Oliver sat at the cafeteria at a table with the rest of the drama club members, sitting beside Gina. Carlos suddenly stood up, getting the attention of the drama club members. "I have a brief announcement. After spending the last couple of weeks Google-stalking the Menkie Awards, I've discovered that there is no category for Best Choreography. And since the Menkies is step one to me becoming the first ever winner of a MEGOT..."

Big Red leans over to Ashlyn, whispering, "'MEGOT'?"

"Menkie, Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony." Ashlyn informed him and he nodded.

"I've decided that I will be auditioning to be on stage this year." Carlos continued. The drama club members cheered for him.

Ashlyn raised up Big Red's hand iwth a smile on her face. "Big Red's trying out too!"

Oliver looks at Big Red with surprise. "Really, dude?"

Big Red fakes a smiles. "Apparently I am."

"Big ups, Big Red." Gina smiles at the red-haired boy. "You gonna teach me some of those allegedly great tap moves?"

Big Red chuckles weakly. "I'm so scared."

"Oh, just remember, you cannot play Chip, the teacup, since it's obviously be weird for you to be my son." Ashlyn said to him. When everyone stared at her, she says, "I mean, I'm probably getting Mrs. Potts. Not that we don't all have an equal shot."

"So, Ollie, what role are you trying out for?" Gina asked, looking at the boy beside her with a smile.

Oliver shrugs. "I honestly don't have a specific role I'm trying out for. I'll probably just get a minor role or an extra again."

"I bet you won't." Gina shakes her head, her smile never leaving her face. "You are seriously so talented."

Oliver smiles, happy that at least one person thought that. "Thanks."

"You're welcome." 

Oliver looks over to his right whenever he heard EJ say that and saw EJ was looking at him and Ricky. Oliver also noticed the senior boy wore a Duke ballcap. Oliver shares a confused look with Ricky as EJ sat down between the two boys. "What?" Oliver asked EJ, looking at him with confusion.

"Uh, I've decided to take myself out of the running for the beast." EJ replies. Everyone looks at him with a bit of surprise. "I'm just...I've got a lot on my plate." He gets his phone out of his pocket. "Which reminds me, I should probably pick a meal plan for Duke."

Oliver smiles a bit. "Dude, did you officially get in?"

"Back up." Ricky looks at EJ with furrowed eyebrows. "You're not doing the musical either?"

"No," EJ shakes his head. "I've only got the bandwidth for a supporting role."

"Wait," Oliver looks at Ricky with confusion. "Ricky, you're not trying out for the musical?"

"Uh," Ricky chuckles nervously, looking at everyone to see they were already looking at him. "I'm, uh, I'm not sure if I'm auditioning this year. You know, once a skate rat...Right?"

"Who cares about that." Oliver scoffs. "If you wanna audition you should. And you shouldn't just not audition because Nini's not here."

Ricky looks at him with wide eyes and quickly shakes his head. "That's-That's totally not the reason why I'm not for sure if I wanna audition." 

"Ricky, just shut up." Oliver shakes his head. "I can see right through your lies." Oliver chuckled as Ricky sheepishly smiled. 

"Okay, um, sorry." Oliver looks over with furrowed eyebrows when a blonde-haired girl walks up to them. "I've been trying to work up the courage to say this." The blonde-haired girl smiles at Ricky and EJ. "I can't believe I'm standing in front of both Troy Bolton's right now. Both of your performances last semester in HSM were incredible."

Ricky and EJ nod, but EJ seemed to be more happy about this. "Thanks." Ricky said.

"Thank you." EJ smiles. "That means a lot to us. It honestly takes a village to get a show up on its feet. I've been blessed."

"Um, not to be rude, but," Oliver tilts his head to the side, staring suspiciously at the blonde-haired girl. "Who are you?"

"Oh, I'm Lily." The blonde-haired girl introduces herself. Lily shakes her head, staring at Ricky and EJ. "I mean, you both inspired me to wanna try out this semester. It's intimidating being basically, like, brand new to theater." She looks at everyone with a smile. "Hey, honestly, all of you guys are so talented."

"Oh, thank you." Ashlyn smiled.

