Chapter Text
“I’m not sure if you’re trying to be funny or miserably failing to be sneaky, but I know you’re following me.”
Gina rolled her eyes as she whipped around, turning to face the boy who had been shamelessly on her tail since she left her Accelerated Chemistry class. She clutched her books tightly to her chest as she glared at him, awaiting his response.
“What do you want, Bowen?”
He rocked back and forth on his heels slightly, releasing a string of uhs and ums , poorly attempting to formulate an excuse for his stalkerish behavior. Her glare only darkened.
One thing that almost everyone at East High knew about Gina Porter was that she did not enjoy having her valuable time wasted. She was a girl with goals, ambitions beyond what the normal human eye could see, and she wouldn’t hesitate to crush anyone who blocked her path. She was cold, stone cold , so much that most chose not to approach her at all. And she was okay with that.
Gina had gone her entire life without friends, without someone she could count on, and she grew to live with that fact. As she moved from city to city, leaving behind anything that she’d even considered growing attached to, she learned that the best way to avoid getting your feelings hurt was to not have them at all.
She built her walls up brick by brick, and by now, they were impenetrable. There was no going over them, under them, or around them. Every person she encountered was trapped on the outside, left to wonder what brewed on the other side.
Left to wonder if being emotionless and annoyed by the presence of other human beings were her only personality traits.
“Hey! Uh—hey, Gi! How’s it hanging?”
Her unamused expression went unchanged as she lazily observed his appearance. His cheeks were slightly flushed, maybe a sign of nervousness, and his curls were in dire need of a hairbrush. God, his hair looked like he hadn’t touched it in weeks. His hands were shoved deep into his pockets, and he avoided meeting her icy gaze, opting to stare at the bun on top of her head instead.
“Don’t call me that.”
“What?” He seemed slightly taken aback by her response, looking down to meet the daggers that were shooting from her eyes before diverting his eyes once again.
“It’s Gina to you. Only my friends call me ‘Gi’ .”
No one called her ‘Gi.’.
“I’d like to think that we are friends.” he said, a shy smile gracing his lips.
“We aren’t,” she deadpanned, “Now are you going to tell me why you have been following me for the past 5 minutes, or are you going to continue wasting my time?”
Ricky shuffled slightly before running his hand through his hair, exhaling softly.
“I was kind of hoping I could ask you for a favor?”
Gina resisted the urge to roll her eyes, fully prepared for another no good, stoner type to ask to copy her Calculus homework or ‘slide them the answers’ during Mazzara’s next quiz. Could he just spit it out already?
Gina didn’t really care about doing the favors, mainly because of what she’d get in return. Power. She liked the fact that doing these favors for lazy strangers meant that she had some form of hold over them. In the future, she could call on them to do her bidding, and they’d have to comply. This fact made her feel strong, like she finally had control over something for once in her life.
“Ok, I get it, you need answers. What class? And please, make it snappy, I don’t have all day.”
“W-what? No, I don’t need answers. My favor has nothing to do with school, actually.”
A slight look of confusion crossed Gina's face before she caught herself, quickly returning it to a stoic expression.
“I was wondering if you were busy this Friday night?”
No.
Hell no.
Gina turned on her heels, continuing her journey towards her next class, moving at a quicker pace than she was before. Was he asking her out? It sounded like he was asking her out. She doesn’t do dates, especially not with boys who follow her through hallways and waste her time.
She heard his footsteps thudding behind hers as they rushed through the crowded halls.
“Gina, wait! Come on, just hear me out.”
He fell in line beside her, and the way she side-eyed him was enough to make most people drop dead. He gulped slightly before continuing.
“I need someone to come with me to my mom’s housewarming dinner with me.”
“Absolutely not,” she said, regarding him with a look of disgust, “I don’t even know you, why would I want to go to dinner with you willingly ?”
He pouted slightly at her response.
“You totally know me! We played love interests in the spring musical. Y’know, Lumiere and Babette? Be Our Guest? Ring a bell?” He waved his hands animatedly as he spoke, as if to aid in recovering her memories from the show.
“I remember. Your lack of coordination and technique did not go unnoticed.”
“Ouch, that was uncalled for,” he chuckled breathlessly, “but that’s beside the point! My mom moved out last year, remember that? Well, she bought a house here in Salt Lake with her boyfriend, Todd, and she’s having this dinner to celebrate and I—well… I might’ve told her that my significant other and I would be happy to attend.” He tensed as he spoke, tearing his eyes away from her and facing the direction in which they were walking. Gina could hear the hesitance in his tone, coupled with something she couldn’t quite place.
“Thanks for the life update, loser. Little reality check, though, I’m not your significant other .”
“Yeah, yeah I know. I—I don’t have one. I just didn’t want to seem like the sad sack senior who can’t handle a relationship because of his mommy issues. I want her to know that we can move on without her.”
