Chapter Text
Ricky was nervous, and excited, and happy. Basically he didn´t really know how to feel at the moment.
Summer break was over and the next schoolyear was about to begin.
Which meant, back to homework, boring lectures, exams and all the other annoying responsibilities of a student.
But more importantly, being back at East High meant, he would finally have the chance to talk with his boyfriend, EJ again.
They were kinda in an awkward place right now. Just before EJ left to go to theater camp for the summer... something happened.
To be honest, Ricky still wasn´t really sure what to think about it, or what he should do now.
But he knows one thing for sure, he needs EJ, and he needs to fix this with him, somehow.
"Welcome back East High, I really didn´t miss you." Big Red just said to himself as they were both approaching the school.
Before they entered Big Red turned his attention to Ricky. "So, what exactly happened between you and EJ, dude?
I tried to ask Ashlyn, but she couldn´t tell me anything"
Big Red looked at his best friend with a mixture of curiousity and concern in his eyes.
"Oh... uhm... it´s nothing important, really" Ricky tried to not think about it too much.
"I will just go to EJ and talk with him, and then everything will be fine"
He wasn´t really sure if he was trying to convince Big Red or himself. Either way, it didn´t seem to work.
Thankfully his friend decided to accept his weak response and just played along. "Well, in that case..."
Big Red put his arm around Ricky´s shoulder and started to drag him into the school.
"You should really hurry up if you want to talk with him before classes start." Big Red grinned when he saw Ricky smile at that.
"Yeah, yeah, I get it, thanks dude!" Ricky smiled and increased his walking speed a bit.
He was still nervous about seeing EJ, and maybe he would have put it off a bit, but that push from Big Red was just what he needed right now.
It would all work out, right? It has to.
EJ was feeling great! Everything just felt good, he was even looking forward to school.
Mostly because he heard there would be a new drama teacher and he was planning to audition for the school musical.
Speaking of musicals, he had an amazing summer at theater camp.
It was fun, he got to be the lead in a play, and he met that really talented, amazing girl there.
Now he was standing at his locker with his cousin Ashlyn and told her about his summer.
"...so the female lead got ill just before opening night and Nini, her understudy, had to fill in."
He was just about to praise Nini´s performance and how well she did on such short notice when Ashlyn cut him off.
She looked slightly annoyed at her cousin "EJ, you know I love you, but you are aware that you told me all this atleast five times already, right?"
"Oh... uhh, really?" EJ averted his eyes and could feel his cheeks starting to blush. "I´m sorry Ash, I´m just so excited."
Ashlyn chuckled a little "Don´t worry about it you idiot!" she put her hand on his shoulder and continued.
"I´m just really glad you are happy EJ, especially after Ricky."
EJ flinched at the mention of that name. "Yeah... could we maybe... not talk about him, please?"
Ricky was really the last person EJ wanted to think about right now.
Ashlyn sighed. "Alright, but you know that I´m dating Big Red, so it´s inevitable that you two will have to face each other eventually."
"I know Ash, I still just want to avoid this for as long as possible, ok?"
Of course just when he said that two boys entered the school and almost immediately walked in their direction.
"Looks like this was as long as possible..." Ashlyn whispered sympathetically to EJ and turned towards the other boys.
She put on a smile and greeted them. "Hey guys! I hope you had a great summer."
Big Red´s entire face immediately lit up when he saw Ashlyn.
He walked towards her and pulled her into a hug "Hi" he grinned and brought their faces closer together and pushed his lips on hers.
When they broke apart the redhead whispered almost inaudible "I missed you." Ashlyn smiled at him and her face turned slighly red.
"We texted almost every day for the entire summer you dork" she chuckled and added "I missed you, too."
Meanwhile, EJ and Ricky just stood there awkwardly watching while the couple greeted each other.
All Ricky could think about was how much he wanted to hug EJ and kiss him too.
But it felt kinda inappropriate to attempt it before they talked and he knew that EJ wasn´t mad at him.
So he cleared his troat and reminded both Ashlyn and Big Red that there were still other people present.
"Hey Ash, thanks I hope your summer was great too" Ricky smiled at her and then cautiously addressed EJ.
