Heather {RICKY BOWEN}

{three}

"the readthrough"

Mia wasn't sure what to do. She had spent only two hours with the cast, and already three of them knew the secret she had been hiding for three years.

She was currently hiding in the bathroom, debating whether or not to return to the read-through. She wasn't completely sure why Ms. Jenn had her stick around to listen, since they had already discussed the play and how to make the sets work with it, but she didn't feel like arguing. 

"Mia? Ms. Jenn is looking for you, something about adding another set-piece to the final scene of act one." Ashlyn knocks on the door to the stall Mia was in, her voice soft. 

"Oh- okay. I'll be out in a minute." Mia could tell her voice was shaky, but she hoped Ashlyn didn't notice.

"Hey, are you okay?" 

Mia sighs, "Yeah. I'm just, uh, tired." 

"Hey, if you're worried Carlos or I will tell EJ, just know that we won't. I mean, I can't really speak for Carlos, but I don't think he's one to go spilling secrets like that." 

Mia rests her head against the stall door, feeling her stomach twist into a knot. "It's not you guys I'm worried about. I think Ricky knows." 

Mia hears Ashlyn gasp, the girl's feet shuffling in front of the stall. 

"How did he find out? When did you guys even talk enough for him to figure it out?" 

"We didn't really talk, at least not about anything surrounding the topic of EJ. He just- he caught me blushing when EJ smiled at me and he looked like he just, knew something about me. I dont know how to explain it, but he knows something." 

"Hey, that doesn't mean he knows you like him! He could have been looking like that for some other reason." 

Mia steps out of the stall, her fingers playing with her sweater sleeves. "Yea, but what if he does know. What if he says something about it?" 

"Well, then we'll have to work through that. It's not as big of a deal as you're making it out to be." 

"Ashlyn, you and I both know I'll get rejected, and I dont know if I can take that right now." 

Ashlyn sighs, reaching out to squeeze Mia's shoulder. "I don't think it'll come to that, okay? Now, how about we go back in there for act two, and then we can go over my house and eat our weight in ice cream, okay?"

Mia nods, letting a breath out and pulling her sweater down. 

The room is busy as the reenter, everyone in their own conversations. 

"Okay, people, we're back." Ms. Jenn calls everyone back to their seats. 

Mia takes a second to glance back around the room, catching eyes with Ricky again. 

The boy smiles at her, and Mia returns it, not wanting him to think he makes an impact on her. 

Ashlyn's house is bigger than Mia's, but it feels more like home. 

"So what do you want to watch?" Ashlyn settles on the couch next to Mia, a bowl of popcorn in her hands. 

"I dont know, what do you normally watch for a movie night?" Mia had never had a friend long enough to get invited to a movie night. She was always considered the 'school friend' and never the 'best friend.' 

"Let's watch something dumb- hey, why dont we watch Tangled? It's my favorite Disney princess movie!" 

Mia nods at the excited girl, "That's my favorite too!"