As they neared the door to Gina’s next class, she couldn’t help but feel a bit of pity for the boy. She knew what it was like to want to prove something to your mother.
Gina’s mother was strict; she only ever accepted the best and anything less wasn’t even worth mentioning. She was the only person to have made her way through Gina’s walls, plucking away tirelessly at her self esteem. Nothing Gina ever did was good enough, but she couldn’t give up the urge to make mother proud.
As much as Gina hated to admit it, her mother was all she had. Without her, she’d be completely alone, and she didn’t know if she could handle that. Not yet.
“Can’t you just ask that Nina girl? Aren’t you guys like, a thing?”
“We were a thing. We didn’t end on the best terms. It would be too weird. Plus, you’re the best actress in the Drama Club, probably the best in the entire school, and I need all the help I can get!”
Gina ignored him as she reached her next class, turning to walk through the doorway, when a weight in her shoulder stopped her in her tracks. She looked down at his hand, resting lightly next to her collarbone. The spot burned under his touch.
She looked up at him; the pleading and desperation in his eyes was all too familiar to her. It was the same way she’d look at her mom, silently begging for a bit of relief.
Begging to catch a break.
“Please. I’ll do anything you want. I need you, Gina.”
The way those last four words left his lips made her body go rigid. It was like, despite her mental protests, something shifted within her. She’d never been wanted by anyone, much less needed. She was the girl who did nothing but leave people behind; her presence never made a difference to anyone.
He needed her. Specifically.
Even though his intentions were purely selfish, there was a softness behind his piercing brown eyes— were his eyes always so gorgeous? she feels like she should’ve noticed that before— and she found herself in a trance, nodding before she could formulate another insult.
“Wait—you’re nodding?! Is that a yes? Oh my god, you’re saying yes?” His eyes lit up, that softness only growing, and it took everything within her to hold back the smile that threatened to form due to his childlike excitement.
“I’ve never been the type to turn down an acting opportunity. Plus, you seem kind of desperate—it’s sad.”
He shook his head in disbelief, a dopey grin plastered on his face.
“I can't thank you enough, really. You have no idea how much this means to me! God, I feel like I could hug you! Can I hug you? I think I’m going to hug you.”
Gina placed a hand on his chest as he took a step forward, stopping him in his tracks. She’d already gone soft enough by having pity on the boy; she refused to show him physical affection in front of her peers. Someone might see, might think that maybe she’s not as tough as she seemed. She had a reputation to uphold… even if his arms were strangely inviting.
“Absolutely not. I don’t do hugs . Meet me at the park after school so we can discuss the… terms of this… deal. 5 o’clock. If you’re late, I’m leaving—”
She was interrupted by the warning bell, signalling that she had one minute to end this conversation and enter the classroom behind her. She turned to walk away from him once again.
“But I have to pick up my little brother after school today… and what kind of girl doesn’t hug her boyfrie—”
“First rule of this arrangement: don’t push me, Bowen. And bring the kid with you! If you want my help, I’ll see you there,” she yelled over her shoulder as she walked into the classroom.
“Oh, and one more thing,” she stated, turning to face the boy who was still standing outside of the door, “please run a brush through your hair before you show up. I’d rather not be seen in public with… that. ”
One more insult for the road.
He smirked slightly before nodding and taking off towards his next class. Gina spent the whole class period lost in her thoughts.
Why did she say yes? Why did she still feel a slight tingling sensation in the spot where he’d touched her shoulder? Why couldn’t she stop wondering how his arms would feel if they were wrapped around her? Why was she wasting more time thinking about this loser?
Gina Porter doesn’t waste time. But something deep down inside of her told her that that wouldn’t be the only thing that would change because she agreed to help Ricky Bowen.
Something told her that he would change so much more. But she wasn’t prepared to listen.
Of course he’d thought about asking Nini. His mom already knew her, and she didn’t know that they’d officially broken up. Nini had already met his little brother, Tyson, and his dad, so she’d fit right in. It would most likely be easy, despite their relationship’s rocky end.
Of course he’d thought about asking literally any other person in the Drama Club, knowing that with a flash of his smile and a flip of his hair, some girl or boy would be putty in his hands.
He’d even thought about asking Red,—‘best friends to lovers’ trope, y’know?—but they’d probably burst into laughter every 15 seconds due to the awkwardness of it all.
Gina Porter was different. She was alluring, intriguing, mysterious. She had been since her arrival at East High.
She never held a conversation with anyone, aside from the occasional ‘Where is Miss Jenn?’ or ‘What do you want?’. She was the least friendly person he’d ever encountered, which is strange, considering the fact that she’s a theatre kid. She didn’t even join in when the cast would belt the entirety of the Dear Evan Hansen soundtrack, even though he knew that she could totally kill Zoe’s verse in Requiem.
