Finding Belle (a Ricky Bowen fanfiction)🌹

Chapter Thirty

Ricky Bowen

"Ricky, get your head in the game. You are supposed to be waltzing with Gina, not injuring her feet every five seconds. I thought that you were practicing at home?" Carlos yelled at me during rehearsals.

"Sorry, Gina. I need a break Carlos. This waltz is too hard. Can I have a water break?" I replied to Carlos who looked frustrated.

"Fine. Everybody take 5. And when I say 5 that means 5 minutes only!" Carlos yelled at some of the other drama students in the room.

Carlos was getting really frustrated with me because tech rehearsal are in two weeks and we haven't gotten most of the dances right, meaning my dance choreography with Gina.

I walked away from the stage where Gina and I were standing and headed to my backpack and water bottle which were sitting in a corner by some old props. I wanted to check and see if Nini or Bella has messaged me yet.

I know that I hurt Bella by showing up at the dance with Nini. I haven't found the guts to apologize though. Nini seems to be happy at YAC with her friends Luke, Madison, and Hamilton or whatever those guys names are. Nini called me after Big Red left my house a few weeks ago and said she needed some time to herself and wanted to be just 'friends' for now, then she hung up on me.

Sadly, there were no new messages on my phone. As I looked up from my phone, I saw E.J Caswell walk up to me holding his script.

Why would he want to talk to me?

"Hey Ricky, do you want to swing by the diner and grab some dinner with me after rehearsals?" E.J said nicely.

Wow! Either he's taking drugs or he's trying to be my friend because he has really changed since the Valentine's day dance.

"No offense, E.J but why would I want to get dinner with you? You threatened me at the dance and you caused Nini and I to break up. I'm not that dumb I know you blackmailed her those photos of Bella and I." I responded while taking a sip of water and reading over my lines.

"Wow. You figured it out already. I was going to apologize to you for what I did at the dance. But I guess I don't need to tell you anymore." E.J replied to me while actually looking at me in the eyes. Creepy.

"So you finally admitted something that you did wrong. Only took like a full semester." I replied angrily at him.

"Meet me at the diner at 6 after rehearsals. I have something else to tell you." E.J whispered to me this time before he walked away.

He's so weird.

"Ricky, I talked to Miss Jenn. She's letting you off for today's dance rehearsals since you are not improving as we thought. We're going to practice the 'Be our Guest' choreography. You can stay and watch but Miss Jenn said that she's calling you in for private dance rehearsals some other day" Carlos walked up to me and said angrily again.

Damn he can be feisty.

I got up from where I was sitting and walked out of the theater as the music for 'Be our Guest' started playing from the speakers.

Since it was only 4:30 and I had a lot of time before I met E.J at the diner, I decided to go to the skate park. I had to get my skateboard out of my locker first, which I angrily jammed in there this morning from being so frustrated about the Nini stuff.

As I was walking to my locker, I saw Isabella sitting on a bench by the water fountains and decided that it was finally time to apologize to her. I walked over to the bench and sat on the seat furthest away from her.

"Oh, hi Ricky. I didn't notice you there." Bella finally looked up from her phone and saw me but looked away.

"Look, I get it if you are mad at me and want to avoid me forever. What I did to you was unforgivable I'm really sorry and I'm going to make it up to you. Nini and I broke up if you didn't already hear. I feel like the biggest jerk for what I did to you. I asked you to the dance, I used you as a rebound for Nini and I ignored you when I brought that pizza to the skate rink. I'm such an idiot. You will never forgive me. You won't even talk to me anymore." I said as I ran a hand through my curls nervously.

"You really hurt me Ricky, and I already heard about you and Nini. I'm sorry it didn't work out with you two. It's going to take a lot than just an apology for me to forgive you but I understand why you did what you did. Aren't you supposed to be in rehearsals?" Bella said as she stared across the hall.

"I'm really sorry and I want to make it up to you. I got kicked out of rehearsals because my dance moves suck and I keep thinking about Nini. What are you doing out here?" I asked her while looking at her.

"I'm waiting for Brandon to finish with rehearsals. I have a late shift at work. He met someone and is going on a date with them at the roller skating rink." Bella explained while turning to look at me.

"Well at least your after school plans don't suck. E.J asked me to meet him at the diner after rehearsals for some reason. I have a bad feeling about this but I'm meeting him anyway because my dad can barely cook chicken without breaking down." I replied while smiling at her.

"E.J asked you to dinner? Wow. I'm so glad that my job doesn't suck that much." Bella laughed as she playfully hit my shoulder.

"So can we be friends again? I know its going to take a lot of time for you to forgive me but can we at least be civil and talk again. I miss talking to you." I replied while getting closer to her but not too close.

"Ok but no more talking about Nini and I'm still not over what you did to me." Bella said shyly as she turned her head away.

"I know. I'm going to make it up to you. I promise." I said as I wrapped her into a small hug since she didn't back away from me this time.

Author's note: So Ricky and Bella are friends again? What do you think of that? What do you think happened to Nini? Do Bella and Ricky need a ship name?