When Ricky was a kid, he had a best friend that only he could see, he was a teenager but that didn't matter to the young curly-haired boy. That is until his parents started to fight, and his friend disappeared. He eventually met Big Red, Nini and Courtney in grade school and they became his friends but he never forgot his childhood friends. He starts to date Nini but when she moves the relationship too fast, he finds himself at a stage he is not yet ready for and as a result, she breaks up with him and finds a new love in E.J.
At school, Nini acts as if he doesn't even exist, ignoring the curly-haired boy, bringing back unwanted memories, and wanting to preserve their friendship Ricky auditions for the school play and accidentally lands the lead male role, much to her displeasure, which she expresses when she can.
The last straw comes when she snaps at him when he was simply trying to be helpful, he then comes back home only to find that his parents have finally decided to split up, due to this Ricky finally breaks down and has a massive anxiety attack. His parents then decide to send him to Mike's step-brother's house while they sort out the divorce.
While staying with his uncle Ray, Ricky helps his cousin find her love for music with the help of 3 ghost boys who are also a band, along the way he finds himself falling for a blonde, pink-loving drum player, and meets his old friend Wille, who he also has feelings for, but what happens when a certain ghost hears about his special ability?
This story randomly popped into my head and I just had to write it out, I really wanted to write an HSMTMTS and JATP, so please tell me what you think!
I just want to say that I have no hatred with Nini or how she is portrayed, but in this story, she just isn't as nice as she was in the show. Anyways some context: Ricky can see ghosts and was friends with Willie (JATP) when he was younger, but Willie disappeared and he eventually met Big Red, Nini and Kourtney, Ricky has seen HSM because the girls made him and Big Red watch it when they were younger.
Anyway, the beginning of the story happens the same way it does in the show; Nini confesses her love to Ricky via social media (which is a strange way to do it if you ask me) but breaks up with him when he doesn't say it back, meets EJ at theatre camp. That's about it because Ricky decided that his friendship with Nini was more important than their romantic relationship and just wants to be friends again, but Nini doesn't want anything to do with him and...well, you'll just have to see.
Ricky sighed heavily as he entered East High after a long summer vacation, he wasn't looking forward to school because 1) it was high school and 2) he had to see his ex-girlfriend Nini again and they hadn't talked since the breakup. Nini had decided to say 'I love you' to Ricky, on social media of all places and then had looked at him as if she expected him to say it back and Ricky's mind froze. He always thought Nini was comfortable with how their relationship was, never needing to say the words but apparently, he was wrong, he had tried to lay it off gently but she kicked him out of her room, saying she needed a break, and from his own experience, it meant that she was going to disappear for a few months and then come back.
The day after, he had gone to her house only to discover that she had already left for an acting camp, her moms had invited him in and said that it was by all means not his fault, he wasn't ready and Nini needed to understand that and they thought Theatre camp was perfect for that. But a few days later a new post appeared on Nini's account, it was a photo of her and a senior named E.J with the description 'boyfriend eva! 3' and Ricky felt something in him that he hadn't felt in years when his friend had abandoned him. But at the same time, he was happy, Nini had found someone who could make her happy unconditionally, he had worried that he would make her upset throughout their relationship and he was right, he just hoped Nini still wanted to be friends, he couldn't lose anymore…
Ricky was 3 when he met his first friend, Ricky had been playing in his front yard, lazily bouncing a ball when he saw a teenage boy on a skateboard and asked him to play with him, forgetting his parents' rules about 'stranger danger'.
"You can see me?!" the boy asked in disbelief and Riky nodded
"Yeah, names Wicky, what's your name?"
"Ricky huh? nice to meet you. You can call me Willie" The boy grinned and joined him in playing with the ball, since then Willie had hung out with him many times but for some reason no one else could see him. His parents thought Ricky had a very active imagination and left the boy alone, when he was 6 he had begged Willie to teach him to ride a skateboard, Willie agreed but only if he had his own board which he did. But then one day, Willie disappeared without any explanation, but he met new ones at school; Big Red, Nini and Courtney, his friends gave him relief when his parents started to argue and over the years, their arguments grew and grew and Ricky leaned more and more on his friends, wanting their stability and support. To this day, he still relied on them, but Courtney had all but stopped speaking to him, always taking her best friend's side, luckily he had his own Courtney. Big Red had his back through the whole summer, letting him stay over at his house when the fighting got too much for him to handle.