He’d never even seen her smile. At least, not a real smile. He’d seen her smile her ‘stage smile’, as Miss Jenn liked to call it. That smile that you put on for your character but it doesn’t really meet your eyes, so you look dull and lifeless above the nose.
He often found himself studying her from a distance, wondering how her face would look if it were truly lit up with a genuine grin, one that caused her eyes to crinkle in the corners and her cheeks to turn slightly pink.
He wondered what her laughter sounded like, wondered if a hint of emotion painted onto her features would make her even more beautiful than she already was—because everyone thought she was beautiful. That’s totally common knowledge. Just saying.
Most people peg Ricky as a skater/stoner who dabbles in theatre and never really pays attention to anything that isn’t a skateboard or a blunt.
But he’s observant and curious; he likes to watch people and their mannerisms, likes to figure them out piece by piece, until he can determine exactly who they are. It gives him peace of mind, gives him a bit of control in a world that’s forever changing.
Gina was a challenge. He couldn’t figure out what she was hiding behind those deep, dark brown eyes, and that frustrated him.
So he’d asked her. And surprisingly, she said yes.
So that’s how he ended up at their local park with his 6-year-old brother’s hand in his at 5:03 PM. After stopping by his house and touching his hair up, per her request.
He spotted Gina sitting on a bench, her back facing them. Her curls were hanging freely around her shoulders, a surprising contrast to the usual bun that she would sport. She was wearing a simple white t-shirt and jeans, and he could see her leg bouncing anxiously as she stared down at her phone.
“Hey, Gina!” Ricky called out as he approached her, Tyson fiddling with a Spider-Man action figure as he followed close behind.
“It’s 5:03, Bowen. I told you not to be late—” she stopped her rant as she laid eyes on Tyson, and that’s when he saw it.
A smile.
A real, genuine smile.
It was soft and warm and bright, and it made her eyes shine in a way that Ricky had never seen before. It wasn’t even directed at him, but it sent a chill down his spine and made butterflies stir in the pit of his stomach.
“Oh my gosh, Ricky! You never told me your little brother was so cute! Hi, I’m Gina, what’s your name?”
She outreached her arm in the young boy’s direction, her smile only growing as he shook her hand timidly. His cheeks grew pink as he stared at her, and Ricky found that his own cheeks were growing pink as well.
“My name is Tyson. You—you’re very pretty,” he said, moving to sit on the bench next to Gina. Ricky sat down next to him, not even noticing how he had broken into a smile as he watched the two interact. “Are you Icky’s girlfriend?”
Gina smirked up at Ricky upon hearing the nickname, and he felt the tips of his ears begin to burn under her gaze.
“...Yes. I’m his girlfriend.”
“Why? You could do so much better than my brother!”
Ricky scoffed, lightly nudging Tyson, before shrugging at Gina. She was biting her bottom lip, but he could tell by the way that the corner of her lips was twitching that she was stifling a laugh.
“I don’t know, Tyson. He doesn’t seem that bad.”
“But he is that bad! One time, he—”
Ricky hurriedly covered the boy’s mouth, afraid of what embarrassing tidbits he’d let slip. Gina raised her eyebrows at him, a small, tight-lipped smile gracing her features.
“Is there something you need to tell me, Icky ?”
She said the nickname in a teasing tone, which caught him by surprise. He’d never heard that much humor in her voice before. It was strange, seeing the shift in her demeanor outside of the long white halls of East High. Maybe this was all in preparation of the role she’d agreed to play.
She’s a really good actress.
“Only my friends call me ‘Icky’.” he said, mocking the statement that she’d made earlier that day. Her smile widened, and Ricky felt like his heart was going to stop.
“And what do your girlfriends call you?” she challenged, tilting her head slightly and narrowing her eyes playfully.
Ricky's breath hitched in his throat. He didn’t know what was happening. Was she messing with him? Was she turning on the charm just because Tyson was there? Why did hearing her say that she was his girlfriend fill him with a warmth that he couldn’t quite place?
“Uh—um, my girlfriends call me—uh—whatever they want? I guess?” he stuttered out, willing for the heat in his cheeks to go away. She smiled at him victoriously, and he found himself staring at her lips until he felt a sudden wetness on his palm.
“Ew! Ty! Did you just lick my hand?”
“You were covering my mouth! I want to talk to Gina!”
She huffed out a laugh as Ricky wiped his hand on his shirt. He couldn’t help but smile as Gina high-fived his younger brother, a sign of her silent approval.
“You can call me, Gi, big guy.” she said sincerely, glancing up at Ricky with a hint of mischief in her eyes. He placed his hand over his chest, feigning a look of hurt. She rolled her eyes in response, but any annoyance behind the gesture was dissipated by the bright smile on her face.
“Okay, Gi! Let’s go play on the swings!”
Tyson hopped off of the bench, tossing his action figure in Ricky’s lap before pulling Gina by the arm, dragging her off of the bench and in the direction of the swing set. She glanced back in Ricky’s direction, shrugging her shoulders and mouthing ‘He’s adorable!’.
