It was finally time for the New Year's Eve party at Ashlyn's. When Oliver had got there Ashlyn had opened the door for him. "Ollie," Ashlyn smiles widely. "You made it!" 

Oliver smiles brightly. "Yeah, of course. I wouldn't miss it."

Ashlyn opens the door the rest of the way, letting him inside. "Oh, by the way," She grins at him while closing the door behind him. "The song that you wrote for Gina was super cute."

Oliver furrows his eyebrows, looking at her with confusion as he ignores the light blush appearing on his face. "How-How did you know about that?" 

Ashlyn shrugs. "I overheard you guys and wanted to find out what was going on."

"Oh," Oliver smiles shyly. "Well, uh, thanks I guess." 

Kourtney went over to them, handing him a piece of paper, and told him to write down his resolution on it for a game they all will be playing later. Oliver moved into the living room where everyone was gathered, finding himself conversing with Steph, Rico, and Kaden about what the next musical could be. Everyone thought that it could possibly be 'High School Musical 2'. It only made sense that they did the second movie.

A few minutes later EJ arrived. Oliver raised his eyebrows when EJ said he was growing a beard since he wasn't for sure what musical they were doing. "Wait," Gina speaks up, chuckling a bit as she looks at EJ. "Have you seriously not heard what musical we're doing?"

"No." EJ shakes his head. "Was it announced?"

Carlos quickly stands up, outstretching his arms while shouting, "Nobody say anything!"

EJ looks at each of them with confusion. "Okay..."

Everyone continued to converse with each other as they waited for the rest of the drama club members that haven't shown up yet. The door opens a few moments later, revealing Ricky and Nini. "I'm not gonna stop, that's who I am." Ricky was singing the song 'Bet On It' from the movie 'High School Musical 2'.

Ricky dances into the living room and Oliver laughed along with some of the others. "I'll give it all I got, that is my plan. When I find what I lost, you know you can bet on it, bet on it, you can bet on me." Everyone cheered for him after he was done. 

"Okay, okay, okay!" Carlos calms everyone's down. "Does anybody not know we're doing 'High School Musical Two'?"

EJ's eyes widen. "We are?" It was clear to tell that he was both excited and shocked. He grins. "Whoo-hoo!" Carlos groaned, sitting back down on the couch.

Soon it was time for the game. "Okay, rules of the game." Kourtney speaks up, stopping any conversations. "This is important. We need to set intentions and be accountable for one another this year."

Everyone either nodded in agreement or chimed in with words of agreement. Natalie, however, comments, "This is a terrible party."

"Hey," Kourtney points at her, playfully glaring at her. "Watch yourself. Okay." She laughs, pulling out a small piece of paper from the bowl she held. "Alright, resolution number one. Anyone's guess. 'I resolve to...'" She chuckles. "This is so stupid. I can't."

"Come on, Kourt." Nini encourages. "You have to read it."

"'I resolve to remember everybody fondly when I go to Duke'." Kourtney read off what was on the paper. "Any guesses?" Everyone looked at EJ.

"EJ!" Ashlyn looks at her cousin with wide eyes. "You got into Duke?"

"I mean, have I 'technically' gotten 'into' Duke?" EJ asks with a smile on his face, doing air quotations with the words 'technically' and 'into'. "Did my father and our grandpa before him also 'go' to Duke?" His smile widen, doing air quotations with the word 'go' and as he says 'matter of time'. "Guys, I think it's just a 'matter of time'." 

"Okay," Ricky speaks up. "I lost track of the air quotes."

Everyone laughed while Kourtney picked out another resolution. "Oh, I don't get this one." When everyone encouraged her to read it anyway she does. "This one doesn't say anything expect the words 'my cows'."

"You guys, I thought we were writing down what we're thankful for." Seb said, obviously misunderstanding what the game was and everyone awed at him.

"A for effort, Seb." EJ speaks. "A for effort."

"Pick out another one, Kourtney." Kaden, one of the dancers, said.

Kourtney picks one out of the bowl and reads it out loud. "'I resolve to focus more on my music and publish some songs'. Any guesses?" 

A lot of the drama club members guessed it was Nini, but Gina was the one to guess it right. "It's totally Oliver." Gina smiled over at Oliver who looked at her iwth a bit of surprise but he couldn't help the smile that formed on his lips.

