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East High School
September 28th 2019
11:32am
Oh, I don't really care if you like me or not
But I know that you want me to
Oh, anythin' I do, I know you're gonna watch
To rumor up that I'm a fool
When the cast list is posted the days that follow seem to meld together and it all happens so fast. One day Nini is over the moon at being casted as the lead to then endless days of dance breaks, and read throughs to then it coming to a glittering halt at the realization that it was all a lie. At least over the summer it was, when she got her shot at playing the lead it turns out it was never even supposed to happen. EJ had been behind it all along. Of course she became the understudy by auditioning but it didn't make her feel any less deserving of the role when she actually got to perform. So it takes her back to the cast list. The catalyst to her seemingly endless debates with Ricky the day before in rehearsals.
"If you really cared about me you'd let someone who really wants to play this part play it." Nini's words play in her head again as she looks to the cast list thats somehow still there. She meant the words in more ways than one and it hurt. Maybe I was a little harsh, but I mean what is he trying to do? All of this is so confusing.
Nini Salzar Roberts- Gabriella Montez
She can't help but think to herself if after everything whether this whole thing is even worth it. Then at the thought her gaze drifts to another name. Im sure Gina would love if you did that though, the nasty thought springs in her mind and nearly manifests. Would she? Kourtney had taken somewhat of a likening to Gina while her and EJ were nothing but nice when they met, she seemed sort of receptive to a friendship with Kourtney but hesitant to one with her. At the thought of the mysterious curly haired girl her eyes drift to her name on the list.
Gina Porter- Taylor Mckenssie
For some odd reason she can't help but think back to that night in June, Nini has to swallow the pain away. She's not really sure why she thinks of that now of all moments. Like she's ever needed a reason to think about Ricky before (especially with the hurtful things she said to him yesterday) but a part of her mind starts to really think of that moment when things broke. Then that's when it hits her like a weight of bricks she physically feels herself step back. Gina signed her full name, her middle name on the audition paper when they met, Gina Marie Porter. Reeling at a crazy possibility she reads out the name on the slot in her head, Gina Porter...Gina Marie Porter? G..M..P?
"Oh my God, GMP. Shit." I need to find Kourtney now.
However East High seems to have other plans as the third bell of the day signaling the switch into fourth period sounded and the small brunettes wandering (the class was dismissed from third period British lit ten minutes earlier, bless Ms. Mcholoughs old heart) turned manhunt for her best friend stilled for a moment. Students filled out into the hallway as she pushed her way into the crowd to find her best friend who was currently making her way out of AP Calculus.
Nini's sense of urgency transcends her senses as she takes her friend by the wrist and drags her back into the now empty classroom, closing the door. "Nini?! What the fuck?! We gotta get to AP U.S., W-"
"I just made the weirdest possibility and really wrong assumption/connection like ever and you need to hear it."
"Well what is it?"
"I think- I um well-"
"Spit it out! we're gonna be late to Keller's class and you know he lives for making people's lives hell"
"I think Gina is Ricky's soulmate."
Kourtney's jaw hit the floor, at the chance of finally allowing the words to be said aloud Nini's eyes widened hearing how it sounded. A beat of shock and disbelief pass between them. So they do what all teenagers do upon these types moments with engaged eye contact, they laugh their asses off.
"Girl oh my god of all the things I thought you we're gonna say that was the last on my list. You know what? it wasn't even on the list." Kourtney replies through a fit of giggles.
"I know it sounds crazy okay but like it sort of makes sense like-"
"But how? I'm sorry but I don't think those two have even ever had a conversation? also I'm failing to see how any of this is your concern." Kourtney says, eyes squinting with suspicious doubt.
"Okay look there's no going around the fact that I know what Ricky's soulmark looks like okay I was there when he got it. The initials on his shoulder and her full name match. Then I was looking at the cast list today and the fact that Gina is new here just coincidentally coming around the same time he gets his mark? It kinda adds up "
"Still not hearing the part about it being any of your business, it could all just be a coincidence."
"I think we should invite Gina to lunch again today."
