I Understand Now (Ricky Dillon Fanfiction)

Chapter 22

"Explain what?" I'm beyond annoyed at Jen for bringing something like this up, and equally annoyed at Ricky for being involved in whatever it is.

"I know exactly what you're gonna think, but you need to hear me out," Ricky pleads. "I just bumped into Jen on the way home from school and-"

"And what?" I demand as Jen chuckles, stands up and walks away from us. "What happened?"

"I'm trying to tell you. I wasn't planning for anything to happen," Ricky explains. "We were just walking in the same direction, and Jen came up to me and started talking to me. She just threw herself at me-I didn't do anything wrong." He runs his hand through his hair.

"Did you kiss her back?" I ask tentatively. Ricky seems on edge.

"I had no idea what was going on, it was just a reflex, I swear," he promises.

"A reflex?" I exclaim. "What kind of an excuse is that? You know how much I hate her now. I though you were on my side with this, and then you just go and"-I wave my hand in front of me to indicate the situation we're in-"let this happen. I am so annoyed at you."

"I know, but I promise I wouldn't do this on purpose, okay?" Ricky tries to reason with me. "I love you, and only you."

"You've said that before," I point out. "But they're just empty words. Oh my God, I've always been afraid of this. I never thought it'd actually happen with you, but my mum was right." I bury my face in my hands.

"Why don't you believe me?" Ricky asks, and I feel him place his hand on my arm.

"Don't touch me!" I yell, jerking away. "And don't talk to me until I've decided whether or not I want to forgive you." With that, I stand up and walk out of the library.

"Ellie, wait!" Ricky calls from behind me. I ignore him.

...

Ricky's POV.

Now I've done it. I've ruined everything. Any chance I had at a full-on relationship with Ellie is now gone. I thought I could make her change her mind, but now she's set on her old ideas again. I just gave her every reason to fear what she was starting to begin was a stupid fear. Not to mention, she told me her mum wouldn't be supportive if I broke her heart. But I didn't break her heart. Did I?

I love Ellie, I really do. What happened wasn't my fault-Ellie just thinks it is. I've got to find a way to make her see that I still love her. I have never had feelings for anyone else the way I have feelings for her, especially not Jen.

"Ellie, wait!" I call out to her as she walks out of the library, but she doesn't hear me. I run my hands through my hair and curse Jen a million times under my breath. She just had to bring it up, didn't she?

I run up to Ellie just as she is opening the library door to leave. I stop her by placing my hand on her shoulder.

"Ellie, please don't do this," I beg. She stops walking and turns to look at me.

"Don't do what?" She asks. "Get upset when my boyfriend cheats on me?"

"I wasn't cheating on you," I start to say, but Ellie brushes my hand off her shoulder and barges out the door before I can finish. I groan in annoyance at both myself and Jen. Mostly myself.

"Something wrong?" The librarian asks with a huge fake grin. I turn to face her.

"No, everything's perfectly okay," I reply sarcastically, and like the oblivious woman she clearly is, she buys it.

"Okay," she says, and goes back to doing whatever it is librarians do.

I glance over to where Jen and Sarah were sitting before, and they're still there. I walk over to them and mentally make a list of ways to murder Jen, and once I get to their table, I slap her across the face. Sarah gasps and covers her mouth with both of her hands, and Jen looks up at me, gaping and holding the side of her face. I talk before either of them can.

"You bitch!" I half-whisper, half-yell so that not too many people can hear me. "Why did you bring that up? Ellie hates me now."

"She hates me too," Jen informs me. "Hurts, doesn't it?"

"She only hates you because Sarah turned you against her," I point out, gesturing to the brat face sitting next to her. Sarah seems hurt. Good.

"I did not!" She exclaims. "I was there for her when her best friend betrayed her."

"Betrayed her?" I repeat. "Ellie didn't do anything to intentionally hurt either of you. You just made it seem that way, because you're a rude, conniving little-"

"Ricky, stop," Jen pleads. "Sarah's my friend."

"You see? She's trying to make you think that," I explain. "Do you remember back when you were best friends with Ellie? She's told me about how you used to both hate Sarah." Sarah flinches at that part, but I continue. "You've completely thrown that out the window now that Sarah's come along." I turn to the girl I just mentioned. "What do you hope to gain from this, Sarah? How the hell is breaking two people's friendship going to benefit you in any way?"

Sarah looks shocked. "I...." Her voice trails off. "I was never trying to hurt anyone."

"Well, maybe you should try a little harder not to," I say. "Because now a friendship has been destroyed, and a relationship is on its way there." I don't want to admit that Ellie and I probably just broke up.

"It wasn't my intention," Sarah says with tears in her eyes, standing up and leaving the library as well. I watch her leave before turning back to Jen.

"Well, Jen?" I question her. "Is there anything you want to say?"

"You're right," she says suddenly. I frown.

"About what?" I ask.

"Sarah." She nods towards the door Sarah just walked out of. "She was messing with me, but I never wanted to admit it with her around. I still like Ellie, well, I didn't for some time when I found out about you two. I got over it, but not before I realised that Sarah was pretending to be nice to me. She was hard to say no to, so I was too scared to confront her. I was bitchy to you and Ellie just before because she told me to be, and I figured she'd find out if I didn't do as she said." She pauses, and I nod, telling her to continue.

"So, thank you. You stood up to Sarah when I couldn't, and I can't tell you how I grateful I am for that. Ellie's been avoiding me ever since she saw me talking to Sarah, and I wish I could talk to her about everything. And now...I think I can. I kissed you of my own accord yesterday, not because Sarah made me, but I wasn't thinking about my actions very clearly. I'm sorry if I split you and Ellie up."

"It's fine," I assure her. "And I don't think you split me and Ellie up. People make mistakes, and other people get worked up over the tiniest ones. Ellie will come around, I'm sure. Although, she might be quicker to forgive you than me." Jen laughs, and I can't help but join her. It feels good to laugh after everything that's just happened.

"Thanks for forgiving me," Jen says. "We've all gone through a lot recently, and I didn't think you'd ever let me explain everything." I smile.

"That's okay," I reply.

"I'm glad Sarah seems to finally be out of the picture-it was getting hard to speak up around her. Thanks again, Ricky." She puts her hand over one of mine. "Now go find Ellie."