𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐍𝐄𝐖 𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋 → RICKY BOWEN

eleven → the truth comes out

hi guys - a couple pov/location jumps so just pay attention. trying to have multiple things happening at once is hard but it was the best way to lay out this chapter.

After an excruciatingly long day at school, it was finally time for rehearsals. This was undoubtedly one of Reagan's favorite times of the day. She was able to put on a facade here. A mask. Be someone else for just a little while, and escape her problems.

The vibe in the bomb shelter had already been chaotic the moment the drama students arrived. Natalie Bagley was rampantly searching for her missing support hamster - Frankie assisting, Miss Jenn was no where to be found, and Ricky was running incredibly late. Reagan took this time to fill Nora and Gina in on all the drama that had taken over her life in the last 24 hours.

"A-and this morning just managed to make things worse, which sucks because I expected to go in there, get answers, and never think about it again... but it's the only thing that's been on my mind all day," she sighed, leaning her head on Nora's shoulder.

"I'm so sorry Ray, I wish there was something we could do." Gina pouted, placing her hand on top of Reagan's.

"And still no idea on the mystery person who texted her?" Nora asked.

Reagan shook her head. "I wish I knew and I wish I wrote down the number. I just want to know why whoever did this, did it? What did you gain from hurting not only me, but my whole family." she threw her hands up, exasperated.

A few feet away, EJ listened intently to the conversation the girl's were having; an uncomfortable feelings grew in the pit of his stomach, minute by minute. When he had texted Reagan's mother he didn't know things were bad between them, and that it'd hurt the girl and her family this much. All he had wanted to do was cause a bit of a distraction in the girl's life; not turn it completely upside-down. Guilt was not an emotion EJ Caswell was used to feeling. The boy always thought he was doing the right thing. But this time was different. This time, the feeling was so unbearable he knew he had to come clean to the only person he knew wouldn't judge him.

The minute Ashlyn walked into the room, she was dragged away by her cousin. "EJ what the hell?" she exclaimed, as he continued to tug her as far away from the bomb shelter as possible.

"I need to tell you something," he blurted out as soon as he stopped the two in the far corner of East High.

Ashlyn narrowed her eyes at her cousin, already knowing what he was about to confess to her. "Yeah?" she placed her hands on her hips, "Does this have something to do with Reagan's mother appearing out of nowhere due to a friend of her's reaching out on her behalf?" she sneered, evidently disappointed that EJ could fuck up this badly.

The brunette boy's eyes widened in horror. If Ashlyn had figured it out, it was only a matter of time before every one else knew. "H-how?"

Ashlyn rolled her eyes, dropped her hands from her hips. "She confronted me about it yesterday, asking me if I had anything to do with it because I was the only person that knew about the phone calls she had been getting. Obviously it wasn't me. But then I realized who else was over my house that day, and conveniently had a phone call to take when we went down for snacks." she raised her eyebrows at her cousin, highly unimpressed with his actions. "Plus, doesn't help that a few days before you asked me to steal her phone..."

EJ was at a loss for words. He thought Ashlyn would make him feel less guilty about what he had done, but now the guilt had only multiplied.

"EJ what the hell were you thinking meddling in that poor girl's life and calling her mother--" Ashlyn began to tell her cousin off, but an unexpected voice cut her off before she could continue.