"I'ma start getting whiplash at the change in pace of this convo honestly."
"No look I want to-"
"Nini we both have to get to class so for right now Ima just say put a pin in it and text me." or throw it away entirely cause this shit is crazy, Kourtney thinks eyes widening as she adjusts her bag and makes her way to their next class.
Nini fixes the strap of her bag and lets out a resigned sigh while making her way to class, "I knew I sounded crazy."
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East High School
September 28th 2019
12:19pm
Gina Porter's mind was no where near the musical. She thinks that maybe that's why she's now currently sitting three feet away from water polo jock #4, hey that was my joke. It's a random thought that invades her mind, like most of the things her soulmate says in her head.
Shit he's right it was, Looking down toward her tray with a soft smile she thinks back to how he shared a similar thought a week or so ago. She shakes her head a bit at the similarity among their lives, guess there are water polo jocks everywhere huh; it's only a few times she actually tries to respond to his thoughts because she knows all too well he probably never hears them.
Gina and her soulmate had never really had a strong telepathic connection, only ever thoughts here and there that would pop up every once in a while. A conversation here and there. Some of the thoughts that would pop up were random, like really random. While others gave her a bit of a glimpse at what was going on in his life. According to her Dad those types of soulmate connections are rare, and with the luck of her family probably has never happened to anyone before. Which is part of the reason she likes to keep this whole soulmate thing close to her and her only, especially not her mother. No one would really understand.
'Cause I know what you really want
A little more confidence
This is where it's gotta stop
I'm tired of hearin' it
You're just gonna be a fraud
Oh, we're nothin' but fickle friends
"Hey Gina you okay?" Nini asks looking to her curiously, Kourtney is next to her and at the question that interrupts her story, she delivers Nini a leveled slight squint, as if to question her for questioning Gina. Ever the outsider, Gina notices this. "Oh yeah I'm fine just thinking about rehearsal later and how that's gonna go." She lies.
The table quiets a little at the reminder of how much of a drama filled mess the theater department has been serving this week. Between Ricky and Nini fighting every other day in between scenes (and EJ totally not being jealous about it, like at all), to seblos finding out their soulmates and Ashlyn's near scheduling conflict with Mr. Mazarra's robotic club meetings and rehearsal's; it's been a hectic week.
"Well yeah it has been kinda crazy. So many things happened this week." Kourtney reply's, but i'm kinda living for all the tea she thinks smugly to herself.
"Can you believe Seb and Carlos are soulmates? Crazy." EJ says. Nini gives him a gracious look, and her eyes lighten at her opportunity. Ugh if i wasn't so mad at you I could kiss you right now, the small brunette thinks. EJ, poor guy,only looks back to her confused yet smiles at the chance of being brought back to Nini's good graces again. They weren't a couple anymore but as long as he kept sitting at the table (and they didn't kick him out like they'd done a couple days ago) maybe there was hope for them.
"Yeah I know its insane right. I mean finding out your soulmates because you've been hearing the songs the other person has heard in your head for like your entire life that's pretty amazing." Nini responds enthusiastically, chancing a look toward Gina. Kourtney gives Nini a look that she poignantly ignores, a look that reads stop talking. With all the soulmate talk and the sort of new found tension Gina's just about ready to cringe into her seat but she puts a brave face like she always does.
'Cause you don't really hate me
(You're a little baby)
You don't wanna end me
(You wanna befriend me)
And it's not surprising
(I can see you smiling)
"You know telepathically linked soulmates are pretty rare." EJ shares as he eats his fries contentedly, unknowingly adding fuel to Nini's fire. Nini's eyes are alit again while Kourtney rolls her eyes for the up-tenth time that day and sits back into her chair, sighing. Are you fucking kidd-
"That's right my moms told me about it once. They also told me that sometimes marks come when ever you and your soulmate meet or are in the same place at the same time. Isn't that cool?" Nini says interrupting her best-friend's thoughts and attitude over the situation.
"Super cool Nini. So what do you think of the whole cos-" Kourtney replies trying to shift the conversation away from an impromptu interrogation on Gina and her soulmate.