"Yeah, she's right. That was me." Oliver admitted, looking at everyone with a smile.

"Wait, does that mean we get to hear a song from you?" Steph asked him, looking at him with an excited smile.

Oliver just shrugs with a grin on his lips. "Maybe. Maybe not. Might hear a new song in the near future."

Excited murmurs filled the room after he said that and some of the drama club members near him even complimented him or congratulated him which made him smile widely. "Pick out another clue, Kourt." Steph said, holding the bowl to Kourtney. Kourtney smiles, picking out another piece of paper from the bowl.

"I resolve to follow my dreams, however far away they take me.'" 

"That's gotta be Gina." Ricky speaks up, glancing at the dark-skinned girl. "Right?"

Gina smiles a bit and shakes her head. "Nope. Not me."

"Uh, it's me, actually." Nini speaks, surprising everyone, beside Kourtney. Ricky looks at her with a surprised and confused expression. Nini looks back at Kourtney with a small smile. "Back to the game, Kourt."

"Okay, yes, I will. Um, let's see. Next." Kourtney picks up another piece of paper from the bowl. "'All I want is for our generation to save the planet, and I would also like to absolute clarity about my love life. Thank you'."

Everyone started saying who they thought had wrote that resolution. Oliver noticed Kourtney glance over at Ashlyn who was acting stiff after Kourtney had read that resolution. A smile tugged on his lips, knowing Ashlyn was the one who wrote the resolution Kourtney just read.

The doorbell rings a couple of seconds and Big Red walked in carrying pizza boxes.  "Six pizzas. Two with lactose-free cheese." Big Red smiles, walking into the living room. "I'm here."

"Yes," EJ smiles, getting up from his seat to take the pizzas from him. "Thank you. Good Lord, dude, did you fall into a bucket of cologne?"

Oliver looks over at Ricky with a 'are you kidding me' expression when EJ said that. He had a bad feeling that Ricky gave Big Red Throb to use. That stuff is awful and Oliver wasn't for sure why Ricky thought it was great. Ricky looked at Oliver when he felt someone staring at him and they locked eyes. Oliver gestured with a nod of his head over to Big Red, silently telling him to go check on Big Red. Ricky nodded and went to go check on their friend.

The game of resolutions then ended and Carlos decided they should all sing a mashup of songs from 'High School Musical 2' to prepare them for the musical. Ashlyn's piano was moved further into the living room for Seb to play. 

"Remember, my feedback is both precious and invaluable." Carlos said to everyone. "So, think of this medley as a pre-audition workshop." He pointed at Seb, telling him he may begin.

"It's out with the old and in the with the new." Seb starts singing 'I Want Fabulous' from the second 'High School Musical' movie. "Goodbye, clouds of grey. Hello, skies of blue. A dip to the pool. A trip to the spa. Endless days in my chaise. The whole world according to moi." He looks at Carlos, who had sat beside him. "Just sing it."

Carlos got up with a smile on his face, joining Seb for the chorus. "I want fabulous. That is my simple request. All things fabulous. Bigger and better and best. I need something inspiring to help me get along. I need a little fabulous. Is that so wrong?"

"Take it, Ash!" Carlos exclaimed as Ashlyn and Seb switched places. 

Oliver grins when he heard the familiar tune of 'You Are The Music In Me'. That song was one of his favorites from the second movie. "Na, na, na, na. Na, na, na, na. Yeah. You are the music in me. You know the words 'once upon a time'.  Make you listen. There's a reason." She looks at Gina who was now standing by the piano and smiles. "Come on, G."

"When you dream there's a chance you'll find a little laughter," Ashlyn and Gina harmonizes their voices for this verse. While they sang, Gina looks across from her, noticing Oliver was now standing at the other end of the piano, with his left arm leaning on the top of it. She smiles at him, her smile widening when he locked eyes with her and smiled back at her. "Or a happy ever after."

Oliver noticed Ricky had walked into the living room with his guitar. Ricky tapped Ashlyn's on the shoulder, signaling her that he and Nini were going to take over on singing. Ricky and Nini stood in front of each other as they sang. "You're the harmony to the melody. Echoing inside my head."

"A single voice." Nini sang. "A single voice." Ricky repeated. "Above the noise." Nini continued.

The two of them sings the next verse. "Like a common thread."

Then just Ricky sings, "Ooh, you're pulling me."