Ricky couldn’t explain the tightness in his chest as he watched the two of them playing, talking animatedly as they took turns jumping off of the swings. Gina seemed like a completely different person: gentle, kind, radiant, free. It was as if the stone cold girl who did nothing but insult him if he so much as approached her never existed.
Now there was only the girl whose curls flew perfectly around her face as the wind blew past them, the late afternoon sun highlighting every feature on her face.
She was positively glowing, and even though it was late fall, seeing her ignited a fire within him, causing a warmth to spread throughout his body. Every time her laughter rang through the air at some comment Tyson made, it tugged at his heartstrings.
After about an hour, Ricky’s dad picked Tyson up, leaving Gina and Ricky at the park alone. He sat on the ground near the swing set, looking up at her as she continued to swing slightly, the evening sun shining behind her, outlining her in the best way possible.
“So, Gina Porter has a soft spot for kids… who would’ve thought?”
Gina glanced down at him briefly before training her gaze back in front of her. “I don’t have a soft spot for anything.”
“That’s a bold-faced lie. Your face lit up the second you laid eyes on Ty! I’ve never seen you smile like that before.” He breathed out a laugh, silently studying her expression as he waited for her response.
She didn’t give him one. Silence filled the air for a few moments, the only sounds being the passing of cars or the creaking of the swings. Finally, she spoke.
“You’re really lucky, Ricky. Tyson’s a really good kid. I’ve always wanted a younger sibling.” Her expression was a bit dreamy as she stared into the distance, pushing her feet off of the ground to propel the swing even higher.
He could make out the remnants of a smile on her face, and he couldn’t deny his urge to know more about her. Before he could form a question that would reveal a bit more about her mysterious past, she hopped off of the swing, landed gracefully on her feet, and began to walk away.
“You coming, loser?” she called back, leaving Ricky to scramble to his feet and rush to her side. He studied her face once more, finding that those little traces of her gorgeous smile were gone. She looked like the Gina Porter he’d always known, just a bit more free, with her curls framing her face almost perfectly. There were a few coils that had flown out of place with the wind, adding a bit of character to the seemingly blank expression she was displaying.
They headed in the direction of the park’s walking trail, and Ricky couldn’t help but watch as her hair bounced mesmerizingly with each step.
“So, are you going to keep staring at me like a creep , or are we going to discuss the details of this little favor I’m doing?” came her voice, blunt and humorless.
“I wasn’t staring-”
“You shouldn’t lie to your fake girlfriend,” she interrupted, throwing him a sly glance as she slowed her pace on the trail. He slowed to match her, fighting the blush that threatened to rise on his cheeks. “Seriously. I hate liars. This whole thing will go much more smoothly if you’re honest with me.”
Ricky cleared his throat, wondering why the hell he felt so nervous around her here. He’d barely hesitated to approach her at school, barely let her words cut beneath the surface… but here? With the late evening sun breaking through the clouds, illuminating sections of her face with a warm glow-
“You’re doing it again.”
“What?” Ricky startled, snapping back to reality.
“Staring. Again. Why are you doing that?” she asked, betraying her slight self-consciousness by plucking at a loose seam at the bottom of her t-shirt. It was as if the wall hadn’t completely gone back up.
“Honestly?” he’d asked, the back of his neck heating slightly.
“It’s the best policy.” she responded, a hint of a smile in her brown eyes, as if the quote held some value to her.
“You look really pretty right now.” Ricky mumbled, daring to make eye contact as the words left his lips. A look of surprise dusted over her features, and was gone just as quickly as it appeared.
“Pretty… as opposed to how I normally look?” she said, arching a brow in his direction.
“No!” he hurriedly corrected, waving his hands in her direction. Anxiety caused words to tumble out of his mouth awkwardly. “I mean, you’re always pretty, not just right now, it’s just that you look... different? Like more, I don’t know, open? Not that you’re not an open person, I mean, I don’t know you well enough to say what you are or aren’t! I’ve just never really seen you this way before and it’s kind of shocking. Seeing you smile so much. I liked it though. Tyson said that you have a nice smile. And I agree. Because you do. Your laugh is great too; I don’t think I’ve ever heard it before… I’m going to shut up now.”
Gina blinked. Blinked again. Opened her mouth and closed it once no words came. She slowed to a stop, turning to face Ricky before asking, “ Tyson said I have a nice smile? He’s so sweet.”
Ricky hesitated, a bit surprised that that was what she decided to comment on after that entire stupid rant about how much he liked that hidden side of her.
“Yeah. Raved about you the entire walk to the car. He might like you more than he likes me.”
Gina smirked, a barely noticeable tug of her lips and a twinkle in her eyes, before she turned away and began back down the trail. “Maybe he’d like you more if you were ‘always pretty’ .” she called behind her, that same teasing lilt from earlier masking her voice. Ricky stood frozen in his spot, face flushing, before finally following her down the trail.
