Cruel Summer | Ricky Bowen

CHAPTER TEN | PLEASE DON'T EVER BECOME A STRANGER

"She's so adorable!"

Raya chuckled at EJ's, MJ's, and Gina's antics as she swayed slowly with Skye in her arms, the baby fisting her shirt as she babbled, making the teenager jokingly say, "Yes, Skye. EJ's a big dork."

"I am not," EJ defensive said as he crossed his arms.

MJ laughed, shaking her head at her older brother. "How did you get Dad to keep her?"

"Skye reminded him of Mom, so..."

"Have you told them about her yet?"

"No. Adelaide's surgery just happened days ago, she's still recovering so..."

"That's a good call."

The last time Raya had spoken to Rosalie, Camila, and Adelaide was on Christmas Eve, just before she left the house for Sammy's grandmothers' home, and she knew they'd be thrilled to find out that they already have a little niece.

"Are you going to Ash's party?" MJ asked Raya as she reached the baby bottle for Skye to latch onto, which she does so and she happily drank.

"I don't know. Skye's still doesn't like it when someone else holds her."

How a baby could tell if their mother was the one holding them was appalling to everyone.

When Cash had gone to hold Skye at the hospital, she immediately cried until he passed her to Raya, who had managed to calm her down a lot quicker than she should be able to. It was endearing to her at first but it wasn't until yesterday that it struck her that she'll have to leave Skye at home for school and for work (which she now reduced to only be on Tuesdays and Thursdays).

"Then bring her with us?"

Raya looked hesitant, but nodded her head as she said, "So we're just going to tell them that we have a sister who doesn't even like Momma and Dad?"

"Yeah, and tell them that she likes you more than them."

"Fine. I will."

Ricky would be lying if he said he was incredibly happy being in a relationship with Nini again. He hates that he went for her when he doesn't even love her in the way that he did before Raya had opened his eyes last summer, saw that she was the one for him the whole time, now realized that the one he has been in love with has been the girl who stood by his side the whole time.

Now, she's in New York City with her real father.

(Or that's what he thinks she wanted him and the others to believe. Ricky knew how slow he could be, it was one thing that people have made it clear to him, but he managed to pick up on EJ's behavior when Carlos asked him about how Raya was in New York that Gina and Ashlyn had to try and cover for him. He was definitely not hurt that she didn't make an effort to tell him that she possibly never left or why she didn't.)

"What's that, Ricky?" Mike asked his son, who was fiddling with a small box.

"It's... I was supposed to give it to Raya a while ago but she left before I could," he confessed.

"So that song you wrote was for her, huh? The one you sang to Nini on Christmas? Or maybe it was the one you wrote before auditions?"

"The last one, yeah," Ricky replied, opening the small box and taking out the locket with a R charm on it.

Mike sat down beside him on the couch as he sighed. "Ricky, I know that you love Nini, but this isn't right. Being with someone who you don't love in the way she loves you."

"I know, but... Raya pushed me to her, on opening night."

"If the time's right, you tell Raya and Nini the truth, alright?" The man told his son, patting his shoulder. "They're great girls, and I'd hate for them to hurt in the end because of one boy who just happens to be my son."