euphoria. [ rini au ]

chapter twelve.

E.J. was in hell. Somehow during the last hour, he had died and been sent to hell. He wasn't sure why he deserved it perhaps the West High Knights had an in with Satan, but there he was. Groaning, he let his forehead drop to the wooden surface of Big Red's kitchen table as the voices in the basement rose and fell.

"This is your fault," Big Red grumbled from his spot on the countertop, Seb beside him and Kourtney rolling her eyes at Ashlyn from the opposite corner.

"My fault? How is this my fault? You invited them!" E.J. snapped. Holding his hand up as if it were a cell phone, he screwed up his face and proceeded to replay the earlier conversation. "Yo, dude, Seb and I rented the new soccer wii game and you should totally come try it out," he mimicked. "Where in that sentence does it say ' Nini is here, don't invite Ricky who is currently at your house'?"

"She wasn't here then! She was shopping with the girls and then Ashlyn wanted to stop by. I didn't know!" Big Red retorted, crossing his arms.

"Look, guys, don't argue over this. Maybe if we're lucky, they will get it all out of their system and make up before tomorrow morning," Seb suggested, seeing Kourtney nod. E.J. just rolled his eyes in disbelief.

The afternoon had started off well for him. Nini had fallen asleep on the couch the night before after another movie night and E.J.'s mom had stuffed pancakes down her throat before sending her home on Sunday morning. E.J. had showered and called Ricky to come play hoops in the backyard, something he readily agreed upon. Two hours and lots of sweat and water later, Big Red had called to come hang out. There had been twenty minutes of peace before the sound of girlish laughter trickled down the stairs, in coming Ashlyn, Kourtney, Gina and Nini. The laughs had died when Nini had caught sight of Ricky. She had tripped and thus the name slinging and insults and yelling had ensued.

"You are so - ugh - so - gah!" Nini's voice pounded up the stairs, into the kitchen.

"So what? Come on, Nini! I'm so what? Fantastic? Awesome? Hot? Gorgeous? No? How about we start repeating the overly used list you love? Cocky? Arrogant? Infuriating? Devious? Prick-like? That's one of my favourites, you know. How can I be like a prick but not be one?" Ricky was met with an exasperated shriek leaving her throat. "Neens, you'd better calm down or you'll get wrinkles on the stone pretty face of yours."

"Me like stone? At least my heart isn't made of stone, you pompous idiot!" she yelled back and then the sound of a hand slapping flesh indicated that a referee was needed.

E.J. peeled himself from the kitchen chair and hit the steps, followed closely by others, breaking into the room, finding Nini with her arms crossed while Ricky had a hand clapped to his cheek. Heat burned in his eyes as he watched her expression harden to hide the pain. Sighing, E.J. stepped between them, raising his hand in a mock sign of peace. His face showed no joking though as he looked them each in the eye.

"That is enough. Nini, grab your stuff and Kourtney will take you home. You have five minutes before Ricky and I follow, so I suggest you get your ass in gear. Ricky, stop whining about your precious face and find your jacket. We're going home," E.J. commanded, whipping his head around to hear Nini's snicker when he called Ricky out on his undude-like-behaviour. "Nini, you're down to four minutes and forty-six seconds."

"Bye, Bowen," she taunted, wiggling her fingers at him as Ashlyn firmly ushered her upstairs. In the basement, E.J. lunged to keep Ricky from chasing after her.

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Mike Bowen lazily answered his phone as he sat at his desk on Wednesday morning, seeing that the caller ID was from East High. Picking it up, he heard the voice of the principal of his son's high school.