I Never Said I Hated You

Ricky! : Chapter 4

No One's POV:

"Um...guys?"

Backing immediately away from each other, Red and Ashlyn both whipped their faces towards the source coming from the door.

"Ricky?" Red asked, well more said, but still Ricky was standing in his doorway on his own two feet.

"The one and only." Ricky laughed, going to give his best friend a high five.

"Oh, Ricky, hi sweetie how are you feeling?" Mrs. Redonovitch asked as she stepped into the living room - noticing that Ashlyn looked very uncomfortable on the couch.

"Other than this neck brace to help with my whiplash, I'm not doing too bad. I do have a headache from the concussion, but the nurses said that should go away as I take my medication for the next few days." Ricky told her as he embraced the older woman in a hug.

"How is EJ?" Ashlyn asked from the couch, as she got up and walked over to them.

"I think he was being discharged today, he actually said he was going to text you when he got out." Ricky said, as he gave a small smirk - simply because he knew what he almost witnessed between the two redheads.

"Oh that's good, I'll go check my phone." Ashlyn said out loud as she started to go make her way up the stairs.

"I'll leave you two to talk." Mrs. R told them as she started to make her way up the stairs.

"Okay, what did I almost just witness?" Ricky asked Red, as he watched Red's face turn bright red.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Red tried to convince him, wary of his own answer; everyone knows Ricky can see right through him.

"Oh, please, you two almost kissed and you know it," Ricky started and as Red was about to protest against his suggestion, Ricky put his hand up and just shook his head.

"Ashlyn and I-" Red started, stammering a little as he thought about what to say.

"Yes?" Ricky encouraged, pushing Red to come to terms with the predicament.

"- almost kissed." He finished, glancing up at Ricky as his cheeks went aflame - yet again - with the same embarrassment as before.

"I knew it." Ricky told him, slapping the redhead on the back.

"Knew what?" Big Red questioned as he looked confused.

"That you two almost kissed?" Ricky said back to him, in the same questioning tone.

"I thought you still hated her?" Ricky asked, confused himself.

"I thought I did too. I mean, I still do? I don't know, bro. The past 36 hours have been the most confusing of my life." Red said honestly as he rested his forehead against the counter.

"Maybe it's better this way. Try to be friends with everyone again, I know EJ always talks so highly of Ash and all of them, it's not like they disappeared." Ricky suggested as he shrugged his shoulders.

Red shook his head at Ricky's suggestion though, "I think that concussion is getting to you man, there's no way we'd all get along again. Especially after what happened the first time? There's no way."

"I do recall what happened the day we all broke up though, and I'm the only other one beside you and Ash who knows what happened." Ricky told him as they heard Ashlyn come bouncing back down the stairs, as the front door opened up.

"Hi guys!" EJ yelled as Ashlyn ran over to give him a hug.

"I've missed you so, so much. How are you feeling?" Ashlyn asked hurriedly as she did a look over for a brace or anything.