Pre-Chapter Authors Note #1: Apologies again that the chapter did not come out on time. I've been very distracted this weekend by the personal circumstances I mentioned prior to Chapter 3 this past Monday, plus getting ready for Christmas this coming Monday. Now that, by the time this chapter comes out, the holiday rush will be over, things should be going back to a normal time of about 9:40 to 9:45 AM EST for chapter publishing, beginning with Chapter 5 & Interlude 2 next week.
Also, as a quick side note, there is a chance that I might move Chapter 7, Interlude 3, and Chapter 8, to an earlier release date, or it will all be doubled up on Saturday January 13th. Since Chapter 7 is set on that day anyway, I'm leaning towards the latter, but we'll have to see how things go.
With all of that being said, here is the updated release schedule once again, with a newly added chapter:
Prologue & Chapter 1 - December 1st, 2023
Chapter 2 - December 9th, 2023
Chapter 3 - December 18th, 2023
Chapter 4 & Interlude 1 - December 23rd, 2023
Chapter 5 & Interlude 2 - December 29th, 2023
Chapter 6 - January 5th, 2024
Chapter 7 & Interlude 3 - January 12th, 2024 (the day before my birthday!)
Chapter 8 - January 13th, 2024 (my birthday, so you get two chapters that week!)
Chapter 9 & Interlude 4 - January 19th, 2024
Chapter 10 - January 26th, 2024
Chapter 11 & Interlude 5 - February 2nd, 2024
Chapter 12 - February 9th, 2024
Chapter 13 - February 16th, 2024
Chapter 14 - February 23rd, 2024
Chapter 15 - March 1st, 2024
Chapter 16 & Interlude 6 - March 8th, 2024
Chapter 17 - March 15th, 2024
Chapter 18 & Interlude 7 - March 22nd, 2024
Chapter 19 & Interlude 8 - March 29th, 2024
Chapter 20 - April 5th, 2024
Chapter 21 & Epilogue - April 12th, 2024
Pre-Chapter Authors Note #2: The following songs are either used or referenced within this chapter:
I'll See You Again - Westlife
Scream - High School Musical 3: Senior Year
Wrong Side of Heaven - Five Finger Death Punch
Now Or Never - High School Musical 3: Senior Year
Home - Beauty and The Beast
With that, please enjoy the third chapter of Section 2 of Emma's Journey At East High.
"Because I'm dead." Mikaela replies, bluntly.
Wait, what…?
That can't possibly be true. If she's dead, how is she talking to me right now? This doesn't make sense. Nothing makes sense right now…
"How is that possible?" I asked her.
"The wounds from the bullets became too much. I tried holding out as long as I could but I just couldn't anymore." Mikaela reveals.
"So how are you talking to me right now?" I asked.
"The heavens work in mysterious ways." Mikaela replies.
Heavens? Am I in heaven right now? What kind of power does she have right now? I have so many questions…
"So, how'd you feel about that little glimpse?" Mikaela asks.
"I mean, it was nice and all, but why did you feel the need to show me that now?" I asked, bluntly, completely oblivious.
"This is a possible future of yours. I'm already pushing my limits by showing you this much. I'm not going to tell you how you get to this very moment, because then there's a good chance that it's not going to happen. All I'm going to say to you is that you have to put yourself in the right position if you want to get there. Keep working and keep on grinding. Hard work is going to pay off in the end." Mikaela says, confidently.
"But what if all I wanted was you?" I asked her.
Mikaela could see the emotion in my eyes now, like she's never seen it before…
"Mikaela (singing): I'll see you again / I'll never really leave / You'll feel me walk beside you / I know I'll see you again"
I then look Mikaela right in the eyes…
"Me (singing): When I had the time to tell you / Never thought I'd live to see the day / When the words I should have said / Would come to haunt me / In my darkest hour I tell myself / I'll see you again"
"Me & Mikaela (singing): I'll miss you like crazy"
"Me (singing): You'll be gone but not forgotten"
"Mikaela (singing): I'll never forget you"
"Me & Mikaela (singing): Someday I'll see you again"
"Me (singing): I'll feel you walk beside me"
"Mikaela (singing): I'll never leave you, yeah"
"Me (singing): Gone but not forgotten / I'll feel you by my side"
"Me & Mikaela (singing): No oh, this is not goodbye / No oh, this is not goodbye / No, oh this is not goodbye / I feel you walk beside me"
"I know that probably didn't make you feel any better, but…" Mikaela began to say.
"But I'm grateful that you did it, if this is truly the end…" I said in response, trying to hold back the tears.
Then, I could feel myself waking up…
"It's time to let go." Mikaela states.
There's so much I want to say…
"Goodbye for now, Mikaela." Was all that I could manage to get out.
