Did it have to be her?

No. She couldn't do this right now. The full dress rehearsal starts in five minutes and she had to be ready. She needed this workshop. Even one small slip-up couldn't be afforded tomorrow.

"Just breathe...clear your mind." Closing her eyes, Raleigh took in a few deep breaths and tried to calm herself down.

"You know, sometimes it helps to just step away from a practical solution and just smack the crap out of something."

Whipping around, Raleigh felt herself start when she heard the voice come from behind her.

"I didn't know I was being watched." Raleigh allowed herself a smile at the Dan's suggestion. Punching something actually didn't sound half bad.

"Sorry. I just wanted to see how it was going." He walked a few steps closer to her and never looked away. "So what's got you near a panic attack? Not the show I hope."

Shaking her head, Raleigh closed her eyes for a brief moment. "No, I'm totally fine with the show. I've performed a countless amount of times back home."

"Then what is it?"

Her mind screamed for her to tell him, to tell anyone so she could be reassured that feeling this way about Josh's confession was completely normal. But another part of her screamed that she was a hypocrite, judging him for one drunken night when she had done far worse.

When she failed to answer, Dan nodded in understanding, looking down. "I'm sorry, it's none of my business."

"No, Dan, I'm sorry. It's just...I'm having an inner battle with myself." She laughed uneasily trying to mask her true emotions.

"About Josh?" Biting her lip, Raleigh could only nod. She could feel the tears welling in her eyes with a powerful threat to fall.

"I am such a hypocrite."

"Why?"

"Yesterday, he takes me to this amazing place he found just for me and then he tells me that he got drunk and slept with this girl at his school. A girl that I hate. And he just kept apologizing, telling me how much it tore him apart inside for what he did even though we aren't together right now. And I told him it's ok, I'm fine with it."

"But you're not."

"No. And I should be because here I am doing far worse to him."

"Does he know?"

"About you and Effron? No. I couldn't bring myself to tell him. And it's so not fair to him, he deserves better than that. I have never lied to him, but I just couldn't take the chance of him looking at me with disgust for the things I've done."

Putting his hands on her shoulders, Dan looked her in the eyes. "Raleigh, you told me you wish everyday that you can go back and tell Josh that you were pregnant instead of hiding it and getting an abortion. You need to tell him about this. About us. He might be upset about everything, but he loves you. Hell, he's out there in that small audience waiting to see you go out there and shine like the superstar he knows you are. If you guys can get through all the drama you've had to face, you will get through two guys and a girl."

Looking up into Dan's emerald green eyes, Raleigh couldn't stop herself from wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him into her. "Thank you, Dan."

"You‘re welcome." He held her for a moment before pulling away. "Alright, well you go on in exactly..." He looked at his watch and his eyes widened. "twenty seconds. So I gotta get back out there. Relax." He kissed her on the forehead before going back out to join the other teachers and Josh.

Finally getting her bearings, Raleigh headed out to where she was supposed to be when the curtain rose and took her stance. It was only the dress rehearsal, but it felt like opening night.

As soon as that curtain went up and Josh saw Raleigh on stage singing and dancing and just having a great time being Mimi Marquez, Josh saw everything that made him fall in love with her in the first place. Her smile, her voice, the way her body moved. She lived and breathed performing, and she was amazing at it. She had such grace and chemistry when moving about with Effron, Josh had a hard time telling himself it was all just an act.

He hadn't wanted to admit it, but at the end of the show, when "Mimi" and "Roger" were performing finale A, he'd had tears in his eyes. Every line of hers, Raleigh said with such passion and emotion. It felt as though she were truly dying in her love's arms. As if it were the last time she'd ever get to tell him she loved him.

Some things just hit way too close to home.

When they ended the show, Josh, along with the professors, stood up, clapping and cheering madly. It had been amazing. There was no doubt in his mind that the audience the following night would feel just as moved by the performance.

Going backstage, Josh went right up to her and took her in his arms, kissing her on the mouth. With a smile, Raleigh looked at him. "what was that for?"

"You were amazing. Can't wait to see everyone's reaction to you tomorrow night."

