#♫ — ( v12 ) on a silver screen living life like i'm in a dream | hollywood

[melodyplucked]

@inspotlight

Now our dreams are coming true

❝   they really are, aren't they, angel?   ❞  being cast in this film together was only the latest and best development in their respective careers, as fledgling as they still were. he knew for most people, his decision to just follow his girlfriend out to los angeles without a doubt in his mind seemed ridiculous, they'd only just finished high school. but at nineteen, going on twenty, they're in such a good place professionally to really make things happen for themselves. to build the sort of careers and lives they want.  ❝   we start rehearsals with everyone officially tomorrow- this really is the start of a new chapter for us.   ❞  with nini sitting with him on the couch in their living room, he's rubbing his thumb over her hand more than he's picking at his lunch, the news out officially on social media and comments pouring in.

[melodyplucked]

he appreciates how sweet she is- but he really doesn't mean it that way anyway.   ❝    i know my love. i swear- not meaning it in a bad way. i just obviously hadn't made a name for myself in the world when you came out here for that show.   ❞    he promises, offering her a warm smile.   ❝    all i ever want to be is somebody to you, honestly. and i know i always have been. and always will be. i'd be happy to just be the guy who gets to be with you forever- i don't need anyone else   ❞    he caresses her hand a bit as she rubs her thumb over his. they really do have a special kind of love. they've been in love since they were so young, this crazy hollywood life had nothing to do with it. it wouldn't shake them- he'd never let that happen.   ❝    i think you know i'm already promising to be yours forever- but it'll be pretty amazing to get to declare our love in front of everyone that matters to us.   ❞    not like they don't also do that already... but that's besides the point.   ❝    i love that i'm going to get to be your husband.   ❞    

he nods at the words, listening with the sweetest smile on his face.   ❝    and i'm so proud of you- watching your dreams come true has made me so happy, neens. and to get to work with you like this- that's pretty incredible   ❞    it's what he's been dreaming about too.   ❝    this is a really big deal- and i mean... there's obviously no one i'd rather be on this journey with than you. i probably wouldn't be doing any of this if not for you- so thank you angel.   ❞    he picks up his glass again, holding it out to her.   ❝    cheers to us.   ❞    

she     frowns,     giving     him     a     look.     ❝     you     weren't     nobody.     nobody     is     nobody.     and     you're     the     love     of     my     life,     so     you've     always     been     my     somebody.     ❞     she     tells     him,     her     thumb     absentmindedly     stroking     the     back     of     his     hand.     he     was     right,     though,     on     the     other     point.     dating     him     wasn't     going     to     do     anything     for     her     career     when     they     were     fifteen.     she'd     dated     him     because     she     loved     him.     she     had     always     loved     him.     it     was     fine     that     nobody     else     understood     that,     what     a     love     like     theirs     could     be,     but     she     adored     it.     ❝     being     your     wife     is     going     to     be     amazing.     i     can't     wait.     ❞     she     tells     him,     frown     from     only     moments     before     transforming     into     a     warm     grin.     she     was     excited     to     get     to     walk     down     the     aisle     to     him     so     they     could     promise     themselves     to     each     other     for     eternity.     not     that     she     needed     a     ceremony     for     that,     she'd     already     made     that     commitment     years     ago.     

she     beams     as     he     kisses     her     hand,     such     soft     affection     that     meant     the     world     to     her.     ❝     i've     wanted     this     since     i     moved     out     here.     to     be     with     you     permanently,     work     together,     make     music.     this     is     everything     i     ever     dreamed     of.     ❞     she     tells     him,     lifting     her     glass     to     take     a     small     sip     of     her     water.     ❝     i'm     really     excited.     this     is     huge,     and     i     love     more     than     anything     that     i     get     to     do     it     with     you.     that     we're     having     this     experience     together.     ❞

[melodyplucked]

♫ — verse tag drop — ♫

♫ — ( v0 ) everyone comes here but nobody leaves | unspecified

♫ — ( v1 ) i jumped across for you oh what a thing to do | main

♫ — ( v2 ) your eyes looked like coming home | mamma mia

♫ — ( v3 ) singing sad songs in a hotel room | alone in la

♫ — ( v4 ) set fire to the rain | pro skater

♫ — ( v5 ) hope i never lose you hope it never ends | nyc

♫ — ( v6 ) let me live that fantasy | royal

♫ — ( v7 ) lace up my high tops | stevens point

♫ — ( v8 ) wish i had a river so long i could teach my feet to fly | figure skater

♫ — ( v9 ) whole school is rolling fake dice you play stupid games you win stupid prizes | stranger things

