𝐡𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬. [ 𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐢 𝐚𝐮 ]

setup .04

"what's with that big ass smile on your face," red asked ricky as they walked through the cafeteria doors. ricky let out a light chuckle and sighed.

"i've met the most amazing girl," ricky told red. red tilted his head and looked at ricky with a confused look.

"who?"

"that's the thing... i uh.. don't know," ricky awkwardly laughed and dug his hands in his pockets. the two boys came up to ricky's locker. red rested against the lockers while ricky rummaged through his locker.

"what do you mean you don't know?"

ricky let out a deep sigh and closed his locker shut, "well.. obviously you know about my home life..."

reds face fell and he slowly nodded his head. ricky sighed and continued, "well.. ive been doing these things where i write letters to myself.. kinda ranting..."

"like hate notes to yourself..?"

"i mean.. kinda.. or just me complaining," ricky awkwardly said and looked to the floor, "anyways.. i've just been doing these things and some girl happened to find it when i lost my jacket. she wrote me back and said that i can write her back whenever i feel like it... so why not?"

"does she know it's you?

ricky shook his head and pulled out the letter for red to read, "i told her that i wanted to stay anonymous."

red read the letter and cocked an eyebrow at ricky, "S R?"

"yeah i guess her name starts with an S and her last name starts with an R," ricky explained as red handed him back the letters, "and that she's on the volleyball team."

"oh well.. that kinda makes it easier, yeah?" red stated. the two boys made their way to the cafeteria as they talked.

"yeah.. except.. i kinda don't wanna know who she is just yet."

"why?"

"it's kinda nice just talking to someone without them knowing it's me," ricky explained, "and besides.. what would even happen if we do find out who each other is? like do we become friends or just go back to normal?"

"are you sure you wanna do this ricky?" red asked as they walked into the cafeteria, "seems .... kinda complicated?"

"what sounds complicated?" ej asks coming up from behind them. red and ricky quickly glanced at each other before shaking their heads.

"uh nothing," ricky quickly said. he avoided the rest of the conversation as they waited in line for their lunch. ricky spotted ashlyn and kourtney putting up the homecoming sign and sighed.

red, ricky, and ej all made their way over to kourtney and ashlyn. "hey cuzo," ej greeted as he watched ashlyn struggling to hang up the banner, "need some help?"

"ugh, yes," ashlyn groaned and stepped to the side. he handed her his lunch plate to hold onto as he tried to fix the banner.

"kourtney, need some help too?" ricky asks with a light chuckle. kourtney gets taken aback and gives ricky a huge smile.

"yes! thanks ricky," she exclaimed as ricky took her spot, "im surprised you know who i am, honestly."

kourtney, ashlyn, and red all stood next to each other as they watched ricky and ej hang up the banner on the wall. ricky let out a light chuckle, "what do you mean you're surprised that i know who you are?"

"well.. i don't know," kourtney states with an awkward chuckle, "you're ricky bowen. everyone knows you so i don't know."

"yeah, and you're kourtney," ricky stated and finally finished fixing the banner. he walked up to kourtney with a huge smile on his face, "make-up enthusiast, fashion icon, and ashlyn caswell's girlfriend."