𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍𝐀𝐆𝐄 𝐃𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐁𝐀𝐆 [ricky bowen]

𝟖. HYPNOTIZING UNITY

– RICKY

"Wait, let me get this straight," Nini crossed her legs atop her bed, folding her hands as she stared me down. "You enjoyed yourself at the social?"

It was Saturday night, and we all decided to make pizza and watch movies at Nini's. It was a tradition we typically saved for weekends, but if there was ever a day one of us couldn't do, we often cancelled without fret. Today, however, they were all up my ass to hang out. Not to be graced with my company, though. Solely to find out every bit of information they could about my time at the Freshmen Social.

We had paused Step Brothers in Nini's room to discuss, and after what seemed to be hours of me honestly admitting that I enjoyed my time at the dance, they still couldn't wrap their heads around it.

"Yeah, Nini, did I not say it clearly enough for you?" I groaned at the girl, her smacking me upside the head after disliking my tone. I didn't even wince. I just pressed my hand to my neck, allowing the rest of the baffled commentary to rain over me.

"What could you have possibly liked about it?" Big Red pressed with a mouthful of pretzels. Well, I thought to myself. If only you knew.

"I don't know. Nothing in particular," I lied through my teeth, wondering why I couldn't just come clean to them. They're my best friends, after all. What was that saying about them if I didn't feel comfortable enough telling them about this crush? Even worse, what does that say about me?

Nini shook her head with a shrug. "It doesn't make any sense, Ricky. There's gotta be a catch." Damn, this is annoying.

Seb was in Nini's wicker hanging chair, cuddled in a blanket. "I have to agree," he stuck his hand up. "This isn't like you." Holy shit, shut up!

"Because I know you're no extracurricular adrenaline junkie," Big Red waved a pretzel at me. Fuck off, fuck off. "There's gotta be som–"

"It's Noelle Marshall!"

The room went silent, as if a pin being dropped would cause an earthquake. The three of them gaped at me, stunned by my violent confession. I threw my hands in the air, standing up to stomp around the room. "Fuck!" I cried. "Are you happy now? Goddamn!"

I leaned against the back of Nini's door, none of them knowing what to say. That was until Seb spoke up timidly. "Noelle," the name fell from his lips like it was poisonous. "Like, the Noelle?"

I didn't even have the patience for that stupid question. I only rubbed my palms against my face, desperately wishing it would erase the last two minutes of my life. "Richard Bowen," Nini gasped, a hint of humor in her tone. "Do you have a crush?"