the exception

23. mission: find nina. complete?

"Did you guys find her?", Seb asks.

Kourtney and Carlos shake their heads and then they all look at me, noticing my silence.

"Ricky?", they say in unison.

I snap my head up and sigh, "No luck..."

We sit there in silence, listening to the wind rustle the leaves in the trees. We begin to walk towards our cars. Once we arrive at them, Carlos speaks up again.

"Maybe she'll be at school tomorrow?", he suggests.

I dig my hands in my pockets and let out a breath, "She better be..."

I get in my car and start the engine. I watch as the car that contains Carlos, Kourtney, and Seb pull out and begin driving away. Once they're out of sight, I dial Nina's number once again and connect it to the car so I could get going.

"Hey! It's Nina, sorry I can't pick up! Leave a message!", the voicemail sounds.

I slam my hand on the steering wheel out of pure anger because of how worried I was getting. I decide to leave yet another message for her.

"Hey Nina...it's...it's Ricky. Is everything okay? Are...you okay? Please...answer our messages. We're all getting really worried. Call me back soon please...", I sigh, hanging up the phone.

General pov

Kourtney, Carlos, and Seb were seated in Kourtney's basement, thinking about Nina.

"What're we supposed to do if she isn't at school tomorrow?", Carlos asks, slightly freaking out.

Kourtney shrugs, "I don't know...call the police and report her missing?"

Seb sighs, "Something bad must've happened...it's not like her to just...disappear like that?"

Kourtney places a hand on his shoulder, "We'll get to her...and it'll all be okay..."

{The next day; Monday}

Ricky's pov

I park my red jeep in the parking lot of East High, nervously tapping my fingers on my steering wheel. I have first period with Nina...if she isn't there, I think I'm gonna lose it. It's been four days she hasn't answered calls or anything. 

I hesitantly get out of my car, slinging my backpack over one shoulder. I slowly make my way up to the entrance doors, pushing them open and walking towards my locker. As I unlock my locker, I hear footsteps behind me. I turn around and my eyes widen when I see Gina.

"What do you want?", I scoff, facing my locker again.

"Ricky- please just let me talk.", she pleads.

I sigh and turn around, nodding my head at her. She takes a deep breath and looks around her before speaking.

"Okay, so I uh- I know you're friends with Nina and them now, and EJ, Red and I are your past. But I just can't let you go without apologizing. I'm...so deeply sorry. I was a jerk, I wasn't a good friend...at all. I should've just accepted that you wanted to be friends with her and left it there. I hope that...maybe- you can um- you can forgive me. But if you don't want to that's...totally fine...uh...", she rambles.

I let out a deep breath, "It's...fine I guess. I just wish you'd said this sooner?"

She presses her lips together and I begin to walk away until she speaks up again, saying something that catches my attention.

"Hey uh- i-is Nina okay? I saw her at the hospital Friday when I was there with my grandma while she got her medicine. I was gonna say hi but figured she wouldn't wanna hear from me and I-"