"Oh my gosh, that's what's-her-name. Lily from our auditions." Seb exclaims, after everybody watches the video that North High just posted. Marie is pacing back and forth in the front of the room. "She isn't just co-directing their show, she's starring in it." Seb continues.

"You mean perfect-pitch, looks-like-an-actual-Disney-princess, super-fan girl/mean-girl Lily?"Marie states to everyone. "I'm gonna go with yes." E.J answers. "I remember her vaguely." Marie says in a nervous tone.

     "Thank you all for coming so quickly on a Saturday." Miss Jenn announces, as her and Carlos come into the rehearsal room. "Or most of you all. We're missing a teapot and a village idiot." Miss Jenn says, confused. "Uh, I think they are at the pizza place." Ricky answers. "Kourtney texted the group. They couldn't get anyone to cover their shifts." Seb continues, before E.J slaps his arm, and Carlos makes a face from behind Miss Jenn.

    "Oh... I didn't see that text." Miss Jenn says, pulling out her phone. "I meant the group chat with me and E.J." Seb covers, looking back to him and then everyone else with a big grin on his face. "We'll, back to the matter at hand. I can tell from your solemn faces you've all see... the video." Miss Jenn says to the teens. They were all looking at her with down looks on their faces, while Marie had her head in her hands.

    "It's incredible. Even I have no notes. I can't believe they stole our show." Carlos complains. "I think their Lumiere is an actual French exchange student." Ricky says. After that Marie rises her head and faces her teacher. "Miss Jenn, how are we supposed to beat North at the Menkies if they're churning out this a second after changing their musical? It's like..."

    All the students start complaining about it. "Wildcats! Take heart. North High is clearly focusing on bells and whistles. Impressive. But distracting. All we need is..." Miss Jenn interrupts them. "Friendship?" Seb questions. "No, Seb, all we need is to get back to basics. Emotional performances that connect with the audience can make all the difference with these judges. And I have a plan. Which is why you've all been called in today. And that plan is... a weekend acting intensive." She explains.

    "Acting intensive like..." E.J starts but is interrupted, "Improv. Character work. Movement exercises. Hey, Gina. Gina. Are you here?" Miss Jenn asks the girl who was on her phone. "Mmm. Yeah. Yeah." Gina answers. "We're going to really connect with our characters. And impressive performances, not fancy staging or actual killer wolves, will be our key to the gold. And don't forget, we have something North High doesn't."

     "Friendship?" Seb questions, again. "A brand-new original song for the Beast and the Rose. Um, and, uh, how's that coming along, you guys?" Miss Jenn asks Ricky and Nini, who seem to not really have an answer to her question.

    Miss Jenn just continues talking saying, "Ricky, you stay here with me for deep-dive Beast character work. Nini, take the weekend, skip the workshop, and get a first draft of the duet down for the Beast and the Rose!" She just smiles and claps. "Okay!" Everybody stands up and Miss Jenn goes to talk to Carlos.

...

The group was all standing on the small stage in the rehearsal room, holding hula hoops around their necks. "Today is all about warm-up games. The important thing is that we all..." Miss Jenn is interrupted by the sound of rattling coming from Seb swinging the hula hoop around his waist, as everyone looks at him. Seb notices the groups gazes and let's the hoop fall to the ground. Miss Jenn finishes her sentence from earlier, "Focus. Strong start. Here we go, my young thespians." She puts on a big smile and swings the hoop around her arm.

They were now playing with pool noodles, contorting them into different shapes. Marie had wrapped hers around her neck acting as a scarf. Miss Jenn interrupts them by clapping her hands to her their attention. "Okay. Everybody, drop your noodle and pair up for a mirroring exercise." Marie was looking around for someone to partner up with, when E.J. one up to her. "May I have this exercise?" He says with a small smirk on his face. Marie chuckles, "Team Wonderstudy. Yeah, I got you."

...

After a couple more exercises, Miss Jenn has them all sit on the stage as she starts to talk about the next exercise. "What is acting, really? Acting...is reacting." She says throwing a ball at Carlos' head. Marie covers her mouth to stop her laughing. "Ow!" Carlos looks towards Miss Jenn in disbelief. "In character, Lumiere." She reprimands. Carlos just lifts his arms up to act as candlesticks, "Ow..."

"Ricky, could you please put your phone down and join the family?" Miss Jenn asks, before throwing the ball towards him. Which he caught and just nods in response before tossing the ball back towards her.

...

