XXIV. If you just realize what I just realized 

Marlowe stood in the hallway with the others. She separated herself from them to continue rehearsing her song. "If you just realized what I just realized." She muttered to herself. She held her song book tightly in her hands.

"Hi, Marlowe."

She looked up and saw Lily standing in front of her, smiling. "Oh, hey, Lily."

"You sounded really good during the warm ups."
"Thank you."

"Your talent is unmatched. I mean, I know that you're known to be the lead girl around here," Lily said with a slight laugh.

Marlowe looked back up at her and stifled a laugh. "I mean, everyone here is talented."

"Well yeah, but. . ." She said and stepped closer to her. "Come on. You know you and I are the only real contenders for the lead here."

Her face darkened slightly at her words. "Okay, two things. One, these people here are my friends. They're all very talented. And two. . ." Marlowe looked her up and down. "There's only one contender for lead and it's me. If you're going to be apart of this, you should learn that."

Lily stared her in the eye for a minute before smiling,  which made Marlowe feel unsteady. "May the best Belle win. Smiley face emoji. Good luck."

She gave her a fake smile and the blonde walked off,  making the smile immediately leave. "Puta." Bitch

Marlowe felt bad about zoning out during the auditions but she was so nervous that she couldn't focus. Her hand that was attached to EJ's was sweating like crazy and she couldn't stop her legs from shaking. "Babe,  you're making me nervous." He whispered to her.

"I'm really happy we're to the point where you can feel my emotions," she whispered back and started chewing on her finger nails. 

He quickly pulled the hand out of her mouth and leaned his head against hers.

". . . Okay, next up we have. . ." Miss Jenn announced and looked around. "Okay, where's Ricky? Ricky?"

"I'm here! I'm here!" Ricky announced and walked onto the stage.

At the sight of the right green T-shirt he was wearing,  Luca's eyes widened. "Okay, when did he get muscles?" He blurted out

Marlowe gave him a look. "Your boyfriend is literally in this room."

"I know. . . was just curious."

"I, um, I didn't have time to prepare anything original, So, I hope this is okay. Do you know Bet On It?"

"Oh, no." Marlowe groaned and pinched the bridge of her nose. Ricky had been practicing the song over and over again and would even face time her and Luca to show them how he was doing.

Luca hid his face. "Let me know when it's over."

"Hey, have a little faith." EJ whispered to them.

Marlowe shook her head. "There is not faith when it comes to Ricky. There's only chance."

Ricky's performance was. . . okay. She loved him to death but she could tell he only practiced that one dance and nothing else. Marlowe cringed at some moments but ultimately tried to be supportive. A small part of her hoped that someone else would get the part of the Beast.

Miss Jenn was about to announce to next audition and Big Red came running into the stage with his tap shoes on. "Um, Miss Jenn, I know you didn't call me yet. But if it's all right with you, I know I'm the last person to go, and I'd kinda just like to get it over with?"

"Aww, he's nervous," Marlowe said to Luca.

"Show me what you've got, honey?" Miss Jenn responded with an understanding smile.

"Whoo-whoo!" Ashlyn cheered.

"You got that buddy!" Knox added from where he was sitting by the speaker since he was controlling the music.

Big Red stood there for a second and took in breath. He started his tap routine slowly and he went to do a spin but he ended up messing up and accidentally fell.

Marlowe gasped and out a hand over her heart. She heard everyone else gasp.

Lily was the only person to laugh. "Seriously?"

Heads turned to her and the twins glared. "Do you have a problem?" Luca asked.

"Calm down," EJ whispered. He pointed a finger at her. "Don't say a word."

Marlowe grumbled and rolled her eyes but didn't say anything. Big Red stayed on the ground and she could tell he was embarrassed. Ricky came running onto the stage and dropped by his side, trying to encourage him to keep going.

When he still didn't get up, Marlowe tapped EJ on the arm for him to let her out. He stood up and she walked down the aisle to quickly walk on the stage. Ricky picked Big Red up by the arm and Marlowe stood in front of him, smiling. "Hey, don't be nervous, okay?  I've seen you practice this routine a million times.  You're amazing, okay?"

"Just breathe, okay? We got you." Ricky said and patted him on the back.

"I'll deck anybody here who says anything or laughs." She added and squeezed his arm. "Good luck."

