The Other Bowen || Nini Salazar-Roberts

you're lily bowen

Lily's pov

I paced around outside the auditorium doors to try and get the courage to go inside. I don't want to audition but at the same time I do. I really don't want to do the show without Nini but maybe she's right and it'll distract me from missing her. Mr Mazzara walked up to me causing me to stop pacing and look at him.

"Last minute jitters?" He asked me.

"Yeah. Uh, no? Not really jitters this time. I told a couple people I might audition, but honestly I'll probably just bag it." I replied.

"Well, you're Lily Bowen. Pretty much checks out." Mr Mazzara shrugged.

I furrowed my eyebrows. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well, I've had you in my class. You're not exactly the type of person who finishes what she starts. You don't complete assignments. You walk off stage in the middle of performances." He explained. "It can't exactly be news to you that people think of you as unreliable, right?"

I ran into the auditorium and everyone on stage looked at me. Great. I just pulled a Ricky. I adjusted my backpack strap on my shoulder and cleared my throat as I walked onto the stage.

"I guess it's a Bowen thing." Miss Jenn whispered to Carlos.

"There goes the baker with his tray like always. The same old bread and rolls to sell." I sang, more like read, as I played with the necklace around my neck that Nini got me and stared at my paper with the words. As I got to the Gaston part, I lowered my voice. "Right from the moment when I met her, saw her. I said she's gorgeous and I fell."

I slightly widened my eyes as I watched the girl who came up to our table at lunch sing. I learned her name was Brielle. She had a beautiful voice but not as beautiful as Nini's.

Miss Jenn clapped when we all finished our auditions. "All right, all right. I have already learned so much. That's it for the warm up. Please prepare your individual songs."

I stood backstage and watched everyone sing their individual songs for the audition. I only realized I wanted to audition an hour ago so I had no individual song and I was kinda freaking out.

"And next up, we have... Okay, where's Lily? Lily?" Miss Jenn called out for me.

"I'm here! I'm here." I ran onto the stage and stood in the middle. "I didn't have time to prepare anything original, so, I hope this is okay." I looked at the pianist. "Do you know Bet On It?"

"You can bet on me." I finished singing and there was a scattered applause throughout the room.

I ran my fingers through my hair as I walked off stage. God, that was awful. I can kiss the Beast part goodbye.

"You did good, sis." Ricky said as he rubbed my back.

I shook my head and put my jacket on as I watched Big Red do his tap dance on stage. He did a spin which caused him to slip and fall while the rest of us gasped.

"Seriously?" Brielle laughed.

I looked at Brielle in the audience before jogging over to Big Red who was still sitting on the floor with an upset look on his face. "Hey. Hey, hey... You got this, dude." I helped him stand up. "Breathe. Just breathe. Okay? I've got you."

I turned Big Red around so that he was facing Miss Jenn and Carlos. I patted Big Reds shoulder before giving Miss Jenn a smile and walking off stage.

Nini's pov

I sat at my desk in my dorm room and did my schoolwork. I glanced over at the paper that the dean gave me with the lyrics of the school anthem. I stared at the lyrics before letting out a sigh and leaning back in my chair.

As much as I want to go to YAC, I don't feel happy. The teachers suck, the classes suck, the rules here suck, and I miss all my friends. More importantly I miss Lily.

Lily's pov

"Guess what?" I asked Nini as I facetimed her in Big Reds pizza shop.

Nini said something back but I couldn't hear her. I furrowed my eyebrows as I turned up my volume and put the speaker up to my ear.

"Hello? Can you hear me?" I asked her.

I looked back at my phone to see Nini hold up a note. 'I'm on vocal rest ♡'. I let out a chuckle.

"Okay. You are looking at East High's newest Beast. Roar." I told her causing her to squeal. "Are you allowed to make noises on vocal rest?"

"Oh, whatever, this is way more important! My amazing and talented girlfriend just got the lead!" Nini beamed.

"Is that Nini?" Kourtney shouted.

I turned my phone around to show Nini to everyone. I smiled as they all said 'hi' to her.

"You guys! Hi!" Nini smiled at all of them.

Kourtney stood up from her seat and ran over to me, practically snatching my phone out of my hand. "Neeners! We miss you so much!"

"Kourt! Mrs Potts? That is the tea!" Nini exclaimed.

Kourtney laughed. "That's funny. She got jokes."

"Uh, Kourt? Can I have my girlfriend back?" I asked.

"Yeah, in a sec, Lils." She waved me off causing me to sigh and sit back down in my seat at the table.

I watched my phone get passed around the table before it got to Ashlyn. Ashlyn sat down in the seat across from me as she talked to Nini.

"Nini! What's going on at your big fancy boarding school right now? Make us jealous!" Ashlyn told her.

"Oh, um... Nothing nearly as exciting as what's going on with you!" Nini replied. "Congrats, Ash! Of course, you get Belle."

She didn't seem to excited at the mention of her boarding school. I hope everything is alright over there.

"Actually, there was this one girl who auditioned, who kind of looks like a literal Disney princess." Ashlyn informed Nini.

"Yeah. I think I saw a bird land on her finger while she was singing." Gina joked causing me to laugh.

Ashlyn handed me my phone back and I smiled when I saw Nini. I slightly turned away from everybody so that I could talk to Nini.

"Hey, my phone's almost outta juice and I promised my dad I'd give him a call." I told Nini with a small frown.

"Oh, no, no, no. Totally get it. Do your celebration thang." Nini chuckled.

"Neens, I just wanna say thank you so, so much for telling me to-" I cut myself off once my phone shut off, letting out a sigh when I realized it died.

I put my phone back in my pocket and joined everyone else in eating the cupcakes that Big Reds mom brought out. I picked one up and stared at the little Beast figure on top of it with a small smile.