Hey babes! Finally back with the next installment of this story. Hope you're all still interested. I've got two more pieces planned for this, so hopefully it doesn't take me as long as this one to finish up and then post.
Little note for those who aren't aware, the asterisks represent the 'at' symbol on twitter since this site is dumb and won't let you use it.
Enjoy!
"What do you think about playing hooky tomorrow and going on an adventure with me?"
Gina smiles over at her boyfriend as he shuffles toward their bed, swaying just the slightest, a yawn escaping past his lips as soon as he's finished talking. "I think you're gonna pass out as soon as your head hits the pillow and that you're gonna be sleeping off a hangover."
He shakes his head with a lazy smile as he plops down on the mattress, breathing deeply and leaning back against the headboard. "Not a chance. I'm gonna be up as late as you are."
She laughs quietly. "I highly doubt that, babe. I'm going to assume you had a good time at Deacon's bachelor party, though?"
He lets out a breath and tilts his head toward her. "Would have been way more fun if you were there. Then everyone could have seen how great you are instead of just hearing about it."
She raises a brow at him. "You spent another man's bachelor party talking about me?"
The lazy smile returns as he nods. "Mm-hmm. I love telling people about you. You're amazing."
She smiles. "And you're drunk. Get under the covers and go to sleep."
"Okay," he says quietly and then struggles to get the blanket out from under his body, his coordination clearly affected by his inebriated state. But he manages it in the end, his head bouncing a little as he lands on his pillow.
Gina just watches the whole thing with an amused smile on her face. "You good?" she asks once he's stopped shuffling around.
"I'm better than good," he tells her, his words slightly slurred and his eyes starting to droop. "I'm so…so in love with you."
Gina fights back a laugh; she knew it wouldn't take long for him to fall asleep in this state. She reaches out to brush some of his hair away from his forehead, glad that he's letting it grow out a bit. She always liked the somewhat shaggy look he had way back when. "I'm in love with you too," she says softly. "Now go to sleep. Please."
EJ catches her hand loosely, his eyes still closed, and presses a lazy kiss to the inside of her palm. "G'night, babe."
She smiles, curling her fingers just enough to lightly scratch at his stubble. "Night."
He breathes deeply, the tiniest smile pulling at his lips. "I'm gonna be with you forever, G. We're gonna get married and have a couple of kids and live to be old and gray but you're still gonna look just as gorgeous as ever. You…you wanna be with me forever, right?"
Her heart flutters at his words and she leans down to press a kiss to his temple, carefully extracting her hand from his. She smiles when she realizes that he's fast asleep now. "Yeah, Elton, I wanna be with you forever."
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Stepping into the small cafe, Gina smiles politely as she holds the door open for an elderly couple and then makes her way through the space toward a table near the back. Her smile brightens when she spots the sole occupant. "Miss Jenn."
The woman looks up and grins, immediately standing from her seat to pull Gina into a tight hug. "Oh, sweetie, it's so good to see you." She pulls back but keeps a firm hold of Gina's shoulders. "And I know I've told you multiple times that you don't have to call me Miss Jenn anymore."
Gina shrugs. "It feels right."
Miss Jenn laughs. "Okay. I can't argue with that."
They sit down across from each other at the table and Gina can't keep the smile off of her face as she catches up with her former teacher. It's been too long since they've seen each other in person, though they have messaged on occasion over the years, and Gina nearly forgot how grateful she is to have the older woman in her life.
The waiter comes around after a few moments and they both order their food, turning right back to their conversation once the orders are placed. They continue to talk while they wait for their meals, smiling politely at the waiter again once the food is delivered to their table in a timely fashion.
"You know, I still can't believe you're actually here," Gina remarks halfway through their meal when the conversation has slowed a bit.
Miss Jenn smiles. "Of course I'm going to be here. This is your big debut, Gina. Ben and I wouldn't miss it for anything."
Gina shakes her head. "It's just an Off-Broadway production."
"But still incredibly impressive. You're going to be brilliant on that stage."
Gina smiles. "Thanks. I'm nervous but also really excited."
"Just as you should be." Miss Jenn reaches across the table to place a hand over one of Gina's and give it a small squeeze. "I am so proud of you, Gina. I knew you were destined for amazing things the moment I saw you in auditions for High School Musical. I'm gonna be cheering the loudest for you when you're up there."
Gina laughs quietly. "Yeah, you might have some competition with EJ on that one."
Miss Jenn's smile softens as she pulls her hand away. "And how are you and Mister Caswell doing?"
