𝙗𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙛𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙨 (𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙞𝙙𝙚) || hsmtmts au

2. elton john

•••••

R I C K Y 'S P O V

oh.

what?

no..

a boyfriend? and his name is e.j?! what the fuck?! what does that even stand for?like..fucking..elton john?! what kind of name even is that? i can't let nini date someone named elton john! holy shit, what if they get married?! and have little whiney elton john babies!?! oh my god, what if-

"ricky, are you okay?" nini says, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"hm? yeah, why wouldn't i be? no reason--i mean, there's no reason why i would be anything other than good. why would you even say that-"

"i don't know, you kinda zoned out for a second there," she says with a laugh as she sets her phone down somewhere on the bed, turning around and snuggling her head on my chest. okay, maybe i'm getting way too worked up over this. after all, i'm the one staying up and watching movies with her in her room all night. i'm sure by next week, this whole boyfriend thing will be way in the past.

FOUR DAYS LATER -- EAST HIGH CAFETERIA

nope. nope. nope.

i could not have been any more wrong. i'm sitting here at lunch, watching nini and e.j next to us be all touchy and gross--for the fourth day in a row.

i don't know how much longer i can take this. i'm not even sure why i'm so worked up about it--

wait, why do i care so much?

look, i don't know what it is. it's just the thought of nini with another guy just bothers me--as a best friend. we just don't know who this guy is, right? he could be a psychopath, or a serial killer, or just.. really bad for her, okay?

i guess i just never thought that nini would like, date someone.

i probably should've seen it coming, though. i mean, just look at her. she's like this little cuddly cute beam of sunshine that lights up every room she walks into. it's not like i'm jealous or anything, though. i know that it definitely looks like i am, but i'm not. nini and i are just friends. nothing else. would i ever want to be more than friends?--

i don't wanna answer that.

besides, i know she sees me as like, a brother, or something. well..maybe not. i don't know. i guess i just kind of thought nini and i would always be together, in a platonic way or not.

i mean, she's my best friend. i love her. but even if i did have any romantic feelings for nini, it wouldn't matter.

because her and elton john are here, having their fucking honeymoon in the middle of the east high cafeteria.

they're over by e.j's water polo buddies--which i didn't even know was a sport? like what even is that??--chatting it up. he's got his weirdly long arm wrapped around her, the way i usually do.

but i guess i can't do that anymore?

what even are the outlines for these things?

N I N I 'S P O V

i don't know what it is, but something's been off about ricky the past few days.

he's barely talked to me, he hasn't sat with me at lunch, and he's been dry texting me. i haven't even gotten the chance to introduce him to e.j yet!!

maybe it's something with his parents. he just has these moods sometimes when something changes at home, so probably.

"hey, luvie," i say, leaning up against the locker next to ricky's while he gathers his things after the bell rings.

"hey."

"what's been up with you this week? i missed you."

"nothing," he sighs, putting on a smile as he stuffs his alegbra textbook into his backpack.

"come on, we've been friends for what, thirteen years? i know you better than that."

"i don't know where you're getting all this, nins. everything's good," ricky smiles, closing his locker and turning to face me.

"are you sure?"

"nina."

"rick."

"i'm sure."

"okay, whatever you say," i sigh, swinging my backpack over my shoulder as the two of us walk towards the door, "do you wanna come over after school? i'll probably need help with my french project."

"you think i'd know how to help you?" ricky laughs.

"okay, that's fair, but it'd be nice to have someone to struggle with," i giggle. i know i could study with e.j, but that's different. it's like, a bunch of pressure i don't want right now? or something. i don't think e.j's ever studied for anything in his life, anyway.

"do you need a ride?" he asks.

"sure," i smile, swinging our hands, "i've been craving ice cream from that once place in the mall, do you wanna go?"

"i never not want that," he laughs, holding the door open for me as we walk out of the school.