"Don't make me nervous." Raleigh kissing him once more. "Let me go to the dorm and take a quick shower then we can get going, ok?"

"Alright. I'll just hang out. Call me when you're ready." Keeping to her word, Raleigh took a quick shower and called Josh within fifteen minutes. Luckily the dorms weren't far off from the main building. Upon rounding the corner, Raleigh immediately ducked into a nearby classroom when she saw Effron and Autumn coming toward her. Luckily they hadn't seen her so she could slip back out quietly and head back to Josh. She wasn't really one to avoid people, but Effron was just really bothering her the past few days.

Finally coming back to the auditorium, Raleigh immediately stopped when she saw Daniel and Josh in conversation. Taking a breath, Raleigh figured that just because they were talking, there was no need to worry. Daniel wouldn't tell Josh anything about them.

Sliding into Josh's side, Raleigh plastered a smiled on her face as she kissed Josh lightly on the lips. "Hello Mr. Cooper."

"Ms. Coons. I was just telling Josh here that you did a great job today. I can't wait to see your performance tomorrow night."

"That makes two of us." Josh circled his arm around her waist and gave her a look to show how proud he was of her.

"Thank you, Mr. Cooper. It means a lot to know I meet your expectations for the show."

"Like I told you when I cast you, you were born to play Mimi." Raleigh allowed the redness to seep onto her skin and she looked at Josh.

"Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah. It was nice meeting you, Dan."

"And you, Josh. See you tomorrow, Raleigh." Raleigh waved him a goodbye before looking at Josh once again.

"You're on a first-name basis with my theater professor?"

Shrugging, Josh continued to look ahead of him. "He's a cool guy."

Raleigh felt her mind swimming. Great. This was just great. She had planned on telling Josh everything, about she and Effron...and the guy Josh thought of as cool. How was he really going to react now? Once they got up to Josh's hotel room, He immediately embraced her, meeting her mouth with his. Raleigh nearly allowed herself to lose her thoughts in him, but she couldn't. It was too important that he know the truth about what she'd been doing.

"Hey, what's wrong?" He looked at her with such care and worry it caused the guilt to thicken within her.

Putting her hand on his cheek, Raleigh willed the tears away. How many times was she going to cry over this man? "I don't deserve you."

"Ray, you're scaring me, what's going on?" When she just dropped her hand and looked away, Josh put his finger under her chin, bringing her eyes to meet his. "If it's anything, it's me that doesn't deserve you. I mean, you've forgiven me for a lot of things. You've allowed me a second chance at your heart. And I love you for that."

"Josh, I would have given anything for you to look at me like this four months ago when I thought it was impossible for you to forgive and love me again." Swallowing, Raleigh took a breath before continuing. "And I'll give anything for you to look at me this way after I tell you what I need to."

Why at those words did Josh's stomach suddenly drop? "Raleigh, what are you talking about?"

"Yesterday, when you told me about you and Erin, I lied to you about being ok with it. It really bothered me and got me thinking, what if she really was the reason you had sent that letter, breaking up with me? What if you had lied to me about her when she came to see you in Shelby? But it took a lot or courage for you to tell me you were sleeping with her, and I know that if anything else had been going on you would have told me yesterday. So I have no reason to not trust you when you say nothing is going on with her emotionally. And I have no reason to not tell you, what's been going on here while you've been at NYU."

Josh laughed a little, trying to lighten the mood. "What, are you sleeping around or something?" When Raleigh only looked away and bit her lip, Josh knew this topic was anything but light-hearted. "Raleigh, I was joking."

"I know. But I'm not."

Nodding, Josh willed himself to continue looking into her eyes. "It's Effron isn't it?"

"That obvious, huh?"

"Well, its not like the guy was hiding his obvious disdain for me. And now I know why. But I can't really say that I can blame the guy. You're an amazing woman, Raleigh. Any guy would be blind not to go after you." After a moment of silence, Josh quietly asked, "So...are you still seeing him?"

"No! No, it's over between us. Whatever we had going, it's over. For good."

"Ok." Wrapping his arms around her, Josh pulled her back into him. "Then I have nothing to be upset about.

Yes you do.

