14. The Storm

[Avni: Usually, it doesn't take me long to get over stuff. I have a routine for when things go wrong- take the evening off, binge a show, cry yourself to sleep, and wake up with a fresh perspective which helps me move on systematically (or repress all the icky emotions). But for the past two days, and today, I woke up with a jumbled-up mind and a heavy heart- which honestly scares me. What if I'm heartbroken forever?]

"Okay, everyone, gather around," Miss Jenn called. "We have got a two-hour window before the storm is expected to hit, and I intend to use every minute of it. Big, splashy group numbers always succeed at the Menkies. So we need to workshop a punchy, breath-taking number that will put us in the number one spot."

"As our head choreographer," Carlos started. Avni frowned at that, glancing at Gina behind him. She knew they were both thinking the same thing. "…to announce that today we will, at last, begin rehearsing one of the most showstopping, iconic, and bar-raising numbers of the entire show," he paused dramatically.

"Be Our Guest," Gina cut in. "Yeah, it's Be Our Guest, guys." Which led into a slightly awkward silence.

Which prompted Miss Jenn to launch into a slightly disturbing story of a burglar and her mom, which literally no one asked for, but that's just her.

"Thank you, Miss Jenn," Gina said. "That wasn't terrifying at all." Ricky chuckled at that. Avni's eyes turned wide at the reaction, and she turned the other way to hide them. Why is he so clueless?

"Okay, so, my vision to make this dance really soar is to stage... wait for it, a Cancan-style dance that features a feather-dusting spectacle. I don't know, it'll probably go a little something like..." she demonstrated a series of high kicks which honestly looked great. But maybe were a little tone-deaf for Be Our Guest?

"Interesting. I had a different path that's a little more elevated and less basic," Carlos said. "Think. A noir-inspired performance that Lumiere guides our audience through the entire time." That sounded kind of okay, but still not right.

"M'kay. But I actually spent a month in France once, so I kinda know this dance inside out," Gina said.

"And I choreographed all three of my sister's quinceañera dances, despite not getting one for myself, so I think I know how to twirl with a salad fork, okay?" That was just sad.

"Okay! You know what? Let's stick a pin in Be Our Guest and brush up on Gaston," Miss Jenn said. Avni's heart beat faster. "EJ and Big Red, to the front of the room, please. Wait, where's EJ?"

Where is EJ?

"Yo! I think the feather duster brigade sounded cool," Ricky's words distracted Avni.

"Really-really?" Gina asked.

"Yeah. What, do I need to send you a random box of chocolates to prove it?"

"Sick burn."

Okay, maybe I need to have a talk with this dumb ass.

"Okay, well, if anyone sees EJ, would you please tell him that rehearsals are mandatory, even for soon-to-be college students who are obviously suffering from senioritis," Miss Jenn said.

"Nini!" Kourtney yelled.

Every one turned to see that Nini was standing at the door, watching on.

"I don't wanna interrupt. I just needed one more group hug," she said, and every one rushed forward for a hug, and then Ricky and Nini stepped outside to say goodbye.

"You doing alright?" Avni asked Gina.

"Just gotta power on, right? You?"

"Yeah, I'm in a similar space, but significantly less powerful," Gina frowned at her. "I don't know. When I went to sleep last night, I thought that I would wake up with a clear mind and a solid plan to go forward. Didn't happen, so I'm a bit thrown."

Gina nodded understandingly. "I get that."

"Do you want me to talk to Ricky?" Avni asked her.

"What would you even say?"

"Just tell him to back off."

Gina pondered on it for a moment. 'No, it's fine. I'll be-"

"Listen up, everyone," Miss Jenn interrupted. "I am going to step out for a little while to make sure that Nini catches her bus. Please go back to workshopping Be Our Guest concepts until I return, and find a path forward. I've asked Mr. Mazara to pop in, Mr. Mazara literally popped in like he was waiting outside the door for a cue. "And make sure that you don't get too rowdy while I'm gone. Thank you, Benjamin."

