𝙗𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙛𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙨 (𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙞𝙙𝙚) || hsmtmts au

46. summer of eighth grade

N I N I 'S P O V

i sigh when the voicemail cuts me off, knowing i have so much more to say. that i'll probably won't get to anytime soon, because he's really gone. i could try to get to the airport, but there's no point-i already called him three times. he's probably already on the plane.

i run my hand through my soaking wet hair while i let out a sob, muffled by the hard-hitting rain. i really ruined everything. my whole world is on a plane going away from me right now, and what? now i'm just supposed to move on and keep going? is that how this works? i don't know, usually i'd go to my best friend for this sort of thing. but i guess i don't have that anymore.

"hey, you good?" i hear gina ask from behind me, having come after me when i ran outside.

"not really," i sniffle, wiping at my eyes. i haven't really talked to gina much after she told me she loved me, i didn't know what to say. i mean, i was never opposed to the idea of gina and i together, but-

"it's ricky, isn't it?"

exactly.

it's okay, though. her and ashlyn look happy, so i think everything worked out in the end-for them, at least.

"yeah, i..he-"

"he told you he loved you, didn't he?"

i smile, "how'd you know?"

she hesitates for a second before shrugging, "it was obvious, snowflake."

"i guess i did look the other way a lot, but..now there's nothing i can do."

"hey, pouring punch on e.j was a start," she jokes.

"a step in the right direction, for sure," i laugh.

gina ends up giving me a ride home (e.j having been my ride, but that obviously didn't work out). i give her a tight hug and thank her before heading inside, dragging myself up the stairs. i change into shorts and ricky's flannel (that's still on my bed, because that's where i keep it when i'm not wearing it).

i sniffle while i open the fridge after heading downstairs, my back hunched while i scan the freezer for anything. i end up grabbing the tub of strawberry ice cream (that's half empty, because ricky and i ate it during our last movie night).

it's weird, three hours ago we were dancing in the rain together. now all i have physically left are small things, like his flannel with the faint smell of his cologne still left on it and the spoon dents he made in the frozen ice cream days ago.

i shake my head, trying not to think about it. there's no point. i'll see him on the next holiday, or something. i take a seat on the counter, full on ugly sobbing while i shovel the ice cream into my mouth-

until i hear the doorbell ring.

i sigh and roll my eyes, assuming it's my moms coming home from their anniversary weekend vacation. i don't know why they'd ring the doorbell though, they took their keys with them. i set down my ice cream and wipe my eyes while i shuffle over to the door, my heart stopping when i see who it is.

oh my god.

"i got your voicemail," ricky sniffles with a smile, his eyes all red and puffy like he's been crying.

i don't say anything, instead just launching myself into the pair of arms i had missed so much for the past few hours and hugging him as tight as i possibly can while i smile back just as wide.

i pull my head away to press my forehead against his, "you came back for me?"

"of course i did. i love you, luvies."

i don't wait to close the gap in between our faces, doing what i've wanted to do since the summer of eighth grade.

"i love you too, silly goose."

the end.

.•.•..•A/N.•.•.•.
SEQUEL OUT NOW!!!!

the first chapter is out now!!