Ashlyn's POV
Today's mission was to successfully through Seb a surprise birthday party. With the help of everyone we succeeded. Everything turned out so great that I am really seriously considering a career in event planning. I make a amazing event coordinator if I do say so myself.
After we came together to present Seb with his birthday cake and sung him a special Happy Birthday song Seb turned his own party up. He got everyone on the dance floor dancing and having fun. I was still finishing my cake and ice cream. Plus I needed to rest my ankles because I've been on my feet for while, running and making sure everything goes smoothly. I needed the rest.
The only person other than me who wasn't on the dance floor was Ricky. It's been a little bit of a weird time for literally everyone when it comes to Ricky. We all did our best to deal with the awkwardness of his breakup with Nini. But then Nini's Rose Song went even more viral since Gina hooked her up with her brother Jermey who's this big producer guy. He pushed her song out there. Now she's doing home school so she can focus on music and get ready to go on tour. Which is great for Nini. I am very excited for her. The only thing with Ricky now is he has moved on from Nini to now Lilly the pitch perfect mean girl Barbie. They are legit going out on dates and spending time together. They act like they are in a relationship without actually being in a relationship. It's weird. No it's not weird. I simply dislike Ricky being attached to Lily. She is really not a nice person at all.
Lately Ricky has been a little distant because he already knows we don't care for Lily at all. Gina, Natalie and I have a working theory that Lilly and Howie stole Ricky's harness when we were doing beauty & the beast. That harness is gone. We never found it. Nobody in our school or in our group would ever have a motive for hiding the harness. The only people that were at our show were Howie and Lilly and they would have motive for stealing the harness. I'm not sure how they did it but we were sitting down comparing notes and thinking of ways how it could have gone missing. In a way I think Ricky may know it was Lily and that's why he's not really around because he may know the truth or it could be that he knows that we all don't care for Lily at all. It just really sucks because I feel that some way some how Ricky and I have gotten closer as friends. He use to open up
a lot to me and now he doesn't as much as he use to.
Ricky sat near me at the table. He had a little bit of cake left on his plate that he was eating. He looked at everyone on the dance floor having fun. He had this look on his face that looked like he felt a little left out. I felt a little bad for him. If only he knew that it doesn't have to be this way. I decided to start up a little conversation with him.
"Are you going to babysit that last piece of cake or are you going to get on the dance floor?" I asked jokingly hoping that will warm him up to talk to me.
"I'm still babysitting. I'll catch up in a little bit" Ricky answered
"I feel like I haven't talked to you in awhile, how are you feeling?" I asked genuinely
"Things are good, never better. Just you know been around, still playing and making music. The usual" Ricky said
"That's good, have you finished writing that one song you were telling me about?" I asked him
"I uhh actually didn't finish it. I've been kinda working on something else. I got inspired to do something else so that's what I'm working on" Ricky answered
"Were you inspired by a certain someone, who's about yaye tall, blonde hair, blue eyes" I said eluding to Lily. Ricky laughed it off. I can tell he was nervous or maybe I made him uncomfortable. I'm not sure.
"Who Lily? No, me doing music is just my thing. Nothing to do with her." Ricky answered in a way of like he was unsure what to say.
"Things seems to really blossom between the two of you." I edged
"Yeah....I know how she comes off and she's not the best with making friends...but she's not that bad once you really get to know her." Ricky said
"I figured that's how you see it. I was going with the running theory that she maybe different when she is with you versus when we are all around her." I said
"I guess you can say that" Ricky said looking uneasy
"I just want you to be happy and be safe. If she's is giving you her best company and you are safe..then I think that's all that matters. Each and every one of us wants the best for you because we genuinely do care about you. I hope you never doubt that" I said hopefully he would get what I'm saying. From the look on his face it seems like he received what I was saying.
"Thanks Ash. I appreciate that. Really I do" Ricky said
Courtney then came and grabbed me to come dance with her and later Big Red came over to dance with me.
Gina's POV
My throat was starting to feel dry from dancing and laughing with my friends. I was having a good time with everyone and celebrating Seb. He definitely deserves a special birthday. Carlos, Ashlyn and I did our thing pulling this together.
I took a break to go grab me a water bottle because I was thirsty. As I'm walking towards the cooler I see Ricky sitting down at a table finishing his cake.
