Chapter Seven: Tonight

Ashley: I don't feel really happy right now since Clay Aiken lost American Idol, and I lost this chapter before. So, getting to cookie handouts to these people, and comments:

EvilVidel - YEAH! My story is now called 'THE FRIGGEN STORY!'

Rika1332 - Clay won in my eyes, and GIVE BACK THOSE COOKIES!

Lilcherryblossom - One scene till...well, you'll find out...

myself - Wow, people are very impatient these days...

Dragongirl - Every chapter is boring to me...

Digifreak103 - Cookies are YUMMY not INTERESTING!

KitKat - Here they meet. And I updated!

The Anti Fluffy - My story has a climax?! I didn't know that...^_^

Note to Katie: You're just fit for playing guys...

Ashley: Quickly, here's the disclaimer: I don't own Digimon. Now onto chapter seven!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mrs. Tenner was finally able to relax a bit, but then she noticed that they were on "the scene".

"OMIGOSH! Costumes, everyone, costumes! MAKE ME PROUD!" Mrs. Tenner shouted, as girls fixed their dresses and hair.

Then it was time for the scene. The curtain was rising.

All the cast was onstage, dancing. Suddenly, Rika entered with Katie, and Sarah with Gregg. A spokesman came forward.

"All right, boys and girls! Attention, please! Attention!" The officer, Krupke, appeared behind the spokesman, Glad Hand, which shut up the audience almost immediately. "Thank you. It sure is fine turnout tonight. We want to make friends here, so we're going to have a few get-together dances. You form two circles: boys on the outside and girls on the inside."

"Where are you?" Takato asked.

Glad Hand tried to laugh. "All right. Now when the music stops, each boy dances with whichever girl is opposite. Okay? Okay. Two circles, kids." The kids still didn't move. "Well, it won't hurt you to try."

Takato staggered forward. "Oh, it hurts, it hurts, it - " Krupke came into view, and Takato meekly returned to his place.

Suddenly, Riff came forward, and beckoned to his girlfriend, Velma, which also was Jeri. Jeri took Josh's hand, and then Bernardo and Anita took their place too. Then the other kids followed, making two circles.

"That's it, kids. Keep the ball rolling. Round she goes and where she stops, nobody knows. All right: here we go!" The music started, and the music stopped with the Jet boy opposite to the Shark girls and visa versa. But each leader took their girlfriend, and the "get-together" failed.

Everyone started dancing the mambo, and Rika and Ryo walked out on opposite sides of the room. They both had been cheering for their friends, but when they saw each other, their voices died, smiles faded, and hands slowly went to their sides. The lights faded on the crowd, and a delicate cha-cha started playing, and Ryo and Rika moved slowly forward to meet each other. They started to dance this strange dance, but never taking their eyes off another. Suddenly, Ryo spoke up.

"You're not thinking I'm someone else?" Ryo asked softly.

"I know you are not," Rika answered, just as soft.

"Or that we have met before?"

"I know we have not."

"I felt, I knew something never before was going to happen, had to happen. But this is - " Ryo started but Rika interrupted him.

"My hands are cold." Rika grabbed Ryo's hands and felt a chill go up her spine. "Yours, too." Ryo moved her hand so it was touching his face. "So warm." And then Ryo's hands were touching Rika's face.

"Yours, too," Ryo said.

"But of course. They are the same."

"It's so much to believe...you're not joking me?" Ryo asked.

"I have not yet learned how to joke that way," Rika told him, "I think now I never will."

Ryo took Rika's hands and kissed them. Rika shivered impusively. And then he leaned forward to kiss Rika on the lips. As soon as Ryo's lips touched Rika's, Bernardo jumped in, which was a good thing, because if he didn't, everyone would have seen Rika step back, shocked. And Ryo did the same. For a moment, both of them were shocked at what had happened. Then Ryo remembered he still had to go on with the play.

"Go home, "American."" Bernardo yelled, as he jumped in between Ryo and Rika.

"Slow down, Bernardo," Ryo said.

"Stay away from my sister!" Bernardo shouted.

"Sister?" Ryo asked, surprised. At that moment, Riff also stepped up.

Bernardo turned to Rika. "Couldn't you see he's one of them?"

"No, I saw only him," Rika explained.

"I told you, there's one thing they want from a Puerto Rican girl!" Bernardo yelled to Rika as Chino (Katie) joined the conversation.