"What do you think about soulmates Gina?" I know this bitch did not just interrupt me, Kourtney thinks with widened eyes not only at the audacity but the question itself. Even EJ just sitting there drinking his milk chokes a bit at the abruptness of the question. Gina's expression remains stoic. Her only tell being how fast her expression changed from slightly uncomfortable to cold in a matter of seconds. Suddenly it's like she's taken back to elementary school all over again and all anyone ever talked about was soulmates. But this wasn't 5th grade and Gina wasn't the same girl she was back then.
"I don't really believe in the whole thing." but...
"What was that about soulmates being able to share thoughts? I know my dad used to tell me about it before when I was little but I sort of stopped doing that...asking that is."
Nini notices the slight tone of sadness in Gina's voice and softly says, "Oh yeah well my moms told me that it's like a super rare thing. Sometimes it could be like this one sided connection where one person thinks and the other can hear them or it can be like a mutual type of thing where they can both hear each others thoughts pretty clearly. Its super interesting you should look into it, especially if you know who your soulmate is. Or if you even have a mark? Do you?" Nini finishes her rambling and gives her this look, almost as if she's searching for something in the way she'll react to what she's saying or what she's hoping will be said by Gina herself.
Gina contemplates the voice in her head she heard not even fifteen minutes ago, but brushes it aside in the name of keeping face in front of everyone. She's Gina Porter after all. "What about you Kourtney what does your mark look like? If you have one that is." Gina asks, changing the subject and noting her non-complacent body language and overall demeanor since the start of lunch.
"Oh Kourtney's is jus-" Nini stops mid-sentence as Kourtney fixes her another look, this one reads "interrupt me one more time and see what happens" and it shuts her right up.
"it's no big deal, I got my mark in like the 7th grade and it's a tiny drawing of a sword right above my ankle."
"Cool." Gina says and the tension covers the table like a blanket again. Thank you Nini, Kourtney thinks to herself with her head shaking as she leans back into her chair. Noting she might've gone a bit far with the soulmate talk, Nini tucks a stand of hair behind her ear and clears her throat.
"So Gina we don't really know all that much about you...Where did you move from?" Kourtney asks, attempting to salvage the conversation. Nini inches closer to the table awaiting her response while EJ takes another bite of his sandwich. "Um California, I lived in San Francisco for a bit." Gina nods her response while she pokes at the mystery meat on her plate.
"Uh you know moving must be really tough I mean you must've found out pretty much at the beginning of the summer to make it into the school register on t-time." Nini stutters out her response, hoping it sounds as natural and casual as she wants it to be. Gina's cool and collected where Nini fidgets but she only does it because she's hoping to get answers from the new mysterious girl. Kourtney's right to question her motives but even Nini is unsure why the connection between Gina and Ricky's soulmate is something that she has to solve.
"Well my mom told me we were moving around sometime late June so I don't really think that was a problem." Nini's jaw nearly drops as her eyes move slowly to Kourtney at the other end of the table (inconspicuously she hopes) waiting for her to make the connection. The end of June was when she broke up with Ricky, took a pause/break or whatever, and he got his soulmark. Nini wants to flip this table over and practically shout at Kourtney that she's connected the dots and Kourtney looks to her best friend with wide eyes as the realization of timing sinks in. Kourtney turns to Gina almost with new eyes as she opts to take a bite of her apple instead of chance with whatever was on her plate. Before she does, she notices the wide eyed looks being exchanged between Nini and Kourtney and the tension comes back like a familiar friend (Gina realizes she wouldn't know too much about those).
"You know I don't doubt that rehearsal's will be that bad today as long as Ricky isn't tripping over his feet during the dance break." Surprisingly its EJ that breaks the thick mold of tension this time.
"Ain't that the truth. That boy can sing but dance..." Kourtney points out, shaking her head. She nearly laughs out her relief at the tension being broken while she meets Nini's eye again, hoping she doesn't threaten the table with tension again because if you ask her she's made her case.