Her head screamed for her to tell him about Daniel, but she couldn't bring herself to. Josh liked, and more importantly, respected the man. How could she tell him that the guy he looked up to was sleeping with his student? She was honest with him about Effron, that was enough.

---

Looking around her, Raleigh took in her surroundings. Everyone was stretching, exercising their voices, or trying to calm their nerves. The show opened in less than five minutes and it was a full house. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't nervous, but Raleigh was nowhere near as bad as Autumn. She'd thrown up twice already.

Closing her eyes, Raleigh rolled her head from side to side, taking deep breaths. Suddenly someone grabbed her and put their mouth to hers. Opening her eyes, Raleigh saw it was Effron and she immediately pushed him away.

"What are you doing?"

"I just wanted a good luck kiss." He gave her his egotistical smile and she fought to not smack it right off his smug face.

"Effron, Josh is out there. He's here in LA."

"Yeah, and?"

"It shows how much he really does love me and I love him back. I won't do this anymore. You and I are done and as far as I'm concerned, nothing ever happened." She could tell she'd hit a nerve by the way his jaw twitched and the look in his eyes, but she didn't give a damn. Someone needed to put a knotch in his pride.

Before Effron could get out another word Dan was back there clapping his hands together to get all of his students' attention.

"All right, thirty seconds to curtain so take your places! Break a leg everyone!" Casting one more glance to Effron, Raleigh took her stance and put her focus fully on her performance. She refused to let one guy stand in her way from giving her all.

When the show was over, Raleigh hugged everyone as they celebrated. Everyone had been on and they all felt the critics were going to give rave reviews. The audience had responded extremely well and all the professors seemed thrilled and pleased.

Pulling away, Autumn shouted above the cheering. "Josh has had you to himself since he got here so I think you guys need to come out with us all tonight and celebrate."

"You know what? A night out sounds great."

"Good. We're gonna go and shower and change then we're all meeting up at the Neon Blade. My cousin just re-opened it and its even hotter than before. She'll hook us up."

"Cool. I'll go change and get Josh and we'll see you there."

"Awesome." Autumn hugged her once more before getting lost in the crowd once again.

After putting her sweats back on, Raleigh went out to the audience, which now only held the professors speaking with a couple reporters and Josh. She immediately jumped into Josh's arms and kissed him.

"You never cease to amaze me, Ray. The show was great. Better than everyone's expectations I think."

"Thank you, Josh. Hey, do you want to go out tonight? Everyone's going downtown to a club Autumn's cousin owns."

"Sure." Josh put his arm around her waist and as they walked away, Raleigh looked over her shoulder back at Dan. He waved and gave her a smile as if to say everything was going great. Once they got to the hotel, Raleigh got in the shower then dried and curled her hair, did her make-up and put on the dress she'd been dieing to wear.

As soon she was happy with her appearance they left the hotel and got back into the car and headed to meet everyone.

Once Josh threw the car in park, Raleigh got Autumn on the phone.

"Hey, you guys here yet?"

"Yeah, we're at the door waiting for Violet so get your ass here."

"We're coming." Raleigh closed her phone and they headed to the front door, getting there just as Autumn hugged a woman she assumed was Violet.

"Girl I haven't seen you in so long. How big is Blaire now?"

"Oh she's getting big. You really need to come over. She misses you."

"I will. Are you gonna get a chance to come to the show?"

"Yeah, we have tickets for Friday night."

"Awesome. So this is basically the main cast. Effron, Ember, Davey, Raleigh and her friend Josh."

"It's nice to meet you all. I'm gonna take you all up to VIP and all drinks are on the house." Violet put an X on everyone's hand as they walked through the crowded club and up to the VIP section.

Raleigh already felt like a star. The group immediately went to the bar and did two shots for the great show then they all dispersed to dance with different people. They had only been there an hour and Raleigh was beginning to feel the effects of the alcohol and it was welcomed. Autumn and Ember had disappeared to the bathroom for a few minutes and Raleigh knew they had hit a few lines and she was tempted to join them, but she couldn't. Josh couldn't know. What would he think? Raleigh felt someone tap her on the shoulder and she rolled her eyes when she saw it was Effron.

