𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 , ricky bowen.

027.

HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL was a success. Everyone was meeting up in the bomb shelter, but Hattie just needed a breather by herself in the dressing room before the ambush of family. She took off her costume putting on her original clothing from present time which was a light blue top and a brown skirt with white sneakers, delicately putting her costume back on the clothing rack. Hattie sighed and put a hand through her hair, reaching for the gift she got Ricky in her bag.

She was nervous to give him the gift. Why? She had two showmances before Ricky and gave them gifts.. it's just this time.. it felt different. Like putting a ring on it. But they're not getting married! So why does it feel like that?

"What's that?" The voice of Ricky Bowen snapped Hattie out of her thoughts causing her shoulders to flinch.

"A gift." Hattie responded quickly, getting up from her seat and facing her boyfriend.

"What kind of gift?" Ricky questioned, "Is it for me?"

"Yeah." Hattie smiled scratching the back of her head, handing over the gift, "I didn't want to give it to you like this, I wanted to be more expressive with it."

Ricky opened up the wrapping and immediately his eyes widened in surprise seeing the gift. "I love it." He said instantly, clipping it together on his neck. It looked perfect on him, he looked perfect. "Now, I don't feel like a cheesy romantic giving you this."

He handed over something in a silver box and a gold ribbon on the front. Carefully, Hattie untied the ribbon, placing it on the table and took off the cover, revealing a locket. She furrowed her eyebrows and opened it up, revealing the picture that they took at homecoming that showed Ricky having his arms around her waist while Hattie blushed like a crazy weirdo. "Babe, can you put this on?"

"Of course."

She took the necklace out of the box with Ricky's assistance and together, they placed it around Hattie's neck, moving her hair to the side as Ricky clasped the necklace together. "I love this and I love you. Oh. I'm so sorry I shouldn't have said-"

"Ever since Homecoming, you grabbed my heart like no one else. The way I feel for you, is so different than I ever felt before. In you, you make me feel.. I don't know, at home. You're my home, Harriet Hernandez-"

"Still don't like that name." Hattie chuckled as she sniffled, feeling her eyes tear up out of joy.

"That's fine!" Ricky laughed, "I want you to know, that whatever tomorrow holds and the next, I know one thing for sure, is that, my love for you will always be the same. No matter what the world will throw at me and you, we will get through it. I love you."

Hattie, whose face was now completely red and tears down her face, the butterflies were fluttering in her stomach as she stepped closer to her boyfriend. "Ricky, y'know in movies after a big speech, the couples tend to gaze at each other then kiss, forgetting about the world around them?"

Ricky smiled, "Uh, yeah." With no moment to pass, she leaned forward and put her lips onto his, weaving her hands through his wavy brown curls, feeling his arms go around her waist, bringing her closer. All of their love, they placed into the kiss, happy that they had each other.

From being a distraction for him, to him now in love with his distraction? Life couldn't get any better for Richard Bowen.

Now separating for air, both of their faces were now tinted pink with matching grins, "God, I love you."

She ran her hand through his brown curls again, "I love you too my crazy boy."

"Now come on, I want you to meet my dad. That ok?"

"Absolutely. I'm just going to say hi to my parents and Heather first. I'll text you when I'm done."

"Okay." Ricky agreed, "One more kiss?"

"Mhm." She whispered, as she placed a hand on his face and gave his lips a sweet peck, leaving afterward with her bag taking one last quick gaze at her boyfriend before exiting the room. Not a lot of people were here still, but Heather, Michelle and David were still waiting for their shooting star.

"There she is!" Heather squealed, running up to her little sister and picking her up in a circle then dropping her back on the ground.

"You were amazing sweetheart.. We're proud of you. So so proud of you." Michelle gushed, "That necklace, where'd you get it?"

"Not now Mich, let's praise our daughter before we have to get on the road to move Heather into college tonight." David reprimanded giving his daughter a huge hug. "You were an amazing Gabriella, I was in shock of you the whole time. I almost cried."

"He did cry in fact during 'When there was Me and You' I had to slap his shoulder." Heather tells.

"Yeah, then I scolded her." Michelle smiled, earning an eye roll from Heather.

Hattie laughed at her family's crazy antics, "So Heather, you're moving out to college tonight?"

"Yep. Thank god! What are your plans after this?" Heather asked.

Hattie sighed and fiddled with the necklace that Ricky gave her, "I'm going out to Denny's with everyone else in the show.. with Ricky too."

"Have fun honey." David kissed her head as Heather and Michelle gave her big hugs. "Text us if you need anything."

"Especially me. I don't care what I'm doing in college, I'll always make time for my little sister."

"I love you sweetheart." Michelle kissed her forehead, the three of them leaving the building.

'i'm done, i'm near the cafeteria. can you meet me there?'

'always, be there in a sec :) '

Hattie waited around and around for a good 2 minutes until she spotted her boyfriend and his dad walking toward her. "Dad, you remember Hattie. She's my girlfriend now. Hattie, this is my dad, Mike."

She shook his hand, "Nice to see you again Mike."

"You too Hattie, Ricky talks about you very much. Way too much." Mike informed.

"You can't shut up about Miss Jenn either!" Ricky taunted as the brunette's eyebrows rose up in shock, Mike and Miss Jenn? Dating?

"Wait, he went on a date with Miss Jenn?" Hattie whispered, grabbing his arm.

"He kinda has a thing for her. But, shhh.. we can't let him know we know." The couple laughed, reaching for each other's hands intertwining them together.

Mike scoffed, "Come on you crazy kids, let's get you guys to Denny's."

Everything was going to go amazing.. now that Harriet Hernandez was Ricky Bowen's girl.