don't give up | ricky bowen

nine

☆

"this is not good."

ricky was distraught, big red was bored, and taryn was upset. it wasn't a good mix. the curly-headed boy messed around on some skateboard toy while the other two just lounged around the room.

"i know." big red mumbled his response, not really paying attention to his friend.

"no, this is really not good."

"but it's not news, either." the red head snapped as ricky hopped off of the toy he was messing with, "you broke her heart, you crashed her play, you bugged her for a little bit, and then you left her an extra sad voicemail."

taryn sat up from her spot on the floor, "what did you even say in the voicemail?"

ricky ignored her question and kept talking to big red. how was he supposed to explain that halfway through his voicemail to nini he started gushing about taryn? it would sure drive the blonde away.

"you think it's time to move on?"

"yes." taryn thought to herself.

"i wouldn't, but you have that other thing. pride."

"why was big red encouraging ricky to keep going after nini? it was ridiculous. the girl was no good for him." taryn thought once more, she was beyond frustrated with the two boys.

ricky settled down on the armrest of the chair next to taryn. why had the girl decided to lay on the floor and not sit in the chair 6 inches to her left? the world may never know. taryn joseph was a strange child.

"okay, tell me what to do."

taryn shrugged, "just be yourself?"

"be the bigger man!" big red seemed to like taryn's idea. he slid to the edge of the bed so he could fully express himself while talking. for some reason the boy really enjoyed talking with his hands.

taryn never understood that about the boy. it could be because she never really expressed her emotions too often while talking.

"okay, pick one." ricky just stared at his friend.

"definitely bigger man. you're the lead in the play, dude. it's time to act like it."

big red tossed a bouncy ball at ricky's chest, but it bounced off and landed on taryn's face. she glared at the boy with her arms crossed over her chest, aggressively pouting at the boy. taryn wanted big red to know that she was not happy with his actions.

ricky just rolled his eyes and grabbed taryn's head, pulling her closer to him. he was used to taryn's reactions to things. the blonde still pouting as she rested her head against ricky's leg, enjoying being close to her best friend. he kept his hand on top of her head, occasionally rubbing her head subconsciously with his thumb.

"you're right."

big red hopped up off of his bed, continuing to talk, "it's like that scene from the movie where troy tells his teammates, 'you're my guys, and this is our spam.'"

both ricky and taryn looked at big red with confused faces.

"when does he say that?" ricky questioned.

the boy sat back down on his bed defeated, "you know, i just realized that my allergist keeps the sound off in the waiting room and maybe i can't read lips."

★

"are you going to come to rehearsal today, tar?"

the blonde looked up at her best friend as they walked toward their lockers after their last class of the day. he has a pleading look in his eyes.