"...Yeah, and then so Emily popped the question to Michelle. It-right?! Michelle's leaving the studio, but everything seems to be working out for them. I'm so glad! ...And how about you getting into Nationals, Lola?" Richelle laughed. "No, of course I haven't forgotten. It's great to hear from you. And I'm sorry about-fine! I'll see you Saturday then." Richelle sighed with contentment and hung up.
Jacquie smiled as she took a seat next to Richelle in the locker room. "And you said you didn't have a crush on Lola!"
"Fine! Just a small one... Thank you for convincing me to call her."
"Eh, well." Jacquie shrugged. "I wish I was ready to get over Noah. This seems like the next best thing." She smiled at her friend as Richelle stood up, rolling her eyes and walked away ready to lend the Co-Studio Heads a helping hand on their last day working together.
Jacquie sat alone for a moment, running back Richelle's phone conversation in her head. There was something that just wouldn't leave her al-her eyes widened and she sat forward.
"Jacquie what's up? You look like you just remembered a science experiment in your locker." Jacquie lifted her head and looked at Summer who had just walked in. She stood up and placed a hand on her forearm.
"No, this is huge! I," Jacquie shook her head, "Emily proposed to Michelle!"
"What?"
"And Michelle said yes!"
"Oh my gosh that's amazing!"
"I know! I kinda wanna do something for them but I don't know what to do."
"A party?"
"It seems a little short notice, Michelle's leaving by the end of the day."
"We can do it! We threw one for Miss Angela, to get rid of her... this is an even better cause."
"Well, when you put it like that..." the two dancers grinned at each other like co-conspirators and slapped palms.
"Remind me what Summer said again?" Finn looked questionably at Ozzy and Kingston who glanced at each other in silence.
"Finn?" Kingston tried again to get his friend's attention. "This is very simple okay. All-all you need to do is talk to Emily and Michelle, outside Studio 1. Do not, under any circumstances, let them into Studio A." Ozzy nodded his agreement.
"But today's moving day. They've been in and out of their office twice already. What can I even say that's that interesting? Oh, wait! I know!" Finn started walking towards the studios. "I'll tell them about my fourth grade teacher Miss Battleaxe and my next door neighbour, Moody Margaret! Oh! And the time I gave everyone in the class nits. And when I met Queen Elizabeth the second!" Finn turned and ran toward the staircase.
"Don't tell them that last one!" Ozzy shouted after him. He put his elbows on the table and lowered his head, groaning.
"Do you think he heard you?"
"Bro I hope so." Ozzy jumped up from his seat, absentmindedly offering Kingston his hand. Kingston beamed and took it.
"Such a gentleman." Ozzy blinked as he realised what had just happened. Kingston blushed slightly.
"To the party store!" Ozzy shouted, raising his index finger level to his glasses.
"To the-" Kingston stopped short. "I don't think we should shout about this." The two boys stared at each other in silence, before turning abruptly and running out of Shakes and Ladders.
"Yeah, so the cake goes there." Kenzie pointed. Summer and Jacquie nodded in agreement.
"We've already blown up the balloons." Jacquie pointed out.
"So it's up to the boys to get snacks; keep Richelle, Emily and Michelle away; and get back in time with Piper to help us set up, have the party and get Michelle's stuff cleared out by the end of the day... Raise your hand if you're worried!" Summer called.
Three hands went up.
Kingston and Ozzy high-fived as they entered Shakes and Ladders at a rapid pace trailed by Piper, each holding a bag.
"Remind me why I have to bring my Mom's finest china again?"
"Dude!" Kingston said to Ozzy, neither breaking their pace. "I told you to tell Piper to bring anything but her Mom's finest china!"
"Yeah but that gave me an idea. This is a special occasion, right?"
"The finest china for an engagement party Oz? You're gonna make someone special very happy one day," Kingston said.
"You reck-"
"-Engagement party!" Ozzy and Kingston whirled around and shushed aggressively. "...Who's engaged?" Piper whispered. The three looked at one another in silence and Ozzy gave in.
"All right, well you didn't hear this from us. But Emily proposed to Michelle."
"Wait, so-"
"Michelle said yes." Kingston reassured her with a smile. Piper nodded, beaming. Kingston and Ozzy turned around ready to carry on walking.
"Wait. No, no. Why does this have to be kept a secret?" They turned back to Piper.
"Oh it's a surprise engagement party," Ozzy clarified. Piper's eyes widened.
"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MINDS?" Kingston and Ozzy stared back, uncomprehending. "Did they tell you about their engagement? Their relationship?" She hoped. Ozzy and Kingston looked at their bags.
"Ozzy this is a terrible idea."
"Kingston, I could not agree more." Kingston laid his hand on Ozzy's forearm.
"Let's fix this thing." Kingston said, beckoning Piper and Ozzy to follow him. They nodded quickly and headed towards Studio A.
"Oh hey Richelle. Just the person I was looking for!"
"Henry. Why do you want to speak to me?"
"Oh, you know. Just hoping for a re-match. You and me against Jacquie and Summer. Picturescapes. The best sleeping sheep you've ever seen." Richelle marched forward, instantly irritated.
