Meeting Me Halfway (HSMTMTS Fanfiction)

Chapter 43

Nini
"Your fucking me right Ricky?" I ask, distraught.
"Uhm-"
"Your going to tell me, RIGHT AFTER, I just had a WHOLE conversation with him?!"
"You didn't tell him anything about your personal life did you?"
"I mean I said somethings but Jesus why did you tell me earlier!? Where'd you run off to anyway?" I put my seatbelt in.
"I told you. I didn't feel well! That doesn't matter. What did you tell him?"
"Just our past. Nothing more nothing less." I slouch down. "Let's just go to East High. Please."
He pulls the gear.

"Hey Gina." I say with a smile, walking up to her for a hug. "Just you here?"
"Had to come a little early. I was working on choreography for the dance. The new kid, James, he knows what to do and I'm lowkey impressed." She gives me a smile before looking at Ricky. Her smile faded. "Am I missing something? What does he look so depressed?"
I look behind me to see Ricky with a bland face. He shrugs his shoulders.
"Ion't know. I guess he...just isn't too happy right now." She gives me a confused look but ends up shrugging it off. She gives me a side eye but leads us to the drama room where we wait for a little while for the others. Ricky just looking around the whole time didn't help with my anxiety when I talk to the others.
Ashlyn and Big Red came in together but really smiley. Me and Gina exchange a look but once again, we ignore it. EJ came in with a bag slung over his shoulder. Instead of setting all of the stuff up like he normally does, he sits next to Gina and gives her an immediate smile. He sits with us for a while. Carlos walks in first before Seb. Maybe 4 minutes in between the 2. Still not a normal day. Kourtney walks in. Of course she's the only one normal. Bland but happy.
We all wait for Ms. Jenn. Me, Ricky, Gina, and EJ, all sitting down side by side. Seb and Carlos talking, but Seb has a more concerning face. EJ and Ashlyn talking to some students with a bright smile on their face. Kourtney looking through some Fashion Magazine. It felt like everyone in this room knew about Kant and the situation occurring. No one in this room knows about it besides me and Ricky. It needs to stay that way.

"Sorry. Traffics hell." Ms Jenn says as she walks in. "Anyway. Let's start? Shall we?"
The four of us stand up from the ground and starts talking to the students around us. I try not to treat them any differently than the other people. The youngest person is a freshman who can hit the high A. She's honestly better than I'll ever be.

The whole time, I didn't feel safe. Not once. Even with everyone surrounding me. I felt like someone there was a spy, waiting for the right gossip, at the right time, and right moment.

I exchange glances with Ricky, who was talking to Hunter. I noticed that Hunter has changed and I like that. It's good to know Ricky really made an effect on these guys.

The thing I never understood was Ricky. 3 years. A lot of time to change and in more ways than 1. If so, why'd he changed that way? You'd think the people he was hanging out with would've done something to him, but instead, it made him a better person. He wears dress pants, of several colors, button up dress shirts, mostly black, white, grey, maroon, or blue. Shoes that you'd see at weddings or funerals, tennis shoes only for workouts that he tries to do every day. He hasn't done it lately since...well, Y'know, but I've seen him start doing push ups out of no where and I tell myself, "You don't like guys like that," but then again, I dated EJ Caswell. The EJ Caswell. Twice. But then again, what am I to say? Those are the only 2 I've dated. Polar Opposites. Weird.

"What are you doing?" I ask as Ricky randomly stops me. He had begun to check everywhere.
"Kant. We don't know where he is. Better to be safe than sorry Nin's." New nickname?
"Okay. If he was there, what would you do? Punch him? The guys huge. And lowkey kinda cute.." I probably shouldn't have said the last part but you really can't blame me.
He turns around and raises a brow. I lose eye contact with him and look the other way.
"Sorry. Uhm," I push past him, "it's fine. He won't do anything either. I'm sure of it."
"Nini, you don't know him like I do. He carries."
"A smart person wouldn't just shoot the first person they see. Especially outside of a high school." I cross my arms.
"Fine stay here though. I'll go get the car."
I roll my eyes but I eventually give in and nod.