Their beautiful duet continued until they sang the whole song of 'You Are The Music In Me'. "One minute 'till minute!" Natalie yelled at the end of the song and everyone cheered.

Seb went back to the piano, encouraging Big Red to sing next, "Come on, Big Red!" 

The drama club members formed a circle in the living room and Oliver found himself standing between EJ and Gina. "Everybody, all for one. Our real summer has just begun." 

Ashlyn went around handing out party blowers and beach balls were thrown around as Kourtney sings the next line of 'All For One'. "Let's rock and roll, and just let go."

"Feel the rhythm of the drums." Gina sang.

EJ sings the next verse. "We're gonna have fun in the sun."

"Now that hard work, work is done." Oliver sang the verse before everyone all joined together to sing the next verse.

"Everybody one for all," They each put their hands in the middle while singing and raised them up at the same time. "And all for one."

"All for..."

"Ten seconds 'till midnight!" Natalie shouted and everyone cheered.

They each began counting down until it was midnight, everyone smiling at each other. Oliver couldn't believe that the beginning of this year he only had two friends and no one noticed him. But now he had this lovely group of people that were like family to him. 

Oliver noticed that Ashlyn and Big Red were walking to each other when it was getting closer to midnight. He smiled when the two kissed just when it turned midnight. He knew things have been awkward for them lately, but it seemed like things were going to be okay. 

"I have an announcement!" Miss Jenn exclaimed as she walked inside.

Carlos gasps, looking at her with wide eyes. "You cut your hair!"

"Thank you," Miss Jenn smiles. "Wait, do you like it?" Carlos nodded in response. "That's not the announcement." Miss Jenn shakes her head. "Um, contrary to rumor, we are not doing 'High School Musical 2'." 

Oliver's eyes widen. That was the last thing he expected the announcement to be. He also saw that Carlos would've fainted if it wasn't for Kourtney and another dancer catch him. "We are doing an American classic. 'Beauty and the Beast'." 

A grin tugged on Oliver's lips. That was one of his favorite musicals of all time. He had a feeling he wasn't the only one excited about this after seeing everyone else's reactions to Miss Jenn's announcement. "And I know East High just did it a couple years ago, but you didn't do it my way. And you didn't win the most important award in all of the theater."

"The Tony?" Gina guessed.

"Okay, the second most important award." Miss Jenn smiled.

Seb points at her. "The Drama Desk?"

"Everyone, calm down!" Miss Jenn stops the excited murmurs that started to fill the room. "This semester, we are entering the Alan Menken Awards for High School Musical Theater. And we are going to win."

Everyone's excitement only grew more when she said that. "Um, that means beating North High, Miss Jenn." Carlos reminds her. "They have a thousand-gallon 'Little Mermaid' aquarium."

Miss Jenn nods. "Then we will have an aquarium too."

Oliver furrows his eyebrows. "There is no aquarium in 'Beauty and the Beast'."

"Okay." Miss Jenn purses her lips together. "I need to study the text." She looks at everyone with a smile. "So, who is ready to show the world they deserve to get that scholarship to NYU? I mean, who is ready to go from amateur thespians to statewide award winners?"

Ricky went to stand beside Miss Jenn, smiling at everyone. "What team?"

"Wildcats!" Everyone shouted.

"This is gonna be everything." Gina smiled. 

Big Red points at Nini with a smile on his face. "You were born for this show."

Ashlyn nods, smiling at Nini. "I can already picture you in Belle's gold dress."

"I'm in if you're in." Ricky said to Nini, looking at her with a smile.

Everyone waited with anticipation to hear what Nini was going to say. Oliver stared at her with wide eyes at what she says next. None of them thought she was going to say, "Ricky, I'm moving to Denver."

Oliver jumped a bit, and he didn't miss the fact that Gina had grabbed onto his hand, (most likely because she was scared, but he didn't complain about the fact she was holding his hand now) when a balloon suddenly popped.

-ˏˋ"Well," Oliver stares at the camera with a sheepish smile. "The new year literally started off with a bang." He shrugs. "It was more like a pop, but you get what I'm trying to say... Hopefully."ˎˊ-

A/N we got some cute olina moments in this chapter :) i love them so much. just a reminder that the part between these -ˏˋˎˊ- symbols will be like oliver talking to the camera like how they do that in the show!