Gina smiles at the thought of her boyfriend. "We're doing great. He's been working really hard to get his career off the ground, and I've been helping him however I can. Just like he's been doing for me."
"I am so happy to hear that. Being mutually supportive of each other is one of the most important aspects of any relationship." She takes a deep breath and sits up a little straighter. "Now, I want to hear more about this incredible show you're leading. Anything you can tell me, I'm listening."
Gina takes a deep breath and leans back in her seat, a smile tugging at her lips again. "Miss Jenn, I am so glad you said that."
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Staring at her reflection in the full-length mirror in front of her, Gina takes slow, even breaths to keep herself as calm as possible. She lets her eyes roam up and down her outfit of choice for the majority of the day ahead; a simple pair of leggings and one of EJ's old college shirts cinched at the bottom with an elastic hair tie. It's not glamorous, but it's comfortable, and it's exactly what she needs until she has to get into costume later.
Her eyes drift back up when she feels a familiar presence pressed against her back, warm hands resting on her waist. She smiles at EJ's reflection and leans back against him. "Hi."
He smiles back. "Hey. You ready for today?"
She takes a slow, deep breath and nods. "Yeah, I am."
"Good." He presses a kiss to her temple. "I know I'm probably gonna say it later at the theatre, but I wanted to tell you now here too while we're still alone." He gently tugs on her body, spinning her around so they're facing each other. "I am so incredibly proud of you, Gina."
She smiles a little brighter, lifting her arms to drape them around his neck. "Thanks."
"You're welcome. You're gonna be great tonight, everyone is going to love you. Just not as much as I do."
"Oh, I don't think anyone could love me as much as you do."
"No, they can't." He takes a deep breath. "I think we've both held off for as long as we could, but we should probably get going now so we aren't late."
Gina nods. "You're right. Come on." She carefully extracts herself from EJ's hold and crosses the room to grab her belongings, swinging her bag up onto her shoulder and then holding out a hand toward her boyfriend.
EJ smiles as he picks up his camera bag and settles it on his back, then grabs his keys and slips them into his pocket as he walks toward Gina. He grabs her hand in his and gives it a small squeeze. "Off-Broadway, here we come."
Gina's smile widens at his words, her heart beating a little faster in her chest, but she keeps herself as calm as she can as she pulls open the front door of their apartment. She steps into the hall with EJ behind her and waits for him to lock up, and then they make their way out of the building and toward the theatre. They take a cab for the majority of the trip there, given that it's quite a ways away from their shared apartment, but they get out and walk the last few blocks, hands clasped tightly between their bodies.
When they're roughly three blocks away, Gina frowns when she feels EJ drop her hand, and she turns around to see him pulling out his camera. "Babe, what are you doing?"
He looks up at her and smiles. "This is your first time walking into the theatre for your first opening night for your first leading role in your first Off-Broadway production. If I wasn't going to be getting this for the documentary, then I'd be getting it for us."
She smiles softly at him. "I love you."
"I love you too. Now go on," he says, gesturing down the street. "Get moving so I can record."
Gina laughs quietly as she turns around and continues making her way down the sidewalk, her bag bouncing against her side with every step she takes. She can hear EJ talking behind her, probably narrating the moment even if the audio won't be in the final cut, but she barely pays any attention as she gets closer and closer to her final destination.
She stops when she's right outside the stage door that will lead her to her dressing room and subsequent backstage areas. She breathes deeply, blindly reaching out behind her, and then feels herself relax when EJ's hand folds into hers.
He gives her hand a small squeeze. "You've got this, babe."
She smiles at him over her shoulder and then turns back to the stage door. She has to force herself to move forward, reluctantly dropping EJ's hand as she steps through the door and into the long hallway in front of her. She immediately moves toward the clipboard hanging from the wall near the stairs.
"Here she is," EJ's voice echoes beside her. "The star of our show, signing in for opening night of her very first Off-Broadway production."
Gina quickly signs her name and then grins at the camera. "Here we go. Now go get some shots of everyone else, maybe do some interviews or something."
EJ lowers the camera a bit and smiles. "You sure?"
She nods. "Yeah. I think I need a minute to myself."
"Okay." He steps forward to kiss her quickly. "I'll see you in a bit." He raises his camera again as he moves through the hallway in search of more cast members.
She waits for him to disappear from her view and then turns to make her way toward her dressing room. It's thankfully a short walk, and she's able to be alone since she doesn't share it with anyone. It's a dream come true and she's beyond excited about finally getting to live it.