I really don't know if I'm all the way there yet to have one on one conversations with Ricky. I only keep my communication with him when we're with the group. And this may sound strange but without Ej being physically next to me I really don't feel right talking to Ricky at all. It's sad to say that in a sense because there was a time where I could only tell certain things to Ricky but I later realized I should stop because things became very one sided. Things now have changed a lot for me because of my relationship with EJ. I know and I feel the difference of Ej's presence. I am safe to be myself, be open and feel accepted. I get back the same energy I give to Ej. When Ej was here I couldn't help but notice that Ricky has this do less and talk less energy which made him more respectful. He doesn't act a certain way or say certain things to make things awkward or put me in a position where I come out character to defend myself. I'm not saying I can't hold my own but it's tiresome keeping up that kind of guard. It felt good to not have to keep that guard up because Ej's presence made all the difference. I don't know why but I can't unsee that. I miss Ej so much.
"Hey Gina"
Ricky's POV
I was finishing my last bits of my cake and I saw Gina coming nearby to grab herself a water bottle. I want to say Hi to her but it's crazy because I feel like I don't know if I should or not. Things have been so weird between me and Gina. One second we're friends then the next she's not talking to me and we're not friends but then we're cool again but then now it's awkward because I'm no longer in a relationship with Nini, I have a thing with Lily meanwhile She and Ej have this situationship slash relationship thing going on. So now when I'm around she acts like she's like uncomfortable almost to be around me. I don't if it's because of Ej or if it's Lily because I know for sure Gina does not like Lily so I'm guessing she doesn't like me because I like Lily. I don't know. I don't want to be rude so I will just say Hi. At best she may just say Hi and walk away at least she won't think I'm being rude or trying to avoid her.
"Hey Gina" I said
"Hey Ricky" She said then went back to drinking her water. It seems like she is in a good mood.
I got up and went by her to throw my plate in the trash. I then walked over to her to talk.
"Having fun?" I asked
"Yeah, did you like the cake?" She asked
"Yeah, it was good. Did you make it?" I asked
"Me & Ashlyn did" she shared
"Oh ok. I'm definitely going to get another piece of cake for the road. It really was good" I said complimenting her
"Thanks. I'm glad you liked it. Please take as much as you want home" she encouraged
"Ok" I said
Gina's POV
Ricky spoke to me first. I decided to just be mature and be nice but have my guard up of course. The conversation was going ok but then it started to get a little awkward. I'm ready to walk away but I don't want to be rude.
"Umm...so...how have you been? I don't get much of a chance to really talk to you....so...is everything good with you?" Ricky asked awkwardly
"Everything is all good. I can't complain. How about you? How are you doing?" I asked in return
"I'm good. I'm just doing me. I'm into my music and that's pretty much it." Ricky said
"That's great. Oh and the song you and Carlos wrote for Seb...it was beautiful. Seb played the song like a million times." I said
"Thanks. I really appreciate that." He said
"You're Welcome" I said then my phone goes off. I grabbed it and it was a text from Ej. I couldn't help but be excited that he texted me. He wanted me promise him that I'd call him when I get home. I just texted him back I promise with the kissy face emoji.
"Ej?" He asked me. I looked up from my phone to Ricky
"....uhh yeah" I answered.
Ricky's POV
Our conversation was going well. Gina then got a text. She looked at it and the second that she did she had a big smile on her face. It must be Ej that texted her. I guessed right.
Then my phone went off. It was Lily texting to let me know she made it home safely. She asked me to text her when I get home. I just quickly texted her back that I will.
Gina's POV
Ricky then got a text too. I'm sure it was probably Lily but I don't care to ask or comment because I don't like Lily. Whatever he does with her is none of my business.
"Sorry that was Lily" Ricky said
"No of course." I said then I started to walk away.
"Wow really okay." Ricky said sarcastically
"I'm sorry?" I stopped and turned back to look at him because he said something smart
"Honestly Gina, I really don't get it." Ricky said
"Get what?" I asked
"I don't get you. I mean seriously what did I ever do to you? I'm seriously tired of walking on egg shells around you. I keep running it over and over in my mind about what I've could have done to you but I don't get it. I keep going back to a time where I never use to feel like that when I am around you. I really just want to understand why? Is it because I'm with Lily or is it Ej? What is it?" Ricky asked frustrated.