"They weren't sleeping sheep Henry. They were storm clouds!" Henry took a step back.
"Uh-huh." He managed, his voice high. He cleared his throat. "Well, you know. Storm clouds, sheep, it's the same thing, right?" He nodded at her, grin on his face. Richelle glared at him then threw up her hands.
"I'm taking a break!" She called. Richelle stalked past him and down the stairs.
Henry watched her go, then pulled out his mobile. "I'm currently keeping Richelle occupied. How's Finn doing with the fiancées?"
"Your book sounds, um, great, Finn. But I'm not..." Michelle started, she and Emily smiling awkwardly at Finn, who had blocked the way back to their office for the past half-hour with sweeping arm movements as he enthusiastically recounted the entire Horrid Henry canon in first-person.
"-Oh it's not a book."
"What? No, I'm sure it's a book." Emily gently corrected him.
"No. It's a series of books." Finn corrected her, putting a hand on her shoulder.
"Great." Emily said through gritted teeth. She took a deep breath. "Finn? May we go back to cleaning out Michelle's half of the office?"
"I've got a meeting with a landlord in another state in three hours. I can't miss it." Michelle added.
"What? No-one told me that! Of course!" Finn started running. "Come on! It's this way!" Emily and Michelle exchanged exasperated looks.
Emily opened her mouth and Michelle waved her hand. "Look on the bright side Em. We can leave Studio 1!" Emily laughed derisively.
"It's about time!" She looked at Michelle. "Are you going to be able to make your appointment?" Michelle smiled and took her hand.
"If we hurry." The two studio heads marched out of Studio 1.
"So you're great at Dominoes too!" Henry said stiffly. Richelle looked at him, caught between irritation and being smug. Henry looked at the games table in disbelief. "I just-How is it possible to beat a person at Solitaire?"
"Well Henry, I'm just that good. So, does this mean you're ready to call it quits?"
"No! No. Round two!"
"Oh come on Henry. We must have been here..." Richelle pulled her phone out of her pocket. "Way too long!" She stood up, pulling Henry after her.
"But the sleeping sheep!"
"May they rest in peace!"
"Guys, guys!"
"Stop everything!" Ozzy and Kingston called over one another. Kenzie, Jacquie and Summer looked at them in confusion.
Piper carefully placed her Mom's fine china dishes on the table before lurching to the cake slice. She scraped a line of frosting down the middle, cutting in half the message "congratulations on your engagement".
"Hey!"
"Piper, what are you doing?"
"That was five dollars a letter!"
"Who cares?" Piper snapped, rapidly turning and mixing the frosting to the best of her ability. "Has anyone actually heard Emily and Michelle talking about their relationship with us?"
Ozzy and Kingston pointed to Kenzie who immediately pointed to Summer.
"Jacquie told me." Summer defended herself.
All eyes, except Piper's, were on Jacquie. She cringed. "I overheard Richelle talking to Lola about-"
"Oh come on!"
Jacquie looked at the cake and contemplated for a moment. "Did you bring knives?" Piper nodded, still not looking up from her task.
They all rushed over to the bag, and then to the cake. Within a minute the cake had no writing, although it looked a lot bumpier than the one Jacquie had brought back from the shop.
Richelle rushed into the studio. "Sorry, I took so long. Hang on. What's going on here?"
"A going away party for Michelle." Kenzie said. Piper smiled brightly.
Richelle turned to Henry. "Why were you keeping me from this?"
"It was my idea," Summer admitted. "When it was Noah's birthday party you said the main reason you stayed away from him was that you couldn't keep secrets that made your friends happy." She shrugged.
"Are you accusing me of being friends with Michelle?"
"Like it or not you're involved." Kingston smiled knowingly at her.
"We're on our way to clear out the office!" Finn hollered as he skipped merrily through the doorway. He caught sight of the table and gasped. "Why did no-one tell me there was a book launch going on?"
"What do you mean a book launch? Guys, what is all this?" Michelle asked them as she and Emily walked into Studio A.
"We're throwing you a going away party. And, you know, a kind of goodbye and thank you for the whole Co-Studio Head thing. Coming together and stepping in when it counted." Jacquie explained.
"I was wondering why the balloons had linked rings on them." Emily admitted.
"They do?" Richelle peered at them more closely.
"Yep, they do." Summer nodded awkwardly. Emily and Michelle stared at the balloons, and then looked at each other, unable to stop the vibrant grins that appeared on their faces. Emily crossed her arms and inclined her head to Michelle.
"You sure?" Michelle whispered. Emily nodded.
"I mean, if you want t-"
"I do." Emily ducked her head, blushing. "We're not engaged. But we are dating." A cheer broke out among the dancers, quickly dissolving into congratulations.
"All right!" Emily interrupted them. "Grab a piece of cake or... whatever is in one of those bags, I guess. We have to get moving, Michelle has a landlord meeting out of state in less than three hours." She turned to her partner. "Any last orders?"
"Someone turn on the music." Michelle commanded, and the team got back to work.