Stepping into her dressing room, she pushes the door closed behind her and drops her bag on the floor next to the chair at her vanity. She leans closer to the mirror and smiles at the photos she taped up around the edge of it, photos of her and the people who mean the most to her. She runs her fingers over a favorite one of her and EJ from early on in their rekindled romance and then begins her usual process of getting ready.
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After many years of dreaming, hoping, and working hard, I'm finally making my Off-Broadway debut tonight as the lead in a show that I've had the pleasure of being a part of from the very beginning. I can't wait for everyone to see this show, and witness the sheer beauty of it. Thank you to everyone who has helped and supported me along the way. You all mean the world to me.
#offbroadway #debut #StringsofFate StringsofFateMusical
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*ginasstan: saw gina in a small local theatre show a few years back and she was amazing. So thrilled that so many more people get to see her brilliance now.
*thegreatsgabby: *ginasstan I think I know the show you're talking about! I saw it too! And I'm so excited I've got tickets for tonight!
*ginasstan: *thegreatsgabby I've got tickets for tonight too! Ahh! So excited! Should we meet up at some point or is that not on the table?
*thegreatsgabby: *ginasstan it is one hundred percent on the table
*supremeoverlord: I would sell literally any part of my body for someone to fly me to NY so I can see gina on stage live and in person.
*portwellshearts: if ej isn't in the audience for ginas debut I'm actually going to scream
*colinsworld: it sucks not living in ny sometimes (most of the time) because then i miss out on things like seeing gina in her Off-Broadway debut as the lead.
*amonkeysuncle: my timeline is FILLED with people screaming about someone named gina and i'm honestly so confused right now
*amonkeysuncle: confusion now gone. I've been sent multiple videos and have now been converted. This show of hers better be completely sold out.
*amonkeysuncle: also…her boyfriend is kinda hot. Like…how do i get a man like that?
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EJ's waiting for her in the wings when she gets there before places are even called. She's still extremely nervous and needs the extra moment to herself in a relatively empty space. Which is why she's grateful that there are only a few stagehands lingering around the backstage area, making sure everything is ready for the show.
She stops abruptly when she spots him standing a few feet away from the curtain. A smile instantly grows on her face and she hurries toward him, throwing herself into his arms but being careful of her costume.
"What are you doing over here?" she asks as she pulls back but keeps her arms wound around his neck. "Aren't you supposed to be filming?"
He shakes his head, tightening his arms around her waist. "I got all the closeups I needed during the last couple of rehearsals. And I've got Derek, Phil, and Gavin covering the three stationary cameras set up for the wide shots and audience reactions."
"So what are you gonna do then if you're not filming?"
He smiles brightly. "I am going to watch my amazing girlfriend perform. I've got a seat in the audience and everything."
Gina grins, her heart swelling. "You do?"
"Yeah. If you think I'm gonna be watching you through a camera lens on opening night, then you're crazy. There's no way I'd miss seeing this like it's meant to be seen. I already know you're gonna be amazing out there, and I can't wait to experience it like everyone else."
"Does that mean you're gonna come to Stage Door like everyone else?"
"Why would I do that when I can go backstage to steal a few minutes alone with the star?" he asks, slowly leaning in to kiss her.
Gina giggles into the kiss, one of her hands coming up to cradle the back of his head to keep him close. "I love you so much."
"I love you too. I better get to my seat so you can focus, but I will be back here as soon as the show is over. And I know you're probably going to be tired, but I do want to celebrate with you in some way."
"I'll definitely be exhausted, but I think celebrating could be fun,"
"Good. Because I have plans."
She raises a brow. "Oh, you do? Well, then, I'm looking forward to seeing what these plans entail."
"You're gonna love it." He presses another quick kiss to her lips and then pulls away with a smile. "I love you. Break a leg out there."
"Thanks. I love you too."
Gina watches with a soft smile as EJ walks away to go find his seat, the look remaining long after he's gone. Sometimes she can't believe how lucky she is to have someone like EJ at her side through all of this. Being a part of this show has been the best journey, and it's been even more special having EJ with her right from the start.
"Gina?"
Spinning around, she smiles at the Stage Manager standing in front of her. "Christy, hey."
"Hey. Curtains are up soon, can you get to your place?"
Gina nods. "Right, yeah. Sorry."
Christy smiles. "It's okay. I passed EJ on the way. He seems very excited to watch you out there."
Gina's smile widens. "Yeah, he's the best." She takes a deep breath and straightens her shoulders. "Okay, time to do this."
