𝘴𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘺𝘰𝘶. [𝘢 𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘪 𝘢𝘶]

12

I HAVEN'T TALKED to Ricky since Wednesday, two days ago. I've seen him in the hallways and we've looked at each other but that's it. I feel guilty about it, especially because I only have 24 days left but I have no idea what to say to him. I feel like I'm just making this whole situation worse, considering all we do when we're around each other is argue.

Tonight is the first night of the carnival. It lasts for the whole weekend and leaves on Monday. Gina insists that we go to the carnival tonight because tonight is when most of the people from school will be there. I'm honestly not too ecstatic about going. Carnivals and rides have never been my thing, but Gina will literally kill me in my sleep if I don't go.

I feel like lunch is the only time when I get to actually see Ricky. Like, the real him. He actually smiles and laughs when he's around Ej, and I never see him smile around anyone else. I still have no idea what makes him so sad to the point of killing himself, but I'm determined to find out.

"Nini, I have an idea!" Gina's voice exclaims, snapping me out of my thoughts. I look away from Ricky and back at Gina, seeing a smile tug at her lips.

"You were looking at him again." She states, her smile turning into a smirk. I roll my eyes and slouch back into my chair, stealing one of her fries and popping it into my mouth.

"Whatever. What's your idea?" I ask, raising my eyebrows a bit, waiting for her to go on.

"I was just thinking about Halloween. There's a party at some random dude's house that I've never heard of before but mostly everyone is going. You should come with me and Kourtney." She offers, a hopeful smile on her face.

I groan at the idea of going to another party, remembering what happened last time. "I don't know, Gi. Last time I went to a party it didn't work out too well for me."

"Tell me about it." I hear a grumpy voice from behind me suddenly join the conversation. I turn around in my chair and see Ricky standing there with his arms crossed, staring at me intently.

Gina turns around as well and not so subtly kicks my chair for no apparent reason. I turn my head to look at Gina and give her a look that I hope she realizes says 'cut it out'. I turn back to Ricky, "Do you need something?"

He doesn't reply, instead he simply rolls his eyes and walks over to where Gina was sitting. "I'm supposed to ask you if you're going to the carnival tonight." He tells Gina before raising his eyes from hers to look at Ej across the cafeteria.

"Of course I am! Nini's coming with me."  She replies, smiling at Ricky. "Are you going?" She wonders, earning a small laugh from Ricky.

"No." He answers, a tone of uncertainty in his voice. "I don't like carnivals."

Before Gina or I could respond, Jack walks up to our table and looks at Ricky with disgust. "What're you doing here?"

"Talking." He replies without hesitation, a slight look of amusement on his face whereas Jack looked pissed off for some reason.