A Summer Musical

🎶 Chapter 18 - A Messy Rehearsal 🎶

"Sometimes there's lots of sides to stories." Ricky said.

"I'm just gonna..." Carlos walked to the girls and Seb.

"I know that, Richard." I sighed. "But I don't think it was my fault."

"At least you know what happened." Big Red mumbled.

"Can you stop coming for my cousin?"

"Can your cousin please talk to me?"

"As far as I'm aware, you didn't call her back." I replied. "After Ricky told you to."

"Don't blame that on me." Ricky said.

"I'm not."

"I'm not even coming for her, EJ, but I haven't had a good talk with her in a good while." Big Red said.

"Then, I don't know, talk to her?"

"You talk to Gina."

"She has to come to me, there's nothing more I can say to her." I told him.

"I doubt that." Ricky said.

"You don't know what happened."

"Then tell me."

"I told her I loved her. She pulled a... you." I said simply.

"Well you're pulling a Nini, then. Talk to her, instead of having her pine after you for months. If she's upset, then she clearly wasn't ready to say it."

"Whatever." I shrugged.

"Trust me. I know her."

"I know her too, she needs space."

"You guys are so loud." Big Red mumbled, walking away.

"I'm just saying, be a good boyfriend and talk to her." Ricky said. "I've learned bad communication sucks."

"If she can't talk to me then she doesn't want to be in a relationship. She knows I love her, she knows what I think about our relationship."

"Sometimes things are more complicated. Gina can very well kiss you and move on pretty quickly."

"What are you talking about?" I crossed my arms. "Because it sounds like..."

"She kissed my cheek after homecoming."

"Cool. Whatever. She did move on. But did you?"

"I was with Nini after that, of course I moved on."

"But do you have feelings for her now?" I questioned.

"No, I'm just saying, talk to her."

"We'll see." I muttered.

Big Red's POV

I separated myself from both groups of people, annoyed by everything going on. I can't blame Ashlyn for me not calling her, but why did she even want me to?

I watched Carlos, Seb, Gina, and Ashlyn begin to rehearse. All I saw was my beautiful girlfriend, who was probably about to break up with me. So maybe I was looking at my beautiful ex. I don't know at this point.

Rehearsal felt incredibly long, but when it was over everyone quickly split up, besides Gina and Ashlyn going home together. I hesitated.

"Ashlyn!" I ran after her.

"What?" She turned to me. Gina walked away.

"Can this please count as me calling you?"

"You didn't call me, but you can talk."

"Hi." I said.

"Hi." She replied. There was silence. "What did you want to say?"

"You told me to call you, what do you want to say?"

"I don't know anymore."

"Can you please try to say something? Look, I want things to be good."

"I do too!" She exclaimed.

"Then why won't you ever talk to me?"

"I don't know!" She sighed. "I get snappy when I feel threatened."

"I know. But you've been nothing but snappy."

"I've been nothing but threatened."

"Then that's a problem!"

"That I can't fix!" She groaned.

"Why can't I help you fix it?"

"Because then I'll snap at you and mess everything up more! Because that's awkward, because I can't even explain what's going on to my therapist, I just— ugh!"

"Do you want to talk or not, though?" I asked.

"I can't right now, I've gotta be somewhere."

"Actually?"

"Actually. Family thing. My dad's new coworker or something."

"Actually call me?" I asked.

"Yes. But if I don't, that's not a bad thing. I might... I'll try to call you today but it might have to be tomorrow."

"Okay." I nodded.

"Bye."

"Bye."