"First of all, I cares nothing about what you have going on with Lily, that is none of my business. Secondly Ej did nothing wrong so leave him out of it. Honestly Ricky this right here is the reason why. Every single time lately when we are face to face our conversations always seems to go left for some reason....You carry this guilt with you towards me because you know in your heart of hearts that you say and do things towards me that you shouldn't. I can tell you but I can't help you understand it." I said then I began to walk away from him
"I'm sorry about all the things I've done and said. Im sorry for the things I don't even know that I did and I am sorry for not knowing all of what they are. I hate that I really don't know but I'm sorry. I hate that you really won't tell me what they are but I am sorry. Truly I am. More importantly I'm sorry, but I miss the Gina who wouldn't be afraid to speak her mind and set me straight. I'm sorry that, that Gina is gone" Ricky said
"You know Ricky, you never even really knew or cared about that Gina. And it just goes to show that you don't even know me now." I said
"You really think that I don't care about you? That's what you honestly think?" Ricky asked me
"Truthfully Ricky, I don't know if you ever really did" I answered
"Well you're wrong. I do care Gina. I cared to support your grand exit after you poured a drink on Ej's head at homecoming, I drove you home, I stood up for you when you left before the HSM show, I always take your side over Carlos in rehearsals all of the time. How can you ever think that I don't care about you?." He questioned
"You honestly think that all of that proves you genuinely care? " I asked
"It proves that I care" Ricky argued
"I know you want to believe that." I said
"So are you insinuating that it doesn't prove that I care?" Ricky asked
"No, it's just that it's too late to care about what I once cared about now. It's not worth the energy to talk about" I said
"It is if we are going to keep walking on egg shells around each other Gina. I don't want to keep doing that.....I just really want you to tell me. I don't care how bad it is. I don't care what it is. Just please tell me. Im really trying to grow as a person. Just please...I want to know. Straight up. Give it to me straight" He pleaded but Im not giving into it.
"Tonight is not the night for this. Tonight is about Seb." I answered then his face changed because of what I said
Ricky's POV
When Gina just said that it hit me. She must be mad at me for Nini. The last time I heard her say those words it was at Carlos's birthday. I came to her to talk about getting Nini in the beauty and the beast show and really from that moment on Gina completely shut me off. I never understood why until she just said that but now it makes sense.
"If you are mad at me because of Nini I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you feel any type of way....honestly I was a jerk to even come to you even about that. I'm sorry for that and for how I acted" I said
"It's okay...."she said then I cut her off
"No it wasn't okay. I'm not proud of how I handled that. I was completely insensitive to even come to you with that...especially since...things were...I don't strange because of Valentine's Day & I'm sorry for that too. I went too far with the jokes about the chocolates and stuff. I feel bad you came over to talk to me about your mom and I wasn't really there for you when you needed me. I was caught in my stuff with Nini...I didn't even deserve your advice but yet you helped me out when I should have been the one helping you. Sometimes....I wish I was the one that sent you those chocolates or just gave you something. You are always there for me and for everyone.you keep us all together. I know you do even when we weren't talking. Still I know you keeps us all together. You deserve the best." I said to her. For the first time I saw the mug that was on her face disappear.
"Thank you" she said softly
"Like I said before, I'm not proud of how I acted then. I'm really working on myself and trying to be better. I really hope you can see that I'm trying." I said
"Are you really?" She asked me I was taken back by her asking me that
"Yes. I am" I defended
"Ricky, lately I get the feeling that you are digressing. You have been drifting further away from all the people who truly care about you. You're late showing up for plans with people, you fight more with Big Red. You stopped talking to Ashlyn. You barely have time for Carlos or Seb. You haven't lately made it easy for everyone who truly do care about you believe that you are changing for the good. All I'm saying is if you are really working on yourself let those who truly care about you be there for you and in turn show up for those who are there for you" she said I think that's the first time in a long time she ever has been real with me for once.
"Wow ok. Tell me how you really feel. Geez. I get it. But that was really refreshing to hear. You being real with me for the first time in a long time. Thanks. I will be better" I said
"Well you asked for it" Gina said
"Yeah I did. I did ask for it....thank you Gina" I said then I walked over to give her a hug,
"I hope Ej really is living up to his word...by you know treating you right. You deserve the best" I whispered in her ear.
"I think you deserve better Ricky. Just be careful" she said back to me.