"Goodbye, Emma." Mikaela says in response.
And then…
"Emma, Emma, wake up." A voice says to me.
I finally open my eyes, and I see Hannah…
"Hannah, what is it?" I asked her.
"You were fast asleep, and they had just announced your flight to Atlanta is gonna finally start boarding in 20 minutes at the gate." Hannah reveals.
"Oh, thank you." I said in response.
"Of course. I'm always happy to help." Hannah says with a large smile.
Hannah then skips off, as I pick up my carry-on bag and head for the gate, but if I am to take these dreams, or visions, or whatever the hell I'm supposed to call them seriously, then Mikaela is dead, plain and simple…
I thought I had it all figured out. I finally have a girlfriend that I felt like I could not only keep forever, but one that understands me inside and out, and then the next thing I know, she's dead, after basically giving her life to save others. To think she said she was inspired by me when she made that decision…
Anyway, I'm feeling this strange sense of calm when thinking about her passing. Perhaps it's because she seemingly visited me in my dreams, or I had an out-of-body experience (or whatever the hell that was), but I'm not feeling as sad as I thought I would feel. Nonetheless, I still feel some sadness within me…
Mikaela's mother, Isla Burns, is calling me. I'm assuming it's to say the inevitable but we'll see for sure…
"Hey there Mrs. Burns, what can I do for you?" I asked, assuming she would say the thing that I already knew (or at least I thought I knew).
"Hi Emma. Mikaela didn't make it." Isla reveals, confirming what I already knew.
So was that dream, or vision, or whatever the hell that was really Mikaela speaking to me from beyond the grave? Was that just all my imagination? I don't even know what to think or say anymore…
"Has Mikaela spoken to you at all recently?" Isla asks, bluntly.
Do I tell her…?
"That depends on what you mean by spoken to me." I replied.
"Well… right before she passed, she said: "Emma couldn't be here to say goodbye, so I'm going to go to her." She was a very religious person, but even then I wasn't sure entirely what she met by that." Isla confesses.
So that was real. Oh my God…
"I had a vision, or an out of body experience, or something." I revealed.
"Was Mikaela at the center of it?" Isla asks.
"Yes. She, somehow, showed me a glimpse of who I could become, and then we sung together for a little bit, and then she said goodbye…" I replied, once again trying to hold back the tears that want to come out.
"So she did exactly what she said she was going to do…" Isla stated in amazement,
"She did." I said in response.
"It's clear to me now that you picked the right girlfriend for you." Isla said.
"Except now I'll have to start again…" I remarked, not looking forward to the challenge ahead on that front.
"You'll never have to replace Mikaela, if that's what you're worried about. I'm sure she would want you to be happy and move on in the wake of her death, and if that means finding another partner, then I believe, without a doubt, that she would approve of it." Isla tries to reassure me.
"You think so?" I asked in response.
"Of course." Isla replies.
"Well, I appreciate that. I should probably go and make sure I catch my flight." I stated.
"Were you planning to flight directly to Atlanta?" Isla asks.
"I was, yes." I replied.
"I would highly advise against coming here until the funeral which we're still trying to plan out." Isla suggests.
"But your family deserves the comfort and support." I stated.
"And so do you, and for you right now, the best thing that you can do for us is to heal yourself, and join your friends in Jackson Hole for the High School Musical convention. It'll be better for you right now to be among your friends and family." Isla states, confidently.
She's not entirely wrong, I suppose…
Going to Atlanta right now will, probably, put me in a position where, despite my best efforts, I'll succumb to the emotions, and honestly, I'm not entirely sure if that's something I want to do right now.
On the other hand, that won't happen (at least that much) if I were to go to the HSM convention with my Wildcat family. Something deep inside me is telling me I should go to the convention, and that I should take my mind off this for a while, and honestly, I think that's what I'm going to do…
"I guess I'm gonna be getting another refund on a plane ticket. Oh well." I sarcastically said, trying to lighten up the mood.
"It'll be well worth it in the end." Isla said in response.
We then hung up.
Isla Burns is a very wise woman, from what I've been able to gather. When she gives you advice, you listen, and in this case, she's right. I should go join my friends and take my mind off Mikaela's death for a while. I'll never forget her, but taking my mind off of her, for just a little bit, will ultimately be of benefit to me. With that, I need to find a flight to Jackson Hole that, hopefully, isn't going to be delayed for too long, and also tell my Wildcat family that I'm coming with them…
Gina's POV Intermission I
Emma's calling. That's odd…
Shouldn't she be on a flight to Atlanta by now…?
"Hey sis, what happened to the flight to Atlanta?" I asked her.
"There's been… a change of plans." Emma reveals a hint of emotion coming from her every word.
