one time thing | ricky bowen ¹

twenty-two

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leighton put her car in park and unbuckled her seat belt, second to drive to ashlyn's instead. she tried to relax herself from her previous thoughts. this was a topic leighton couldn't relate to once for ricky. she needed to calm down about them being together and about what was on his screen. maybe it was an accident.

always having an excuse for ricky, she thought.

she had a feeling in her gut about this just being a fling only. she felt bad for not being able to help ricky out, but gina was there for him. she didn't mind. the other thing was just clawing at her brain for some reason.

leighton opened her door to a cold breeze hitting her face. locking the car and hurrying up down the road to the front door and ringing the doorbell. "hey hun!" carlos said behind her, nearly scaring her in the process. "oh my god. hey carlos, you kinda scared me." she said looking down at the big board box in his hands. she decided to not ask what it was as the door had opened anyways.

seb greeted the two as they walked in and they said hi to everyone in the front room. leighton didn't see ricky or gina yet, so she shook her coat off and made herself comfortable. she relaxed herself again so she could have a fun night. the girl hoped she wouldn't get her emotions messed up again.

"okay, you know it's a pot luck and not like, catering, right?" ashlyn asked as carlos wanted to set the big box he had down. she looked from between everyone still curious about it. "this is not food." he said still with a big smile.

"good i thought it was pizza. too much lactose." big red said, leighton laughed as she walked next to him, "yeah and ya girl has been trying to be dairy free so my temptations are now shot down." her and big red shared a laugh as the box was opened. displayed was a board game that was clearly homemade.

"okay what is that?" leighton said sitting down, but still in awe. "this is something i have been waiting many long years to share with the world." carlos told her as he was still standing. "you guys. this is high school musical, the choosical!"

leighton widened her dark brown eyes before looking harder at the board. very interested in what was on it. carlos explained where the idea came from and how he made it. leighton felt her worries disappear. she really wanted to start the game already.

carlos told them to divide into two teams, wildcats or knights. leighton set herself on the knights team just for fun. big red joined her as they engaged in a conversation about the board again. ashlyn sat next to big red ready to play as well.

the door opened and closed and leighton turned to see nini and ricky speaking. her jealous emotion crashed her happy one in the matter of seconds. she clenched her fist, wanting to stop her head. all she could think was that ricky didn't want her. he just wanted anyone but her yet he still came back to her. she unclenched her fist and turned around. trying to ignore their conversation.

"you okay?" big red said as he touched her hand. she flinched and shook her head. "yeah red. i just miss my dad. it randomly hits me, but i'm okay. don't worry." she grimaced. he nodded slowly. not believing her obviously.

the door opened again to gina walking in with her cupcakes. she saw leighton and waved before going to set down her stuff. she quickly came back to sit with leighton as carlos started to explain how the game was going to work. leighton felt a dip beside her and smelt the familiar cologne invade her nose. she knew it was ricky, but somehow didn't feel right talking to him.

ricky nudged her and placed his arm around her shoulder. like always. she gave him a light smile, but he didn't understand why that's all he got. it was now their teams turn to go first and to chose their topic. the next few minutes being an alteration of the two teams.

ricky had to go against ej and do the sharpay and ryan warm ups without laughing. the test of cast laughed as the two kept going for a minute. leighton and big red were holding on to each other as he recorded this all go down. they were laughing so hard that nothing but air was coming out.

both teams got a point for no one breaking. gina wanted a drink and leighton wanted to grab something as well and they walked to the kitchen. in there they ran into nini. the three girls stopped a little as they looked at each other. "hey, just wanted to uh. get something to drink." leighton said awkwardly, as nini and gina said at the same time they wanted root beer.

leighton walked around nini and grabbed herself a bottled water and a root beer for gina, but leaving the fridge open. nini didn't speak until she saw them turn around. "crazy how many people made it to the party." she said. leighton making a straight line of her lips and nodding. she excused herself before she said something would regret.

leighton walked to the bathroom quickly as gina called out to her. she shut the door and locked it as she turned to look in the mirror. her lips started to quiver lightly and she held her mouth. she didn't want to cry, but for some reason her mind wouldn't stop getting the best of her. she wasn't the mean girl, but seeing nini always made her blood boil.

she saw the way nini still looked at ricky, especially a lot more now that she and ej are no longer together. nini used to look at ricky that way all the time and leighton noticed it. now nini is doing it again and leighton can't help but feel scared.

she pretty much was with ricky even if it was technically unofficial. ricky had been nothing but sweet and kind and just this one time she felt like the world was against her. she took another deep breath of that night and washed her hands before splashing a little water on her face. it relaxed her a little as she wiped the droplets off and sniffled.

this wasn't who she was. regardless of how she felt she knew ricky was probably confused at some of her actions. things were fine... that's what she kept telling herself, but the feeling in her stomach never seized for that entire night until now. she left the bathroom as she grabbed her water bottle and headed to the front room with everyone else.

she put a smile on her face and sat between big red and ricky again as gina was coming back to her seat too. ricky looked at her, not without noticing the false smile on her face. "leigh, are you okay?" he asked only in a whisper so she can hear. he could always tell something was wrong.

leighton hummed and released her tense shoulders. deciding to not be harsh, "yeah. i just had to use the bathroom. why?" she lied once again that night.

"no just asking, i didn't know where you went. you just look a little off." the boy said, leighton shook her head and laid it on his shoulder. she slowly lifted her shaky hand and placed it in ricky's. it was like she was scared to do it. she relaxed as he squeezed it and pulled her into him.

her mind unclouded a little as she felt like normal again. ricky got her to become jelly as he did small things like this. "is this okay?" he asked, it's like he knew. she nodded her head as the game picked up from where it left off. she smiled to herself, yet still mad she even had some multiple doubts in mind.

leighton got into the groove of the party just a little more. forgetting about the phone screen and old emotions.

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delia notes: wow i love the back and forth emotions from leighton. really keeps me on my toes. idk about you guys... let me know!