Was it real? [Ricky Bowen]

- 6 -

"Hey, Ashlyn, what are you listening too? It sounds amazing, from what I can hear through your headphones" Rosella sits next to the girl on the floor, smiling like the sunshine she is. "Hey, Rosella. It's a song I wrote for my role. Miss Jenn said it would be good if my role has an own song as well" she explains, pulling her headphones out of her ears. "Do you want to listen to it? Maybe you can help me, I want it perfect." "Sure, thank you." Both girls put one headphone end in each and listen to the song again, while Ashlyn gives Rosella her notebook with the lyrics on it so she can read it while listening to the song.

Rosella closes her eyes while listening to the girls song, slowly nodding her head to the rhythm, really listening to the text. "If I could go back and change the past. Be a little braver than I had. And bet against the odds. Would I still be lost? Even if I woke up in my dreams. Would there still be something I'm missing? If I had everything, would it mean anything. To me?", Rosella sings the end, still having her eyes closed.

As the song comes to an end, she breaths deeply once before opened her eyes and taking the headphone out. "Wow" is all she can think of, as she wipes her eyes, some lonely tears running down her face. "That's a great song. You're an amazing songwriter and singer, Ashyln" Rosella whispers, not being able to talk any louder due to being so emotional at the moment. "Thank you, Rosie. Is it okay if I call you Rosie?" "Only if I'm allowed to call you Ash" the girl replies laughing a bit. "Of course!" "Great, and I mean it, Ash, you're song is amazing" she repeats as a bloody E.J. walks past them. "Oh god, E.J." the girls exclaim as they see the boy, standing up but he just walks past them. The girls look worriedly at each other but decide to go into the practice room, where E.J. just came out of.

"What happened?", Rosella asks her boyfriend as soon as the two enter the room, as one of the first ones, as they just sat right across the door a couple of seconds earlier. "Why did E.J. rush out of the room with blood on his face?" "I kind of hit him with the basketball" he mutters, scratching the back of his neck, not really looking at he girl in front of him who stares at him with big eyes. "What do you mean kind of?" "It wasn't on purpose. We had to pass the ball while complimenting each other and I must have put too much force into the pass. He just gets on my nerves so much, I don't know, but you have to believe me, it wasn't on purpose, I swear!", he explains.

"You have to apologize to him as soon as possible and get over what ever problem you two have. It just disturbs the whole cast's mood. And now drink some, it will calm you down." Rosella hands him her tea, which she brewed just minutes ago when she stopped at the cafeteria, before sitting down in front of the bombshell. "What's that?", he asks her, taking the glass-to-go-cup in his hand. "Rose-lavender tea, it's calming" she replies. "Thanks, baby" he mumbles against her cheek, kissing it twice, before taking a sip of the tea.

"Is everything alright?", Ricky asks the girl in his arms, as he just makes the little tear streaks out on her cheeks. "Yeah, why are you asking?", she wonders. "You cried", he whispers, laying his free hand on her cheek, so he can look at her properly. "Don't worry, it was nothing" she waves him off, kissing his cheek just like he did moments ago, before turning towards the door as the rest of the cast enters.