Didn't Know It Before( An EJ Caswell/HSMTMTS Fanfiction)

Chapter Thirty-Five: Playmaker

Finally, my time to be on stage came, and I was in fact a nervous wreck, but when it came to Kelsi...I could use that to my advantage.

I played the piano through the audition sequence, surprising myself at how I managed to do it without messing up, and then sat at the piano and watched as Sharpay and Ryan performed 'What I've Been Looking For'. Then I approached Seb.

"Oh, actually," I said nervously, walking up to Seb, "If you do the part with that particular song, I imagined it much slow-"

"If we do the part?" Seb asked. "Kelsi, my sawed-off Sonheim, I've been in seventeen school productions. How many times have your compositions been selected?"

"This would be the first." I said with loud nervousness.

"Which tells us what?"

"That...I need to write you more solos?"

"No, it tells us that you do not offer direction, suggestion, or commentary, and you should be thankful that me and Ryan can lift your music out of its current obscurity, is that clear?"

"Yes, sir! I mean...Sharpay." I said.

"Nice talking to you."

"Any last-minute signups?" Ashlyn called.

"We should go." Ricky whispered from slightly off stage.

"No? Good. Done."

"I'd like to audition Miss Darbus!" Nini said, running out onto the floor.

"Timliness means something in the world of theater young lady. The individual auditions are long over and there are simply no other pairs."

"I'll sing with her." Ricky said, walking out with his hand in the air, sounding eerily like Zac Effron.

"Troy Bolton? Where is your sports posse or whatever its called."

"Team."

"Ah,"

"But actually I'm here alone," He answered, "I'm here to sing with her.

"Yes, well we take these shows very seriously here at East High. I called for the pairs audition, and you didn't respond. Free period is now over."

"She has an amazing voice."

"Perhaps the next musicale." Ashlyn said, walking off stage. I stood up to follow her, purposely tripping over the piano bench and falling to the floor, sending my papers everywhere and causing the audience to gasp in concern. Ricky and Nini hurried over, helping me pick up the music.

"So, you're the composer?" Ricky asked, helping me up and handing me my music back. "You wrote the song Ryan and Sharpay just sang? And the entire show?" I nodded. "Well, that's really cool. I can't wait to hear the rest of the show." I nodded again. "So, why are you so scared of Ryan and Sharpay? I mean, it is your show."

"It is?" I asked, tucking my hair behind my ear.

"Isn't the composer of the show kind of like the Playmaker in basketball?"

"Playmaker?" I asked, fighting the urge to smile at the word.

"The one who makes everyone look good, without you, there is no show. You're the playmaker, Kelsi." The sincerity in Ricky's eyes told me that while he was saying lines to Kelsi, he was also talking to Megan. I smiled now.

"I am?" He nodded. "Do you wanna hear how the duet's supposed to sound?"

~~~

I played the slow version as Ricky and Nini sang, and then as the audience applauded, Ashlyn ran back onto the stage.

"Keep your eyes shut, Troy," She said, "Just say the first thing that comes to mind: How does it feel?"

"Um...I don't know. Like I'm flying. Like I"m soaring, kinda." I gasped loudly, grabbing one of the pieces of paper and beginning to write.

"Anything is possible in the theater, Troy. There's not a star in heaven that you can't reach, but you have to allow yourself to reach for it."

"Wow. Thanks Ms. Darbus." She grabbed her clip board, writing on it.

"Bolton, Montez,  You got yourselves a callback. Kelsi, finish the finale...and work on it with them." She left and Ricky and Nini shared a look before I began shoving paper into their hands.

"If you want to rehearse, I'm usually in the music room during free period, and after school...and sometimes even during biology class. Or if its easier, I can give you a wake up call and come over with my accordion. Its mobile!" I ran off the stage at this, and the audience applauded with my exit, causing me to smile.

"How does it feel?" EJ asked, waiting for me off stage. I smiled.

"It feels...out of this world." I said, smiling at him.

~~~

"Ladies and Gentleman," Miss Jenn announced, "It is time for Stick to the Status Quo." Everyone clapped. "This is our biggest Act One showstopper, and you're all going to kill it because I love you. Any questions?"

"I have a couple hundred." Kourtney asked nervously.

"Wait, how is the Taylor dance break gonna work?" Seb asked. "Gina's tray-ography is really complex."

"I can run to the pit and have the orchestra cut that part." Carlos suggested. Everyone began murmuring in disappointment.

"Or we could just have Gina do it!" Kourtney said excitedly. We all followed her gaze to see Gina standing in the doorway, a Tupperware container in her hands." She smiled and everyone began exclaiming excitedly, running over and taking turns hugging her.

"Wow you guys, I don't wanna interrupt." She said.

"How did you get here?"

"A friend bought me a last-minute flight back." I furrowed my eyebrows. She hasn't been on the East Coast long enough to have made any friends that would buy her a plane ticket...so it must be one of us! "I was gonna drop off these cupcakes and then hide in the gym and cheer you guys on."

"Gina, no one in the gym wants to hide more than I do right now." Kourtney told her.

"Wait, are...are you playing Taylor?"

"I was, and it was nice, and now its your turn to save my butt and do the dance. Please, I'm asking you." She handed Gina the tray. Gina looked around at all of us, and we all nodded.

"Of course we all want you to," I said, answering her silent question, "Why would you doubt that we would?" She looked at Miss Jenn.

"Can I?"

"Of course! You can do the curtain call together. Let's hit the halls, people!" Everyone clapped, spreading out to continue getting ready, and I walked over to Gina.

"Welcome back." I told her.

"Thanks."

"So...I know we're in a bit of a time crunch here," I said, "And I know you're charismatic and everything, but somehow, I doubt people you just met up in Washington know you enough to buy you a plane ticket." She smiled knowingly. "So, whose the mystery friend?" She shrugged.

"Just some guy," She said, "Said something along the lines of,  'you deserve to be here' and...I started dating a girl that makes me want to be a better person, so I want to help." My smile fell and my eyes widened. "I don't know what you did to that boy but...keep it up."

I smiled, wrapping my arms around her neck and hugging her.

"Come on, we have to get you into costume."