More Than a First Kiss

11

EJ's POV

*TIME JUMP GETTING ON THE BUS FOR CAMP*

"Hey G, wanna sit together?" I give her a quick kiss before she can answer. "Absolutely, Let me just drop put my stuff in the bus and I'll be right there," she smiles and kisses me again. Now smiling, I go save Gina and my seats which are in the middle of the bus.

Minutes later she gets on the bus, I watch her as I'm waiting for her to sit with me. Once she joins me I continue to stare at her. "What?" she asks, giving me a half-smiling half confused look.

"Have I ever told you how beautiful you are? Because oh my god you are. I can't believe someone so gorgeous is slumming it with me," I get quiet near the end of my compliment, realizing what I had just said. "First of all, thank you and you say that every day. Second of all, slumming it! With you! Have you looked into a mirror lately? You are both the most handsome guy I've ever met and the sweetest guy I've ever met. Don't act like I'm out of your league eej," she corrects. Instead of responding I just kiss her. At moments like these, it takes everything in me not to say 'I love you.'

I had told Nini this after only three months of dating. I mostly meant it, but if I'm being honest now that I'm with Gina, I realize I've never actually felt love like this before. It's even scarier knowing Gina and I have barely been together a full month. Though it feels like longer, everything now is just the same as it was. Except now I can kiss her and tell her she's gorgeous.

Just after us, everyone begins to get on the bus. Ashlyn and Big Red sit in the seat next to us. Carlos and Seb sit in front of us. Natalie sits behind us. Ricky ends up sitting in the far back. As of now, we're still ignoring him. Sometimes I wish we weren't though. We've never really heard him out. Gina thinks that if anyone should talk to him it should be me. She reasons that I'm the least involved and the most unbiased. "Hey G, I'll be right back. I'm going to go talk to Ricky a little ok."

"Ok. I'm glad you're doing that Ej," she smiles. I smile at her back before sliding into the back and next to Ricky. "EJ?" he asks, startled, "What are you doing here?"

"I thought it would be good for you to talk, explain yourself, to someone who isn't as emotionally attached to the decisions you make," I explain. Ricky almost smiles but instead he just nods. "So, start talking before I change my mind."

"Lily had approached me a few times in the weeks before opening night. She asked for some advice on how to get her castmates to like her more. Then she came to opening night and was really nice and honest. After the show when she showed up to Slices she confessed her feelings for me. I was flattered and thought it would be nice to give her a chance. So that night I called her and we started to hang out. After a few weeks I started to like her I guess, though a bit of it is I have been feeling very lonely since Nini and I broke up. I asked her to be my girlfriend thinking it would just give me something for a while," he pauses to take a breath, "I didn't really think about the effects it would have on my friends. If I'm being honest I was being selfish. But I'm torn because Lily is really great when it's the two of us so I don't want to break up with her. On the other hand, I miss my friends. EJ what am I supposed to do now?" he asks.

Thinking, I look around at our friends, "Leave it to me. I'll talk to them ok?" Ricky nods.

I move back up next to Gina. "So, what'd he have to say?" she briefly looks back at him.

"To summarize, he's conflicted and he's lonely. Has been since the breakup." I turn to face Ashlyn and Big Red. "Guys, listen up." Everyone turns to face me. "We need to give Ricky, and unfortunately Lily, the benefit of the doubt. And if you can't do that then forget about the situation altogether and accept Ricky back as our friend. We haven't exactly been there for him through his breakup with Nini, he deserves his friends back." Gina takes my hand from behind and squeezes it. "I think we could do that," Gina adds.

"Alright," Carlos sighs. Everyone turns to look at Ashlyn and Big Red.

"Ok EJ, we'll give him a chance. But we won't be distracted from Lily's unfortunate personality by him," Ashlyn states. Big Red nods.

"I would like my best friend back so... I guess that's ok." I look back over to Ricky and wave him over. He hesitates before moving up next to Natalie. "Hey guys, um, I just wanted to say I'm sorry for everything. I won't act like that again."

"It's ok Ricky," Ashlyn smiles, "We haven't been the greatest friends either."

"So catch me up, what's going on with everyone. Also, would anyone care to tell me where Kourtney and Nini have been?"

Everyone looks around at one another. I can't believe he doesn't know. "They are in LA. Nini got connected with Gina's brother who's a producer. Kourtney went with her as support. She's hoping to record an album and establish her career as an artist," Ashlyn explains. Ricky looks over at Gina.

"Why didn't any of you tell me this. Broken up or not I could've said something to her. Knowing Nini she might never come back."

"We're sorry Ricky, it all just happened so fast and we didn't really think about it," Gina explains honestly. "You know what, it's ok. I'm just glad I've got a chance to earn my friends back."

"We never stopped being your friend Ricky. Even when we were mad," Big Red explains. Breaking his silence.

Gina leans in close to me and whispers in my ear, "I'm proud of you." Instead of responding, for the first time in front of our friends, I kiss her.