The blonde-haired girl then asked if she could get a selfie with them. After she took the selfie with them, EJ told her she can tag him in that. The blonde-haired girl said she already did and walked off with a smile on her face.

Oliver narrows his eyes. "I don't like her."

Gina chuckles. "You literally just met her."

"Yeah, there's just something off about her." Oliver shrugs. He looks at everyone, pointing at them. "If she turns out to be evil I'm gonna I say I told you so."

****

Soon it was time for auditions. Oliver was auditioning with a song he recently wrote like a few weeks ago. He hasn't performed it to anyone, not even his family, so he hoped that everyone likes it.

To say that Oliver was nervous was an understatement. "Ollie, you're gonna kill auditions." His older brother, Noah, tells him as they facetimed. Oliver had facetimed him before going to the auditorium, hoping he would get a pep talk that would calm him down. "Stop freaking out."

"Yeah, that's a lot easier said then done." Oliver mumbled, leaning against the wall beside the doors of the auditorium. 

Noah chuckles, shaking his head. "I'm a little upset that the drama club is gonna hear your new song before I get to, but I know that everyone is gonna like it. You write amazing songs. You wrote that song about race cars and everyone liked it."

Oliver rolls his eyes. "I was, like, six when I wrote that, and I only played it for family. This time I'm gonna be singing a song in front of the drama club." He sighs, resting his head back against the wall. "I kinda wish I was blind so I didn't have to see all of them staring at me."

"You could always just close your eyes." Noah shrugs. "But seriously, Oliver, you're gonna be amazing. I know for a fact that you're gonna get the lead role. You deserve it." He points at Oliver, pretending to be stern. "And when you do get it you better call me so I can say I told you so."

Oliver laughs a bit and nods. "I'll probably won't get the lead, but I'll call you anyway later tonight."

Noah shakes his head, wishing Oliver wasn't tough on himself. "Alright, I gotta go, but you're gonna do great."

"Thanks, Noah." Oliver smiled. He ended the call with his brother and went inside the auditorium. 

Oliver got on stage, standing beside Ashlyn and Steph. "As you all know, this year's audition will be a two-step process." Miss Jenn explains. "One, a group vocal warm-up to the classic song 'Belle'. And two, a song of your choice. Whatever shows off you the best." 

"Okay. Circle up. Take your neighbor's hand." Everyone formed a circle, taking their neighbor's hand as Miss Jenn speaks. "For a moment of silent reflection."

Silence filled the auditorium for a few seconds before Miss Jenn started singing the song 'Beauty and the Beast'. Oliver opened his eyes, raising his eyebrows as he looked at Miss Jenn. This reminded him of the read-throughs for 'High School Musical' and when Miss Jenn sang 'We're All In This Together' while they held hands.

Just before Miss Jenn finished, the door to the auditorium opened, revealing Ricky. Oliver smiled, happy that Ricky decided to audition. "Guess he decided to come after all." Miss Jenn spoke quietly to Carlos.

Carlos nods. "Is this Mamma Mia? 'Cause here we go again."

Everyone got ready to sing the song 'Belle' and Carlos was the one to start it off, followed by Kourtney. Ricky's part wasn't the greatest, he was off tempo and Oliver noticed he kept messing with the dog tag necklace Nini had got him. That made Oliver realize the curly-haired boy was nervous. Big Red sang behind the music sheet, obviously scared, but Oliver had to admit he was doing better than Ricky. Everyone singing their parts of the song did amazing. Soon it was Oliver's time to sing his part of the song.

"With a dreamy far-off look, and her nose stuck in a book. What a puzzle to the rest of us is Belle."

Then Ashlyn sang Belle's solo. It literally looked like she was glowing while she was singing. Oliver thought she did amazing with that solo. At Gaston's part of the song, Ricky started it off singing in a deep voice. EJ sang the next verse of Gaston's part in the same voice range. But apparently Carlos didn't get the memo to sing in a deep voice because he sang higher than the other two boys.

