HSMTMTS: The Core Four

31

No! Stop it, Gina! Don't give in. Just ignore it, block it out.

We left the mall, Nini bought both dresses and now we're at the Food Court eating.

"Can we tell her now?" Amber asks Andi and she nods.

"Gina, we didn't bring you here just to hang out," Nini says. "We came here to talk about you and EJ. Is there something going on between you 2?"

I clench my fist, at the sound of his name. I don't like like him, and he doesn't like like me, can't they just leave that alone!"

"Can you show me those dresses again?" I ask trying to change the subject. I don't know why they're asking me about EJ so much. First Ashlyn after Lunch, then Ricky after school, and now them! I swear if one more person brings up HIS name, I'm gonna scream!

"Try again, we're not budging, what's wrong?" Lily asks.

I stay silent for a while, I don't know why I feel like this around him. That last guy I was close to left me when I was a child, he didn't even say goodbye and now I learn he's afraid to call me and say he's sorry.

Hey, tell us" Nini grabs my hand supportively. And I tell them everything, from talking to EJ about his problems, to dancing with him in the rain, to questioning if I like him.

"I think I do...I like EJ, I've been trying to deny it for a while which is why I've been avoiding him. I have a brother who walked out when I was a kid, that was the only guy I was closet to and I don't want that to happen again. I don't know much about this, but what I'm sure of is that I messed up, big time!"

"Aw, Gina, I'm sorry about your brother, but EJ would never do that. it's okay, cause EJ..." Ash starts, but Nini grabs her arm and continues her sentence.

"Misses you, a lot. He really misses hanging out with you."

"Ricky says you made him cry," Kourtney says, now I feel really bad. "What do I do?" I ask.

"You talk to him. Get him alone and tell him how sorry you are" Andi says and I nod. I have to talk to EJ, and I need to do it quickly. But how do I apologize to him?

____________________________________________________________

EJ's POV

The boys and I were in Big Red's basement, taking turns playing video games. I wasn't really paying attention to them, I was too busy thinking about Gina. Is she mad at me? Did I lose her as a friend for some reason? She won't respond to any of my texts and I'm really sad and frustrated.

"EJ, wanna play?" Big Red asks. I shake my head at him and go back to my phone, I've been trying to text her all day, texting somehow turned into spamming, but no matter what I do, she still wouldn't respond.

Suddenly, my phone is snatched out of my hand, I look up to see Ricky putting it in my pocket. "Curls, give it back!" I say standing up, but he keeps me away.

"Eej, we brought you here to get your mind off Gina, that doesn't work if you're trying to text her every 2 seconds."

I sigh and sit back down on the couch. "I'm sorry, okay, I just don't know what's wrong. Yesterday we seemed fine and now she doesn't wanna be anywhere near me."

"Hey, who knows if you did something" Jack tell me.

"Maybe she's just in a ruff spot and she wants to be alone" Walker suggests.

"She's happy with everyone else, and then there's me, she literally hates me now!"

"Wow! When you like someone, you really stick close to them" TJ chuckles.

Yeah, I guess I do, wait, what!? "What did you say?" I ask him and they all start laughing.

"Come on, we all see the way you look at her, you blush everytime you're around, y'all hold hands" Cyrus starts.

"Dennis found you guys asleep in each other's arms...and I told them earlier today," Ricky says. If they weren't here, I would hit him with a force field projectile, but instead, I just punch his shoulder. "Come on man, I trusted you!"

"So we just need confirmation from you!" Seb says.

"Do you like her or not?" Carlos asks. Now they're all crowding me. I let out a loud groan, I hate it when people pressure me, seeing as I've been pressured my whole life. Might as well come out with it.

"Yes, okay! I do like her. I've liked her for a while, but I just never told her. She's helped me through a lot of problems and I'm grateful for it, but now she hates me for some reason! Happy now?"

"Yes, very much!" Carlos smirks, but Seb smacks his arm and says this is serious.

"Eej, listen. I know Gina, she wouldn't just out of the blue decide to hate you, she's probably just has a lot on her plate. Give her time, she'll come back around" my blonde-haired friend says.

I hope their right, and that Gina would talk to me soon, I really miss her and...that day I danced with her, I didn't feel like a freak who didn't belong, a hero-in-training, a guy who's trying too hard to be like his father, I was just a regular boy, who was dancing with the girl he likes, and I liked feeling that.

Another chapter, inspired by The Transformation. The next chapter might make y'all cry for Gina, but we all knew it was coming soon. I just saw Eternals 2 days ago, it was so good and I loved it so much. I really hope you guys see it soon. Stay safe and have a great day or night, wherever you are.