HSMTMTS: The Core Four

17

"It's my fault" I mumble., pulling away and just leaning my back on the wall

"What do you mean?"

"It's my fault, I was too weak.  Dad said I could be like him, jump back up when I get hurt, but I can't.  I failed them, they had this whole reputation, and I'm ruining it" I say.  Ricky wraps his arm around me and pulls me in close, I lay my head on his shoulder.

"I'm not good enough.  I'm not good enough to be their son, I'm not good enough to get into Duke like them.  I feel like I just let everyone down, I let down everyone who depends on me" a single tear manages to fall from my eyes, but Ricky quickly wipes it.

"Elijah James Caswell.  Don't say that about yourself.  You're a good person who wants what's best for everyone, and you try your best to get them there.   I wish you could see yourself the way we see you."

I start to break down again and Ricky wraps his arms around me.  I don't get it, when it comes to everyone else, I have to be this big tough guy, but when it comes to Ricky, Nini, and possibly Gina, I can just take off my mask and be vulnerable around them, and I'm not afraid to be.

"Hey, I talked to Ashlyn today.  I know you're still hurting, but could you please still talk to your Uncle...for Ash?  For me?"

I look into his dark brown eyes, I can tell this means alot to him.  "Okay, I'll talk to him when I get home," I tell him.  He squeezes me and we both chuckle.  "Thanks, Elijah," he says.  "No problem, Richard" I smile ruffling his curls.  "I'll call you after I talk to him," I tell him. 

"You could never let me down!" Ricky says as I'm about to walk away. 

"What?" I ask, turning around in confusion.

"You said you feel like you let everyone down, but you could never let me down.  You're an amazing person, EJ, and I know one day, you're gonna see it one day" he says.  Speechless, I just walk up to him and give him one more hug.  "Thanks, Ricky" I whisper.

We both walk out of our dead-end and walk our separate. 

Thanks, bubba.

____________________________________________________________

Nini's POV

Gina and I were hanging out, I invited her to come to spend some time together cause we were both bored.

"I wonder how EJ's doing" Gina wonders aloud, getting my attention.  "Really?"  I ask, making her look at me confused.  "Yeah, I mean, he looked really upset.  I really hope he's gonna be okay" she sighs laying on my bed.  She's really caring alot about EJ now, isn't she? 

"Do you now?" I laugh and she sits up at me confused.  "What does that mean?"  She asks.  "Nothing, doesn't mean anything" I look away with a smirk, and my eyebrows raised.

Oh yeah, she totally likes him.

"Hey, hand me that paper," I ask.  she hands me that old script from summer camp.  I hold it in my hands and concentrate real hard, I'm trying to master this whole electric power.  I feel the blue electricity in my eyes, and I actually zapped the paper and caught it on fire, scaring both of us.  

"Watch out!" Gina lunged out her arm and one of the weirdest things happens.  After her eyes glow purple, she let out a powerful blast of darl purple energy and it created a small portal in the air.

Without thinking, I threw the paper in the portal and it closed.

"Do you know where that goes?"  I ask her, and she just shrugs.

"No, but it's not our problem anymore."

we both share a few giggles and start talking about what just happened, we definitely need to try and control these powers.  After a few minutes, she asked me a question.

"Drivers License?"

I turn to her and see her looking through my songbook.  I quickly grabbed it from her.  "Nini, those lyrics were amazing.  You wrote this?"

"Yeah, but I'd never sing it out loud?"

"Why not?"  She asks, holding my shoulder.  I take a deep breath before explaining.

"I'm scared.  I don't know what happened, everytime I try to sing in front of an audience, my hands start shaking, my heart races.  I've tried some times, but I can never do it."

I look over at Gina, who's giving me a sympathetic look, she wraps her arm around my shoulder, it's pretty comforting. 

"Nini, I don't know how you're feeling, but the secret is to act like you know what you're doing.  That's what I do most f the time" she says.  That's some really good advice.  "Can I ask you a question?"

"Yeah?"

"You said that thing that happened to you, like you were somewhere else, seeing something that was happening in another place, where were you?  You just seemed a little emotional."

She looks at me for a while, I see her eyes get glossy.  "Hey, are you okay?"  I ask heer.  She plays with her ring before finally talking to me.

"I'm a little sister.  I had a brother.  His name was Jamie, he's probably 21 by now.  He left me and my mom when I was younger, it was either because of me or he wanted a stable life.  In my...vision or vibe, I guess, Jamie was trying to call me on his phone.  He was afraid.  He was afraid that I wouldn't forgive him for how long he's been away. But I wakes up before I can see if he calls, and he didn't.  This rig was the last thing U ever got him.  I really miss him."

I see a single tear fall from Gina's eyes, I had no idea she felt like that.  I quickly move on my bed and give her a hug.  After a few seconds of her hesitating, she wraps her arms around me and quietly cries, I rub her back.

"I'm so sorry Gina.  Well, at least you know he stills thinks about you and he wants to reconnect with you. He still cares about you."

She pulls away and looks at me with a smile.  "You're really good at this advice thing, almost as good as you are at zapping things" she smiles and we both giggle.  "But not as good as you are at songwriting" she grabs my song journal next to me. 

"Oh, I'm not sure about that..."

"Nini, I've never seen talent like this.  I know it might be a little scary, but I guarantee you.  Once you start doing something you love, you enter this whole new imaginary place that you never wanna leave, and all that fear fades away.  Remember that when the day comes that it's to sing."

I give her a big smile, that's one of the greatest pieces of advice I've heard.  "Thanks, Gigi" I giggle.  I heard Andi call her that.

"Hehe, that's what Jamie used to call me."

I feel so bad for her.  I can't imagine what it's like to lose someone close to you and leave such a sad impact on your life.  I'm so sorry, Gina.

Another chapter for you.  I don't know why I'm adding this, but the reason I named this book the Core Four is that Ricky, Nini, EJ, and Gina remind me of Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos from Descendants.  Nini's like Mal, Gina's like Evie, Ricky's like Carlos, and EJ's like Jay.  And I'm trying to include Jamie in Gina's problems, but right now I'm not sure where their relationship is going.  The next chapter will be all EJ.  Stay safe and have a great day or night, wherever you are