Ashlyn, Gina, and Kourtney did great at the next Belle part of the song. After Seb sings, 'I want much more than this provincial life' everyone stood in a crowd. The blonde-haired girl, Lily, moved in front of everyone, singing the next part of the song. "I want adventure in the great wide somewhere. I want it more than I can tell. And for once it might be grand to have someone understand. I want so much more than they have planned." Oliver had to admit she had a really great voice. But that also made Oliver confused. He thought that Lily was basically new to theater.

Everyone sang together for the next part of the song. "Look, there she goes that girl is strange but special. A most peculiar mademoiselle."

"It's a pity and a sin." The girls sang.

And then the boys sings, "She doesn't quite fit in."

"'Cause she really is a funny girl." Everyone harmonizes their voices together for the last part. "A beauty but a funny girl. She is a really funny girl that Belle."

Everyone who was watching the group clapped for them. "Alright, alright." Miss Jenn smiles. "I've already learned so much. That's it for the warm-up. Please prepare your individual songs."

Oliver went out to the hallway along with everyone else after he got his acoustic guitar out of its case. He was quietly strumming his guitar, going over his song. Natalie walked down the hallway a few seconds later, telling everyone that there was five more minutes until solo auditions. 

"You're Oliver, right?" He stopped playing, looking up with narrowed eyes when he saw Lily standing in front of him with a smile on her face. 

"Yeah...What'd you want?" Oliver asked her. Part of him didn't mean to sound harsh when he asked that, but another part of him meant it. There was just something about this girl that annoyed him. She seemed fake in his opinion.

"I just wanted to tell you that you're incredibly talented." Lily smiles. "Like, I know you only played Zeke in the production of HSM last semester, but you did so great at the role."

"Oh." Oliver fakes a smile and shrugs. "Thanks, I guess."

"You are for sure gonna get the role of Beast. I mean, why wouldn't you?" Lily smiles shyly, shrugging her shoulders. "You have the looks for a Prince and you got the talent."

Oliver couldn't help the shy smile that formed on his face. "I probably won't get it since there are other talented boys hear auditioning for the lead role, but really, thank you." 

He still wasn't used to getting compliments, espeically if they're from pretty girls. Yes, he had to admit Lily was pretty. That was a fact. "Well, uh," Lily playfully elbows him. "Good luck." Watching this interaction nearby at the water fountain, Gina narrowed her eyes at Lily as she filled up her water bottle. Was she jealous? Maybe just a tiny bit. She shouldn't be jealous though. Oliver isn't hers. Why did part of her want him to be hers?

Oliver then said that he needed to get back to practicing his song and Lily (thankfully) left him alone. A few moments later Lily went over to Gina. "You sounded good during warm ups."

Gina smiles a bit. "Thanks. You too. For someone who's never done theater before, you are a natural."

"Oh, I meant I had never done local theater before." Lily explains. She laughs, glancing around at everyone. "You know, with, um, this kind of a crowd." Her eyes landed on Oliver, her lips forming into a smile. "There are a few talented people here though." 

Gina looks in the line of direction Lily was looking at, slowly nodding. She looks back at Lily with a frown as the blonde-haired girl kept smiling over at Oliver. "Right...What are you trying to say?"

"That we both know we're the only real contenders for the lead here." Lily responds. She sent a smile to Gina. "So, may the best Belle win. Smiley face emoji." She chuckled before she started to walk down the hallway.

 Gina stops her. "Actually...My friends are incredibly talented."

"Oh, um, I'm sorry." Lily apologizes, tilting her head to the side. "I thought this was an audition, not a friendship circle." Gina faked a smile and after Lily told her good luck, the blonde-haired girl walked away.

Soon it was time for solo auditions. First up was Ashlyn and Kourtney who were singing a duet. "This is an original song I wrote about...Nerd-alert! The power of friendship." Ashlyn chuckles. "It was originally written as a solo, but then that was wrong, so I wrote it for three people, and we'll be singing it for two."

Somehow Oliver knew that Gina was supposed to sing with them. He remembered her telling him that she wanted to make her mark this year so he understood why Gina would want to do this by herself. From his spot beside Seb, and behind Gina, Oliver glances at Lily who sat in a row in front of him with a small glare when she chuckles and says, "Amateurs."

