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Ryan was confused. You see she couldn't understand what her life was becoming. Last year, Ryan spent her days alone, pushing her best friend away and watching her old best friend be all lovey dovey with the girl she hated the most. She felt like shit but she was used to it so she continued that routine. Yet now, she was back talking with Ricky, she saw the girl she hated most almost everyday in rehearsal and she had more than just Bell to talk to. It was bittersweet, on one hand she was happy her life was finally improving however on the other hand she was aware that she could loose it all at any moment. They could leave again. So Ryan didn't know if this was a blessing or if it was a curse.
Ryan spent her night facetiming Bell from Ashlynn's bedroom, the girls showed Bell the songs they've been working on, causing Bell to pester Ryan, begging her to upload her drafted sings to her youtube. Ryan had written and recorded two more songs to add her drafts over the week and she believed showing Bell was her biggest mistake, Bell hadn't stopped begging for her to post the song. She'd become so desperate she told Gina about it causing both of the girls to nag the English girl all week. Ryan was going insane.
The next morning Ryan left her friend's house early to go home get ready and sit in on Ej and Ricky's rehearsal. Last night Ej had texted the girl asking her to come so she can make sure he actually tells Nini the truth instead on backing out. He didn't want to admit it but they both knew Ej was scared of Ryan and he knew if he didn't tell Nini the truth there was a high chance Ryan would for him, which would be even worse.
So currently that's where they were, Ryan sat on the floor with her head in her heads already regretting coming, she was bored. As she sat with her eyes closed, Ricky noticed the girl, his brows furrowed she hadn't told him she was coming, before he could get her attention, Miss Jenn walked in summoning both Ricky and Ej to begin their scene.
"And remember, these two are best bros, which is a sacred thing, for reasons I will never understand, ready?" As Miss Jenn lectured the boys, Ryan couldn't help but scoff earning a few stares, she found the whole ideal ironic and could sense the tension between the two boys. As the boys acted, Ryan bit her lip to stop a smile from forming, she could really see the improvement from Ricky and was happy he was becoming good at something that meant so much to her.
Ryan just wished he was doing it for himself or maybe even her. She remembered the year they first started to drift it was the first year of high school and the school was putting on hair spray, Ryan had attempted to get her best friend to audition with her and Bell, yet he had insisted that he was too stiff and thought musicals were lame. Yet he promised he'd attend the auditions so he could see her sing and support her, she agreed and was excited. That day she decided she'd audition with an original she wrote for the boy hoping to tell him how she really felt about him unfortunately the auditions came and he was no where to been seen. She texted and called and with the zero replies back she decided to just audition and sing the song assigned to her. She later found out he was with Nini comforting her as she was too scared to audition. But now here he was being Troy and actually being good at it but he's doing it all for her. The girl she secretly wished to be.
Deep in her thoughts Ryan missed the constant glances Ricky would steal as he acted his scene, he wondered what she was thinking about and why she'd been awl and barely talking to him recently. She was out of her thoughts when Ricky threw a basketball at Ej causing his nose to start bleeding. She loudly cackled before swiftly putting a hand over her mouth to hide her amusement. She made her over to Ej helping him up, with a smile across her face, she didn't care that both Miss Jenn and Ricky were looking at her like she was crazy.
"Shit Ej are you okay" The boy looked at her with a deadly expression causing her to laugh louder. "Alright, alright come lets get you ice"
As Ej got up Ryan caught Ricky looking at her hurt and confused, her laugh grew louder. This was prime comedy. "Good one Ricky" and with that she left the rehearsal space with Ej.
--
Ej and Ryan were know in the boys bathroom attending to his busted lip. As she held the ice pack to his nose whilst he attempted to scrub the blood stain from his shirt, Ej expressed how he didn't want to tell Nini now.
"I'm not gonna fall on my sword and confess about the phone now, I don't need to make Ricky look like the good guy." Ryan rolled her eyes, she never knew how dumb boys could really be.
"Ricky just busted your lip open and you think he looks like the good guy." Ej stopped what he was doing and stared at the girl next to him. "You're dumb Ej very dumb"
Ryan was glad she was becoming friends with a boy who wasn't Ricky, it's hard to be friends with someone who you've liked before, whereas here with Ej it was very simply she didn't overthink every interaction and was comfortable. As the pair continued to reminisce on the events with the basketball with Ryan on the counter next to him, a remorseful Ricky came through the doors, looking even more startled to see their close proximity.
Ryan saw the boy and hopped off the counter going to leave to give the two boys some privacy maybe, now they can squash whatever is going on and can move on with the play. She smiled at Ricky grabbing his hand and giving it a little squeeze before leaving.
--
After strolling through the halls trying to find any of her friends, Ryan gave up and headed outside with her skateboard in her hand. As she was met with a breath of fresh air she noticed Ricky and Nini talking in the corner deciding this would be her time to apologize to Nini and ask Ricky to skate home with her.
"But the next time I spill my guts to you in a voicemail, which actually wasn't even meant for you, do me a favor and keep it to yourself"
Ryan already knew where this conversation was going, stuck behind the two she glanced at Ej who was talking with his friends. The two communicated with their eyes, him realizing that the rouse will shortly be up.
"Wait, what voicemail" Nini asked the pair curiously, as on cheque.
Deciding that the conversation was coming to an end, Ryan quickly joined Ricky's side, with a kind smile she looked at a curious Nini. She could sense it wasn't the right time but she couldn't wait any longer and decided to apologize there and then.
"Hey Nini, I know this probably isn't the best time but I just want to apologize, I know I haven't been the most welcoming but I promise I'll try be less shitty" She smiled kindly not giving her time to reply before dragging Ricky by the arm over to his skateboard.