Poking at the pudding cup on her tray Kourtney can't help but think of the middle school dances where Nini would do nothing but complain about how Ricky kept stepping on her toes. All the while Ashlyn and Red broke out in moves of their own and Kourtney would do nothing but tease them. Her heart aches for her friends a little in that moment. Kourtney thinks Nini notices her change in mood when her eyes soften like she's reaching over the table and holding her hand. Her eyes spelling out the words in her mind, I miss the way things used to be too.
"That's Troy right?" Gina asks curiously, bringing Kourtney and Nini back to the table.
"Yep, that's Ricky." EJ says bitterly. It's been a week or to two and admittedly it's gotten her a minute to get everyone's names right. People would swear to Gina up and down that it should probably be easier to remember names with all the moving she's done but she swears it's only made it harder. Maybe it would've been a little easier if she'd intervened with some kind of scheme to become Gabriella but for some reason she doesn't think its all that important anymore. It definitely isn't to mom, when Gina shared the role she'd gotten to her mom that night during dinner she was singing her praises about getting the part of Taylor. She wasn't at all the suffocating stage mom she was back when her dad was alive and it felt...confusing. Almost as confusing as the fact that she still couldn't place Ricky's voice for the life of her.
"Does he sing often? I could've swore I heard his voice before." Gina asks, nearly thinking out loud.
"Really? How?" Nini practically lunges at the question, she cannot be making this shit up.
"I don't know it just seemed familiar. Does he do Youtube or something?" At this response Nini looks to Kourtney conspiratorially, her hand gripping the table with widened eyes. You see what I mean? Nini practically spells with her face again turned to a drained Kourtney with an expression that read, YES damn ma is it that serious? YOU'VE MADE YOUR CASE.
"I doubt Ricky could pull that off." EJ scoffs, interrupting the best friends and their practical telepathic banter.
Gina's eyes suddenly catch the object of their conversation and his blatant trying-hard-not-to-stare staring. Their eyes meet for a moment and she looks away because her shoulder starts tingling with heat little by little. For a second she doesn't move, just lets her eyes drift from Ricky and on to the table ever so quickly while she lets her body catch up to her. Gina breathes, shit.
And she's not the only one who sees.
I know that you been hurt
Don't mean that it's our turn
Mmm
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East High School
September 28th 2019
4:34pm
"Look Nini was right yesterday. I'm taking up space, I don't belong on stage! I mean I clearly don't know what I'm doing. It would just be best for everyone if I just quit while I was ahead."
"Ricky!" Carlos calls out again, things just can't fall apart this soon. Not when it was just starting to feel...like home.
"Dude-" Red says, as he turns away from them. In his eyes he's got that serious look that he's only given him a couple times in his life that reads "What's really going on? Are you gonna be okay?" Most of the time Ricky's proud to say he knows, but given how much of a human disaster he's been as of late. He doesn't. So he leaves but Carlos and Red aren't the only ones that watch him go.
Overhearing things aren't exactly an off-brand thing for Gina, outsider things, the sophomore sings to herself while looking back down at her phone. It's a shame Ricky wants to quit the show, he's got alot of potential and he brought a certain level of street cred to their name. They weren't just a rag tag group of theater nerds but a jock, a skater boy, and a debate team captain (slash robotics club member slash future student body president slash cos player ? Ashlyn does way too many things to keep track of, names are hard enough for Gina already).
huh kinda glad I'm not the only one, the thought rings through her mind and her head pops up just as fast as it comes. She's too stunned to try to respond back, her eyes line up with Ricky's retreating figure. The random thoughts and responses have been coming so much ever since she's moved here and even more since she stepped foot at East High. That's when it hits her. Im such a fucking dumb ass.
It's his voice. It's Ricky Bowen's voice in her head. Ricky Bowen. Ricky...R? B? Fuck.
That can't be possible. It can't be true. Can it? The Porter curse if anything would never let anything like this to be sought to fruition. Either way she has to figure this out the only way she knows how: intervening.
With a new determination the curly haired girl makes her way to the remaining duo, "Hey Red?"