"What do you mean…?" I asked, concerningly.
"Mikaela died, and her mother advised that it would be best for me if I were to come with you guys, take my mind off of things for a while, before coming to Atlanta for her funeral." Emma replies.
I could then hear it in my sister's voice. The emotion in her voice is so apparent. God I wish I could be there for her right now, instead of being on the road to the convention. This isn't a great feeling at all…
"Well anyway, how are you doing?" Emma asks me.
"Well, the van just broke down." I revealed.
"That's not good." Emma remarks.
"Yeah, no kidding, but let's talk about you. Are you going to be okay?" I asked her, bluntly.
"I will be once I can get to you." Emma replies.
"You'll get here soon enough." I reassured her.
"Gina, everything okay?" Ashlyn asks, concerningly.
I guess Ashlyn could hear at least part of the conversation.
"It's Emma. Mikaela died." Gina reveals.
Emma is singing, which everyone can now hear, and we all know exactly what we are going to do…
"Emma (singing): The day a door is closed / The echoes fill your soul / They won't say which way to go / Just trust your heart / To find what you're here for / Open another door / But I'm not sure anymore / It's just so hard"
Alrighty Wildcats, let's do this…
"Me (singing): Voices in your head"
"Emma (singing): Tell me they know best"
"Ashlyn (singing): Got you on the edge"
"Emma (singing): They're pushin', pushin', they're pushin' / And I know they've got a plan"
"Ricky (singing): But the ball's in your hands"
"Emma (singing): This time, it's man to man / I'm drivin', fightin' inside a world that's upside down / And spinnin' faster / What do I do now, without you?"
"Emma (singing): I don't know where to go / What's the right team? / I want my own thing / So bad I'm gonna scream / I can't choose, so confused / What's it all mean? / I want my own dream / So bad I'm gonna scream / Oh / Ahhh"
"Feel better now?" I asked her.
"As better as I can be right now." Emma replies.
"That's great! Now get here so you can have the fun that you deserve." I told her.
"Once a Wildcat, Always a Wildcat." Emma says in response.
End Of Gina's POV Intermission I
I got to let out some inner turmoil and thoughts about this whole ordeal with my Wildcat family, so that was good, but honestly, I need to let out a little bit more…
"Me (singing): I heard from God today / And she sounded just like me / What have I done? / And who have I become? / I saw the devil today / And he looked a lot like me / I looked away / I turned away"
Why does this have to happen to me? I thought I finally found the love of my life, and someone who I could love and give my undeniable support, love, and strength to, no matter what, and then she's taken away from me, just like that. What more do I have to give to have my world not come crashing down all around me every five minutes…? What is it going to take…? What is it going to cost me…?
"Me (singing): 'Cause right now, I can hardly breathe"
"Hannah (singing): Oh, you can do it, just know that they all believe"
It's Hannah. Did she hear the conversation? There'll be time later to figure that out…
"Me (singing): And that's all I really need"
"Hannah (singing): Then come on"
"Me (singing): Make me strong"
"Me & Hannah (singing): It's time to turn it up, game on"
"Me & Hannah (singing): This is the last time to get it right / This is the last chance to make it our night / We gotta show what we're all about / Work together / This is the last chance to make our mark / History will know who we are / This is the last game so make it count / It's now or never"
"Me & Hannah (singing): This is the last time to get it right / This is the last chance to make it our night / We got to show what we're all about / Work together / This is the last chance to make our mark / History will know who we are / This is the last game so make it count / It's now or never, yeah"
"Me (singing): This is the last time for me to get it right"
"I wasn't expecting you to still be here." I remarked.
"The lady at the American Airlines gate said that she just found out that every flight out of here is basically grounded for at least the next several hours, at least through them, so I guess I misheard or something." Hannah reveals.
"So I would assume that the rest of them are grounded for that amount of time as well. Wonderful." I said in response.
"Hey, at least you're stuck with me." Hannah sarcastically says.
"Whether or not that's a good thing that I'm stuck with you will be determined by your musical abilities." I stated.
"You wanna bet?" Hannah asks.
"I do." I confirmed.
"Then let's go, toe to toe." Hannah suggests.
"And where do you propose we do that?" I asked.
"We could it do here, or go to the connected hotel, but a chance to duel an actor icon of minewho just so happens to also be a singer/songwriter like myself, is a chance that I am willing to take, no matter where." Hannah states.
"And what is Amelie going to say about all of this?" I asked.
"She'll be just as, if not more thrilled, than I am right now to know that I went toe to toe with you." Hannah replies.
"Fair enough I guess." I said in response.