"That's a lie!" Ryo exclaimed.

"Cool, boy," Josh said.

"Get away." Katie warned to Ryo.

"You keep out, Chino," Ryo told Katie, then turned to Rika, "Don't listen to them!"

"She will listen to brother before - "

"If you characters want to settle - "

Glad Hand stepped in the about-to-be fight. "Please! Everything was going so well! Do you fellows get pleasure out of making trouble? Now come on, it won't hurt you to have a good time."

So the music started again with Bernardo on one side with Maria and Chino, and Anita, who had just joined them. Ryo was on the other side with Riff and Diesel.

"I warned you - " Bernardo said to Rika.

"Do not yell at her, 'Nardo," Chino cut in.

"You yell at babies."

"And put ideas in the baby's head," Anita said.

"Take her home, Chino," Bernardo ordered.

"'Nardo, it is my first dance," Rika protested.

"Please. We are family, Maria. Go." At first Rika hesitated, but then Rika left with Chino, and passed Ryo's group on the way.

"I guess the kid's with us for sure now," Riff joked about Tony (Ryo). But Ryo wasn't listening. He was watching Rika, who had stopped in front of him.

"Come, Maria," Katie said, as they both continued out.

"Maria..." Ryo said softly. Ryo was unaware that Bernardo was coming toward him, but then Riff got in Bernardo's way.

"I don't want you," Bernardo snarled.

"I want you, though," Riff said. (A/N: Laugh all you want people. My friends and I laughed for the longest time, we still believe that Riff WANTS Bernardo. Actually WANTS him...) "For a war council...Jets and Sharks."

"The pleasure is all mine." (A/N: Laugh here too.)

"Let's go outside." (A/N: And here. Heck, just keep laughing through this whole scene.)

"I would not leave the ladies here alone. We will meet you in half an hour," Bernardo said.

"Doc's drugstore?" Riff asked, as Bernardo nodded. "And no jazz before then."

"I understand the rules...Native Boy." Bernardo said, lights faded on them, all except for Ryo.

"Spread the word, Diesel," Riff said.

"Right, Daddy-o," Diesel said.

"Let's get the chicks and kick it. Tony?" Riff looked over at the love- struck boy.

"Maria..." Ryo repeated the name, and music began to start.

"Tony!" a voice, which was Riff's, came through the darkness.

"Ah, we'll see him at Doc's," Another voice sounded in the darkness.

Suddenly Ryo was the only thing you could see onstage, and he started singing, dreamily, "The most beautiful sound I ever heard."

"Maria, Maria, Maria, Maria..." echoed voices offstage.

"All the beautiful words of the world in a single word..." Ryo sang.

"Maria, Maria, Maria, Maria..." Came the voices again. The music was louder and Ryo started singing louder too.

"Maria!

I've just met a girl named Maria,

And suddenly that name

Will never be the same

To me.

Maria!

I've just kissed a girl named Maria,

And suddenly I've found

How wonderful a sound

Can be!

Maria!

Say it loud and there's music playing

Say it soft and it's almost like praying

Maria...

I'll never stop saying

Maria!

The most beautiful sound I ever heard.

Maria"

~~

With Ryo singing, a choir sounded in the background. Ryo was left onstage, alone, while the rest of the cast was setting up for the next scene.

~~

"I've just met a girl named Maria,

And suddenly that name

Will never be the same

To me.

Maria-

I've just kissed a girl named Maria,

And suddenly I've found

How wonderful a sound

Can be!

~~

And then it was only Ryo again.

~~

Maria

Say it loud and there's music playing

Say it soft and it's almost like praying

Maria

I'll never stop saying Maria!

The most beautiful sound I ever heard

Maria."

The lights dimmed, and the stage was set up for the next scene. Rika was in this scene, and she was ready to come out of the window of the balcony, which was actually just a prop. So, Rika was standing in front of the prop, looking up at the stairs which she would have to climb in a couple seconds, to get out of the "window".

'What just happened?' Rika asked herself over and over. Something definitely happened in that last scene, but she had no idea what it was. And when Ryo kissed her...

Rika shook her head to get rid of her thoughts, as the lights came back on for the next scene.

Ryo came in on the opposite side of that stage, shouting, "Maria! Maria!"

Rika appeared on the balony below her window. "Ssh!"

"Maria!"

"Quiet!"

"Come down."

"No," Rika said.