"Mind if I cut in?"

"Yes." Raleigh said sharply as Josh backed away with a no. "What?"

"Hey its alright. I gotta hit the head anyway."

"Ok." But that didn't stop her from reaching up and kissing Josh deeply in front of Effron. Looking at Joshing lovingly, She said "Hurry back." Of course the dj chose that moment to put on a slow song and Effron wasted no time in pulling her to him.

"You know, if I recall correctly, just a few days ago you were dieing to touch me, now lover boy shows up and suddenly you don't want to be near me. Why is that?"

"Because from the second Josh got here you've been a total prick. Would it kill you to be even a little nice?"

"I am nice. But see, I think you don't want to be near me because you're afraid you might slip up in front of Romeo there. I know how I make you feel, and in your mind staying away is easier than looking at me and not being able to touch." Effron took a hold of Raleigh's hand and slid it down to his waist before getting ever closer to her, his lips just a whisper away from her own. "But it just makes you want me that much more." Raleigh felt her eyes close as she reveled in his feather light touch, the sweet hot breath slowly blowing onto her lips, she ached to move that one tiny centimeter and kiss him the way she hadn't been able to in what felt like so long. As their bodies swayed to the slow, erotic beat, Raleigh imagined them on his bed, intertwined in the heat of passion once again. She could feel him within her, hear her gasps for air as the pleasure became nearly too much for her to take.

Effron bent his head and slowly licked the sweat from her neck, trailing soft wet kissing up to her ear where he whispered, "So tell me, is the sex that much greater with Romeo?"

Opening her eyes, Raleigh forced herself from the fantasy and she pulled away from him. "You have some nerve, Effron."

"Ah, so that is it isn't it? You've left me because you're getting it elsewhere. You don't want to feel like a total slut so you stay away from the one you lose control around."

"I would love nothing more than to slap that smug smile off your face right now but I refuse to make a scene in Autumn's cousin's place." Getting close to him, Raleigh made sure he saw her point as clear as day. "And not that it's any of your business, I haven't slept with Josh in nearly a year."

Walking away from him, Raleigh tried her hardest not to turn around and punch him right in the nose.

"Hey, you alright?" Autumn asked as Raleigh came over to grab her purse. She had seen the entire thing and she had been sold, fully thinking Raleigh was about to grab him and devour all her senses in him right then and there, regardless if Josh was there or not.

"Fine. I'm just gonna go out and get some air."

"Want me to go with you?"

"No that's ok. I'll be back in a few. Just let Josh know for me, huh?"

"Yeah."

As soon as Raleigh got outside, she pulled a pack of Marlboro smooths from her purse and lit up, taking a long drag and slowly exhaling. "Oh it has been far too long, my friend."

Coming out of the club, Josh saw Raleigh leaning against the wall looking up at the sky and he headed over to her. Stopping mid stride, he shook his head when he saw her raise the cigarette to her mouth and she took a long drag of it before flicking some ashes to the ground.

Going right up to her, Josh simply said, "Thought you quit."

"I tend to smoke when I get stressed."

"You know, it does nothing but give you cancer."

"So you've said." Raleigh smiled as she took one last puff and dropped the cigarette to the ground and put it out with her foot. "You remember the last time you said that to me?"

"Oh yeah. You slapped me, called me a backstabbing bastard or something of the like and stormed off."

"Well you pissed me off."

"Well I was mad at you. Honestly I was surprised James wasn't there."

Raleigh had to allow herself to laugh. "You beat the hell out of him! He may have been an asshole but he wasn't stupid enough to show his face around you after that."

"In my defense, he deserved it. Shouldn't have been running his mouth like that."

Looking at Josh, Raleigh felt herself biting her lip. She should have told him this from the first accusation. "Josh, I need you to know something."

"What's that?"

"I never slept with James. You and I were broken up but...I still loved you too much to be with anyone else."

"You know, part of me wanted to believe that all along but the fact that you never denied it was just too much."

"Yeah, I know." Putting his arm around her, Josh pulled her to him and he kissed her head.

"Come on, I think we could use another drink."

"Oh yeah."