♫ — ( v10 ) american glory faded before me | homecoming royalty

♫ — ( v11 ) all that we are but not all that we'll ever be | right wrong number

♫ — ( v12 ) on a silver screen living life like i'm in a dream | hollywood

♫ — ( v13 ) feelings we had before when we were so innocent | wedding date

♫ — ( v14 ) with my first and final rose | the bachelor

--

♫ — ( gv1 ) unitas est invicta | nevermore academy

--

♫ — ( cv1 ) start of something new | hsm

♫ — ( cv2 ) tale as old as time | beauty and the beast

♫ — ( cv3 ) who knew cuddling on trampolines could be so reckless | camp shallow lake

♫ — ( cv4 ) something in the summer wind | senior summer

[melodyplucked]

   ❝    it is a big deal... big responsibility... but i know we can do anything together, neens. i really believe that.   ❞    he's not sure he'd have the confidence to do something like this without her as his partner- in life and in the project... but he does. and there's no sense in wondering about any other reality. he sets his salad aside to wrap his arm around her now that she's put her phone down.   ❝    yeah- you were really young when this all started for you... kinda funny- going from nini's boyfriend back home to- well- all this. but i wouldn't trade our journey for anything, you know? and i can't see myself this happy not being by your side. you did have to get used to it early, but like i was there for you from miles away before... i get you here right by my side... and you'll always have me right here too.   ❞    his eyes are so soft as he cuddles in closer to her, resting his head against hers lightly.

❝    this    is    the    biggest    movie    i've    ever    done.    it's    kind    of    scary    to    be    stepping    into    this    multimillion    dollar    ordeal,    but    i'm    so    thankful    that    you're    the    one    i    get    to    do    this    with.    ❞    she    tells    him,    setting    her    phone    face    down    on    the    couch    cushion    next    to    her.    her    moms'    already    knew    about    the    casting    and    the    movie,    so    they    hadn't    text    her    in    a    frenzy    about    the    article,    but    their    congratulations    had    come    in,    and    that    was    really    the    only    text    nini    had    been    waiting    for.    now    that    she'd    replied    to    her    closest    friends,    she    was    ready    to    just    cuddle    with    ricky    and    enjoy    the    publicity    that    the    casting    announcement    was    going    to    get.    ❝    yeah,    i    mean,    i    think    i've    just    gotten    used    to    it.    i    was    so    young    when    i    booked ��  that    show,    i    had    to    adjust    fast.    i    love    being    your    cute    tour    guide,    though.    i'm    glad    i    can    show    you    around    and    we    can    share    this.    ❞

[melodyplucked]

   ❝    yeah i'll never understand... and in a non self-deprecating way... i was nobody when we got together. what would dating me do for your career or your image? like obviously once i came out here it was good for me, but why would you date me for pr reasons, it doesn't make sense...   ❞    he shakes his head.   ❝    but yeah i mean- our relationship is something special- it's never going to change... you know i'm going to marry you someday. i've been dreaming about you since we were so young...   ❞    ricky beams, taking a sip from his glass. they're not the norm in hollywood, not by a long-shot, but they're happy. that's what matters at the end of the day. and moving in with her out here was one of the best decisions he could've made. and to do a project with her now? incredible...

he tilts his head, so much adoration in his eyes as she blows him a kiss and he catches it, before raising their joined hands to his lips, pressing a soft kiss to her skin before lowering them again.   ❝    i know... it's really a dream come true. plus music? this is an incredible opportunity.   ❞    at her question he shakes his head.   ❝    i uh- can't say i saw the email today, but i could've missed it...  neens- angel that's amazing! getting to write something together for something of this scale...  ❞    beyond his wildest dreams.

she'd    been    eagerly    anticipating    the    day    when    they    could    finally    share    the    news    that    they    were    going    to    be    in    a    movie    musical    together.    they'd    been    quietly    keeping    it    to    themselves,    only    telling    those    closest    to    them    the    good    news,    like    her    moms    and    his    dad,    so    when    the    news    was    finally    out,    it    was    nice    to    be    able    to    talk    about    it.    even    if    she    didn't    particularly    want    to    talk    about    it    with    the    paparazzi    that    was    currently    outside    the    restaurant,    hoping    for    a    comment.    she's    gotten    used    to    the    paparazzi    over    the    years,    but    she    still    doesn't    like    the    flashing    lights    in    her    eyes,    and    it's    nice    to    be    able    to    cuddle    in    close    to    ricky    and    ignore    what's    going    on    around    them    as    they    make    their    way    inside.    