"Maria..."

"Please. If Bernardo - " Rika started, but Ryo cut her off.

"He's at the dance. Come down."

"He will soon bring Anita home."

"Just for a minute," Ryo pleaded.

Rika suddenly smiled. "A minute is not enough."

Ryo matched Rika's smile. "For an hour then."

"I cannot."

"Forever!" Ryo shouted.

"Ssh!"

"Then I'm coming up." Ryo started up the ladder.

A voice came from an offstage apartment, "Maria!"

"Momentito, Mama." Rika called back.

"Maria, Maria - " Ryo said.

"Cállate!" Rika reached out for hand to stop him. "Ssh!"

"Ssh!"

"It is dangerous," Rika said.

"I'm not 'one of them'," Ryo tried to explain.

"You are, but to me, you are not. Just as I am one of them - " Rika gestered to the apartment.

"To me, you are all the - " Ryo said, but Rika covered his mouth with her hand.

"Maruca!" A man's voice shouted.

"Sí, ya vengo, Papa," Rika called out again.

"Maruca?"

Rika laughed. "His pet name for me."

"I like him. He will like me."

"No," Rika said, sadly, "He is like Bernardo, afraid." Then she laughed. "Imagine being afraid of you!"

"You see?"

Rika touched Ryo's face, sending the chills down her spine again. "I see you."

"See only me."

Rika then began to sing, and everyone back stage stopped, for Rika was even a better singer than Brittany was.

"Only you, you're the only thing I'll see forever.

In my eyes, in my words and in everything I do,

Nothing else but you

Ever!

Ryo took the song from there, "And there's nothing for me but Maria,

Every sight that I see is Maria."

"Tony, Tony..." Rika sang.

Then it was Ryo again. "Always you, every thought I'll ever know,

Everywhere I go, you'll be."

Rika took over. "All the world is only you and me!

"Tonight, tonight,

It all began tonight,

I saw you and the world went away.

Tonight, tonight,

There's only you tonight,

What you are, what you do, what you say."

Ryo's turn. "Today, all day I had the feeling

A miracle would happen-

I know now I was right.

Then it was both. "For here you are

And what was just a world is a star

Tonight!

Tonight, tonight,

The world is full of light,

With suns and moons all over the place.

Tonight, tonight,

The world is wild and bright,

Going mad, shooting stars into space.

Today the world was just an address,

A place for me to live in,

No better than all right,

But here you are

And what was just a world is a star

Tonight!"

"Maruca!" A voice shouted offstage.

"Wait for me!" And then Rika disappeared through the window. A couple seconds later, she came back. "I cannot stay. Go quickly!"

"I'm not afraid," Ryo told her.

"They are strict with me. Please." For the second time, they kissed, and they both had that same feeling.

"Good night," Ryo said after they broke away.

"Buenos noches."

"I love you." Those three worlds sounded real to Rika.

"Yes, yes. Hurry." Ryo started down the ladder. "Wait! When will I see you?" Ryo started to climb back up. "No!"

"Tomorrow."

"I work at the bridal shop. Come there," Rika said.

"At sundown."

"Yes. Good night."

"Good night." Ryo started to walk off.

"Tony!" Rika almost shouted.

"Ssh!"

"Come to the back door."

"Si." Again, Ryo started to walk away.

"Tony!" Rika called out once again and Ryo stopped. "What does Tony stand for?"

"Anton."

"Te adoro, Anton."

"Te adoro, Maria."

Both started singing as the music started up again,

"Good night, good night,

Sleep well and when you dream,

Dream of me

Tonight.

Rika went back inside, as Ryo ducked into the shadows.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kazu: Wait a second, this isn't the end of the scene...

Ashley: Scene is too long. It's cut halfway through.

Kazu: OH, REVIEW!

Ashley: Reviews mean cookies. Oh, BTW, I LOVE YOU CLAY! YOU'RE STILL MY AMERICAN IDOL! America is just...wrong. I still congratulate Ruben though! YAY RUUUUUUUUUBEN! I never will forget when Ruben sang 'A Whole New World.' I still like Clay many times more though. So, review...yeah...and read 'How about now?' written by...ME...as a result of Clay losing.

BUILD ME UP CLAY!

Well, I'm also going to the American Idol tour show thingy! I GET TO SEE CLAY! EEEEEEEEKKKKKKK!!!!!!!

R&R.