Chapter 22: Thanksgiving Plans
Welcome to November's edition of 'Starburst', after a couple of months with in-between original/filler chapters, we are finally reaching the Thanksgiving episode.
Disclaimer: I do not own High School Musical: The Musical: The Series or my friend's Original Characters. Joshua, Vernon, Ten and Jeonghan belong to my friend zealous_light. I only own my Original Characters. Enjoy.
It was the last rehearsal day before Thanksgiving break.
Right now, Nini and Rod-I mean Ricky were practicing 'The Start of Something New', it was going extremely well. A lot better than the start of the semester. The dancers also pulled off their parts splendidly, minus the bit where a cardboard sign was held upside down.
Ten was overall satisfied with the progress they're making so far. Even Cress had been reducing the chances of 'accidentally' knocking a prop over Ricky's head over the last few weeks. That was probably because Ten had been doing his best to keep Cress as far away from the male lead.
The school bell rang on cue once they were done with rehearsals, prompting EJ to cheer with joy.
"Yes! Yes! Whoo!" He cheered happily, quieting down upon noticing everyone else's stares, "Sorry, I really love Thanksgiving."
Before the students could pack up and leave, Miss Jenn made an announcement.
"Ok, hold on. I know everyone is excited for the holiday break. But I'm me, and I have notes."
"Ricky and Nini, that was good. But it could be better." Miss Jenn relayed her notes to the star leads.
The blonde woman promptly added some mild words of encouragement upon realizing how impolite she sounded, "She said in the spirit of holiday cheer."
"Good save," Carlos whispered.
"Your homework over this break, all of you, is to please go on vocal rest. And go over your lines too, which is hard to do on vocal rest. But make it work. And remember, may nothing ever block your doorway to happiness."
That advice may have worked if Ricky Bowen never walked through that doorway to auditions.
"Excuse me." Mr Mazarra's voice called out.
"Starting now." Miss Jenn finished her sentence after an awkward pause.
"Oh don't mind me, I just came to return a missing item." Mr Mazarra strode forward, his hands folded behind his back.
"Why is he smiling? The man never smiles! Not even when Calix waxed his facial hair off!" Cress whispered in silent disbelief.
"Why are you saying that like it's a casual thing?" EJ frowned, unsure what to make of that remark.
"Stop questioning, Caswell. A Kormos has very unusual relationships with the most unlikely of people." Ten retorted, unphased by Cress's random offhand quips about her life.
"Ashlyn, cannot our Robotics co-captain go off without her binder." Mr Mazarra handed a large binding folder over to the Caswell cousin.
It didn't go by unnoticed that EJ noticed Big Red smiling at Ashlyn's direction.
While Miss Jenn and Mr Mazarra are engaged in the most passive aggressive conversation about their Thanksgiving plans with the fakest smiles on their faces, the rest of the theater students are having a conversation of their own.
"My family usually has 3 protein courses and then everybody's asleep by 6pm." Carlos spoke up, they were talking about their Thanksgiving traditions.
"My folks start eating at dawn and they barely make it past the Macy's Parade." Big Red added, before looking at Ten, "How about you, Ten?"
"Oh, me? My family doesn't really celebrate Thanksgiving but we spend the day with my childhood friends and their families. We eat some really good Korean food all day." Ten was surprised Big Red and Carlos had included him in the conversation, but responded gladly.
"Ah, I still remember the day EJ tried an entire spoonful of gochujang for the first time thinking it was salsa sauce." Ten chuckled at a memory, "He spent the next few hours feeling unwell."
"It's not funny!" EJ huffed in displeasure.
"How about you, Cress?" Big Red looked over at the Prop Master.
"Oh my family and I spend the day cooking and baking, we usually meet up with our extended family." Cress replied, tucking her stress ball into her bag. "Oh and Sebby? Christine's dad is coming over, so give Elliott a heads up he'll be meeting his future father-in-law and stepmother-in-law."
Seb simply responded with a thumbs up.
"How big is your family?" Carlos backtracked at that piece of information.
"Huge." Cress shrugged in response, picking on a strand on her sweater sleeve.
"Well at least your folks are sticking around," Ashlyn sighed, slinging a bag onto her shoulder, "EJ's parents are treating my parents to a spa in Park City after dinner tomorrow. They told us to try and have a meaningful night at the movies."
"The last time your family 'left you two home alone for a meaningful movie night', EJ was so traumatized by 'Coraline' that he lived in my closet for 3 whole weeks." Ten interjected. "Tern was almost convinced she made EJ up like an imaginary friend."
Cress and Ten who have known the Caswell family dynamics long enough would know that it is a very red flag how Cash just seems so...ok with leaving his son and niece home alone for the holidays or weekends. Then again, given that EJ had turned 18 a month prior meant he's legally an adult and hence is more entrusted in being home alone (which doesn't make it any better).
The first time Cress found out, she showed up in front of EJ's place with an overnight bag and a bunch of baked food to keep him company.
Carlos and Big Red shared a look, while Ten seemed puzzled by the two teens' reaction.
"Wait..."
"I was going to say..."
"Do you guys want to come over after dinner tomorrow? Like a late night party?" Ashlyn suggested.