It was a weird shift: going from the one who always notices to the one being noticed. Under any other circumstances, Gina would’ve shut it down. Having others watch you (the real you, not the stage version ) made you more vulnerable. The longer they studied you, the more they could uncover.
But then, Ricky Bowen called her pretty . Said he liked her smile. And her laugh. And her stomach did this weird little somersault against her will that made her want to gag. Or squeal? Gina Porter doesn’t squeal .
She’d spent most of her afternoon pondering why on Earth she’d yes to something so drastic, considering she knew next to nothing about the boy walking next to her, humming along to some song only he could hear. Sure, most of it was rooted in pity, in the fact that he’d briefly made her feel needed, but there was something else too: that soft curiosity behind his eyes. There was something intriguing about it.
Gina hadn’t meant to completely let down her walls when she saw Ricky’s little brother. Sure, she’d had a plan to make the whole girlfriend thing seem believable in front of the kid: light flirting with Ricky, stage smiles here and there, maybe push the kid on the swings for half an hour just like so he wouldn’t hate her come the housewarming party. But then she saw that face.
Tyson reminded her so much of her neighbor’s son from five (six?) moves ago. The same “too short for my age but I make up for it with personality” vibe, and the same toothy smile that you couldn’t help but return. And he had the same expressive eyes as his older brother, mini pools of swirled chocolate and honey. His tousled curls, two shades lighter than Ricky’s, blew in the slight wind, and Gina’s mental wall melted.
So yeah, maybe she’d been a bit too teasing. A bit too smiley. Let the Gina Porter underneath all the pain peak out of hibernation for a while. And now, it was hard to shove her back inside. Especially with Ricky’s eyes tracing her side profile, knowing that it was a look of admiration.
Why’d she have to go and ask for complete honesty?
“So,” she started, talking around the slight lump that had formed in her throat, “The plan for this Friday?”
“Right,” Ricky started, finally tearing his eyes away from her and looking forward instead. “I guess we should set some rules? How to sell that we’re actually together without making either of us uncomfortable?”
Gina shrugged, tucking her hands in her back pockets as she pondered his statement. “That makes sense. I’m okay with most things. Hand holding, playing the clingy girlfriend that stays by your side and stares at you adoringly. Whatever part you need me to play, I guarantee I can play it. I’ll even grant you hugs.”
Ricky huffed out a laugh, glancing sidelong at her with a slight smirk. “I don’t need you to become a super clingy adoring girlfriend. You can be yourself. My parents will absolutely love you just as much as Tyson did.”
Be yourself. The phrase halted Gina’s mind for a moment. How did he know that the version of her she was with Tyson was herself? That it wasn’t an act? How did he manage to see right through her?
“Yeah?” was all she could manage.
“Yeah,” he replied, throwing her a slight smile. “Hand holding is a good touch though. And I’m definitely a hugger.” He looked towards the ground for a moment, hesitating a bit before looking at her. “What about… kissing?”
Gina felt her expression shift before quickly catching herself, but she was sure that he’d caught it. She’d never had a real first kiss before; there’d been a few awkward stage kisses, ones where you miss the lips on purpose and aim for the corner of the mouth, but nothing real. Kissing Ricky in this situation would be similar, she guessed, but something about it felt different. Maybe the fact that even though she was playing a part, it wasn’t on a stage. He was still Ricky, and she was still Gina.
“You don’t have to, of course,” Ricky started. “I don’t want to pressure you into doing anything you don’t want to-”
“ Forehead, cheek, nose, repeat. ”
“What?”
“Forehead and cheek kisses, and nose brushes. Signs of affection, but not like, real kisses, ya know? They don’t mean anything.” Gina said, cementing the idea in her head as she spoke. “If we’re somehow trapped and the only way out is a real kiss, I’m okay with that, but I’d rather stick to those three.”
Ricky hummed in thought, before turning to face Gina once again. “Deal. But you don’t think those count as real kisses? I mean, a nose brush is awfully close.”
Gina glanced down towards her feet, her arms now swinging by her side, in and out of her peripheral. To be honest, she’d never really been on the giving or receiving end of any of those kisses, not romantically. When all you’ve received are cheek kisses from your mother, it’s hard to see them in any other light.
“Not really. I don’t see how those can portray an actual connection. You think they count?”
“In certain situations, sure. If you have a genuine connection with someone, every small act can mean so much more.” Ricky said, a faraway tone to his voice, as if his mind was somewhere else.
“But how would you even know if you have that connection?” Gina couldn’t help but ask. Part of her scolded herself for asking something so personal, so real, but she wanted to know. What it meant to actually feel so attached to someone that you’d give them your all, and they’d give theirs in return. The curiosity got the best of her.