"Yeah?" Red responds, not in the least bit intimidated. So much so that he doesn't gulp when she takes a step closer.
"Do you know where Ricky is going?"
"Oh umm I don't know probably back to his house? Although I'm not really sure he would wanna go there right now."
"Didn't he mention the skate park?" Carlos replies as an alternative, Gina nods.
"Why do you wanna know?" Red asks innocently, she maintains eye contact with him for over five seconds and raises her eyebrow, and he's a goner. "So umm I'm gonna head back inside see if anyone else is still around. See you killer, LATER, I mean later not- yea." Red awkwardly states as Gina and Carlos watch him stumble through the doors of East High.
"Hey Gina, You okay?" Carlos asks, his eyes alit with concern even in the face of the musical crumbling. He's the best and its not fair, she thinks leveling with him.
"Yeah you?" she asks back.
"Honestly no. Everything was going so well for me this week. I mean I found my soulmate, the background dancers have been killing it at rehearsals and I've already gotten pretty close with Ms. Jenn and some of the cast. But now with Ricky leaving its like..."
"Things are changing too fast too soon and you're not ready for it."
"Exactly." Carlos breathes out relieved he didn't have to say it.
"Yeah I know a little bit about that." it's my brand actually. "look just give it time, something tells me that with everyone involved in this thing as cliche as it sounds we're gonna get through it together."
"We're all in this together." Carlos smiles, nearly singing out the words.
"Sure." Gina replies plainly, trying her damnest to keep a smile off her face.
"Oh no you can't take it back now, your secretly soft huh Gina Porter? I see you." Carlos laughs.
"Yeah well you'll be the only one who see's." Gina pokes, with a sarcastic turned genuine smile and tone.
"I doubt it and if I am then that's a shame." Gina bows her head and looks to Carlos and does another uncharacteristic thing for the billionth time in the past 24 hours. She hugs him. Gina hugs her friend because that's what they are now, she decides.
"Dm me if you need anything okay?" She tells him and he's still reeling from the hug she can tell, He's glad to call her a friend nonetheless.
"Of course the same goes for you." Carlos says with a determined look. Gina smiles.
"I'll see ya"
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The Skate Park
September 28th 2019
7:09pm
This is insane. This is crazy. Gina Porter thinking Ricky Bowen was her soulmate of all people was fucking crazy. I mean sure she's been hearing a lot more of her soulmates thoughts more than she usually did before she moved here but that could just be coincidence, and the same can be said for that feeling. The warmth she felt at lunch. Just coincidence
...Right?
There's just so much she doesn't know. So right now Gina sticks to what she does know: Ricky needs to stay in the musical at least that'll give her the opportunity to figure this whole thing out. It needs to be figured out and not anything more of course because that would be crazy and no part of it would work out, thank you Porter curse, she thinks sardonically.
For all Gina knows the whole reason Ricky is working so hard to win Nini back is because they are actually soulmates and I'm probably just being crazy, her mind finishes. It definitely does not need to be figured out because as pathetic as it is it's her chance at guaranteed companionship. Something so solid and secure Gina's never had the chance for it. Yeah totally not.
Why she needs to figure this whole thing out? We'll unpack that later, The sophomore thinks to herself as she walks into the unfamiliar space of skateboards, high fives and slight B.O.
As she makes her way to a series of small steps, a small series of doubts and second guessing peaked into her mind. Gina sits and listens to the hsm soundtrack to drown it out, while she waits for her...castmate (well sorta, she's working on it) to arrive.
"Gina? What are you doing here?"
She's not expecting him to catch her off guard but she hears him before she see's him and the warmth sorta comes flooding back. Can he feel it too? At the thought, their eyes meet and he looks a bit breathless as he subconsciously touches his right shoulder. Gina notices as she always does. Her mark is on her right shoulder too. She kinda wants to (uncharacteristically, again this is just not her day) scream.
She looks back down at her phone and takes off her headphones, not because the intensity of his deep brown eyes are a bit much, definitely not that.
"Just babysitting my neighbors kid." Gina lies, avoiding his eyes.
"Where's the kid?" Ricky squints skeptically.