Ricky found himself waiting by his locker for Nini and he had tried to ask her about how her summer was since she had ignored his texts, he was hoping she would have calmed down by now, but apparently, she was still mad as she barely glanced at him and walked past him, making him frown.
"excuse me," a voice said behind him, he looked and the new girl from his homeroom (Gigi?) standing behind him "I need to get to my locker"
"oh sorry, I was just leaving," he said and walked away, not noticing the new girl watch his every move
Later that day the principal introduced the new drama teacher; Miss Jenn who announced that the school musical for this semester would be High School Musical. Seemed appropriate considering they went to the school the movies were filmed in, looking at Nini's reaction, he would say she looked like Miss Jenn had hung the moon, which made sense as she WORSHIPED High School Musical and often played it during their movie nights with Courtney and Big Red. Suddenly Ricky had an idea...
"I'm thinking of signing up for the school play," Ricky said thoughtfully the next day at lunch and Big Red stared at him like he had grown two heads "Like, not the main role but maybe...Chad?"
"So, you want to play as the best friend of the guy who stole your girlfriend?" Big Red asked curiously
"Yeah, I mean EJ's a nice guy, he sometimes tutors juniors and sophomores in the library and he's helped me a few times." 'and he's hot' Ricky thought to himself, over the summer Ricky had found himself looking through EJ's social media and found himself reacting in a strange way and through that, he discovered he was possibly Bi...or gay. He still wasn't quite sure, sure...he liked girls but something about guys just seemed more...appealing? He hadn't told anyone yet, it wasn't that he was afraid of their reactions, it was more like he wanted to find out who he was before coming out.
"ok, problem. you don't act, and you hate musicals"
"It's not like I hate them, it's more like I can't understand why they have to keep breaking into song in the middle of the street" Ricky defended himself "Plus, I have acted. Remember the play we put on in third grade?"
"first of all, that's exactly what a musical is. Second of all. you were cast as tree #3 and you tripped on your own two feet, making everyone else fall over," Big Red said in a monotone
"but the audience sill clapped right?" Ricky gave him his signature grin, and Big Red sighed
"ok, whatever. But say you do get the role what am I supposed to do?"
"You could also join?"
"No way, you know I can't sing, or dance"
"Dude, you can sing from those nights the girls dragged us to karaoke, and I know you take tap dance lessons" he added the last part in a whisper
"yeah, but everyone in that club is like super talented, I can't do that!"
"fine then, you could always help backstage"
"I don't know…"
"I hear that Ashyln is also signing up"
"And why would that interest me?"
"Dude, you've had a crush on her forever, this could be your chance!"
"...fine"
Ricky grinned and looked over to where Nini was eating with the other theatre kids, EJ currently had his arm around her shoulder as they chatted to the others, as if she could sense his gaze on her, nini looked over and saw Ricky staring at her, he gave her a small wave but she turned back to the conversation making him frown.
"She still ignoring you?"
"I was hoping it would be better now," Ricky said sadly "I'm gonna go to the bathroom" Ricky stood up and dumped the rest of his lunch in the trash before making his way to the toilet, he quickly did his business and was washing his hands when some water got on the sleeve, making him hiss slightly, he lifted his sleeve to see the still healing scars he made that morning, hearing the bell ring he lowered the sleeve with a sigh and left the restroom.
It was a few days later when Ricky made his way to the theatre, making sure his guitar was firmly in his hand, it was Friday which meant auditions were running and Ricky had been practising all week, luckily his last period had been cancelled due to his teacher having an unexpected stomach ache, so he had used the time to rehearse the audition song and since Chad didn't sing until about halfway through the movie, Miss Jenn wanted everyone to sing 'Start Of Something New'. Ricky sat in the crowd waiting for his turn, and by some miracle, Nini hadn't noticed him being caught up with her own audition. Once the Gabriellas and Troys had finished auditioning, Miss Jenn called for the Chads, Ricky watched as two other boys sang first before he stood up and faced both the teacher and the crowd, even though he kept his gaze on Miss Jenn he could see Nini glaring at him at the corner of his eye. One of the stagehands gave him an encouraging smile, they were going to be playing Troy while Ricky ran through his lines…whatever that meant.