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Being out on that stage performing for an actual audience is a rush. She's on an immediate high the second she steps out for her first entrance and rides it all the way through to the very last moment of the show. It's incredible and magical and absolutely wonderful. Everything goes off without a hitch, the crowd laughs and 'awws' at all the right moments and she doesn't think she could have asked for a more perfect opening night.
By curtain call, the exhaustion is slowly starting to seep its way into her bones, but she has just enough residual energy left to make it through. And again, thankfully, everything goes just as it was rehearsed, and the crowd cheers loudly for each and every cast member that walks out onto the stage. She'd be lying if she said she isn't thrilled that she gets the loudest cheer. She'd also be lying if she said she doesn't try to find EJ in the crowd of people when she's smiling and waving to the audience.
When they all eventually make their way off the stage again, after the curtains are closed, she lets out a heavy breath and sags against the nearest sturdiest thing she can find. She receives hugs from several of her cast mates, all of them still beaming and running on the last of their show energy. She's pretty sure she's nearly depleted now.
"Gina!"
Looking up, she grins at the sight of EJ, Miss Jenn, Mr. Mazzara, Ashlyn, and Big Red walking toward her, EJ leading the small pack, all of them with wide grins. "What are you guys doing back here?" she asks, immediately accepting a hug from Ashlyn.
"EJ hooked us up with tickets," the redhead tells her as she pulls out of the hug. "You were amazing up there, by the way, but that's no surprise."
Miss Jenn pulls her into a tight hug. "Oh, my child, you were brilliant. A true shining star."
Gina laughs quietly. "Thanks, Miss Jenn." The hug breaks in the next moment and she's able to look at some of her absolute favorite people in the world. "I'm so glad you're all here."
"Of course we're here," Ashlyn tells her. "There's no way we were gonna miss opening night."
"And I'm very happy to hear that. My mom's been recovering from a really bad flu so she wasn't able to be here, so it means a lot that you all are."
"It's like Ash said," Big Red speaks up, "we weren't going to miss this."
"This is an incredibly big night for you, Gina," Mr. Mazzara points out with a smile. "And we're all very proud of you."
Gina smiles brightly. "Thank you." She takes a deep breath. "I honestly don't think this night could get any better."
"Are you sure about that?"
Gina turns to look at her boyfriend, taking in the smile on his lips and the mischievous glint in his eyes. She narrows her eyes playfully. "What do you know?"
"Well, I know that your mom couldn't be here in person, but I already spoke to her about tonight, so, uh, just give me one second." He digs through his pocket and pulls out his phone, tapping at the screen for a moment.
Gina's brows furrow slightly as she watches her boyfriend, trying to figure out exactly what he's doing, but she comes up empty. She glances around to see the majority of the other actors and even some of the crew she's close with lingering around backstage. It's a bit odd considering most of them will head straight for the dressing rooms after they're finished on stage, so it just leaves her more confused about what's going on.
"Gina? Sweetheart?"
She turns back at the voice, her eyes going wide when she sees the screen of EJ's phone. "Mom?"
"Hi, sweetheart. I'm so sorry I couldn't be there for your opening night."
Gina shakes her head. "It's okay. You're recovering. You just have to heal up quickly so you can come catch a show before we're done."
"That's the plan. I love you so much, sweetheart."
"I love you too, Mom." She launches herself at EJ as soon as his phone is out of the way. She wraps her arms around him, burying her face in the crook of his neck, barely registering the muffled sound of her mom's voice. "Thank you for that, Eej."
His hands lightly squeeze her hips. "Of course." He presses a kiss to her forehead and then pulls out of the hug but keeps his arms wrapped around her. "Now, are you ready to start celebrating?"
She heaves out a sigh. "I don't know, babe. I'm already so exhausted from the show and I've still got Stage Door to do."
EJ nods slowly. "I know. But I promised that you were gonna like what I've got planned, right?"
"I guess so."
"Good." He takes a deep breath, releasing his hold on her hips to grab her hands instead and hold on tight. "These last two years have been nothing short of some kind of miracle. I never thought I'd get a second chance with you, Gina, I thought I'd lost you forever. But then we ran into each other and I am so thankful that you still felt that connection too. Because being here with you, in New York City, as we both work toward achieving our dreams, it's been the best adventure. And I am really hoping to go on the biggest one with you." He lowers himself to one knee, pulls a small black box out of his pocket and holds it up to her, flipping the lid. "Will you marry me?"
Gina grins, barely even focused on the ring nestled in the box. "Yes!" She launches herself at EJ, nearly sending both of them to the ground.
He laughs as he catches her, his arms wrapping completely around her as he steadies them back on their feet.
