Sorry it took me FOREVER to update! But here's the next chapter! I hope you like it! Oh, and The Lion King may or may not have been out at the time they were kids, but for the story's sake, it was, kay? I don't own that movie, the songs from there, The Lorax, the Once-ler (damn), I only own the plot and characters you don't recognize. Well, you recognize them now...since I've been using them for a few chapters...I'll shut up.

"New play!" Lolly announces, dropping a script onto my clipboard. I look down at it. The Lion King.

"We're doing The Lion King?" Mike asks, looking at Lolly. He rolls his eyes.

"No, Mike, I handed these out for you to cut up in collages like Pre-K kids." Everyone laughs and Lolly rolls his eyes. "Yes, we're doing the Lion King, and I know, we're starting it soon, but someone saw our last performance and suggested us to a contest at the theater in town, so we're doing this for that contest." He stands at the front of the classroom. "Pick the one you want to be, go over lines, be back tomorrow morning for rehearsal." The bell rings and I grab my bag, lifting it onto my shoulder and picking up my script book. The Once-ler stands up as well and takes my hand and we walk out of the classroom.

"What do you want for your birthday?" I ask him. He shrugs.

"I don't really care. What do you want for yours?"

I think for a second. "Um...I don't know. A phone for my room, but I've already begged my parents for that, so I think I'm good." I smile at him. "But you'll think of something."

"So will you." He shakes his head. "I feel like an ass, not knowing what to get you when it's just a week and a half away."

"Hey," I say, "your birthday is just in three days and I have no idea what I'll get you." He shrugs.

"Touche."

I giggle and stop outside my science room. "I'll see ya at lunch," I say. He nods, kisses my cheek, and walks to his Pre-AP math class. I blush and giggle more, walking into the classroom and slipping into the seat saved for me by Yo-Yo.

"Morning Yo!" I say cheerfully, beaming at her. She rolls her eyes.

"Your boyfriend is making you insane," she tells me, pulling her science notebook out of her bag.

"I'm already insane," I counter. "He's just making me more so."

"Whatever you say, Sal." She hands me a pencil since she knows I'll be asking for one in a moment. "Whatever you say." I smile at her and begin doodling on the cover of my notebook.

"If I was in The Lion King," I begin, "who would I be?" To most, that would be the weirdest question ever not for Yo-Yo. She frowned, deep in thought.

"Hmm..." She taps her pen against her lip. "I'd say...Timon. Because he's sarcastic, smart, funny, and small." I smile, opening my mouth to say thank you, but then she says, "And out of all those, you're small, so it's a good match." I close my mouth.

"Thanks, Yo-Yo."

"You're welcome, Pinwheel!"

~!~!~!~

"Hey." I plop down into my seat beside Oncie. Melissa, Allulah, and Yo-Yo smile at me, but he leans over and kisses me quickly. I don't try to hide my blush or my smile as I open my lunch sack.

"I'm so happy you two are together now," Melissa says, taking a bite of her sandwich. "It makes me feel like I accomplished something."

"But...you didn't," Oncie says.

"Sure I did!" she says. "I got you two together."

"No, I did!" Allulah argues.

"I think we kinda did," I say, getting a drink out of my water bottle.

"Nuh-uh!" Allulah says. "If I hadn't have broken my foot then none of this would have happened."

"But you didn't mean to break your foot," Oncie reminds her.

"Shows you! It was never broken!" Allulah let out one laugh. "It was a set-up the whole time! Right, Sally?" The Once-ler looks at me and I nod.

"She was faking it so we could kiss," I tell him.

"Then I guess it worked." He leans down and kisses me. I smile against his lips. When he pulls back, I say, "I love you."

"I love you, too."

Yo-Yo gives us a fake retching sound, miming vomiting into her lunch.

~!~!~!~

"I can't believe I talked you into it," I giggle, holding my script to my mouth to hide my laughter. The Once-ler rolls his eyes.

"All you really had to do was say please and kiss me," he says. "It doesn't take a lot for you to convince me to do stuff." I giggle again and shake my hands out nervously.

"Sally and the Once-ler, please," Lolly calls as Allulah flounces offstage. I step onto the stage, pulling Oncie up by his hand. "Who will you two be trying out for?" Lolly asks. I put my hand on my chest.

"Timon." I poke Oncie's stomach. "Pumbaa."

"I kind of figured it would be you two for those parts," Lolly laughs. "Let's begin with when they sing Can You Feel The Love Tonight."
I drop my script on Lolly's table, brushing my hair back before turning to the audience, folding my arms over my chest and leaning back ever so slightly. I know how this goes.

"I can see what's happening!" I say.

"What?" Oncie asks, looking obliviously at me.

"And they don't have a clue!" I exclaim, gesturing my hand out.

"Who?" he asks, the same oblivious tone and expression.

"They'll fall in love and here's the bottom line," I put my hand on his chest and look up at him, "our trio's down to two." Two fingers up.
"Oh."

With a heavy, fake French accent, I dramatically drape one arm over my forehead, singing, "The sweet caress of twilight!" I put my hands on his shoulder and circled around him to the other side. "There's magic everywhere! And with all of this roma-antic atmosphere..." On the long stretched 'romantic', I grabbed his shirt collar and yanked him down to my level, slinging one arm around his shoulder and holding his face close to mine so one of his cheeks is pressed on mine. "...disaster's in the aiiir!"

There's a small, break in which Lolly gestures for us to continue as if the rest of the song weren't there. I wipe my nose on my arm, sniffling. I glance up at Oncie, who's wiping his eyes. It looks like he really is crying.

"...and if he falls in love tonight..." I sing, then I sniff. "It can be assuuuummed." I throw my arms tight around him. With a sniff, he hugs me back, singing in a shaky voice, "His carefree days with us are history..." Together, we sing, "In short our pal is dooooommmmmed!" We look at each other for a moment before throwing our heads back and crying loudly.

Everyone claps and my sobs turn into laughter, lifting my head back up and smiling at everyone.
"That was fun," I giggle as we walk off the stage. The Once-ler laughs.

"It really was! I'm happy you dragged me into it."

I smile. "I am too. I hope we get the parts! Imagine how awesome that'd be!" I wrap my arms around his waist and hug him tightly. "I love you, Once."

"I love you too, Sally." He kisses my forehead and looks at me for a second. "You have beautiful eyes. Did I ever tell you that? They're so green and big...just beautiful." I blush.

"Thank you," I say, smiling at him. "It's just because green is an awesome color anyway." He wraps one arm around my shoulder.
"It is, isn't it?" he asks. "I like green."

FORESHADOWING. Okay! Review!