“I’m probably not the best person to ask about this kind of stuff…” Ricky admitted, his features softening as he glanced at her. “I’ve been in one long term failed relationship. Watched my parents' marriage fall apart. Maybe a connection is something you can’t know or see .” He paused for a moment, and his eyes met hers. “Maybe it’s something you feel. ”
Gina stopped walking as she traced his features with her eyes, and he stopped alongside her, a curious expression painting his features. Her mouth twisted as she considered his words, not quite sure what to make of them. All she knew was that she felt a sudden urge to test his theory out.
Before she could stop herself, she reached out and lightly held his hand in hers, his calloused fingers slipping over her palm as their hands slid into place. His hand was cold against hers, but in a welcoming way, like the air after the first snow in Salt Lake. She watched their hands for a moment before hearing Ricky release a breath she hadn’t released he’d been holding, and nearly cracked a smile. She vaguely wondered if the pricking sensation that way making its way through the veins in her arm were what sparks felt like, before he cleared his throat, drawing her attention.
“Whatcha doing?” he said, voice a bit strained in a way that made Gina huff out a laugh, that smile she’d been trying to hide tugging at the corners of her lips.
“Practicing.” she said simply, swinging their hands in the space between them. “Even the best actors are no good without a rehearsal.”
A lie. Right after she’d asked for complete honesty. But what was she to tell him? I wanted to see if we possessed this connection you speak of? As if she could connect with anyone, let alone someone she barely knew. Sure, holding Ricky’s hand felt nice. It kinda made her feel warm and fuzzy inside, and if she thought about it too long, she knew she’d get dizzy. And yeah, the gentle flush on his cheeks gave her a sense of satisfaction. But a genuine connection based on a few butterflies? A bit of a reach.
“Oh.” Ricky breathed out, squeezing her hand lightly. (A few more butterflies.) “Well, in that case…”
Ricky leaned down slightly, his eyes locked on hers, and Gina felt all of the air leave her lungs as his lips landed gingerly on her forehead, soft and warm. They traveled down to her cheek, applying a light lingering pressure that left her stomach in knots, before his nose came to brush against hers twice, his breath fanning over her lips. Flames ignited within her, curling through her insides until they reached her face, a bright pink blush that she couldn’t fight spreading across her cheeks.
“Forehead, cheek, nose, repeat.” he repeated, backing up just enough to lock his warm brown eyes on hers, sparkle of mischief in them, but the slight tint on his cheeks didn’t go unnoticed. Being this close to her flustered him too.
His eyes traveled down to her cheeks and he smirked, before pulling away and leading her down the walking trail, his cool hand still in hers.
Lots of butterflies now. Like tons. A burning sensation in the spots where his lips had brushed over her skin. He looked back at her, squeezing her hand and shooting her a shy smile, and her stomach flipped right side up.
Damn.
Maybe Ricky Bowen should give himself a bit more credit. He was right. When you have a connection with someone, you just feel it.
And Gina Porter’s pounding heart was living proof.
fake gf gina
favorite color?
who is this?
it’s ricky :(
how did u get my number?
the theatre gc?? u didn’t save mine?
i didn't have a reason to
i guess that’s true
well! now u do ;P
so, what’s your favorite color?
purple. but like that dark shade of purple that the sky turns sometimes before it goes completely black.
why?
seems like something ur bf should know
right… bc ur parents will definitely ask u about my favorite color on Friday…
…
they’re intuitive people…?
yeah i’m not buying it
honesty??
i wanna know more about u! i feel like i asked u for this favor and i barely know u
u did ask me for this favor and u do barely know me
yeah... and i wanna make that right !
now, aren’t you gonna ask me my favorite color?
i dont really care !
cmon! it’s like that thing miss jenn said about characterization or whatever! really getting in the mindset of playing my gf :D
ur annoying
i’m adorable
debatable
undeniable actually
now don’t you have something to ask me…?
what is ur favorite color, oh loving bf of mine? <3
orange!
ew?
D: what’s wrong with orange?
no one looks good in orange. and nothing rhymes with it
i happen to know that u look great in orange?
and i’m sure there’s one word that rhymes with orange. i’m definitely going to get back with you on that one.
what do u mean u know i look good in orange?
u wore this orange sweater a few weeks ago? the one with a crisscross neckline?
u looked nice in it
oh
why do u remember that?
i’m observant, i notice things
well thank u
...u look good in orange too
oh?
that ratty ass hoodie u wear sometimes? the only redeemable quality is the color. it brings out ur eyes
maybe i notice things sometimes too.
i’ll see you at school tomorrow, bowen.
“We need pet names.”
“We absolutely do not need pet names.”
“I think they’re cute!”
“Sure, some are, but you’re corny as hell. You’d probably call me… I don’t know, something like-”
“My sweet pea? My sugar bear? The apple of my eye?”
“Ricky, please stop.”
