BIG RED.
Big Red was scrolling through his Instagram mindlessly, when he sees Nini posted something. It's of her and his best friend, Ricky, the pair had gone out the other night to some film festival happening in their town that Nini couldn't stop talking about all week. Everyone opting out telling her it's not their thing, but Ricky said he'd go with her because he knew how much she wanted to go. The photo was of Ricky hugging Nini from behind, their hands interlocked, both smiling brightly at the camera, with all the festivities going on behind them, probably getting some stranger to take it for them. Big Red wouldn't have thought much of the photo because that's just how they are together, except the caption is what caught his attention, 'the only one that loves me enough to come to some silly festival' tacking on a few hearts at the end. His eyebrows raising, silently applauding his friend for finding some guts to finally ask out the girl he's been crushing on for ages. He was getting to the point where he was willing to bet actual money on whether Ricky had it in him.
"Rickster! My man!" Big Red says excitedly, pulling Ricky into a bro hug once he finds him at his locker the next day.
"Red, what's got you so cheeky this morning?" he asks, laughing at his antics as he pulls away from the hug and focused back in on his locker, exchanging his books out of his bag for what he needs for the first half of the day.
"Dude! You finally asked out Nini, how could I not be happy for you?" he says excitedly.
His statement shocking Ricky so much that he dropped one of his books, juggling it between his hands until he got a firm grasp on it. Staring at Big Red with a questioning look unsure of what he was talking about, "What? No, I didn't. Why would you think that?" he asks, laughing off the awkwardness he was feeling, his face turning bright red.
Big Red looked at him with a confused face, he could've sworn that he did, given the post and all of the other signs the pair have been giving each other the past few years. He figured that they were together, or at least trying things out.
"The photo she posted! You guys were all cuddled up and her caption, it was all so cute, it just literally screamed RINI!"
Ricky looked at him confused by what his friend basically shouted, what did Rini even mean. He wasn't sure what he was talking about at first, closing his locker, when it suddenly clicked in his head, "Oh that post? It's nothing! Really! Not like I like her like that or anything." Ricky responds waving his hand in dismissal of what Big Red was suggesting, "look I have to go, I got to meet up with EJ before class, we're running some of our lines before rehearsal today. Later, dude." Ricky says patting his friend on the shoulder, heading towards the bomb shelter.
Big Red watched Ricky's retreating figure, as his mind is trying to process what his best friend said. Even if Ricky hadn't asked Nini out that weekend, there is no possible way that he doesn't have any feelings for the girl. He has known them since he moved to Salt Lake at the age of 8, he knows that he's been crushing on the girl ever since.
"Bullshit." Big Red mumbles to himself as he heads off to his locker.
EJ.
"Hey man," EJ calls out as he enters the bomb shelter, getting ready to block the locker room scene with Ricky today. Ricky looks up from reading his script, nodding at his friend and going back to memorizing. He nods in acknowledgment to the boys in the back.
EJ sets his bag down, taking out his script and pulling up a chair next to Ricky. When suddenly Nini comes running in, "Hey EJ," she says waving at him, returning her wave, "what are you doing here?" he asks the girl, knowing that the schedule said it was just going to be the boys' scene today. Unless Miss Jenn had said something, but he hadn't gotten any updates about a schedule change.