❝    they    seem    to    think    that    it's    fake,    or    for    publicity,    or    some    other    stupid    idea    they've    gotten    into    their    heads.    i    mean,    you    were    still    in    salt    lake    city    when    we    started    dating,    i    was    here    for    half    the    year,    and    we've    never    wavered.    i    don't    get    why    they    don't    just    accept    it.    i've    been    sure    about    you    since    we    were    just    kids.    ❞    she    knew    it    might    seem    crazy    to    some    people,    but    what    she    and    ricky    had    was    special,    and    she    would    never    doubt    that.    now,    they    were    finally    living    together,    and    she'd    hoped    that    the    stupid    questions    would    have    stopped    once    they    posted    about    moving    in    together,    but    it    only    seemed    to    spur    on    their    insistency    that    the    relationship    must    be    fake.    as    if    a    fourteen    year    old    had    had    any    reason    to    start    a    pr    relationship?    and    with    someone    who    was    unknown    at    the    time?    what    would    the    point    have    been    of    that?    

she    blushes    when    he    looks    at    her,    that    loving    expression    on    his    face,    and    blows    him    a    sweet    kiss.    ❝    i    love    you,    ricky.    i've    wanted    to    make    a    movie    with    you    for    so    long,    i    can't    believe    we    finally    get    to    do    this    now.    did    you    hear    from    the    director,    by    the    way?    i    got    an    email    this    morning    asking    if    we    wanted    to    work    on    music    for    the    score...    they    know    how    much    we    like    writing    together.    ❞

[melodyplucked]

he tends to try to take her out on dates pretty often, even now that they are living together, they still try to keep things exciting, do something special together. but tonight is extra special because of the occasion. the deadline announcement had finally come out about their casting in their big movie together... and of course it's a musical. because how could it not be. music is their thing together after all. ever since he followed nini to los angeles at 18, he'd been hoping they'd get to do a project together. that time had finally come. next week they start production, meet all the rest of the cast and crew, but tonight is all about them. he'd gotten them reservations at an upscale restaurant one of his new friends had recommended they try, and this sort of night certainly fit the bill for something worth splurging for.

the whole paparazzi thing was something he definitely despised, though he does all he can not to let it show. the constant violations of their privacy shouldn't be legal. but he supposes at lease these kinds of questions were more annoying than invasive tonight. not a question about the movie though- just about if they're together. his hand rests firmly on her hip as he guides her inside carefully, an easy smile on his face as she buries hers in the back of his jacket. they're safe inside though, thankfully, and they're seated fairly immediately in the back, much to his satisfaction. away from the crowds and prying eyes.

ricky chuckles at her words.    ❝    i mean he is taking you out on a very nice date tonight...   ❞    he teases her right back so easily, reaching out for her other hand as she sips from her wine glass.    ❝    we've been together what- six years now more or less? going on seven... and they're still asking   ❞    maybe it's rare for 21 year olds to be in a seven year relationship, but he couldn't help but question why that's still up for debate. he just takes a moment to admire her now though, staring at his girlfriend's face lovingly.    ❝    i love you nini, i can't wait for this new chapter for us... making a film together... it's really gonna be special.   ❞

their    date    tonight    came    on    the    heels    of    their    casting    announcement    for    a    movie    they    would    be    filming    together,    and    they'd    wanted    to    celebrate    the    excitement    of    finally    getting    to    work    together.    nini    had    been    splitting    her    time    between    salt    lake    city    and    hollywood    since    she    was    thirteen    and    landed    the    lead    role    in    a    glee    rip-off    set    in    outer    space,    but    then    ricky    had    followed    after    her    a    few    years    later,    and    they'd    been    happily    living    together    ever    since,    pursuing    their    dreams,    and    hoping    that    one    day    they'd    get    to    work    together.    finally,    that    day    was    coming.

❝    NINA!    NINA!    over    here,    can    we    get    a    picture?!    are    you    dating    ricky    bowen?!    ❞    the    paparazzi    shouted    as    they    walked    inside,    nini    hiding    her    face    against    ricky's    back    as    he    led    her    into    the    restaurant,    and    thankfully,    the    establishment    frowned    upon    the    media    vultures    coming    inside    to    antagonize    their    patrons.    she    was    happy    to    be    led    inside    by    her    amazing    boyfriend    and    as    they    were    seated    at    a    booth    in    the    far    corner    of    the    restaurant,    she    couldn't    help    but    let    a    cheesy    grin    spread    across    her    face.    the    place    was    nice    —    far    nicer    than    she    was    used    to,    but    this    was    a    celebration,    after    all.    

❝    so,    answer    the    paparazzi's    question,    am    i    dating    ricky    bowen?    ❞    she    teases    once    they're    settled    into    their    seats.    a    glass    of    wine    in    front    of    her    in    mere    moments,    she    took    a    sip    as    she    gazed    lovingly    at    ricky.

@melodyplucked