"Alright Ricky, I want you to sing the chorus of 'Start of Something New', then I'll give you the signal and you'll give me Chad's lines from when he's in the library talking to Troy, ok?" Miss Jenn asked and Ricky nodded before opening his mouth to sing
'It's the start, of something new
It feels so right, to be here with you oh~
And now looking in your eyes
I feel in my heart~
The start of something new'
Miss Jenn nodded and made a few notes before nodding to Ricky who closed his eyes to remember Chad's lines
"Dude, what kind of spell has this smart new girl cast that has suddenly made you want to be in the school musical?!" Ricky said to the stagehand
"Look I just did it. Who cares?" the stagehand said, looking at their script making Ricky slightly jealous
"Who cares?! What about me? Your best friend?"
"Quiet Mr Danforth," Miss Jenn said, playing the librarian
"It's him, not me!" Ricky said, pointing at 'Troy' "look, you're a hoop guy, not a musical theatre guy"
"Whatever" 'Troy' scoffed
"Have you ever seen Michael Crawford on a cereal box?"
"Who's Michael Crawford?"
"Exactly! He's the Phantom of the Opera on Broadway, and my mom LOVES Michael Crawford. Like LOVES him, she put a picture of him in our refrigerator. Yeah, in it. Not on it" Ricky gave a small shudder, getting small laughs from the audience "Look, all I'm saying is that if you play basketball, you get to be on a cereal box. You be in a musical and you end up in some weirdo's refrigerator!"
"Excellent job! You didn't get the lines exactly right, but that's ok!" Miss Jenn said shifting through more notes "Umm… I think we will do the Taylors next, if they would like to step up!" Ricky made his way back to the audience and was about to sit down when Nini suddenly grabbed his arm. Hard.
"What are you doing here?!" she whispered furiously at him
"Look, you wouldn't talk to me all summer, and now you won't talk to me at school. This was the only thing I could think of!"
"I need time Ricky"
"Yeah, you had plenty of time at camp and with EJ" Nini groaned
"Whatever Bowen, we both know you'll quit the show within the first week because we both know you can't make a commitment" Wow. That hurt. A lot. Before Ricky could say anything, Nini turned away from him and he rubbed his arm and took a quick glance at it to make sure she hadn't opened up any wounds, unknownst to him, both EJ and the new girl looked at him with worry and concern.
An hour or so later, they were finally let out of the theatre and everyone went home, Ricky was able to catch a ride with Big Red as it was too dark to skateboard home (plus he made a promise to Willie to never skate home in the dark or on the road) and they chatted about the play and how Big Red was excited to learn how it was behind the scenes.
The next day Ricky arrived at school and entered the halls, much to his confusion he got a lot of congratulations and pats on the shoulder as he walked through the hallway. Ricky frowned and made his way to his locker but was stopped by one of the stagehands, Natalie he believed her name was
"Hey Ricky, I just wanted to say congratulations, I mean it was probably really unexpected but I mean your audition was-"
"Natalie, what are you talking about?"
"The cast list, you haven't seen it?"
"It's already out?" Ricky said in surprise before making his way to where the theatre was and saw a crowd that was mostly made up of the drama kids standing in front of a piece of paper, they immediately parted away to make a path for him and then he saw it:
HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL THE MUSICAL CAST:
Nina Salazar-Roberts: Gabriella Montez
Richard Bowen: Troy Bolton
EJ Caswell: Chad Danforth/Troy Bolton understudy
Gina Porter: Taylor McKessie/Gabriella Montez understudy
The list went on but all Ricky could focus on was Richard Bowen: Troy Bolton. How was this possible?! He didn't even audition for Troy! it had to be a typo. He glanced behind him and saw the look of shock on EJ's face and the look of hatred on Nini's. What had he gotten himself into?
This is the first time I'm writing to someone who's discovering they're not straight, and I'm not sure if I did a good job so if I didn't, please let me know and how to fix it!
thanks!
Also, if you guys have a band name for this story, I am open to suggestions!
Final author's note: Ricky was going to have more ghost friends, but then it got too complicated and decided to stick with just Willie