𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐌 𝐁𝐎𝐘! ricky bowen

i. Junior year, baby

────chapter one
junior year, baby

WHAT WERE THE chances two of your best friends got dumped during the same summer?

If you had asked that question to Veronica Davies two months ago, she would most likely answer zero. She had her own plans for the summer, like waking up at eleven o'clock everyday, spending her days listening to five seconds of summer and maybe binge-watching a couple of shows...

What was most definitely not in her plans was having to cancel all of that for two reasons:

First, her best friend Eleanor Thomas (never call her that though, she hates it— usually goes by Ellie) received a text from her now ex-boyfriend saying things weren't working out and ending the relationship. Second, her other best friend, Richard (everybody calls him Ricky though) Bowen, texting her one single, heart wrenching message:

Nini told me she loved me, I didn't say it back. We're on a break.

And so Veronica was stuck all summer consoling Ricky and Ellie about their failed relationships with the (not to be rude, but quite honestly useless) help of her other-other best friend and last member of their quartet, Big Red (can you tell they loved nicknames?). She did it with love obviously, her best friends for as long as she can remember needed her help and so there she was to provide all the ice cream and cheering up they needed.

There was just one small little problem though. An insignificant little problem that broke her heart to a million pieces ever since Ricky and Nini started dating... Veronica had been liking Ricky since the day they met, which meant she had to scold the part of herself that was maybe-sort-of-kind-of happy when she heard about the chance the couple was breaking up. Though that happiness immediately went away when Ricky showed up at her doorstep looking like a mess, and Veronica had to spend the whole night trying to calm him down until he finally fell asleep (problems going on at home, all right? It wasn't the best time for Ricky).

But we'll get into that later.

"Over text? Seriously?" Ellie was saying, her brown hair covering half of her face as she walked. "Like, he didn't even tell me what I did wrong! Did he meet someone else and that's why he ended things?"

Veronica could do nothing but sigh, standing in front of East High School and getting mentally ready to come back to class. She was clad in a blue top, skinny jeans and her high top converse. Her hair (which blonde highlights were freshly dyed) was pulled into a low ponytail while leaving two strands framing her face on each side.

They had been over this the whole summer, yet Ellie still refused to let it go. Veronica couldn't exactly blame her, it had been the girl's first relationship, and Ver's very own first breakup wasn't exactly the best moment of her life either.

Ellie Thomas was a shy girl, something you could even tell by the way she dressed with her oversized save the turtles shirt and baggy pants, but Veronica had been so happy when Ellie met her now ex-boyfriend. The boy was just able to do what Veronica had been attempting for years: get Ellie out of her shell (something that had completely crumbled after their breakup).

"Ellie, babes, I've told you it's not your fault." Veronica grabbed the girl by the shoulders. "You are an amazing and beautiful being who deserves the world. Whatever reason EJ had to end things is his problem. Remember, new year, new you! Which means leaving EJ Casswell behind."

Students bustled around, some in excitement and others the complete opposite as they either walked inside the school building or reunited with their friends in the chilly air of September in Salt Lake City.