Avni didn't miss the look of longing that Mr. Mazara gave Miss Jenn.

"You should probably go," she said to Gina, pointing at Carlos.

Miss Jenn wasn't around, so naturally, the wheels fell off pretty quick. Gina and Carlos agreed to compete for Be Our Guest rights, EJ was nowhere to be found and now Salt Lake was deep in snow and they were all stuck inside.

Though, Gina had taken the lead, and now they were all hunting around for supplies, At least, Avni hoped everybody else was, because she was not of much help. She'd called her dad, and that's about it.

"Guys," Avni called when she saw Ricky and Big Red up ahead.

"Oh hey," Ricky said. "What'd you do on Valentine's?"

Avni stayed silent. She wasn't sure what to say.

"Ashlyn said you came by her place," Big Red said.

Avni clutched on to it. "Oh yeah, I was hanging with Gina."

"Did she seem okay?" Ricky asked.

Wouldn't you like to know.

"Yeah. Why?" Avni lied, for Gina's sake.

"No reason. Anyways I was thinking about texting Nini that-"

"I don't really want to talk about Nini," Avni said, before it got ugly.

Gina came down the stairs just then, flashlight in hand. "Oh, Gina, perfect," Big Red said. "We need a girl's point of view on something."

"Dude, don't!" Ricky warned.

"Ricky wants to text something so dumb to Nini, and I'm telling him not to."

"Big Red, don't-" Avni tried.

"What's the text?" Gina asked.

"Big Red!" Ricky cried, but Avni recognised that Gina wanted to play it cool, so she didn't intervene.

"He wants to tell her that he's happy she's following her dreams, but also he wishes that he was her dream, and wants her to turn around right now and come back here. I believe the word he used was 'forever.'"

Avni cringed at him.

"Mmm, yeah, don't ever text that. Or say it out loud, for that matter. Ever," Gina said.

"Thanks. And sorry. We didn't mean to suck you into a whole thing," Ricky said.

"Nah, it's all good. I'm honestly glad I ran into you. I found part of a Twix bar near my locker, and I can only assume it's your latest Valentine to me."

"I go big, Gina. You know that."

Ashlyn showed up then, dragging Big Red with her. Avni grabbed the opportunity to pull Ricky aside.

"You asked me where to buy chocolates. Who'd you give them to?" Avni didn't waste any time getting to the point.

"Just my mom."

"That's a lie, Ricky. Who'd you give them to?" She took a step towards him, and Ricky took a step back, "No one."

"Ricky?" Avni took another step towards him. And then another, "Who'd you give the chocolates to?"

"Okay, fine!" Ricky yelled, effectively boxed in. "I gave them to Gina," he murmured.

"I thought as much. What about her mom?"

"I called her mom asking her to send some chocolates. She said she would, but they won't get here on time. So she Venmo'd me the money and I bought them and set them over."

"Why're you doing this, Ricky?" Avni sighed.

"Doing what?"

"Leading her on!"

"I'm not! She thinks they're from her mother. Which technically, they are. I'm trying not to confuse her."

Avni stared at him. Why did he feel the need to give her chocolates in the first place?

"You won't tell her, will you?"

"Of course not," Avni replied.

Ricky opened his mouth to say something, but then looked over Avni's shoulder to something behind her. Avni turned around to see what he was staring at.

"Hey EJ," Ricky said. "Where've you been all day?"

EJ was not listening, at least if he did, he didn't bother answering. He only took a step forward.

"I was trying to give you some space over the weekend," he said to Avni. "But I haven't heard from you."

A whirlwind of emotions screamed through Avni, threatening to spill over. She wanted to yell, and cry and hold him accountable and then hug him and tell him it was alright. Her crush wasn't just a crush anymore, she knew that. And now that it was unrequited, it hurt worse than it ever had.

She couldn't stay angry at him.

But she didn't want to forgive him so soon, either.

So she just made a hasty exit, without bothering to reply. He didn't call after her.

"What was that?" Ricky asked her.

"It's better if you don't get involved, trust me."

A/n

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