"Um... Hi, do you think we could talk?" he was nervously fidgeting and couldn´t bring himself to look directly at EJ´s face.
Before EJ could answer Ashlyn jumped in. "Oh! I forgot one of my textbooks in my locker, see you later guys! Will you come with me Big Red?"
And with that Ashlyn gave EJ a last reassuring smile, grabbed her boyfriend and ran off, leaving EJ and Ricky alone to deal with each other.
'Traitor' EJ thought. Then he sighed and answered "Sure... what is it?"
He really didn´t want to deal with this and just wants to get this done as soon as possible.
"Uhh, you know about what happened before you left..." Ricky started but EJ cut him off immediately.
"Before you continue, I met someone else during the summer" EJ said, already annoyed.
Ricky felt like he got punched in the face. All air left his lungs and he felt like his heart just stopped.
"What? I thought... we..." he couldn´t really process what he just heard, or how he should respond to that.
"We? Don´t give me that!" EJ scoffed. "You know exactly what happened, and it didn´t feel like there was a 'we' these past few months."
EJ sounds and looks hurt and Ricky wished he could just go back a few months and do it right this time.
2 months ago
It was the beginning of summer. School just ended and EJ and Ricky were in EJ´s room, lying on his bed and watching a movie.
EJ somehow convinced him to watch a musical. Ricky would never admit it, but he kinda likes it.
While Ricky was watching the movie and cuddled into his boyfriend,
EJ was paying more attention to him instead of the movie and absentmindedly played with Ricky´s curly hair.
Ricky felt a stare at him and looked up. "What is it? Didn´t you want to watch this?" he asked confused.
Ej smiled softly at his boyfriend. "I do, I´m just enjoying the view right in front of me too" he leaned down and pressed his lips against Ricky´s.
When their lips met Ricky smiled into the kiss and brought his arm to EJ´s neck to hold him there.
He pushed one hand under EJ´s shirt and kept kissing him until they both were out of breath.
"You are so cheesy" Ricky said laughing after he caught his breath.
"Well... you seem to like it." EJ retorted with a smirk. "I do" Ricky agreed and gave EJ another quick kiss.
They lie together for a while longer and just enjoy each others company.
Suddenly EJ took his hand and looked him in the eyes. Ricky couldn´t really describe what he saw in his expression.
When EJ finally spoke Ricky froze. "You know, I love being with you. I... I love you Ricky."
Ricky didn´t know what he should do, he should say it back, right? He did love EJ, right? So he just had to say it.
Instead he panicked.
"Ohh..." he said dumbfounded, staring at EJ as if he just confessed to a murder. He quickly got up and got some distance to EJ.
"Ricky? It´s ok you..." EJ started uncertainly.
"Uhh, you know maybe we should take a break?" Ricky interrupted EJ, because he didn´t want him to say it´s ok. It wasn´t.
Ricky didn´t even know why he said what he said but he continued. "You will be at that theater camp all summer anyway, right?
So, let´s just take it easy for a while."
EJ looked like his heart was just ripped out, but he cleared his throat and tried to smile. "Yes, sure... we can do that."
Ricky knew EJ didn´t mean that, but he took it. "Great. I.. will call you?" he said, but it sounded more like a question.
Before EJ could say anything else Ricky quickly grabbed his skateboard and left as quickly as possible.
He didn´t see anymore how the tears started to form in EJ´s eyes.
It´s been two months, and Ricky thought he could have just forgotten that day and returned to how things were with EJ.
But based on EJ´s angry and hurt face right now, that didn´t seem to be possible.
"I know I was an idiot EJ, and I´m sor..." Ricky tried to explain.
EJ seemed to get even angrier. "You are sorry?! Just save it Ricky. I told you I love you, and you just bailed on me,
decided to do a break and didn´t contact me in two months!" His voice got increasingly louder so EJ was basically yelling now.
Ricky didn´t know what he could say, he knew EJ was right, so he just stood there and listened.
EJ took a deep breath to calm himself down and then looked coldly at Ricky. "We are done Ricky. Please just do me a favor and leave me alone."
With that EJ grabbed his bag and just left to go to classes, leaving Ricky standing there, alone.
' Fuck! This didn´t go how Ricky hoped it would, and he had no idea what he should do now.