one time thing | ricky bowen ¹

twenty-nine

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"my beautiful babies! let's gather around for some house keeping!" miss jenn said as she walked in to the backstage area. leighton left big red's side who was wishing her good luck and she doing the same. they both knew he needed it more than anyone.

miss jenn asked about the anonymous flowers before talking about how gina was not there any longer. ricky and leighton glanced at each other briefly as miss jenn said she was sending love. "and so. i have asked kourtney to fill in for her instead." everyone erupted in cheers. leighton being right by her and giving kourtney a short hug.

leighton saw the talent that kourtney held and was happy that it wasn't anyone new to fill in gina's spot. "so now, what i would like to do, please think of a word or phrase from the show, that expresses where your head is or your goals from tonight." miss jenn spoke as everyone was going around and saying lines.

leighton spoke up and said, "what key?" as everyone caught on that she was referring to kelsi asking sharpay and ryan for their audition piece. it fit perfect, even though she knew her music notes and lines she still had doubts of course.

everyone was smiling and feeling good after that, miss jenn saying that 'we're all in this together' as a way to break the meeting. there were 20 minutes left and things were flying now. leighton made sure big red was okay to figure out the lights and sounds of the evening. then dashed to a mirror to make sure her hair and make up were decent and slid her kelsi glasses on.

time was down to single digits and they walked to the hallway to do a short prayer before the opening act. leighton was between ricky and ej. it was main and named characters of the musical and ricky had a tight grip on leighton's small hand, almost scared she would slip away from him any second. briefly leighton opened her eyes and snuck a glance at ricky who had the same idea and was peaking at her.

leighton was starting to miss how things were between her and ricky. even if leighton dodged ricky's kiss a few minutes before. they both softly smiled before closing their eyes again and finished the circle prayer. miss jenn clapped her hands as a sign for everyone to open their eyes and go back to the backstage area.

leighton released ej's hand, but still held ricky's a little longer. they walked up the stairs and ricky headed towards the side of the set. "hey leigh do you know where your mom is sitting?" ricky asked after he let her hand go and looking over a rack of costumes towards the audience. he was looking for his parents, but also wanted to look for leighton's mom and sister.

"she texted me they were towards the right side and in the middle. what about your parents?" leighton asked as she looked around and saw nayeli frantically waving in her seat. she tapped her mom and pointed to leighton in the corner. leighton and ricky laughed seeing nayeli being her dorky self. suddenly nayeli stopped and did a 'i'm watching you' thing with her fingers and pointed to ricky.

this caused ricky to widened his eyes, but nayeli only laughed loudly at his scared face. liliana barrios sticking out her arm to quiet her rowdy daughter and waving to her other daughter and ricky. leighton stifled a laugh as she patted ricky on his back to calm him down from her sister's movements and waved as well before seeing ricky's parents

"ric, there they are!" ricky squinted his eyes and took a deep breath. leighton knew he was nervous, but she also knew he was happy they both were together to watch him perform. he smiled before leaving his spot to where everyone else was. he stopped just as leighton began walking, "good luck, angel." he said. hesitating to kiss her cheek,but doing it anyways.

—
the barrios girl sat in the orchestra pit with the other players and cracked her knuckles. it was now the official start of the musical and big red was supposed to dim the light.. but he didn't. he managed to start playing the national anthem and leighton couldn't help but laugh at her friend.

she was embarrassed for him and hoped he would get this together. the first scene started after the chaos and the first song was up, 'the start of something new' was played on the piano leighton was on. she read the notes a few times, but focused on ricky and nini on stage.

the memories of them fading in her head because now was another world and she did not want to mess up in any way. the song ended and the other piano player clapped for leighton. the girl was full of energy now, more than before.

big red messed up the sound of fireworks and leighton was trying to see her friend. she couldn't help but laugh again at how bad he was at tech crew. she played the piano for the next few parts of the musical before another stage member came to tell her she was needed for the upcoming scene.

this was where kelsi was playing the piano for the auditions and she was to now play on stage for everyone to see. it was awkward. just a little bit, to be right there by nini and ricky for their after audition in the auditions scene. once again, leighton pushed her sad emotions away and played kelsi correctly.

the show was going by really fast and leighton was back in her orchestra seat. leighton was concentrating to make sure her parts were on que. ricky was up there and she enjoyed seeing him be himself in another world.

next was 'stick to the status quo' and this was a tricky song. the choreography gina added in required a little more complex playing. it was hard for her to look up constantly to watch, but she super focused and didn't want to break her attention. 

as leighton was going to go for a break and look up during seb's part, but she slipped her finger and hit a wrong key. she shook her head and became upset with herself that she did that. leighton knew she should've just focused instead of trying to look up.

the song came to an end and leighton finally looked up. in front of her was the cast and no one other than gina porter. leighton abruptly stood from her piano bench and shook her hands out. she was in shock that her newest best friend was here to perform when she moved away just days before.

she clapped and ran quickly to the backstage room area. when she ran inside she was right behind gina, "oh my god, g!" she said loudly as she saw ricky in front of the girl. gina turned around as they both squealed and hugged tightly. they walked to ricky who was in awe at them both. "still can't believe you're actually back." ricky said with a small smile.

"no seriously, i can't either. how are you— oh my god i am way too excited." leighton said as she hugged gina again. gina shortly laughed as well and spoke, "yeah well. one night only.. a friend got me a ticket to come so here i am."

leighton's smile fell a bit. "don't blink. you guys will miss me." gina continued, "i also am sorry i didn't reply to your messages. you know, the ones about about ricky.." she said to leighton and looked at ricky, "before you question, yes she told me what you did to her and she told me you asked her to be your girlfriend just to almost kiss your ex. oh and the fire in the theater? i only been gone for a week or so, and that all happened? you guys need me here." gina said and leighton tightly smiled.

ricky only stared at her, not knowing she told gina everything. he felt bad about his actions. gina saw their faces and talked again, "don't worry guys. that is between you both. i'm here if you need me over phone."

"we didn't think we would see you again." ricky said as he cleared his throat. leighton jumped in, "i needed you and so did this cast. we missed you, g." "that makes three of us. it was only going to hurt me to respond to you guys' messages. i didn't really know how to either, but now i will respond." gina said to her best friends.

carlos came in searching for ricky and leighton to go to their places. "time to get your heads in the game." gina told them as the three of them briefly hugged and separated.

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delia notes: don't call her angel, richard. but this chapter is a little filler.