ELECTRIC TOUCH, ricky bowen

009. you're on, lovers

the caswell boy's eyes met manny's in anger as she returned his fierce gaze, unapologetically.

"nini, wait.. i was spiraling, okay?" ej desperately explained, only further frustrating the brunette. "i couldn't believe how great things were going over the summer, and i wanted to make sure you wouldn't leave the second school started!"

"that's not an excuse for giving me something that you bought for another girl!" nini shouted at him, hurt in her tone.

"it wasn't like that! i thought it would keep us together!i mean, how else was i supposed to get you to stick around? last week i told you i loved you and you couldn't even say it back. you said it to ricky, and.. i know you guys have more history.."

"yeah, ej. ricky would never steal my phone." nini interrupted making a valid point. he would never do that.

"no, i know. he just leaves you sad voice messages on it instead." ej quipped rolling his eyes. "don't make this about ricky!" the girl argued.

"that's what this is about!" ej shouted back, "i'm just trying to hold onto what we had over the summer."

"yeah, i was too. but you know what? summer's over." she declared, effectively signaling the end of their relationship. ej's face dropped as he stood by frozen, watching nini slowly turn to the rest of the club.

"hey, uh, is the door locked or something? why can't we get in?" she awkwardly questioned to ashlyn, trying to get the heat off her fight with ej.

"oh. natalie badgley's missing her emotional support hamster. he got loose." the redhead explained. "carlos and gina are helping find her.. him.. it."

without a moment going by, an earth shattering scream erupted inside, striking the halls immediately.

manny jumped practically six feet in the air, grabbing hazel as she heard sudden yell come from the rehearsal room. "i think they found it." the anderson girl pointed out, her eyes widening.

🎶

"sometimes a relationship needs one person looking after the other." ej kept defending to nini as they waited for the doors to be unlocked, trying to salvage the relationship in any way possible. "it wasn't divine intervention that got you into marian the librarian's costume."

"what does that mean?" nini furrowed her brows, seeking clarification. ej's face dropped, as though he had accidentally unveiled something he hadn't intended to.

"you were responsible for emily pratt spending opening night with her head in the toilet?" she slowly realized. "i believed in you!" he clarified, taking a step forward.

"answer the question." nini demanded, her emotions tumultuous. ej scoffed, lowering his voice, "take it down a notch, i slipped her a bad deviled egg. i didn't think it would actually work."

nini let out a low audible gasp, shaking her head in disbelief. "you got to play the lead, didn't you? was that gonna happen if i hadn't stepped in?" the caswell boy questioned, trying to rationalize his actions.

nini, on the verge of tears, couldn't find words and stormed out through the exit, leaving ej in her wake.

"what did you say to her?" ej turning his head to spot her, forcefully grabbed and pulled manny to the side.

"uh, the truth." she responded, her voice tinged with a nervous gulp out of surprise.

ej's eyes bore into hers, filled with frustration, "stop playing games and tell me what you said, manny. i've had enough of your manipulating. you spent all of last year trying to drag me down with you, and now her?"