"Okay. Ashlyn will start us off and, Marie, agree with what Ashlyn says and then add on. It's 'Yes, And' people. Remember, improv works best when you are all in. If you've got one foot out the door, it does now work and the audience will smell you fear. Fun! Let's get a suggestion from the group on a location." Miss Jenn explains. "The Louvre?" E.J suggests. "Sure, the Louvre, okay. Go ahead. You ready? Okay." 

Ashlyn starts off the exercise, in a french accent. "Now, Madame Rousseau, I understand your here to look into purchasing some art." Marie looks at her confused but says, "From the Louvre?" Ashlyn thinks of what to say for a second until speaking, "Well, if one's as rich as you are, Madame, one can purchase nearly any piece of art. Take this piece. Do you like it?" Ashlyn gestures to an imaginary piece of art. "Yeah, I'm not sure." Marie responds anxiously.  "Well, what is your heart telling you?" Ashlyn asks, holding her hand on her heart. Marie just look around the room and answers blankly, "I really don't know."

"Yes, and?" Miss Jenn encourages from the sidelines. Ashlyn stops them from continuing, dropping her french accent. "Yes, and maybe we should take a break." Marie looks on watching as she goes to sit back down, and apologizes. "I'm sorry." Miss Jenn then stops her, as Marie goes to sit back down slightly embarrassed. "It's okay. We're learning. We're learning. There are no rules here. Except that I will need you to do it correctly. Okay, let's try a new pair as an example. Um... Carlos and Seb, you boys wanna try?" Miss Jenn says before moving on.

Marie turns back to Ashlyn to apologize, "Hey, I'm sorry, I totally ruined your scene. I've never done improv before so..." She trails off. "Actually, you just have to agree with what I say and then add something else. It's not that intense." Ashlyn snaps back at her. Marie just nods and let's her words sink in, before getting up and walking out of the room.

...

The next day, the group was back in the bunker, ready for more things Miss Jenn was going to make them do today. As if on cue Miss Jenn walks into the room with a clipboard in hand, "Five questions to really know someone's character. Today, I want you all to go fully method. Stay in character for this entire exercise. I want each of you to come forward, I'll prompt you with a question and you'll answer in character." She explains before looking for someone to start, "Gaston, let's start with you." E.J goes to stand in front of everybody, as Ashlyn quietly cheers for him.

"Question One. 'If you had to pick one book to live inside, what would it be and why?" Miss Jenn asks him. "Ooh. Uh... Like a book of etiquette? You know, 'cause Gaston could really use some manners,always spitting and shooting stuff, like 'Chill, Gaston.'" E.J answers making everybody laugh. "Love that. Okay. 'What would you ask your future self?'" Miss Jenn says, before Ricky interrupts them, "Oh, trick question. Gaston's dead." He states, everyone is slightly confused by his comment but E.J ignores the boy and answers anyway. "I'd ask him if he could ever learn to love anyone after Belle. I mean, anything's possible, right?" Miss Jenn just nods and smiles at the boy, "Intriguing." Everybody starts to clap for him as he goes to sit back down. "Belle. Wanna give it a go?" Miss Jenn asks, looking over to Marie, who just smiles and nods before going up to the front.

"If you had to pick one book to live inside, which book would it be and why?" Miss Jenn asks her. "Ooh. That's tough, there's so many. Um...I would have to go with Romeo and Juliet." Marie answers. "Now, why that book?" Miss Jenn questions. "Just the fantasy of these two star crossed lovers coming together, only for it to end badly. Maybe there's no such thing as happy endings." Marie answers and looks up to Miss Jenn, who had somewhat of a proud smile on her face. "Perfect. Next question. what would you ask your future self?" She continues. "I guess, if I ever missed the days when it was just Papa and I." Marie answers, looking down at her shoes. "And, why would you miss that?" Miss Jenn asks, "It was simpler then, now I live in a big castle with everything I could ever ask for. Maybe it was better, mostly the same routine, always helping Papa with his inventions." Marie now was trying to fight back tears, not wanting to cry in front of everyone. Miss Jenn notices sudden change in emotions and calls for a ten minute break. As soon as she said that Marie stands up and walks out of the room, wiping her eyes and nose in the process.

...

Marie walks into the dressing room to grab her stuff to leave, but just sees Ashlyn on her phone. "I guess I should give you some space, shouldn't I?" Marie questions, stay a good distance away from the redhead. Ashlyn looks up from her phone to look at Marie. "Suit yourself." Marie turns to leave but stops and turns back around to face her. "Look, Ashlyn, I didn't know how or the right time to tell you this, but my mom hot a job in Louisiana and I've never lived in Louisiana before so I think I'm going to join her."

