The Studio
Disclaimer: I do not own High School Musical, "Right Here, Right Now," or "On My Own."
Author's Note: I started writing this between class and rehearsal at my studio one Saturday morning as I watched the little girls interact, then finished it during history class during the following week.
For Madelyn, Elisabeth, Kellie, Kayla, and all my other little dancers
Kelsi sighed. She leaned her elbows on the desk before her and stared at the phone, willing it to ring and break the monotonous cycle. Times like this, when the last class of the day was well into its session, bored Kelsi to no end. The dancers were all in classes in the various studios and the office where she sat was devoid of any other life. Ryan, who often joined his girlfriend at the secretary's desk, was busy teaching a jazz class in the studio next door. Kelsi smiled as she heard him correct his most advanced students.
An intermediate tap class let out, and the girls and boys rushed through the office. Kelsi sat up in her chair, waiving pleasantly to the students who knew her. In addition to serving as a secretary, Kelsi played piano as the accompanist in a number of the ballet classes. The dancers loved hearing her fiddle with her latest compositions and test them out, a task she often undertook during a break between classes.
Sometimes, Ryan was at the desk or in the private back office during these moments. He would sneak into the room and start dancing, usually unnoticed by Kelsi. His advanced students, who had grown accustomed to his random appearances, would leap up and form lines behind him. They would practice one of their many routines, following their favorite teacher through the familiar steps.
Today, however, Kelsi was alone in the lobby. The intermediate students left, walking down the stairs to meet their parents at the front door. One of Kelsi's favorite students, a gifted eight-year-old named Madelyn, remained. She pulled a book out of her bag and sat on the couch across the room. Madelyn's older sister, Elisabeth, was in the advanced jazz class that would not end for another half-hour. Madelyn made herself comfortable, curling up on the cushions and flipping through the book in search of her place. Every few seconds, Madelyn glanced up at Kelsi. She giggled secretly, as if she knew something the older girl didn't. As soon as Kelsi turned her head back to the little girl, Madelyn would bury her head back into her princess book.
"And what, may I ask, is so funny, missy?" Kelsi smirked playfully. Madelyn shook her head.
"Not gonna spoil it," she insisted, refusing to take her eyes off the print on the page. The phone rang, temporarily distracting Kelsi from the enigma before her. Madelyn keeping a secret? That never happened. However, by the time Kelsi hung up the phone, Ryan's students were pouring out of the room. Kelsi knitted her eyebrows. Something had to be going on if he was releasing the girls early.
Elisabeth, Kayla, and Kellie were still in the room when Kelsi and Madelyn approached the door. They waited patiently at the threshold as Ryan reviewed the steps with the three aspiring performers. Kelsi smiled. The only things she loved more than music were family and Ryan. One of her favorite things to do was watch her boyfriend dance. He could lose himself in the act so completely; it was as if he and the music became one solid entity.
"Can you go over the piece with us one more time, Kelsi?" Kellie requested politely, breaking the composer out of her dream-like state. Kellie and Kayla were sharing the part of Eponine in a local production of Les Miserables. Kelsi had been working with them on the song 'On My Own' for about a week. She nodded.
"Awesome!" Kayla exclaimed. She looked over her shoulder at Ryan, who winked. "We'll meet you at the piano in a minute." Kelsi looked from Kayla to Ryan, to Madelyn, and back to Ryan.
"Something's going on here," she said suspiciously.
"Whatever do you mean?" Elisabeth asked, feigning innocence.
"Maddie here told me earlier that she was 'not going to spoil it.' I don't know what 'it' is, but I do know that you're all up to something. Don't give me that look, Elisabeth," Kelsi argued. Kellie giggled. During Kelsi's little rant, Ryan had made his way to her side. He held a finger to his lips. "I've known you girls long enough to know when something secretive is going on around here. Maddie just confirmed it for me." Ryan placed his hands gently on Kelsi's shoulders.
"They aren't going to tell you, and Maddie and Elisabeth need to get home," he whispered. She shivered, despite the warmth radiating from his body, nearly touching hers. Kellie and Kayla slipped out, followed by Elisabeth, who was dragging Madelyn.