“Gina Porter, My schmooky pookie poo.”
“ Ricky .”
“The Salt to my Pepper! The Wind beneath my Wings! The Bonnie to my Clyde.”
“This conversation does make me want to commit a crime.”
Ricky laughed as Gina shoved his side, making that expression he’d grown used to since Monday afternoon, the one where she was trying to resist a smile at something stupid he did, and was slightly failing.
It was nice, joking around with and teasing her, figuring out what made this beautiful enigma of a girl laugh. A laugh that he’d never heard a few days prior, but now seemed to crave more often than not. Was it a reach to say that it was becoming one of his favorite sounds? In his top three right between wind chimes and the sound his skateboard made against icy pavement?
It was just so unique, the way each laugh began with a stifle as she didn’t want him to hear, then burst out uncontrollably, a stream of giggles that were as bright as sunshine, yet as soft as a drizzle of rain. It was insane; he’d never imagine that bright and soft would be words he used to describe the standoffish triple threat that stalked the halls of East High.
“I really don’t think we need pet names,” Gina said, snapping him out of his thoughts as they continued down the hallway, heading for Gina’s 5th period. He’d been doing that since Tuesday; walking her to her classes. She’d been very hesitant at first, insisting that he didn’t need to, bristling when his hand brushed hers. Now, on Thursday, she wore a slight smile as his arm rested across her shoulders.
Curious eyes watched them, probably just as shocked as he that she’d chosen to let him get close to her. Quite frankly, he didn’t feel he was deserving.
“Fine,” Ricky said, pouting playfully. “But don’t be surprised if I let a honey, baby, or sweetie slip. Force of habit.”
“ Habit? Who are you calling honey, baby, or sweetie so much that it’s a habit?”
“Awww, is someone jealous?” he teased, squeezing her shoulder slightly. If he wasn’t mistaken, slight color leaked onto her cheeks as she glared at him. “Careful, Porter. I might start to get the wrong impression.”
“And what impression would that be?” She glanced up at him, and he allowed himself to get lost in her deep brown eyes, once cold as stone and now open, but still careful, as if she was walking on glass around this strange little friendship.
“I might start to think that you have a crush on me.” he answered, testing dangerous waters. She blinked, a bit taken aback, before her lips began to twitch at the corners. A clear indication of incoming laughter. He awaited his second favorite sound. Unfortunately, this time her stifle was successful.
“That’s ridiculous. ” she stated, looking ahead as they took the staircase to the first floor. “I don’t even like you.”
“You don’t like anyone.”
“I like Tyson!”
“And I basically raised Tyson. So you like me by association.”
She raised an eyebrow, scoffing. “Ricky, your brother is a baby angel, and you… you’re… I’m literally at a loss for words. Whatever the opposite of baby angel is.”
Ricky clutched a hand to his chest dramatically. “Are you calling me the devil? That’s coldhearted. Here I was, thinking I was growing on you.”
She rolled her eyes, but he could see the hint of a smile. “You’re very dramatic.”
“I consider it a part of my charm.”
“Please. What charm ?”
“You can’t deny that I’m charming, Gina. You hated me 3 days ago and now look at us! Admit it, I won you over! With. My. Charm.”
“ Hated implies past tense. I still hate you.”
“The blush on your cheeks says otherwise.”
Gina raised a hand to her face in alarm, and he imagined the warmth that radiated through her glowing skin. He fought the urge to reach out and rub his thumb against her tinted cheek (and belatedly wondered why he was so comfortable with the urge being there.).
“Whatever. Go to hell.” Gina muttered, but there was no power behind the words as her cheeks burned a darker shade.
“According to you, I’m already there.” Gina shot him a glare, wrinkling her nose in disgust, but her eyes sparkled with humor. He mimicked the expression, leaning down to brush her nose with his, only for his forehead to be met by Gina’s finger, pushing him back.
“What are you doing?” she questioned, raising a brow.
“Forehead, cheek, nose- I’m within the rules.” Ricky answered, furrowing his brow in slight confusion.
“Yeah, the rules for tomorrow. There’s no one here to trick.”
Ricky shrugged. “What happened to “ even the best actors are no good without a rehearsal.” ? Practicing and stuff?”
Gina diverted her eyes briefly, before fixing him with an apprehensive look. “Is it normal for people you’ve never really spoken to to… inquire about your relationship status? Just out of the blue?”
Ricky tilted his head, considering. “I guess? People are curious and really bad at minding their own business. Wildcats love gossip.” He looked down at her, a bit worried. “Why? Did someone say something?”
“You don’t have to look so concerned. It was just Carlos… he started asking me a bunch of questions last period about whether or not we were dating and I didn’t really know what to say. We never discussed what we were going to tell people at school. I also have never spoken to Carlos about anything that wasn’t choreography-related. He caught me off guard.” she shook her head, cheeks tinting a bit. “It’s stupid.”