"Somewhere" she pauses, glancing around the space. "So is it true you quit the show?" She adds quickly.
"Have we met before?" Ricky is all too struck by the familiarity, but proceeds with caution in his voice.
Her breath is stolen for a moment and there's a momentary pause in time. Gina's the one a little breathless now.
"What?" She hears herself say, or whisper. Gina's a singer. She knows a thing or two about pitches and ranges, breath control, volume, the whole nine. But in this moment she can't really recognize the noise that's coming out of her mouth and the fact that it's her voice. It's a little too much too fast. Maybe this was a bad idea.
"I just...could've sworn I heard your voice before but I can't really place it." Ricky says as he keeps on touching the mark on his shoulder lightly like it'll some how make it click. The softness in his voice catches him off guard because it's almost like he seeks to be heard by her, like he wants Gina to look at him. God this is so weird what the fuck is going on, He think's to him self as he adjust's his bag averting his eyes from her.
Gina keeps not looking at him, or his shoulder. Especially not his shoulder. Just the endless sight of skateboards, helmets and questionable hair cuts because for right now that's safe. Come on Porter focus.
"Must have one of those voices." She says clearing her throat.
"Yeah maybe." At his short response their eyes meet again, like magnets. Neither are ready for the realizations, implications or complications of what any of this means. Or what it even is. Because soulmates are bullshit, and the Porter curse is real so what even is the point, the thoughts ring true in both their minds now more than ever yet neither can hear what the other is thinking even though they're now finally some feet apart rather than thousand miles.
"So umm...you're really quitting? The curly haired brunette asks, shooting him a curious look.
"Well it's not really official yet but yeah." Ricky's mind still reels from the eye contact and he can't let himself focus on why, so he get's his things together so he can leave. As far away from Gina Porter as possible.
"That kinda sucks. I mean having you there kinda gave us all street cred."
"Did Ms. Jenn send you here?" He seemingly questions wanting to know her motives.
"Please I think I scare her."
"You are a little scary." Ricky admits, avoiding her eyes again.
"Look the way I see it you make due with what you got. I'm a transfer student okay, I don't survive these first couple of days or I don't survive at all. A bit dramatic yeah but the point is that you're not the only outsider here. That's why I was so stoked when she cast you. Outsiders keep everyone on their toes."
Ricky still won't look at her but she can see the doubt painted all over his face. Outsider?Ricky questions the word choice in his mind, thinking of the word that popped into his head a mere few hours ago. A thought that wasn't his and yet brought him comfort all the same.
"Look I mean it, you kept us real." Gina continues, chancing a step towards him. Bringing him back from his endless thoughts.
"I know you saw the movie. Prepared for this and whatever the reason was doesn't matter right now what matters is if this play is important to you. If it is then why give up now? I know I wouldn't want to do anything to risk not having anyone on my side and you already have plenty." Gina nearly cringes at the last part of her self-imposed speech, huh didn't know I was feeling that way, absolutely did not want to say that out loud. Gross, she breathes out hoping Ricky doesn't notice her face fall.
"You know you're not that bad at the whole pep talk thing. Maybe your voice is so familiar because I've heard you in a TED talk." Gina's eyes widen and she can't help but smile, I couldn't give someone advice to save my l*fe. glad to see someone thinks I'm so put together. well besides...everyone. Gina thinks to herself, eyes keen on her sneakers.
"Well thank you for coming to MY TED talk." He laughs and Gina is kinda really into the sound (and the adorable smile attached to it). I have to leave, the sophomore thinks.
"Why exactly would you need someone on your side?" Ricky pointedly asks, his eyes are soft and look for hers. Admittedly, Gina doesn't know where she was going with that one so she does uncharacteristic thing number infinity plus one and lets herself be vulnerable.
"Because it's like I said an eat or be eaten kind of world. Outsider's gotta stick together." Short and sweet she averts her gaze for the billionth time that evening, Gina puts on her headphones as he nods contemplating while he takes his leave. There's that word again.
Breaking Free blares and Gina think's she gets the song a little better now.
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