Lachlan
"How long are you staying here for?" I ask. Skye sits at the counter, waiting for the water to boil.
    "As long as I want...or need. Eh, doesn't really matter to me." She replies. I give her a strained look. "Don't worry. I have a place to stay. I'm just here because I want to hang out. Maybe make dinner for you. It doesn't look like you've had a real one in a while."
   I cough out a laugh.
   "I think I've learned how to cook. I was left in the police academy alone, I'm sure I would've picked up at least something don't you think?"
   I give her a smile. I missed her. That is the only part I know about her.
  "How's college going Skye? Y'know? Since you still have it?"
  "It's going fine. Once again, it's not something to worry about."
  I scoff. Skye is the one person I actually worry about. Nini has just been added to the list.
  I was maybe 18 when Skye and every else left. I was legal. I didn't have to go with them. Skye, however, was only 16. When she heard I wasn't going with them, she was done. Heartbroken, almost. She tried to convince me to go, and when that didn't work out, she tried to convince my parents to let her stay with me. That wouldn't have been a good idea either. I wouldn't be able to keep her safe when I was in the academy. So overall, it held back their moving by a week.
  "Hey Skye,"
  "Hm?"
  "How's Kant?"
  "Mm. Still a devil."
   "Of course."
  I lower my head. It was always the thought. The thought of the 3 of us. In our pact. Promising things that would always end up being broken. But we didn't care. No. We only cared for each other and not our words. I remember once, Kant was stuck at home without the keys while me and Skye were in school. I snuck out of school, went to skye's school, snuck her out, and went home. We all got ice cream and just enjoyed the moment.
   "Lachlan, he's fine. Nothing...fishy or weird about him. He's recovered."
  "Right. I'm sure he has. By the way, the water is going to over boil. Turn the heat down."

Ricky
    "Do you think EJ thinks we're weird. I mean..we actually just barged into his house." I say, stopping at a stop light.
   "What do you mean?"
   "You called him on a random night and the next think he knows, we're in his house sleeping...and I don't think we ever gave reason."
"Maybe a little but, it we need to stay safe. It's better at his place than anywhere else alone right now."
"Kant said he knows where all of our friends live. You think he's bluffing?" I start driving.
"I don't know. You know him, I don't know how he acts."

*Flashback*
"Okay, okay. How about this Mom. I skateboard to the party, then," I drop my sarcastic voice, "I skateboard back."
"Funny hon. Real funny."
"Mom, I can transport myself one place to another just fine. You shouldn't worry about it. I do it all the time." I sit on the counter.
"I know. But it's a party. And you'll be coming home late at night so I don't think that's necessarily safe."
"It's the last thing I'm going to before leaving. I don't see them again and I just want to skateboard back home one more time. Please?"
  She gives me a side eye. She's giving in.
  "Fine. If you don't come home tomorrow, I will kill you. Also, if it's late and not safe and that's the reason why your not coming home, tell me whose house your staying at. I want you to preferably stay at Nini's if that happens."
  "Not happening. I'll come home all in one piece. Promise."

"So your leaving Sunday. Wow...that's...that's really close." I hold the phone close to my ear.
  "Yeah. Sunday. But I'll see you one more time. Friday. I'll be there."
  "Sweet....I'd tell you to text the group chat...but YOU LEFT. Why'd you leave?"
  "It was better for me to leave since I'm leaving soon. Trust me it's fine."
  "Want me to text them that your coming?"
  "Hm? What? No. Fuck no. I'm just there to have fun. I don't want any..drama. It's EJ's party right? A bunch of people will be there. No one will even see me." 
  "So your just going to party by yourself? Sounds kinda sad don't you think?"
  "Maybe? I don't know man. We'll see."

***

"Yeah. I know him. He definitely knows where EJ lives."

Ugh, so sick of this Corona stuff. Has your school been canceled. Mines been for 3 weeks. Pretty annoying, but now I got time to write. What do you guys think of the book? I lowkey wanna know. I want to take notes, predictions, anything to make it better.

Enjoy your night or day!