, you have been my best friend since before I could even remember and I trust you with my life. What I said today sucked and I'm sorry."
"Apology accepted. Thank you."
"I'll text you later, okay?"
"Yeah, see you."
***
Dinner time in the Williams' household has always been interesting. Gracie would cook dinner at about five o'clock every night then eat by herself because David would not be hungry due to all the snacks he would have before then and her dad would be at the hospital working. After she was done eating, she would put the food in the fridge for David when he gets hungry and her dad for lunch the next day.
Dinners have been like this for a little under five years now. After Gracie and David's mom passed away, the family found a new family dynamic. One where Gracie became the lady of the house filling in her mom's shoes with taking care of the family, her dad was barely in the house due to his job as a surgeon, and David becoming an anti-social kid that only leaves his room for school or to get more food.
That day was no different. Gracie came home and started to work on dinner, eating it alone before putting it the fridge and washing dishes.
As she sat down on the couch to watch some TV while folding laundry, her phone buzzed in her pocket.
Ricky Meet me outside I have an idea on how to get Nini back
***
"No, absolutely not," Big Red shook his head as Ricky told him and Gracie his plan on how to get Nini back.
"Are you serious?" Gracie asked finding it hard that Ricky Bowen would even think about a musical.
"Okay, I know it's crazy," Ricky paced the room, "but she has to see me in a whole new light."
"And you think this is the only way to do it?" Gracie looked at him like his was crazy.
"We hate musicals, dude," Big Red pointed out.
"I don't hate musicals," Ricky said slowly. "I just find it weird when people, like, burst into song in the middle of the street."
"That's the entire premise of a musical," Gracie rolled her eyes.
"Okay, look, I'm auditioning for this tomorrow," Ricky told his friends with a determined look, "and nothing is going to stop me."
"Do you even know the plot of High School Musical?" Big Red asked standing up from his chair.
"Of course! It's about Zac Efron dancing with a basketball," Ricky explained, getting Gracie to face-palm in response.
"Wrong," Big Red beat Gracie to the correction. "It's about the character, Troy, having to choose between being true to his friend, Chad, or following his heart with Gabriella."
Ricky and Gracie stared at Big Red, shocked he actually knew the movie.
"So, Mr. 'We Hate Musicals', how do you know so much about High School Musical?" Gracie leaned in with a small smile beginning to form on her face.
"They, uh, play it on a loop at my allergist's office," he responded quietly.
"Aww," Gracie went into her baby voice. "That's so cute that you've watched the movie, and you know what? I think you liked it, too."
"Shut up," he pushed the girl away, causing her to laugh. "Look, the point is, you're out of your league here, man. All right? You can't pull this off."
"Yeah?" Ricky looked at Big Red before turning to Gracie for her opinion.
"It's a lot of work," the girl shrugged. Before the girl could get another word in, Ricky grabbed his skateboard and ran up the stairs, making Gracie follow him. "Ricky, hold on."
"And you don't have the hair for it," Big Red called up the stairs, just as Ricky was leaving.
"Shut up, the hair doesn't matter," Gracie yelled over her shoulder as she tried to get Ricky to stop walking away. "Ricky, wait!"
Once he was outside he turned to her. "Don't even try to convince me not to do this, I'm auditioning with or without your guys' approval."
"I'm not going to try to convince you, I know it's no used trying to do that," Gracie awkwardly laughed. "You didn't let me finish speaking back there. What I was going to say was that it's a lot of work, but if you're serious about this-"
"I am," Ricky interrupted.
"Then I am willing to help you," Gracie finished.
***
GRACIE: I'm willing to do anything to help Ricky win back Nini, even if it's to teach him how to be a theater kid. Which now seems impossible, but we'll just have to see.
***
"Your homework before the start of auditions is to learn the source material," Gracie instructed. "That means watching the whole movie, getting know the characters and why they react the way they do. Then look over the audition materials, figure out what song is needed for the audition, prepare yourself for whatever can be thrown your way during auditions. And lastly, but this is the most important one: do not be late."
"Yeah, got it!" Ricky broke into a smile before giving her a tight hug and lifting her off the ground. "Thank you!"
Ricky set her back on the ground and she gave him a warning look. "Just please don't make me regret this."
