Finding Belle (a Ricky Bowen fanfiction)🌹

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Isabella Johnson

It's been about two and a half weeks since the Valentine's Day dance. I started to sit at the front of American Literature Class where all the seats are taken early so that I could avoid Ricky. Brandon and I have had lunch together since then, and the weather is getting warmer so I'm not freezing cold outside which is a bonus.

Right now, I have tables to clean and pizzas to serve so that I can get my mind off all the boy drama going on in my life.

I got my roller skates out from my staff locker and sat at one of the booths so that I could tie them but heard a familiar voice call my name,

"Hey, you are Isabella right? Can we talk for a few minutes?" I looked up to see E.J Caswell Standing in front of me.

"Yeah. We have a science class together remember?" I replied to him while tying my skates.

"Sorry about that. It's been a hard couple of weeks for me. I got kicked off of the football team and lost a few friends because of you know..." E.J replied while sitting in the booth across from me.

"So....what did you want to talk about? My work shift starts in five minutes." I replied to him while fiddling with the napkin holder on the table.

"I wanted to apologize for what I did at the dance." E.J said while looking at me in the eyes.

"And what exactly did you do?" I looked up into his olive colored eyes.

"I may have paid a sophomore to blackmail Ricky's girlfriend, Nini, pictures of you and Ricky." E.J said while looking down ashamed of himself.

"You what?! How did you even get pictures of Ricky and I? Why are you telling me this?" I looked up at him and grasped him by the shoulder angrily.

"I'm telling you this because I'm not good at apologizing and wanted to tell you before I tell Ricky what I did. I didn't exactly get pictures of you and Ricky. I saw some kid in the newspaper room print out pictures of you guys and I got curious so I took them. I'm really sorry if I caused something to happen between you and Ricky." E.J said looking up at me this time.

"Wow. I can't believe that happened. I'm kind of mad about the pictures but I'm glad you didn't take them. So you think that Ricky is avoiding me because you blackmailed his ex-girlfriend with pictures of him and I right? And that's why he's avoiding everyone now." I replied to him looking around to make sure there weren't any other East High students here.

"Ummm yeah... he mentioned something about not hurting you anymore when the whole scene went down at the dance. I haven't seen you in the cafeteria at lunch and Ricky mumbles your name sometimes during rehearsals." E.J replied while fiddling with his hands.

"Oh. Ummm that's not why I'm avoiding Ricky but thanks for telling me about the photos. I got to get to work." I stood up from the table and almost skated away before E.J took my hand.

"Wait...Isabella so why are you avoiding Ricky?" E.J said while I was trying not to fall over in my skates.

"Why do you want to know?" I said a bit too harshly at him.

"Well... the boy is practically heartbroken that his ex-girlfriend dumped punch on him at the dance and you are avoiding him for some reason but I've seen you guys together at school and you guys look pretty close. I guess I want to fix something that I've ruined partly." E.J said while leading me back to the table.

"No offense but since when do you care about Ricky? Didn't you try to take his role as Troy Bolton last fall? I saw that production with Brandon it was hot mess." I replied while looking at my watch for the time.

"That's a story for another time. So why exactly are you avoiding Ricky?" E.J said to me from across the table.

"Look. I have to work or else I'll get fired and won't have money to pay for college. Thanks for coming to talk to me E.J" I said sighing and avoiding the topic of Ricky again.

"You're never going to get fired. I love you too much and you are so hard working. Take a break and use that free skating coupon." My boss Leann came over to say to us since she might have been eavesdropping on us.

All of a sudden the song changed from the stereo system above and someone announced,

"Its time to celebrate our queen Selena Gomez! Everyone is allowed to skate during this hour. Parents, children, grandparents, and couples. Come one, Come all! Skate all you want."

Then Selena Gomez's Song "Who Says" started playing and E.J took my hand.

"Want to skate and talk about it? I love some Selena Gomez throwback music." E.J replied as I took his hand and skated to the rink with him.

"Ok. As long as we avoid any East High students. Just to be clear you are bisexual, right? I really don't want anyone taking any photos of us and putting in that dumb news app." I replied as we skated.

"Yeah. Don't tell anyone but I have a massive crush on Selena Gomez." E.J whispered to me as we got to the rink.

"I won't tell anyone. My lips are sealed." I said while letting go of his hand.

"So you were gong to tell me why your avoiding Ricky...." E.J said nudging me a bit making me lose my balance.