She pulls back after a long moment to let him slip the ring onto her finger and then closes the space between them again with a kiss.
EJ eagerly returns the kiss, his hands sliding to her hips to pull her closer.
Gina goes willingly, deepening the kiss and smiling against his lips. "I love you," she murmurs amidst a kiss. "I love you so much."
"I love you too. And I'm so glad you said yes. It would have been really embarrassing for me otherwise," he jokes with a small laugh.
She laughs too, resting a gentle hand on his cheek. "Of course I was going to say yes. There's no one else I'd rather spend the rest of my life with." She leans in for another kiss, lingering against his lips for as long as she can. She wants to remember this moment forever.
"Think they're gonna come up for air anytime soon?"
Finally remembering that there are other people around them, Gina reluctantly pulls away from EJ and turns around to face the gathered crowd. She wraps an arm around EJ's waist and leans into him, a beaming smile on her face. "So, uh, we're engaged."
Squeals explode from Ashlyn, Miss Jenn, and some of her cast mates, while Big Red and various members of the tech crew hoot and holler. Everyone is smiling and congratulating them, both of them being pulled into hugs by various people and small groups.
"Oh, I'm so happy he finally asked," Ashlyn says after giving her a bone-crushing hug. "He mentioned it to me a while back and I have been trying so hard not to say anything."
Gina's eyes go wide. "You knew?"
"Yeah. EJ specifically asked us to be here for it, said he wanted to make the moment as special as possible for you."
"Well, he certainly achieved that. He even got my mom on FaceTime for it." Her heart swells at the memory, pleased that her mom was able to witness the moment despite not being there in person. She'd only been able to stay on a few minutes longer before needing to get some rest, but she and EJ made sure to chat with her before she had to go. "And you know what this means?"
"What?"
Gina grins. "We are officially going to be family. Technically only cousins-in-law, but to be completely honest, you've always felt like more of a sister than anything."
Ashlyn smiles. "Same here."
"Good. Because I'd really love it if you agreed to be my Maid of Honor."
Ashlyn's smile widens. "Absolutely. I was hoping you'd ask, but I didn't want to get my hopes up or say anything in case you made a new best friend out here that you'd want instead."
"Well, I definitely made some new friends out here, and several of them will be in the wedding party, but nobody compares to you, Ash." She pulls her friend into a tight hug and then leans back, letting out a breathy laugh. "I'm engaged."
Ashlyn laughs too. "Yes, you are. To my major dork of a cousin. What exactly do you see in him again?" she teases.
Gina laughs a little louder. "Oh, there's plenty I love about him. But I think I'll save it for my vows."
Arms wrap around her waist, a strong chest coming to rest against her back. "Personally, I'd love to hear all those reasons right now."
Gina turns her head and smiles at EJ. "Too bad. You've gotta wait." She presses a kiss to his cheek and then looks back at Ashlyn. "I should probably go so I can change and do Stage Door. We'll be lucky if there are still any fans out there."
"There are," EJ tells her. "We haven't been here for that long. Plus, I had Gavin go outside to film people's reactions to the show. Figured it'd be good in the documentary."
"Perfect. I'm gonna go change, then." She reluctantly pulls away from EJ again, tugging Ashlyn into one more quick hug. "You're gonna be in town for a while, right?"
"A few more days."
"Perfect. I'll text you later and we can figure out a good time to get together."
Ashlyn smiles. "I'm looking forward to it."
Gina goes through another round of hugs and congratulations from her fellow cast and crew before she makes it back to her dressing room. She lets out a breath as she falls into the chair at her vanity, though the smile is still on her face as she looks at her reflection.
Raising her left hand, she finally takes a minute to admire her newest piece of jewelry. It's simple, yet also flashy in a tasteful way. It's not too big, so it won't get in the way, and the band fits perfectly around her ring finger without sliding around too freely.
"Thought you said you were gonna change."
She tears her gaze away from her ring to find EJ leaning against the doorframe of the dressing room, his hands in his pockets and a small smile on his face. She simply raises a brow at him. "And you decided to come check on me in hopes of seeing something?"
He chuckles. "Hey, I'm pretty sure being highly attracted to my fiancée is a very good thing."
Gina's heart leaps and she grins. "Say that again?"
EJ feigns innocence. "What? That I'm highly attracted to you?"
She tilts her head and narrows her eyes slightly. "Elton."
He holds his hands up and strides into the room. "Alright, alright." He stops in front of her chair, leaning down and resting his hands on the armrests. "Fiancée."
