Ethereal | RJ (HSMTMTS)

Part 8

EJ's POV

Everything's different when I bring Ricky into my house for the first time. He's never been here, but I guess that only fits. We're both in completely new places, him in my house, and me in, well, these feelings. The drive here was interesting. It was quiet, but not in an uncomfortable way. It was was quiet, but we were still communicating. And thinking. Lots of thinking. Stealing glances to better remember the delicate lines of his face. Bathing in the serenity of the air-conditioned car while the trees whirled past us. 

As soon as I let him into my home, Peter looks up from his book in the living room and gives Ricky a once over. 

"Hello," he says. 

"Peter, this is Ricky," I say. 

Ricky waves nervously. "Hey."

"How do you do?" my brother replies. 

Thumping from the hallway echoes out as my mom enters the room. Her eyes meet Ricky instantly, and a friendly smile appears on her face 

"Oh, hello! I didn't realize EJ had a friend over."

"We just got here," I tell her. 

"I'm Ricky," he introduces himself. 

"It's nice to meet you," my mom says. "I'm Bev."

My guest and my mom shakes hands, and then my mom turns to me. 

"EJ, by the way, Freya called earlier."

I think a part of my mind tried to block out Freya's existence, so the reminder is a punch to my chest. Ricky's eyes look to me, oblivious to the situation, and I just want to get him away from here before my mom says anything more about her. 

"Thanks, Mom."

I reach for Ricky's hand are start pulling him forward, but I drop it almost immediately after, opting to simply motion for him to follow me instead. Once in my room, I close the door, and Ricky stands in the centre of the room, looking at me in confusion. And then he asks the question I wanted to avoid. 

"Who's Freya?" 

"Um..." I try to think of a less controversial answer than the blatant truth, since I'm trying to explain her to the boy I just kissed, but I can't think of anything. "She's my girlfriend," I confess. 

I can see the exact second when the pain of that sentence stabs into his core, and he stares at me in distaste. His disappointment scrapes at my spine, making my want to cower away in a corner. I've never been in a situation like this before. I mean, I've definitely done things I regret like this, but I never cared so much about the possible repercussions. I've never had so much to lose. Yet I just got it, him. Within a few hours, I went from not caring about much to never wanting to hold on to anything more in my entire life. I don't want my first kiss with Ricky to be my last. 

"Why didn't you tell me you had a girlfriend?" he questions. 

"Because I—" I let out a breath. "I guess it slipped my mind."

"You just forgot about your girlfriend?" he says skeptically. 

"Well, I don't like her, not the way I like you. I even cancelled my plans with her today to hang out with you."

That doesn't seem to help. If anything, he looks more conflicted. 

"You know we can't be a thing if you're with her."

"Why not?"

"Because I actually like you," he argues, "and I can't be around you if I'm wondering whether you actually like me."