They slowed down as they approached Gina’s classroom. She stepped in front of him and leaned her shoulder on the wall, facing him. She hugged her books a bit tighter to her chest. Ricky rested his shoulder on the wall as well. “It’s not stupid. He shouldn’t have interrogated you like that. I’m sorry if it made you uncomfortable; I should’ve known people would start asking questions sooner or later. I just didn’t think that…”
He trailed off, and Gina leaned forward a bit, awaiting his response. “ Think that…? ”
Ricky diverted his eyes, suddenly nervous. “I guess I just didn’t think that we’d be so… close. At school. Kinda thought we’d ignore each other here, even after you said yes.”
“Oh.” Gina blinked a few times, taken aback. “Well, we don’t have to be so close if you don’t want to be. I’ll still go to your mom’s tomorrow; you don’t have to pretend to be my… friend.”
Gina turned to leave, a layer of hurt painted over her eyes, so thin that Ricky wouldn’t have seen it if he hadn’t been studying her so closely. He reached out, his hand lightly brushing her shoulder. It threw him back to the day he’d asked her, when he’d rested his hand next to collarbone, pleadingly. Again, she stopped in her tracks.
“That’s- that’s not what I meant. It was just unexpected, you know? Like… finding a dollar in your hoodie pocket that you forgot was there. Or getting an A on a test that you were positive you were going to fail. Being with you like this? It feels like that. The best kind of unexpected. ”
Gina glanced away, and he noticed a twitch at the corner of her lips, the beginnings of a bashful smile. He leaned down, forcing her eyes to meet his. “Ever considered that maybe I just like hanging out with you?”
She rolled her eyes, and Ricky grinned. “I haven’t considered anything. I’m too busy registering the fact that you know what it feels like to ace a test.”
Ricky laughed, shaking his head. “I try to be nice, and this is the response I get? Words hurt, babe.”
Gina scoffed, her smile growing. “ Absolutely not. You’re not calling me babe. ”
“Sweetie pie.”
“Gross.”
“Love.”
Gina paused, something unfamiliar flashing briefly in her eyes before she shook her head. “Isn’t it a bit early in our fake relationship for you to be running around implying that you love me?”
Ricky fought down a blush, biting the inside of his cheek. She was right, of course. It’d taken him over a year to tell Nini that he loved her, and even then, he wasn’t sure that he’d meant it the way he was supposed to. Yet here he was, less than a week into their faux relationship, suggesting he say it casually. “You’re right.”
“Always am.” The first bell rang, signaling that in 5 minutes, they’d both be late for class. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”
Ricky pouted a bit. “Tomorrow? I thought we could get together after school today... solidify our plan?” If he was being honest, they hadn’t gotten to hang out since Monday, aside from walks to classes and the occasional conversation at lunch or in theatre. He’d hoped to see her outside of school again.
Gina took on a confused expression. “What’s left to solidify? We met in theatre. Started dating six weeks ago. You’re the Cancer to my Scorpio. I hold your hand, run my hands through your hair, smile at your mom and stepdad until my cheeks hurt, and lay my head on your shoulder until it’s time to leave.”
“You make it sound so simple.”
“It will be simple.” Gina threw him a soft smile. “She’ll believe us, I promise. We got this, Bowen.” Gina put her hand up for a high five and Ricky met it with his, clasping their hands together. Their clasped hands lingered between them, and Ricky was filled with that strange sense of warmth that always filled him around the girl before him.
“I can't meet up today either way,” Gina continued, “I have dance practice. But I’ll meet you at your place tomorrow so we can walk to your mom’s? You’ll text me your address?”
“Yeah,” Ricky nodded, smiling. “Yeah, see you then.”
Gina pulled her hand from his, and he instantly missed the warmth of her palm against his. She turned to walk into her classroom, but paused, looking at him over her shoulder.
“And quit it with the pet names. I’m serious.”
Ricky chuckled. “What do you have against pet names? It’s cruel and unusual!”
“I don’t have anything against pet names,” she called back, laughter in her voice as she crossed the threshold into her classroom. She peeked her head back out at him as the final bell rang, indicating that he was going to be late to class. “Pet names are sweet, but I can do without. I’d rather just call you mine. ” Then she winked, shot him a wide, playful grin, and disappeared into the room, leaving him a blushing mess in the hallway.
His heart was pounding so loud he could hear it in his ears, so much so that he didn’t hear Mr. Mazzara coming down the hallway, fussing about his lack of a hall pass. What was this girl doing to him? He’d gone through with this plan because he wanted to figure her out, but it was starting to feel like he was in way over his head.
He walked to class in a daze, mind full of springing curls, slightly less guarded baby brown eyes, and a laugh that he thought might just be better than wind chimes.
I’d rather just call you mine.
For the first time this week, he considered that maybe that’s exactly what he wanted to be.
Hers.