Gina surges up to kiss, nearly knocking him away, and smiles against him. "I don't know if I'm ever gonna get used to hearing that."
He pulls back slightly and smiles. "Well don't get too used to it too quickly. I don't plan on us using that term for too long. I want to marry you as soon as I can."
"Me too. But we'll figure out a date later. Right now I need you to leave because I need to change and you're too distracting."
EJ laughs quietly. "Alright, I'll go. But find me when you're done and we'll head home together, okay?"
She smiles and nods. "Okay."
He drops one more kiss to her lips and then turns to make his way out of the room, pulling the door closed behind him.
Gina sits there staring for a moment longer before forcefully pulling herself out of the dazed state and focusing on the task at hand. She quickly changes back into her street clothes, leaving her hair and makeup to be dealt with later at the apartment, and gathers up her belongings.
She does a triple-check to make sure she has everything she needs for the night and next morning and then makes her way out of the dressing room and toward the Stage Door. The closer she gets the more she can hear the chatter from the other side, so many fans out there waiting to see her and whoever else from the cast has already emerged.
She throws a polite smile at one of the security men she passes and then pushes through the door, laughing at the loud cheers that ring out. Her heart swells at the level of enthusiasm and excitement from the fans standing around, and she immediately jumps in to begin signing autographs and taking photos.
Thankfully she'd thought to bring a sharpie with her, signing playbill after playbill and taking selfie after selfie, working her way down the line, and getting to as many people as she can. Every squeal of excitement or compliment directed toward her has her heart swelling with gratitude at the incredible opportunity she's been given. She's one hundred percent living her dream, and all of these people are witness to it.
By the time she finishes talking to as many people as she can, she ends up in EJ's arms. She relishes in the feeling, letting her body relax against his, the steady beating of his heart beneath her ear soothing her.
"I know I said it already, but you were amazing up there."
Gina smiles against the fabric of his shirt. "It's certainly nice hearing it, though."
He laughs, the sound rumbling through his chest. "You ready to go?"
She tilts her chin so she can look up at him. "I think so. I'm exhausted."
"Well, then let's get you home." He dips his head to kiss her slowly, lingering against her lips.
Gina smiles a little bigger, rising on her toes just a little to make the angle between them better. She tightens her arms around him, pulling him closer, and basks in the pure happiness radiating through her.
Reluctantly breaking the kiss, Gina steps out of EJ's arms, hanging onto his hands and leaning back a bit. "Let's go home."
He smiles brightly. "Your wish is my command." He leans in for a quick kiss and then turns to gently tug her down the street a little more so they can catch a cab.
Gina easily falls into step beside him, swinging their joined hands between their bodies. She leans into him a bit as they go, breathing deeply and relaxing into his hold when his arm goes around her; it's one of her favorite places to be.
By the time they get back to the apartment, Gina can feel the adrenaline from doing a live show finally starting to wear off. But she tries to keep herself awake long enough to go through as much of her nightly routine as possible so she gets as good of a night of sleep as she can.
When she makes it to their bed, she smiles at the sight of EJ already under the blanket on his side facing the middle of the bed like always. His eyes are closed but she can't tell if he's fully asleep yet, so she silently slips into bed and grabs her phone off the nightstand.
An unopened text from Ashlyn is on the screen, and she immediately swipes to read it.
I know you choose to mostly not look at Twitter, but that's where I live and I was looking at tags for the show and honestly...some of this stuff is hilarious. Just search for your name or the show and you'll find everything.
She sends a quick thumbs-up emoji and then switches over to Twitter. She hesitates only for a moment, never one to actively search for her own name on the social media site since there's some small part of her that's always worried about what she'll find. But she trusts Ashlyn. So she looks.
And Ashlyn was right. These people did not disappoint.
*thegreatsgabby: OMG! YOU GUYS! I saw gina with her bf after stage door! Couldn't hear what they were saying but they were so cute!
*PortwellCentral: Portwell Sighting: EJ was spotted inside the theatre lobby during intermission of Gina's Off-Broadway show, chatting with several others who are believed to be longtime friends of the couple.
*PortwellCentral: Portwell Sighting: Gina and EJ were spotted embracing outside the venue after Gina finished greeting fans at Stage Door.
*portwellshearts: Went down a portwell rabbit hole tonight (as i do now and then) and the photos of them after stage door are what started it. Gina and EJ are couple goals.
*supremeoverlord: EJ practically wrapping his entire self around Gina every time they hug is something so special to me.
