────── 𝟎𝟒. 𝑩𝑳𝑶𝑪𝑲𝑬𝑫 𝑭𝑬𝑬𝑳𝑰𝑵𝑮𝑺
"𝐈 𝐃𝐎𝐍'𝐓 𝐊𝐍𝐎𝐖 𝐈𝐅 𝐈𝐓'𝐒 𝐉𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐌𝐄 𝐁𝐔𝐓 𝐈𝐓 𝐒𝐄𝐄𝐌𝐒 𝐋𝐈𝐊𝐄 𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐘𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝐈𝐒 𝐎𝐍 𝐄𝐃𝐆𝐄 𝐓𝐎𝐃𝐀𝐘." Ember commented as she arrived to the theater room for rehearsals. She seemed to be the only one with her head screwed on straight as everyone around her tittered on the brink of an emotional breakdown.
Ms. Jen had already lost her cool one too many times and Ember was honestly considering just grabbing her backpack and taking the first bus back home.
Coincidentally her theater partner was MIA and it was just one more thing added to the list of why today was a disaster.
Before she could even think about leaving the door to the room opened and Ricky stepped in looking quite the epitome of a wreck. His eyes were puffy and lined with red and his usual neat of curls a nest on his head. Ember hated to admit it but the sight of him looking so distressed caused an unpleasant feeling in her stomach.
-ˏˋ. Of course I'm worried about Ricky! I mean I know I hate the guy and all but I'm not cruel. I do happen to care for him. Maybe, just a little. ˊˎ-
"I'm here! Sorry I'm late, my mom's flight landed early." Ricky announced as he stepped into the room ,"what scene are we doing?" He questioned.
"Scene seven, now please get your script Ricky. An actor should always be punctual." Ms. Jen cut in before anyone could comment.
Ricky visibly cringed sensing the irritation in Ms. Jen's tone and knowing that what he was about to say was only going to add to it.
"I actually left my script at home-"
"He can borrow mine." Ember tried to help out not wanting to witness the wrath of Ms. Jen as her fuse was close to blowing out.
As expected it was the straw that broke the camel's back and soon Ms. Jen was ordering Ricky into her office, storming out with a huff that was quite uncharacteristic of her.
Ember was quick to follow as she sidled along the hallways outside the office door in hopes of catching Ricky afterwards to check on him
She didn't have to wait long as he came out with a drag in his step his eyes more watery than before. Ember stepped into his line of sight with a shy cough not sure what to say or how to comfort him.
"Uh hi Ricky, I know I'm probably not the person you want to see right now seeing as we aren't close and all but I just wanted to say whatever is bothering you, I hope it gets better and I'm here for you." She bounced on the tips of her toes focusing her attention on her shoes as she waited for a reply.
She was more than surprised when instead of a verbal answer she was met with arms wrapping around her in a tight hug as if he was trying to keep her from leaving. Much like a boat depended on an anchor.
"Thank You." He whispered against her shoulder his hot breath fanning across her neck and causing her to involuntarily shiver at their close proximity.
"No problem, Bowen. But just so you know this is only a one time thing, I still hate you." She teased and surprisingly Ricky chuckled as he pulled back from their hug, his eyes warm as he looked down on her.
"Wouldn't expect any less, Caswell." He shot her a mock salute before he walked down the hall leaving her with a fuzzy feeling in her stomach.
"I really got to stop drinking soda for breakfast." Ember groaned to herself as she turned to walk to class.
______________
"Woah you look like shit." Ember commented upon seeing her brother lying in bed, hair messy and eyes red. He didn't bother responding and her eyes softened as she realized something must have happened with Nini as he was never this down.
Taking a seat by him she placed a hand comfortingly on his back.
"What's wrong, J?" The nickname caused him to tear up even more as his emotions were on edge since the dreaded break up.
"She broke up with me. And it's all his fault."
Ember's brows furrowed in confusion and she removed her hand from her brother's back leaning lower to try and catch EJ's eyes.
"What? Who's fault?"
EJ grumbled and then shot up his head almost colliding with Ember's due to his frustration.