"You're leaving?" Ashlyn asks, "It's not what you think..." Marie starts, "Hold on. Look, um, I know I can be a little moody sometimes." Ashlyn objects, Marie opens her mouth to speak but Ashlyn stops her again. "When I saw that video of North High. I get snappy when I feel threatened. I can't help it, I'm still a Caswell." Marie chuckles at her. "Ashlyn... I don't think you know this but, its my birthday next week. And I hate telling people it's my birthday because I hate it, and it brings up bad memories that I just wish would stop." Marie rambles, until Ashlyn stops her. "Woah, okay. So, why does your birthday bring up bad memories?" She asks as Marie sits down across from her.

"It was my eighth birthday, I never like having big parties or anything. Just me and my dad was perfect."

A small girl was sitting on her bed drawing in a notebook, until a dark haired man with bright blue eyes just like his daughter came knocking on her door. "Hey, who's ready for some birthday fun!" The man exclaimed, jumping around the girls' room in excitement, which made his daughter laugh at his dorkiness.

The dark haired man had stopped jumping around and sits on his daughters bed. "Okay. Important question." The man starts before his daughter asked, "How important?" He smiles, "The most important question you will ever be asked in your life." He says, dramatically. "Presents or cake first?" The man asks, leaving the girl to think for a minute before deciding on cake first.

"Ahh, okay. Cake first it is. Come on." He says standing up, motioning for her to follow him. The two walk down the hall, "I have to go get your cake from the store, okay?" The man says, crouching down to her level. The girl nods in response. "How about you go wait in the living room for me to come back with birthday cake."

The girl smiles and goes to run to sit on the couch and wait for him to get back. The man goes by the door and puts on his jacket and grabs his keys and wallet. "Hey. Don't open your gifts until I come back." He says, looking to her. "Okay, bye dad." The girl says from her spot on the couch. The man take one last look towards his daughter before walking out the door to his car and pulling out of the driveway, and down the street.

"He said he would be back soon. So, I waited, and waited for him to come back but her never did." Marie says, with tears forming in her eyes and he voice shaky. "People said that he just left me and decided to never come back. But I always would like to think that if he ever decided to leave, he wound take me with him." There's a moment of silence before she finished. "But I guess I'm wrong. I think he's got a new family now."

"Marie, I am so sorry. I don't know really know what to say." Ashlyn says, "It's okay. You don't have to say anything." Marie says, looking up towards her fellow redhead only for her to ask. "Did you ever open the gift? The one he got you?"

Marie sighs, "No, I still have it actually. Been carrying it around for eight years now. Anyways it's just been really hard and Louisiana sounds like a nice break."

"Marie? Ashlyn?" Carlos call from outside, snapping them out of their thoughts. "Okay, isn't there some magical thing I could say to make you consider staying?" Ashlyn asks, "I wish but... this isn't, you know, a musical. Can't sing and dance our way out of this one." Marie says, backing away to the door. Carlos peeks his head in, "Hey, you guys ready for some improvisation?" Marie turns to face him, smiling. "Of course."

...

Marie walked back into the room to have Miss Jenn come up to her. "Hey, is everything okay?" she questions, "Yeah, actually could I ask for permission to do some extra character development by singing a song from our show instead?" Marie asks. Miss Jenn grins, "Of course."

Marie: Yes, I made the choice
For papa, I will stay
But I don't deserve to to lose my freedom in this way
You monster!
If you think that what you've done is right, well then
You're a fool!
Think again!
Is this home?
Is this where I should learn to be happy?
Never dreamed
That a home could be dark and cold
I was told
Ev'ry day in my childhood:
Even when we grow old
Home should me where the heart is
Never were words so true!
My heart's far, far away
Home is too
Is this home
Is this what I must learn to believe in
Try to find
Something good in this tragic place
Just in case
I should stay here forever
Held in this empty space
Oh, but that won't be easy
I know the reason why
My heart's far, far away
Home's a lie
What I'd give to return
To the life that I knew lately
But I know that I can't
Solve my problems going back
Is this home?
Am I here for a day or forever?
Shut away
From the world until who knows when
Oh, but then
As my life has been altered once
It can change again
Build higher walls around me
Change ev'ry lock and key
Nothing lasts, nothing holds
All of me
My heart's far, far away
Home and free!

After Marie stops singing she walks over to Gina who was crying and they both hold the other one in their arms.

-
AUTHORS NOTE
hello i'm back, it's been awhile. sorry about that, just got really busy
this chapter lowkey kind of sucks