Finding Belle (a Ricky Bowen fanfiction)🌹

Chapter Ten

Author's Note: No more sad boi Ricky in this chapter.

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Ricky Bowen

Last night was one of the best nights I've had since Nini left. We facetimed and she helped me with my beast voice. We laughed a lot, more than I have in the past week and she fell asleep mid conversation. It was a great night despite out long-distance relationship. I missed the days when I was the one tucking her into bed after a late-night adventure.

Unfortunately, today's Monday, and that means that I have school and the table read. The table read is going to be so awkward and sad without Nini. I have to get through another school day without her by my side.

As I picked my skateboard up off the sidewalk and walked through the doors of East High, I heard the familiar High School Musical song, "We're All in This Together" playing loudly on the speaker. After the song ended, Ashlyn's voice boomed from over  the PA system.

On top of all of her other extra-curricular activities, she also did morning announcements. I don't know where she gets all that energy from. (A/N: This is the song in the video above. Cred to whoever made that video)

"Attention students, as president of your formal, prom, homecoming and now Valentine's day dance committee, I'd like to announce East High's very first Valentine's Day Dance on February 14, 2020. It will be held in the auditorium; dress code is formal. Tickets will be sold starting tomorrow morning at the ticket booth by the gym. Also, a note from Mr. Mazarra, the Robotics club won second place against West High knights and is determined to win first place next year." Ashlyn said over the PA system.

"And tickets for the spring musical will be on sale the second week of March. Please consider coming to see me in the musical. This is Andrew Becker signing off the EHS morning news." I heard a more masculine voice say over the system.

"Hey Ricky, how was your weekend?" Big Red said scaring me from behind my locker. Jesus Christ. I'm going to have a heart attack before I graduate.

"Don't scare me like that again. My weekend was great. I talked to Nini a lot, she helped me prepare for the musical a little bit. I miss her a lot." I said closing my locker.

"Nini this Nini that. I've already heard it. Sorry bro you're on your on with girl problems. I'm going to go find Ashlyn." Big Red said smiling and walking away.

Before I could walk to my first class, I ran into E.J Caswell who was walking out of the boy's bathroom. He was holding his phone away from his hear and said hi to me then walked away. Weird.

I walked into my first class which is my least favorite class, American Literature, and noticed Isabella sitting in the back with her face hiding behind a book she was reading. Since we didn't have assigned seating, I decided to sit next to her.

"Hey, whatcha reading there?"

"Hmmm. Oh, hey Ricky. I'm reading The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime by Mark Haddon, it's a good book; you should read it, it has pictures. I thought you usually sit in the middle why are you here?" Isabella said not looking up from her book. (A/N: Great book. Itotally recommend it.)

"Hey! I read books without pictures. How do you know I don't read? I just wanted to say hi to my new friend." I replied to her nudging her shoulder.

"Because your answers to all the questions Mrs. Ray asked the first couple days are from SparkNotes and you never have you're book with you. What's the last book you read?" Isabella said putting down her book then turned towards my desk.

"A book I checked out of the library over winter break." I lied to her.

"Pop quiz on Chapters 1 and 2 starts as soon as you get the sheet of paper. Please put your, To Kill a Mockingbird books away." Mrs. Ray said walking into the room before Isabella could reply to me.

"Good luck." Isabella whispered to me before focusing on her quiz.

What are the two main characters names? What is their relationship to each other? Do they get along? Please answer in brief sentences or phrases.

What kind of pop quiz was this? Were these trick questions? Of course they get along. Who even read the first two chapters anyway? American Literature is boring anyway. I'd rather jam out in music class.

After class, I waited for Isabella to come out of class. She was one of the last ones to leave because she wanted to turn in her extra credit essay. Wow. She's smart. I've never done any extra credit assignment in my life. (A/N: Anyone remember the scene in hsm 1 where troy and gabriela meet at the school for the first time?)

"Hey Izzy, how did you think you did on the quiz? Can I call you that it's easier to say then Isabella?" I said as she walked out of the class.

"Don't call me that please. I got to go." She said walking off down the hall into the crowd of people.

Didn't we just have a nice conversation where she teased me about my lack of reading books earlier? What's up with her? She doesn't like musicals, she quits the musical, and she doesn't want to talk to me for more than a minute.