"Wait!" Gina suddenly got up and walked onto stage.

"Are you okay, honey?" Miss Jenn asked her.

"Sorry." Gina apologizes. She looks at Ashlyn and Kourtney with a hopeful expression. "Is there still room for a third?"

Ashlyn smiles a bit. "Do you know the song?"

"I was curious, so I spent the afternoon kinda studying it." Gina admits. She smiles at Ashlyn. "It's brilliant."

Kourtney smiles, gesturing with a nod of her head for Gina to stand beside them. "Get in line, Tercet."

EJ walks on stage, carrying a boombox while Gina stood beside Ashlyn and Kourtney. EJ sat the boombox beside the table Carlos and Miss Jenn sat at. "Whenever you're ready." Miss Jenn said to the three girls."

"Oh, just one thing." Ashlyn quickly says. "Uh, picture us all in sequined jumpsuits." She smiles widely. "On a light-up dance floor. In an abandoned warehouse."

Carlos smiles. "Very Spice Girls meets 'Drag Race'."

Ashlyn nods. "Exactly what I was going for when I wrote it." She looks at her cousin with a smile. "Hit it!" EJ pressed play and the girls began singing Ashlyn's song called '1-2-3'.

Saying the three girl's performance of Ashlyn's song '1-2-3' was amazing is for sure an understatement. They did incredible and Oliver was proud of each of them. At the end of their performance everyone cheered. Everyone beside Lily stood up and cheered for Ashlyn, Gina, and Kourtney, but Oliver had a feeling he and Big Red were most likely cheering louder than anyone else in the auditorium. 

The auditions continued. There was even a boy who auditioned with Ashlyn's song 'Wondering' which brought a smile to her face. Ashlyn was the first one to clap for him after he was done. As he walked off the stage Miss Jenn announces that Oliver was up next. Oliver took a deep breath before he stood up and walked onto stage, smiling back at Gina when she whispered to him good luck.

He got his acoustic guitar that was in its guitar case off to the side on the stage before he stood in front of everyone. "Okay, so I'm gonna sing a song I wrote called 'Solider.'" He puts his guitar strap over his shoulders, looking at everyone with a nervous smile. "I hope you all like it."

(here is the video of the song he's singing. but in this story it's just oliver & his guitar. i couldn't find a video of the song with just an acoustic version)

https://youtu.be/FONDy7X0VWI

He closes his eyes, taking a deep breath as he began strumming his acoustic guitar. "Castle's are built in the sand, fall through my hands. Fading like an hour glass, holding back who I am. When I try to running to you it's like running through water. Yeah. Each step gets harder. Under this armor."

"But what's the meaning? No, I cannot read the thousand puzzle pieces scattered across the floor. I'm confusing truth with an illusion. And it's got me losing my own civil war." He sings higher for the next verse, slowing down the strumming of his guitar. "Lay my head to rest. The world is turning slower when you pull me closer."

He slowly began playing the faster speed he was playing at the beginning of the song. "Take this armor off my chest. You don't have to be a solider when I'm on your shoulder." 

He plays a solo on his guitar, glancing at the audience with a smile when he noticed everyone looked like they were enjoying his performance. "Castle's are built on the beach, close to the sea. Living by a summer breeze, back to me if you believe. So I keep running to you and we sit by the water, yeah. Where everything started. Beside you I'm stronger." The fact that everyone (besides Lily) seemed to enjoy his performance helped him grow more confident and helped him not look at his guitar so much. He knew the chords and the strum patterns to the song like the back of his hand. It just made him really nervous singing an original song in front of a lot of people.

"But what's the meaning? No, I cannot read the thousand puzzle pieces scattered across the floor. I'm confusing truth with an illusion and it's got me losing my own civil war." 

He sings higher again for the next part and strummed his guitar slower like he did before with the same verse. "Lay my head to rest. The world is turning slower when you pull me closer."

"Take this armor off my chest. You don't have to be a solider when I'm on your shoulder." Then it was instrumental part of the song again, but this time he played it longer than he did earlier. While he played, he looked at his guitar just to make sure he was playing the right chords. 