"I never don't want that." Carlos held back the eagerness of his tone.
"Should we keep it to a small group or...?" Big Red asked.
"Party at Ashlyn's after Thanksgiving tomorrow! Everyone's invited!" Carlos announced loud enough for everyone to hear, promptly gaining cheers from everyone.
At first Cress was delighted by the idea of an afterparty, but only realized to her annoyance that the Rodent would be there too.
Welp, time to stress bake again.
After the rehearsals were adjourned, the Golden Trio were hanging out by EJ's car.
"Did you see the way Big Red was looking at Ashlyn?" EJ was the first one to bring up the subject.
"Caswell, that's your Big Brotherly tone." Ten's eyes squinted at the shift of his best friend's voice. "Besides, Big Red is not the type of guy to take advantage of Ashlyn."
"I know that! But I also need to be extra certain if anyone is gonna be good enough for my cousin." EJ huffed.
"You have been taking too many 'Scaring Your Sisters' Suitors Away' classes with Jeonghan." Ten deadpanned.
"I don't see you being all overprotective over Tern."
"Kulisara can handle herself well, thank you very much." Ten retorted, drumming lightly on his lap.
"Ashlyn is the closest thing I have to a little sister. Besides, Zoey's too young for a boyfriend." EJ replied in a faux innocent tone at the mere accusation.
"I truly dread the day you have a child and they end up dating someone." Ten retorted.
"Oh please, our Eej would be such a girl-dad." Cress snickered.
Somewhere in 2047…
Jason Ten 'JT' Kormos/Yoon Jungwon was hanging out with his crush Elyon Porter, the classiest and most astounding person he's ever known.
"Hey Lyon, tonight I was thinking..." JT leaned close to Elyon, his arm wrapped around her shoulder when he senses her dad approaching.
"Hello Uncle Eej, this is your daughter that I do not know of." JT scooted far away from Elyon. His little sister Callis had fallen off the bed laughing at how fast the couple moved away from each other.
"Ash needs to know the truth–," EJ pointed out, his protective older brotherly instincts were acting up. "And as part of my new Honesty streak–"
"That is between Big Red and Ashlyn to decide how they will process their feelings for one another and how to carry forward. Not for you to interfere or meddle their emotional affairs." Cress held up her hand.
EJ couldn't believe he is getting relationship advice from the one friend who dates and dumps people on a dime.
"And if you try to meddle, I will spill to Cress every little detail about what you did back in 4th grade when you had a crush on–" Ten had to pull out the big guns.
"Ok, I swear I won't interfere!" EJ exclaimed defensively.
"Seriously, what happened back in 4th grade?!" Cress demanded details.
"No, we do not need to talk about fourth grade!" EJ was already turning on his heels to walk away.
"I DEMAND ANSWERS!" Cress chased after him.
"NO! NO ANSWERS! TENNY!" EJ turned to look at his neighbor/best friend.
Ten had done the most sensible thing of the situation. He ran the other direction.
"Not my circus, not my monkeys."
And here starts EJ's actual character development via his Insta Confessionals. But it's nice to see his friends are gonna be his anchors when the backlash finally hits him.
Chapter Talk: -
(1.) Cress has a mental filter to censor Ricky's voice at this point. 'Galactic Mermaid' from 'Carole & Tuesday' plays in her mind whenever she blurs his voice every time
(2.) So slight adaptation context change here is that instead of just Ashlyn, Big Red and Carlos (or Weightless where the Thanksgiving plans conversation was between Ashlyn, Big Red, Carlos and Ten), here EJ is also somewhat involved in the talk. Seb is also mentioned in passing.
(3.) The Kromos Clan also has a giant family of extended relatives (stepchildren from her mom's past relationships), one of which is Christine's father Helio who does pay for child support and is still on friendly coparenting terms with his ex.
(4.) I missed the close bond between EJ and Ashlyn in earlier seasons, so I like to think EJ has a big brotherly protective streak when it comes to the prospects of Ashlyn crushing on anyone. I like the idea of EJ spotting the thread of Ashlyn and Big Red's blossoming mutual crushes on each other earlier on. Ten and Cress promptly threatened him to not meddle. So that will be one less thing for his Insta Confessionals.
(5.) Yes, Elyon and JT from 'Legacies of Tremont' make a very brief fast-forward cameo. There are several timelines/possibilities for the next generation kids: -
○ JT/Jungwon (short for Jason Ten) is Cress and Jeonghan's future son and Callis/Chaewon is his sister, they exist in most timelines.
○ Elyon exists in the Portwell timeline; in the Ricky/Gina timelines, EJ would end up with Katie Cooper (from Alexa and Katie) and would have a son named Caleb.
○ JT and Elyon are ship-teased in my other story 'Legacies of Tremont', which honestly horrifies Ten when he realizes the Kormos-Yoon and Portwell genes will merge eventually. That and the mere existence of the Kormos-Yoon kids because Ten doesn't wanna think of the implications of his chaotic best friends spawning children.
And that's all for now, thank you so much for reading. Feel free to let me know your thoughts on this chapter. Have a pleasant day.