"Ricky's! If he hadn't sent Nini that voicemail I wouldn't have stolen her phone and she wouldn't have broken up with me." He ran a hand through his hair and Ember couldn't help but scoff in disbelief. He was really pinning his own actions on others.
"EJ do you even hear yourself? Because all I hear is you blaming others for something you clearly did. Whether Ricky sent her a voicemail or not, you had no right to snoop through her phone. Your lack of trust in Nini is what ruined your relationship, not Ricky."
Her words only seemed to anger her brother more as he turned to her with a scowl.
"Are you seriously defending him right now. Over your own brother." His voiced raised at the last words, hurt running through him. He was tired of that Ricky kid, first taking his girlfriend from him and now his own sister.
Ember felt her anger raise and she stood up, both siblings red in the face.
"Yes, I am. Because the man standing before me right now is not my brother. The EJ I knew would never blame someone for his actions, would never be dishonest, and certainly would not raise his voice at me."
She didn't bother saying anymore as she stormed from the room not looking back at EJ who now stood with tears in his eyes.
She didn't know who the guy in the other room was, but one thing was for certain, things had changed and certainly not for the better.
___________________
It was late at night when Ember's phone rang and she sat up with a groan as she picked it up not recognizing the number listed.
Something told her to answer it and she found herself obliging as she slide the green phone icon across the screen.
"Hello?"
She heard a shaky exhale and was about to hang up when a familiar voice greeted her ears.
"Ember?" She sat up at the voice hearing the heaviness and figuring that on the other line, a sob was being held back.
"Ricky?"
"Yeah, uh it's me. Are you, uh, are you busy?"
She wanted to say yes, but hearing the hurt and insecurity in his voice she couldn't find it in herself to ignore him.
"No, I'm not busy at all. What's up?" She asked. She quickly shifted her phone onto her shoulder as she moved to close her bedroom door not wanting her brother to hear her and question who she was talking to.
"My parents are getting a divorce." Ricky suddenly blurted out, his voice cracking at the end as he let his emotions get the best of him.
Ember felt her heart break at the vulnerability in his voice and she sat down, as she thought of a way to cheer him up. She spotted her guitar nearby and quickly snatched it up, as she adjusted her phone.
"I can't say I understand what you're going through Ricky and I know you probably don't want to hear I'm sorry, so um how about I sing something. Would that make you feel better?" She asked biting her lip in fear of his reply.
She half expected Ricky to hang up or laugh but all he said was a please, his voice sounding of a child when they wanted to be comforted.
"Alright, give me a second."
She checked to make sure her guitar was tuned before she started strumming to the beat of "what I've been looking for."
"it's hard to believe, that I couldn't see
you were always there beside me.
thought I was alone,
with no one to hold
but you were always there beside me.."
Ember started to think of the time she first met Ricky and how she couldn't stand him, and his cocky attitude but yet when she was hurting, he was always there to apologize or try and cheer her up.
Just when she thought she was alone he was there for her, even when her own brother wasn't.
"and this feelings like no other
I want you to know.."
Her mind went back to the time she had to hold hands with Ricky and the feeling it brought. Everytime he stepped closer to her, his breath sending shivers up his spine.
Realizing her heart was starting to race, Ember finished the song with ease waiting for a reply from the phone. She listened closely as it was silent for several minutes before she heard the low inhale and exhale of Ricky's soft breathing as he succumbed to sleep.
Putting her guitar down with a soft smile, Ember picked the phone up and spoke into it.
"Goodnight, Bowen."
With that she hung up the phone and settled under her covers, thoughts of a curly haired boy running through her mind.
_________________
𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐢'𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬
oop feelings are being discovered, how we feeling?
also I'm still struggling with the ship name should it be rem (ricky and em) or ??
what do we think of this chapter and what do you want to see next?
thoughts on episode 8?
also check out my new peter parker fic coming soon! it's called any kind of guy. the plot was provided by the lovely maria who has given me the opportunity to write the fic out
as always stay safe everyone!!
gif courtesy of maria