All Too Well || Caswen

O. All Too Well - Ricky

A/N: So the first two chapters are both a sort of prologue from either character's perspective. I wrote these while listening to "All Too Well" by Taylor Swift on loop, so that should give you some idea of where this is going. Hope you enjoy!

Ricky Bowen's life was great. He had two loving parents and an amazing best friend, Nini, to keep him company. Sure, his parents fought a lot and some of the bigger kids at his middle school picked on him when Nini wasn't around, but the good almost always overshadowed the bad.

Unfortunately, Ricky was currently on one of the bad streaks. He had hardly gotten any sleep due to the yelling in the living room and Nini had a doctor's appointment that afternoon, so he was alone during lunch. He still sat at their regular bench as he ate the peanut butter and jelly he'd made that morning, Taylor Swift playing in his earbuds.

He nearly got up and ran when he noticed Ethan and Daniel approaching him, but he knew he wasn't fast enough to get away from them.

"Where's your little friend, Bowen? Not here to protect her pathetic charity case today?"

Ricky kept his eyes down and didn't respond, knowing it would only make things worse for him.

"Hey, look at me, you little bitch. Or can you not hear me over your—" he grabbed Ricky's phone and looked at the song. "Taylor Swift? Isn't this girls' shit? Are you gay, Bowen? Only gay boys like this stuff."

"Please leave me alone." His voice was weak, afraid of the repercussions of speaking up.

"Oh, we're just having a bit of fun. No need to be a crybaby about it. What are you gonna do, tattle on us?"

The boys were stepping closer with every word, giving Ricky threatening glares.

"Leave him alone."

Ethan and Daniel stopped and turned to the source of the voice. Behind them stood another boy who had a good few inches on them and a lot more muscle, looking very ready to beat them both up. Their resolve crumbled and they scurried away like rats, dropping the phone and leaving Ricky alone with his savior.

"Thanks," he mumbled as he picked his phone up off the ground.

"No problem. Those two are just assholes who bother people smaller than them because it makes them feel strong. What were they picking on you for?"

"They thought my music was girly."

"Pfft, that's stupid. I can confirm that it's more 'manly' than what I listen to."

Ricky showed the boy his phone, with the song pulled up on the screen.

"Red? Nice. I'm a bit of a Swifty myself, though I usually go for Katy Perry."

"Thanks. Again."

"No problem. Again. Why were you eating over here alone, anyway?"

"Usually my friend sits with me, but she isn't here today."

"Well, now you have me. Give me your phone."

"What? Why?"

"So I can put my number in. My name's EJ, by the way."

"Ricky," he responded as he handed over his phone.

Something just seemed to click between them and they spent the rest of lunch talking as though they had known each other their whole lives. When Nini came back to school the next day, Ricky didn't mention his new friend. He told himself it was because he didn't want Nini to think he replaced her, but really, some selfish part of him liked having this friendship all to himself.

For the last few months of the school year, Ricky spent every waking second with either Nini or EJ, from school lunches to sleepovers. He was overjoyed to have another place he could go when his own house was too loud.

His heart sank, though, when summer came around and Nini announced that her family would be away for the first month and a half of summer.

"I can still call you every day, and I'm sure your parents will be better in no time. You won't even notice I'm gone!" And she was almost right.

Ricky now spent every day at EJ's house, and many nights, as well. Most people would probably call them best friends, but Ricky knew that it was different from what he had with Nini.

"If you could have any superpower, what would you choose and why?" They were laying side by side on the grass in EJ's backyard, going back and forth with random questions.

Ricky thought for a moment before responding, "Time travel. That way, maybe I could go back and fix whatever got messed up between my Mom and Dad. What about you?"

EJ smiled. "I would have the power to make people stop being mean or angry at each other, so there would be no one to make us sad."

"That's a good one."

"I know. I picked it," EJ bragged.

Ricky stuck his tongue out at him.

"Hey, it's true!"

Ricky laughed. "I guess it is."

The sound of the back door opening brought their attention to Mrs. Caswell, walking up behind them. "It's almost midnight, kiddos. You wanna start getting ready for bed?"

EJ sat up, yawning as he did so. "Yeah. Thanks, Mom."

"Goodnight, sweetheart. Love you."

"Love you, too."

The boys went up to EJ's bedroom and changed. Ricky already had a few of his pajamas at EJ's house, but he frequently ended up stealing one of EJ's hoodies anyways. They didn't go to sleep just yet, instead sitting together on EJ's bed.

"Do your parents say they love each other?"

EJ was surprised at the question, though maybe he shouldn't have been, based on all the conversations he'd had with Ricky.

"Yeah. Every day."

"Oh."

"Your parents say they love you, though, right?"

"I guess. They don't say much at all to me, these days."

EJ scooted closer and wrapped his arms around Ricky. "I love you, Ricky Bowen."

"I love you, too, EJ Caswell."

They embraced tightly for what felt like hours until Ricky pulled back slightly, only to lean his face closer. EJ followed his motion, and a moment later, their lips met. The kiss was short and awkward, like any first kiss between two young teenagers who didn't quite know what they were doing, but it was good nonetheless.

Both boys smiled giddily as they pulled away. Shortly after, they decided to actually go to sleep, holding on to each other beneath the covers.

So, yeah. Ricky Bowen's life was great.

Until it wasn't.