*amonkeysuncle: the way ej looks at gina has me in a chokehold
*colinsworld: give me a man that's as devoted to and as in love with me as ej is to gina
*ginasstan: *colinsworld p sure I was sitting near him during the show and he definitely started crying when Gina came out for curtain call. That man is so in love it's actually insane.
"Maybe we should work on being more subtle," Gina remarks quietly as she scrolls through the tweets. "People love taking photos of us when we're not paying attention. There are some on here from after I finished with Stage Door, before we left." She glances down to say something more to her fiancé, the words failing to come when she sees him completely asleep, lying on his stomach with one arm under his pillow and one hand extended slightly toward her.
How he's more exhausted than she is, she'll never know. But she can't help but think about how cute he is.
Looking back at her phone, she likes a few of her favorite tweets, then closes out of the app and locks her phone. She plugs it in and sets it on the nightstand, then slides down further on the mattress so she's more comfortable under the blanket.
Lifting EJ's arm slightly, Gina flips onto her side so she's facing away from EJ and scoots back until she's flush against his body. She smiles when he shifts in his sleep, tugging her closer and nuzzling against the back of her neck.
She falls asleep that night with a permanent smile on her face.
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"Gina, it is so exciting having you here."
Gina smiles brightly at the woman sitting across from her. "Thank you so much for inviting me. I am…very nervous," she says with a laugh. "But also very excited. So thanks again for having me."
"Of course. Now, I wanna get straight into things here, you're starring in a new off-Broadway show that has people talking. Many are calling it the newest hit and it's gotten a lot of rave reviews, many of them praising your performance specifically. How does that feel?"
"Honestly? A little surreal," she says with a quiet laugh. "I've been performing for as long as I can remember, and have always wanted to get to this point in my life and my career. So to finally be here is absolutely incredible."
"I'm sure it is. And from my understanding, you've been with this production from the very start, from the moment the idea was sparked."
"Uh, not quite that long, but yeah, I have been with it since the original workshop a few years ago. It was a long, exhausting process for everyone involved, but we're all so proud of the work we've done since then and we're excited for everyone to see it. We've already done a few shows and it's been amazing every time. This show really means a lot to me so I'm excited that people get to see it now."
"Well, I have to say that I think it's a new favorite show of mine. I was there opening night and I just have to say that you belong up on that stage."
Gina laughs quietly. "Thank you. My high school drama teacher would definitely agree with you. She and her husband were amazing enough to fly out for opening night, as well as a few of my closest friends from high school. It was one of the best surprises."
"It certainly sounds like it was. And I also understand that there's a documentary being filmed for this production. That's certainly not something that's done very often for Off-Broadway shows."
Gina shakes her head. "No, it isn't. But our incredible director wanted footage of it from the very start for his own personal reasons, so I found an up-and-coming filmmaker and convinced him to do it. He was looking for the next big step in his career, and I think it helped that I was here too," she says with a smile.
The hostess smiles. "Oh, I think I know where this is headed. I've been following this romance of yours for quite a while. It almost seems like it came out of nowhere when you posted your first photo together."
Gina's smile widens. "It definitely wasn't out of nowhere for us. We actually dated for a couple of years when we were younger, and then we kind of drifted apart. But we ran into each other again about two years ago, and I convinced him to take the documentary job and we just…reconnected."
"Wow. That's amazing. Young love rekindled."
Gina nods. "Something like that, yeah. He's very special to me and I can't imagine my life without him now that we've found our way back to each other." She takes a deep breath. "In fact, on opening night of our show, EJ proposed to me. And I said yes."
The studio audience bursts into applause.
Gina just laughs, her gaze drifting down to her engagement ring. She twirls it around her finger a few times and then looks back up at the audience. "We're very happy, and I think we're both eager to get married as soon as we can. We don't want to waste any more time."
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Best second chance I ever took 3 EJCaswell
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*thegreatsgabby: THEY'RE ENGAGED?!
*ginasstan: *thegreatsgabby babe ive been crying for the past ten mins, I'm so happy for them. This is the best news ever.
*PortwellCentral: Everyone here at Portwell Central wants to extend our sincerest congratulations to Gina and EJ on their engagement.
*amonkeysuncle: you can just see in their eyes how in love they are
*portwellshearts: Portwell's story is seriously like something out of a movie. They dated as teens, broke up, got together after nearly ten years apart, and now they're engaged after two. Amazing.
*colinsworld: EJ proposing on opening night of Gina's Off-Broadway debut is such a move
*thesupremeoverlord: Did you all see that ring?! Damn! EJ's got elite taste.
