PERFECT TWO! ricky bowen

CHAPTER NINE, a night of nights

"Yeah," Fallon speaks up. "Hopefully we're not very fashionably late."

Everyone gasps excitedly at seeing the couple who had gone off to college. "You guys are here!" Luca grins. "Ophelia is gonna be so happy to see you guys."

"And I can't wait to see her." Fallon smiles, hugging him back when he hugged her. "Where is she by the way?" She asked after not seeing her in the room.

"No one knows." Luca admitted.

"Wait, what? What do you mean 'no one knows'?" EJ frowned, worry laced in his voice.

"She didn't show up when we all got here." Ricky sighs, walking over to join the group. "She's not answering her phone either and no one knows where she is. No one has seen her since last night." He smiles a little as he looks at the couple. "But I'm so glad you guys are here."

"Sitting out there, watching you guys is the second best place in the world." EJ admitted and Fallon nodded in agreement with a smile as Ashlyn and Carlos came over to hug him and Fallon.

"Where's the first place?" Ricky asked curiously. 

EJ glances at Fallon with a fond look that made her blush. "Literally anywhere with you, Lonnie."

Fallon smiles shyly, standing on her tip toes to kiss his cheek. "Same goes for you, Elton." She grinned and he chuckled, rolling his eyes playfully. 

"Biggie!" Ashlyn's sudden gasp gained everyone's attention. They all glance in the direction where Big Red was walking into the room. 

"I'm not here!" Big Red announces and everyone greets him happily. "But if you notice someone in the audience screaming, crying, throwing up, those are all things that I do." Ricky chuckled and hugged him. Fallon went to go catch up with Luca and the others as Ashlyn talked with her cousin.

Soon enough Ophelia finally ran into the room, dressed as Gabriella in the third 'High School Musical' movie. Ophelia was surprised to see Dani in the room, but she remembered that she was now Sharpay's assistant. Ricky was relieved when he saw her. He had been worried that she wouldn't make it. Ophelia smiled widely and squealed excitedly along with Fallon when they locked eyes. They ran at each other to hug each other.

"O, I missed you so much!" Fallon squealed, not letting her go from the hug.

"I missed you too!" Ophelia giggles, hugging her just as tightly. She then noticed EJ was in the room and grins. "Hey, Rocket man." She teases, earning a chuckle from EJ. When she pulled away from Fallon, she gave EJ a tight hug as well. "I'm so glad you guys could make it."

"We wouldn't miss it for the world, Ophelia." EJ reassured her.

"Can I steal her real quick?" Ricky chimed in with a smile, walking over to the group.

"Of course, Ricky." EJ smiled and Fallon nodded.

Ophelia smiles and walks over to Ricky, the two of them standing off to the side. "What did you need to-" Ophelia cut her own sentence off with a surprised gasp when Ricky suddenly pulled her close to him and kissed her deeply. Ophelia kissed back eagerly, a soft smile tugging at her lips and her heart racing.

"I missed you." Ricky mumbled against her lips.

"I missed you too." Ophelia grins, pulling away slightly to look him in the eyes. "Is that what you wanted to tell me?"

"Well, not exactly." Ricky chuckles. "There's something I actually wanna give you-"

"Wildcats," Maddox calls out, gaining everyone attention and causes the couple to pull away. "This is your five-minute call!" She then turns the lights on and off, causing everyone to freak out and scream which confused her. "You guys don't do the lights thing?"