Cruel Summer | Ricky Bowen

CHAPTER SIX | IN A STORM IN MY BEST DRESS

"Bowen, Ricky. There... should be nine tickets there," Ricky awkwardly told Mr. Mazzara as Big Red and the whole of Sunset Curve followed behind him.

Mr. Mazzara looked behind Ricky and Raya waved at him, prompting Gwen, Sammy, Taylor, Julius, Robin, and Riri to do the same before handing Ricky their tickets, saying, "Your table should be table eleven. Make sure to take pictures on the way in."

Raya found herself in between Sammy, Gwen, and Taylor as they entered, whispering amongst themselves while Ricky, Big Red, Robin, Julius, and Riri trailed behind. Riri looked around, whistling quietly before saying, "This looks... surprisingly nice."

"Right?" Ricky agreed before they caught up with the four, doing various poses for pictures before rushing to find their table all while laughing at how goofy they had been that everyone looked at them weirdly.

"We're definitely posting that one on Instagram," Raya said as she took her phone out of her clutch.

Ricky peered over her shoulder as she clicked the account where she follows everyone else, posting the pictures of the group with the caption, "back together again!" and one of the two of them with their backs against each other's back, typing down, "Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie who? It's just me and @skateratricky," which caused the boy to snort as he rested his forehead against her shoulder.

"It's not that bad," she hissed, but the growing smile on her face betrays the malice on her tone.

"We're just... dorks."

Raya grinned over at him, murmuring, "Yes, I'm aware."

Big Red then asked questions about Sunset Curve, which made Taylor grin and go into a passionate rant about music, and Robin even brought up how Raya snagged them a gig for the day before Thanksgiving, something that caused the whole table to cheer. But the smiles on Taylor's and Robin's faces fell when they looked over at the photo booth.

Everyone turned to look and they saw Gina and EJ taking pictures.

"What the actual—"

"I had dibs first on your brother, this isn't fair," Taylor pouted.

Raya shot a look at the brunette boy, stating, "I told you that EJ's off limits."

"He's too cute, okay? A bit of a dick, but cute," the boy told her.

Sammy smirked, murmuring, "Yeah, you like those, don't you?"

This elicited a laugh from Big Red and Julius, both of them almost falling off of their chairs if Taylor and Big Red didn't hold them up. Raya almost leaned too close to Ricky but quickly backed off, becoming closed off to him again, which only made him frown.

"Don't you think that Gina can do better than him though?" Ricky suddenly asked the group.

Robin nodded his head, replying, "Uh, yeah. Probably?"

"But that isn't your business, it's mine, alright?" Gina snapped after she overheard them, arms crossed.

"I'm just... surprised that you're going for him," the bassist admitted. "Not exactly your type."

"And that is?"

"Classier, a bit on the nice side."

"Robin, stop," Raya scolded. "You're—"

"Well, maybe that's why Raya broke up with you."

"And why is that?"

"You're a little too ambitious for your own good or anyone else's."

Gina glared at the bassist before she stormed off to a corner, with Raya yelling at him, "What is wrong with you?" before she followed her.

"Gi? Hey, come here."