HSMTMTS: The Core Four 2

77

Nini's POV

That night, I called Ricky and Ashlyn on a group chat with me and Gina. We all needed to discuss what was going on with EJ. "He did WHAT?" Ashlyn shrieks. "That's it! I'm gonna talk to him right now."

"No, Ashlyn! I think we all need to talk to him. He thinks pushing us away will protect us."

"Well, I know that never helped anyone," Ricky says quietly. We all know he was with Walker...cuddling with him on the couch. But we didn't say anything. Besides, Ricky is straight. Or so he says...

"What do you think we should do, then?" Ash asks.

"We all talk to him."

I look over at Gina. She was crying a lot. In fact, that's the first thing she's said in a while. I grab her hand and give her a small smile, trying my best to comfort her. "EJ thinks distancing himself will protect us and himself. I think if we show him we want to be there for him, he'll understand."

"I don't know, EJ's pretty stubborn. We might have to be a little more direct."

"You think I don't know that?? I dated him."

"Should we invite the others?" Ash asks. "No, we're the people he's closest to him. If there's any chance we have at him dropping this act, it's us, and us alone."

"I agree," I tell her.

"Same" Ashlyn says.

"I will be hard on him if I have to," Ricky says. "Only if you have to" Gina repeats. Something tells me he's gonna have to be direct if EJ's BloodLust takes over. "So it's settled. We all meet at Ashlyn's house and confront him."

"Got it."

We all hang up and I look back at Gina. "Are you sure you're okay?" I ask her. EJ was her first boyfriend, this was her first breakup. I couldn't even imagine how she was feeling.

"Not really. I thought we were close enough to get through this. I guess we weren't. So much for Squad Goals."

"Hey, it's gonna be okay. We're gonna fix all of this. Then you and EJ will be couple goals once gain."

"That is if Ricky and Walker don't get in the way." We both start laughing. I'm glad I was able to get her to laugh again. All this night, it's been crying. I need to fix this. For EJ, but mostly for her.

EJ's  POV

I grab my old "CSL" jacket. I've been trying my best not to cry this whole night. I'm a Caswell, I don't cry. I won't cry. It's a temporary break between Gina and me until I'm okay again. I just need to get my mind off that stuff.

CSL stands for Camp Shallow Lake, the old camp I to go to with Nini. I'm gonna take a walk around the neighborhood. And maybe a few laps around all of Utah. I just need to get my mind off Gina.

I walk downstairs, ready to grab a little snack for the road. And what's the first thing I see in the living room?

Gina

Gina, Ricky, Ashlyn, and Ricky are sitting in the living room, staring at me like I did something wrong. This time it would be something I didn't know about.

"Um, hi guys, what's wrong??"

"You broke up with Gina?" Ashlyn was the first to stand up. Are they really getting on me for that? I thought Gina and I were good. "That is not what we're talking about," Gina says, grabbing Ash's hand. "We're here to talk about you."

"And why you're pushing everyone away."

Oh, no. I don't wanna deal with this right now. "Guys, I'm really not in the best mood right now" I was about to open the door, but my legs were immobilized. I look over at Ricky, who held his glowing hand out.