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"You ready, baby girl?"
Gina takes a deep breath and nods, her grip on her bouquet tightening just the slightest. "I'm ready." She smiles at her mom, then turns and loops their arms together, focusing on the still-closed doors in front of them.
A moment later, the doors are pulled open, and Gina sucks in a sharp breath as the reality of what's about to finally happen hits her. It takes a slight jostle from her mom to pull her back into the present so they can start walking. She has to actively force herself to go slowly and not sprint down the aisle toward EJ, no matter how badly she wants to.
As she lets her mom guide her down the aisle, she looks around at all the faces of the people who mean the most to her and EJ. Neither of them had wanted a huge wedding, so they'd kept the guest list relatively small; all of their fellow Wildcats and their families, a few friends they each made in the years apart, several of Gina's co-stars from the different shows she's done who she's grown close to, a couple of guys who work with EJ, and of course their own families. Everyone is smiling brightly at her, tears in multiple pairs of eyes and clasped hands at the heart from a few of the onlookers.
But none of them matter to her anymore the moment she lets her face sweep across the space and lock onto EJ. He's standing at the other end of the aisle waiting for her, looking as handsome as ever in a black tux, a grin on his face and tears in his eyes. Her own vision starts to blur the longer she looks at him.
Soon enough, her mom is passing her off to EJ and then she's standing opposite the love of her life, their hands clasped tightly between their bodies. And she's never been happier.
"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to witness the beautiful union between Elton John Caswell and Gina Porter."
She tunes out most of the officiant's speech, too focused on the man standing in front of her. She keeps her eyes locked on him, wanting to commit every single expression that passes over his face to memory. Yes, they'll have photos of this day to always look back on, but she wants to be able to always see this look on his face when she closes her eyes at night.
"And now, I believe you've both written your own vows," the officiant says, gesturing to them.
EJ nods and then grips her hands a little tighter, taking a deep breath. "I never expected you, Gina. It's as simple as that. You are the love of my life, the one who inspires me, the one who constantly pushes me to be the best version of myself, and I couldn't be more grateful to have gotten a second chance with you, to do things right this time around. I promise that I am not leaving this time, that I'm going to continue to support you and your career, no matter where it takes you. I have never stopped loving you and I don't ever plan on doing so for the rest of my life."
Gina wipes at her eyes, breathing deeply as she tightens her hold on EJ's hands. "Where do I even start to explain what you mean to me, EJ? You are…my rock, my biggest cheerleader, though I'm sure my mom and Miss Jenn might disagree there." There's a quiet laugh from the crowd. "You mean absolutely everything to me and I am so glad that you came back into my life when you did, and I cannot wait to see what the next chapter of our lives holds, the two of us together, doing what we love, and taking on the world. I love you so much, Elton John Caswell, more than I ever thought I could love someone."
"If we could have the rings, please."
Gina turns slightly to take the thick wedding band from Ashlyn, facing EJ again and smiling wide. Her heart skips when EJ slips the thinner band onto her finger, and she has to keep from shouting for joy when she's able to keep her hand steady enough to slip EJ's ring on.
"And now, by the power vested in me by the great state of New York, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You kiss your bride."
Gina moves at the same time EJ does, meeting him in the middle and eagerly sliding her lips over his. She grips tightly to the lapels of his suit jacket to keep close to him, her skin growing warm under his palms where his hands rest on her lower back.
Reluctantly pulling away for air, Gina rests her forehead against EJ's, breathing a bit heavy but with a smile on her face the entire time. "We're finally married."
EJ grins. "I know. I love you so much, Mrs. Caswell."
"I love you so much too, Mr. Porter."
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Team Wonderstudy for Life 3 EJCaswell
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*supremeoverlord: *actually crying* they're married now!
*thegreatsgabby: been discussing w/ ginasstan for the last hour about all the possibilities of exactly how the wedding went down
*ginasstan: thegreatsgabby there's just so many possibilities
*thegreatsgabby: ginasstan so many. I need to know all the details.
*amonkeysuncle: yes, i'm incredibly happy for gina and ej and wish them all the best. But i'm also jealous that i haven't found that kind of love yet.
*colinsworld: they both actually look incredible. So happy for them.
*portwellshearts: no, you guys don't understand. These two are everything to me, i'm so happy they're both so deliriously happy
*PortwellCentral: Sending the biggest wave of congratulations to both EJ and Gina on their special day, we're all so happy for you and can't wait to see what the rest of your future holds.
So? What did you think? Let me know in a review down below. I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Until next time,
Jellybean96 out!