the exception

5. music

Ricky's pov

Tuesday. Another same old boring day of school. Another day of having to work with the most complicated girl in this world. Nini- no wait...Nina. I literally can't even get her name right but I don't care...she can live with it.

"Yo! Dude you coming?", I hear EJ call out.

I snap out of my thoughts and see that I had stopped walking and I was standing in the doorway of the cafeteria. I awkwardly walk over towards the lunch table with my friends.

"What's going on?", Red asks.

"What do you mean?", I nervously laugh, "Nothing's going on?"

"You seem off", Gina adds.

I shrug, "No idea what you're talking about."

"I do.", EJ smirks.

All of my friends eagerly turn their heads towards EJ. I give them all a confused look because I have no idea what they're talking about and where EJ's gonna take this conversation.

"Tell us!!"

"Spill the tea!!"

"Ricky...he's...simping over Nina.", EJ confesses.

I look at him with wide eyes as my friends turn towards me and burst out laughing. A couple of heads turn towards us in the cafeteria due to the chaos my friends were making.

"Nina?! Why her?", Red chuckles.

"She's so...weird...and her style is definitely not it. She's not even pretty or anything...have you seen her?!", Gina laughs.

"Guys stop- what?! I hate her! I'm only working with her for a project. But I can fully assure you I hate that girl.", I explain.

They all look at me and just blankly stare. Which means they don't believe me. Which means they're making my blood boil. I roll my eyes at them as I take a bite out of my sandwich.

Nina's pov

I walk through the cafeteria with Kourtney, Los, and Seb, over towards our table. We pass by Ricky and the rest of his infuriating friends, and I can't help but overhear their conversation.

"Ricky...he's...simping over Nina.", I hear the tall raven-haired boy say.

I make a weird face because...the Ricky Bowen hates my guts. I realize my walking pace slows down as I continue to listen and my friends continue on.

"Nina?! Why her?"

"She's so...weird...and her style is definitely not it. She's not even pretty or anything...have you seen her?!", I hear the curly haired girl laugh.

I come to a stop in front of my lunch table and look down at my outfit. I set my bag down and look at my friends who are looking back at me with confusion.

"You okay Nina?", Kourtney asks me.

"Uh...d-does anybody have a hoodie or something?", I quietly ask.

"I have mine.", Kourtney replies, holding hers up.

"Do you mind if I b-borrow it? I'm just- I'm...cold?"

She furrows her brows, "Uh...yeah sure."

I take her hoodie and quickly slip it over my head, so it covers my clothes. I don't understand how people live with themselves acting like such fools. And this stuff has never affected me...I don't know why it suddenly is? It like... hurts more coming from Ricky's friend group...odd.