She walked off the stage and back to her seat, glaring at Lily as she passed. EJ smiled at her when she sat down. "That was sweet."

"I don't play around about my friends."

Big Red took a large breath and started his routine again. He did the spin again and caught himself,  continuing. Marlowe smiled widely as he continued and he ended with a cute pose.

"Yeah! Whoo!"

"That's my boy!" Knox cheered.

Marlowe stood up from her seat and clapped.  "WHOO! GO BIG RED!"

He smiled proudly as they continued to clap and cheer for him. "Brilliant, Big Red," Miss Jenn praised and he walked off the stage. "Okay, next up we have. . . the lovely Luca!"

"Go, Luca!"

"Whoo!"

Marlowe smiled at her brother. "Good luck!"

"Let's go, baby!" Knox hollered and clapped extra loud.

"Go, Luca! WHOO-HOO!" EJ expressed, making them all laugh.

Luca smiled sheepishly when he stood in front of Carlos and Miss Jenn. "Um, I'm going to be singing Evermore by Josh Groban."

Miss Jenn gasped. "I love it."

Marlowe leaned into EJ and squeezed his arm anxiously.

Luca took in a large breath and smiled at Knox to let him know to start the music. The senior hit play. "I was the one who had it all," Luca started to sing and his voice was enough to give you chills. "I was the master of my fate. I never needed anybody in my life.  I learned the truth too late. . ."

A wave of emotions hit her and Marlowe's eyes started to water.

"I'll never shake away the pain. I close my eyes but she's still there. I let her steal into my melancholy heart. It's more than I can bear." Luca closed his eyes.  "Now I know she'll never leave me even as she runs away," He lifted his arms. "She will still torment me,  calm me, hurt me. Move me what way. Wasting in my lonely tower. Waiting by an open door. I'll fool myself she'll walk right in and be with me for evermore."

The song ended and the cheers immediately erupted from the audience. Marlowe wiped her tears eyes with the back of her hand.

Hearing a sniffle, Ashlyn turned around and saw her crying. "Aww, Marley." She touched her heart.

"I think I have something in my eye." The twin lied rubbed her eyes.

Gina and Kourtney awed as well and EJ kissed the side of her head. Marlowe sniffed again and continued to clap. She never felt more proud of her entire life than when it came to hearing Luca sing.

"That was so beautiful." Miss Jenn whispered to Carlos.

Luca exited the stage and when he came back to his seat, he saw Marlowe crying. "Don't tell me you're crying." He said in disbelief.

She scoffed. "No way. I think there's something floating in the air."

Her friends chuckled. Luca sat back down snd pulled her into a side hug.

"And now we have. . . sweet Marley!" Miss Jenn announced with an extra cheer in her tone.

The nerves came back. "Oh god."

"Just take deep breaths," her brother reminded her and squeezed her hand to encourage her.

EJ leaned closer to her. "Hey, just believe in yourself,  okay? You're gonna be great." He whispered.

She smiled and kissed him quickly before he let her out. "Good luck, Marley!" Ashlyn whispered.

"Good luck, Mars!" Big Red cheered along with all of her friends.

Marlowe grinned and she walked up the stairs to the stage. Ricky met her half way and handed her his guitar. "Hand shake?"

She nodded once. "Hand shake."

They did their secret handshake and kissed each other's pinkies. He wished her good luck and ran off the stage. 

"GO, MARLEY!"

"Go, Marlowe!"

"WHOO!"

"Okay, sweet Marley, what do you have for us?" Miss Jenn asked and Carlos leaned forward in excitement.

"I'm going to be signing a song that I wrote," Marlowe explained. "It's called Realize. I wrote it about. . ." She paused her eyes nonchalantly found Ashlyn's. She gave her a cheery thumbs up. "Uh. . . You'll probably get the idea,"

Since she didn't need music, Knox returned to the seats to watch her sing. He grabbed Luca's hand and kissed it, telling him he was proud of his audition.

Marlowe closed her eyes for a second. "You got this,"  she said to herself. She strummed the guitar. "Take time to realize that your warmth is crashing down on me,"

It was completely silent in the auditorium.

"Take time to realize that I am on your side. Didn't I, didn't I tell you?"

Luca glanced over to see EJ watching her with practical hearts in his eyes. He grinned, already knowing what the song was about.