"You weren't supposed to tell her!" Elisabeth hissed at her younger sister as soon as they were out of earshot.
"I didn't," Madelyn whined.
"It doesn't matter. We won't have to worry about it after tonight," Kayla jumped in, eager to prevent a fight between the sisters. Kellie nodded.
"Let's go up to the loft," she led. The storage loft above the office had a window through which they planned to watch.
Thinking they were truly alone, Kelsi leaned fully into her boyfriend.
"I'll lock up while you work with them," Ryan said softly, steering them to the baby grand piano in the opposite corner. Kelsi sat on the piano bench and lifted the lid as Ryan stepped away, giving her plenty of space to 'greet' her piano in her usual manner. Kelsi brushed her fingers over the ivory keys, applying no pressure, making no sound. Her right pinky hit a small obstacle obtruding from between two keys.
Confused, Kelsi turned her head to the spot. Behind her, Ryan took a deep breath, preparing for what he was about to do. He looked up to the window, unsurprised when he saw four faces pressed against the glass. He nodded to them nervously. Madelyn's little hand gave him a thumbs-up and Elisabeth moved away from the opening. The instrumental recording of "Right Here, Right Now" began to play softly from above, its volume adjusting slightly as Elisabeth fiddled with the knob.
"This is so exciting!" Kayla whispered.
"Wait until everyone finds out," Kellie added, watching as Kelsi's face turned to one of recognition, her hand never moving.
"They're gonna be so jealous," Elisabeth chimed in as Ryan placed his hand atop Kelsi's. The three teenagers turned away from the window, so only Madelyn saw the next part of the event unfold.
"It's been so obvious that this would happen at some point," Kayla stated. Madelyn smiled gently as Ryan pressed down on one of the keys.
"Didn't his sister say they'd been together since high school that day she was here?" Kellie gossiped. Ryan, having retrieved the offensive object, dropped down to one knee and led Kelsi around to face him.
"You're gonna miss it!" Madelyn warned. Elisabeth, Kellie and Kayla returned to their posts instantly. They made it back just in time to see Kelsi nod her head in response to Ryan's question. They muffled their squeals as best they could and dashed back down to the dressing rooms. Elisabeth quickly typed out a text message before they got to the studio door. They dared not enter and interrupt the couple's celebration.
Seconds later, Ryan's cell phone rang. He recognized the personalized ring tone and picked it up quickly, knowing the trouble he'd face if he didn't. Taking this as their cue, the four students popped their heads back into the room, peering around the corner of the doorway. Kelsi spotted them instantly and beckoned them over, still wrapped in Ryan's arms.
"You knew about this, didn't you?" Kelsi checked. They nodded sheepishly. "For how long?"
"A few weeks maybe?" Kellie estimated. Kelsi's eyes widened.
"I only found out a few days ago," Madelyn piped up.
"And you still almost managed to spoil it," Elisabeth chided. Kayla pushed the sisters apart and stood between them. Kelsi laughed.
"Okay, which one of you told my sister?" Ryan interrogated. Elisabeth, Kayla, and Kellie looked at their feet, covering for the perpetrator as they often did.
"Elisabeth did it," Madelyn tattled. Ryan and Kelsi both laughed at her honesty.
"Maddie!" Elisabeth exclaimed.
"What? You know I'm no good at keeping secrets." Ryan stepped away from his fiancée and grabbed the petite girl, whizzing her around the room. Kelsi took the opportunity to show the older students her new engagement ring and thank them for helping out. Ryan returned to Kelsi's side and wrapped his arms around her waist, hugging her from behind.
"Good night," Kellie and Kayla waved. Kelsi smiled and waved at them. Madelyn hopped on her sister's back as they followed the other two, bidding Kelsi and Ryan farewell.
"They're quite a crew," Ryan joked as they locked the studio door. Kelsi nodded, still in awe of her newest title. She pulled out her phone, noticing it was vibrating.
"I think your sister told everyone," she revealed, holding up the phone so he could see. She already had four missed calls, undoubtedly from their high school friends. Ryan pulled her phone away and shut it off.
"You'll talk to them tomorrow. Tonight you're mine."
Author's Note: Hope you liked it, please review and tell me what you think!