Gina's POV Intermission II
We finally got back on the road again, yay! However, there's something that's on all of our minds…
Emma's been through a lot, and when I say a lot, I truly mean a lot. Her parents and her girlfriend died within just mere months of each other. It just seems like she can't catch a break, and just when she thought she's figured everything out, it all turns upside down for her yet again. I just wish there was something more that we could do for her, aside from what we're already doing…
"Okay you guys, crazy idea, but what if we give Emma the HSM 3 treatment?" I asked the group.
"I'm listening." Miss Jenn says.
"Miss Jenn, please just focus on the road. We'll fill you in later." Carlos requests.
"Good idea. Can't have you kids getting hurt." Miss Jenn says in response.
"Anyway, what's your HSM 3 treatment idea Gina?" Nini asks.
"Ash, you know how, whenever HSM 3 gets brought up, she will never stop talking about it and how it's her favorite DCOM film?" I asked Ashlyn.
"Oh yeah. I enjoy it actually. Seeing her so passionate about something, especially after everything that's happened to her. It's refreshing for sure." Ashlyn remarks.
"So what if we get her the ultimate HSM 3 package? Surely that would help brighten up her day, right?" I asked.
"I think that the thing that would really brighten up her day is the moment she can be in the same room with us again." Kourtney remarks.
"That being said, I think this would certainly go a long way in helping her out." Nini states.
"I guess you're going to have a lot on your plate." Carlos says to me.
"Hey, I said I was going to do it, and I intend to follow through. For Emma." I stated, proudly and confidently.
"Like a good sister should." Ricky says.
"Damn right." I said in response.
End Of Gina's POV Intermission II
Alright, so me and Hannah have set up this musical duo down to perfection. It's a best of three situation, with three separate songs. Each of us picked one, and then we did a random song generator for the third and final one.
To my surprise, Hannah picked one of her original songs, Come With Us. It's a song that she had created for her student government campaign, as Allison Granger's running mate. To Hannah's credit, the song ended up helping them out big time, as they got elected, by a decently-comfortable margin from what I've been told, so I can see why that's the song that she picked.
As for me, I went with one of my all-time favorite songs from one of my all-time favorite Disney Channel Original Movies, High School Musical 3: Senior Year. I ended up choosing Now Or Never. As I mentioned, it's one of my all time favorites, both from the movie and in general. It felt right to pick this song for my selection.
As for the randomly-chosen song, I think we were both surprised that we saw yet another High School Musical 3 song get picked, and we were even more surprised to see I Want It All appear as the choice on-screen. Now, don't get me wrong, I love I Want It All, but I'm not as familiar with "performing" (I like to think of it that way, 'cause my showerhead is very impressed with me) this song, so this'll be a fun trial and see just what I have for this particular song.
With that, I think we're ready to get things started…
An announcement comes over the loudspeakers at the airport, announcing that the weather has dissipated enough upon entering the area, so that they will be allowing flights to take off, and a lot of them will begin boarding momentarily, and as a result we should all pay attention to when our flight numbers are called…
If there's anything that's pissed me off more today (aside from the situation with Mikaela dying and all that), it's the fact that I've tried settling down multiple times to just try and relax and have some fun, and every single time I've attempted to do that today, something has happened that has prevented me from doing that. When the hell am I going to get a break to relax…?
"So… you're heading back to Marble I take it?" I asked Hannah, upon hearing the announcement.
"Not quite. I'm actually also heading to the HSM convention in Jackson Hole. Amelie's going to be meeting me there." Hannah reveals, with a great deal of excitement.
"So you're on my flight…" I stated.
"What row are you?" Hannah asks.
"I'm in the middle of the plan, Row 18B." I replied.
"I'm Row 18A." Hannah reveals.
"Alright then." I said in response.
"I guess we're gonna be off and away together then." Hannah says.
"I guess so." I said in response.
This is not the slightest bit what I expected to happen, that I would be flying with a fan to the Jackson Hole HSM convention, but it's a welcomed surprise.
With that, here we are at the airport together. Like I implied just a second ago, this is one of the things that I thought I would never do. Me, flying with a fan, to a High School Musical convention. Shit's crazy around here sometimes…
"You ready to go?" Hannah asks, enthusiastically.
More than I ever have been Hannah. More than I ever have been…
"I'm ready to be back with my Wildcat family." I replied.
"Me (singing): Yes, I made the choice / For my friends, I will stay / But I don't deserve to lose my freedom in this way / This monster! / If you think that what you've done is right / Well then, you're a fool / Think again"
"Me (singing): Is this home? / Is this where I should learn to be happy? / Never dreamed / That a home could be dark and cold / I was told / Every day in my childhood / Even when we grow old / "Home will be where the heart is" / Never were words so true / My heart's far, far away / Home is too"