"But I can't spell it out for you. No, it's never gonna be that simple. No, I can't spell it out for you," Marlowe sang with her entire heart, giving the majority of people that were watching chills. "If you just realize what I just realized, then we'd be perfect for each other and we'd never find another. Just realize what I just realized. We'd never have to wonder if we missed out on each other, now."

EJ felt like he was the only person in the room. The way she sang, the way she spoke, she was speaking directly to him. The words she was describing was for them. In that moment, EJ felt himself falling more and more for her. Marlowe was a different person when she was on stage. She was happy, she was confident, she was even more beautiful than she already was.

"It's not the same. No, it's never the same if you don't feel it, too," Marlowe continued. She felt like her eyes somehow found EJ's in the crowd. "If you meet me half way. If you would meet me half way. It could be the same for you."

A smile curled on EJ's lips and he felt proud. He never realized how badly he wanted to feel proud of someone and for someone to feel proud of him. Marlowe was his to feel proud for.

"If you just realize what I just realized then we'd be perfect for each other and we'll never find another. Just realize what I just realized. We'd never have to wonder. Just realize what I just realized. If you just realize what I just realized."

Her song ended with a strum of the guitar. Marlowe started to feel self conscious from how quiet it was in the room and Miss Jenn and Carlos stared at her with wide eyes, unable to say anything.

Then, EJ stood up from his seat and clapped. He clapped like he was the proudest person alive. One by one, they all stood up and clapped. "THAT'S MY SISTER!" Luca cheered the loudest.

"WHOO!"

"GO, MARLEY!"

Marlowe giggled and put a hand over her heart, feeling how quickly it was beating. She was burning up from the nerves and how bright the stage lights were.

Carlos stood up and cheered and Miss Jenn did the same. "That was. . . perfect, Marlowe," she said. "Just one more thing. . ."

Marlowe watched as she grabbed a song sheet from the desk and walked up to her. Miss Jenn handed her the paper. "Sing this for me, okay?" She whispered.

"Okay." She whispered back and took the guitar strap off from around her. Ricky came over and grabbed it from her and she cleared her throat. "Tale as old as time. True as it can be. Barely even friends. Then somebody bends unexpectedly," she sang a cappella.  "Just a little change. Small to say the least. Both a little scared. Neither one prepared. Beauty and the Beast."

"Wow." People in the crowd whispered as she sang.

When she was done, Miss Jenn smiled and nodded.  "Thank you, Marley. That was beautiful. And that concludes today's auditions!"

Marlowe smiled at her. She out the sheet back on the desk and Carlos grabbed her hands, squealing. "Do you know how beautiful that was? I literally lost all feeling in my body!" He exaggerated.

"Really? You think so?" She asked and beamed. "I didn't know if people would like it or not."

"Are you kidding me? Love songs are always a shoe in for the lead!"

EJ came running up the steps and he opened his arms. Instantly, Marlowe ran into them and wrapped her arms around his torso. "I have no words. I really don't," he said and wrapped his arms around her shoulder. "You have officially blown me away."

She titled her head back and smiled. "Really?"

He cupped her face. "Trust me, Marley, I've realized. I realized a long time ago."

Marlowe laughed and he leaned down to kiss her.

"CLEAR!"

Everyone quickly followed Carlos as he we walked over to pin up the casting list. Marlowe and Luca gripped each other's hands and stood with the crowd of students. He gave them a grin and walked away so they could see. Marlowe felt the air leave her body when she read the names. "Oh my God."

"Oh my God." Luca gasped after her.

EJ looked over her head and read the names of the cast list. His eyes went wide. "Oh my God."

Cast List
Belle. . . Marlowe Aguilar
Beast. . . Ricky Bowen
Gaston. . . EJ Caswell
Lumiere. . . Luca Aguilar
Babette. . . Gina Porter
LeFou. . . Big Red
Mrs. Potts. . . Kourtney Greene
Chip. . . Seb Matthew-Smith
Cogsworth. . . Knox Fletcher

"Is that my name? Does that say my name?" Marlowe rapidly asked while her eyes burned holes into the paper.

Luca grabbed her shoulders and shook them. "You did it!"

"You're Belle!" EJ cheered.

"I'm Belle!"

"Our leading lady is back!" Knox hollered over everyone.

The people around her gathered her in a group hug and Marlowe felt like she was on top of the world. "I can't believe this." Then she realized something.  "Wait, does that mean. . . Oh God, where's Ricky?"