At one point as he played, he looks at the audience, locking eyes with Gina who sent him an encouraging smile and two thumbs up which made him smile widely. He looks back at his guitar, singing the ending of his song. "What's the meaning? Thousand puzzle pieces scattered across the floor. I'm confusing truth with an illusion. And it's got me losing my own civil war."

He ended the song with just playing his guitar, playing the same instrumental part he did a few moments ago. He looked at everyone with a of surprise when the auditorium erupted with applause. He smiled at everyone who he noticed were all standing up, beside Lily but she was clapping for him and had a small smile on her face. His smile widened when he noticed Gina was the one cheering the loudest for him.

"That was amazing, Oliver." Carlos complimented, looking at him with a grin.

"Yes, Oliver," Miss Jenn smiles at Oliver after she wrote a note about Oliver on her notebook. "Very well done."

Oliver grins. "Thank you." He went off to the side of the stage, putting his acoustic guitar back in its guitar case as Miss Jenn said that Ricky was up next. Oliver went back to sit down in his spot beside Seb. Seb looked at him with a smile and high fived him which made Oliver smile. 

Oliver looked around for his best friend, frowning when he saw that Ricky wasn't there. He thought that Ricky was going to audition. Did Ricky decide not to do the last minute?

"I'm here! I'm here!" Ricky yells, walking on stage after Miss Jenn asked where he was. He sheepishly smiles. "I didn't have time to prepare anything original, so, I hope this is okay." He looks at the band. "Do you know 'Bet On It'?"

Oliver had a feeling Ricky had plenty of time to come up with a new song. Ricky was most likely really nervous since Nini wasn't there. But out of all songs Ricky could audition with he picked 'Bet On It'? Oliver only hoped that he performed it well since he didn't do that well with the group audition.

Yeah, Ricky's performance of 'Bet On It' wasn't the greatest. Okay, it was bad. Oliver had a cringed expression on his face at the end of Ricky's performance. He didn't realize how nervous the boy was. Oliver forced a smile, giving Ricky a thumbs up as everyone clapped.

"Um, I'm sorry, Miss Jenn," Big Red walks onto stage, wearing his tap shoes. "I know you didn't call me yet, but if it's alright with you I know I'm the last person to go, and I'd kinda like to get it over with?"

Miss Jenn nods and smiles. "Show me what you got, honey."

"Whoo-hoo!" Ashlyn cheered for her boyfriend as she clapped.

Big Red started tap dancing really good, but as he did the spin he fell. Everyone in the auditorium gasped and Oliver sat up straighter, ready to go help Big Red up. He didn't fail to notice how Lily was the only one who laughed. 

"Seriously?" Lily laughed and Oliver glared at her. He got up from his seat and went on stage where Big Red sits down, facing the back. 

Oliver kneels beside the red-haired boy, putting a hand on his shoulder. "You okay, Big Red?"

Big Red glances at him with a small smile. "I've been better."

Ricky then walks out onto stage, going over to his two best friends. "You got this, dude." Ricky assured him, helping the red-haired boy on to his feet along with Oliver.

"Breathe. Just breathe, okay? We got you." Ricky patted Big Red on the shoulder, turning him to face the front with Oliver. Oliver and Ricky let go of Big Red and Oliver gave Big Red two thumbs up and an encouraging smile. 

"You're gonna do great." He assured Big Red and then he went back to his sit down in his seat in the audience and Ricky went to stand off to the side of the stage.

Big Red took a deep breath before he started tap dancing again. This time when he did the spin he landed on his feet. Big Red landed in a pose at the end of his dance with a smile on his face. Ashlyn and Oliver were the first two to cheer for him and everyone (besides Lily, of course) were quick to follow with cheering for Big Red.

Miss Jenn stands up with a smile on her face. "And that concludes today's auditions."

A/N wow this was a long chapter. it was kinda hard to make sure I got the lyrics of josh bogert's song 'solider' right so I apologize if I got some of the lyrics wrong. anyway, anyone else just wanna punch lily at times?? oliver for sure thought about hitting her when she laughed after big red fell. but gina & oliver were cute in this chapter :) well, they're always cute