Finding Belle (a Ricky Bowen fanfiction)🌹

Chapter Twenty

Author's Note: thank you to my readers for your patience. 

*I also changed the date of the dance from Friday to Sunday.

Please leave me a comment on what you want to see happen and what you dislike.

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*Saturday February 13th*

Ricky Bowen

Today, I planned a big virtual valentine's day date for Nini and I. The date includes a Zoom call to catch up, some sort of movie of her choice over Netflix party or something Big Red was talking about before, and a zoom call dinner. The only problem was that she wasn't online when I sent the zoom request. It's already 1:00pm and I told Nini that we would start at noon since she said that time worked best for her.

Maybe she got caught up with studying and rehearsals? I'm not quite sure about  what her schedule is like on weekends. I wanted to do the virtual date today and leave tomorrow a day for her to rest and catch up with schoolwork.

I pressed her contact on my iphone again and it sent it immediately to her voicemail. This is not like Nini to do this to me. She would've at least left a text to cancel our date if she's busy with school. We also try to text each other every night if our schedules work out.

Big Red is probably playing video games today. He leaves his homework for Sundays. I guess the only other person I could go to for a friendly talk is Bella. She seems to be avoiding me since I came over to her house. I decide to text her before I go over to see if she's working at the skating place today.

Ricky Bowen: Hey I'm sorry about the other day at your house. I need a friend to talk to about something. Are you free today?

Bella: I'm sorry about the other day. I wasn't feeling like myself. I am taking over a 4:00pm shift at the roller rink because it's not couples skate night tonight and I need money. My break is at 5:00 for dinner tho.

Ricky Bowen: I'll meet you there at 5. Do you have dinner set? I'm free the whole day I could bring you over something.

Ok, so Nini and I were going to share pizza slices over our virtual date. How it was going to go, is that Nini gets her favorite toppings sent to her room and I just order mine from my home. Then after we both get the food; we enjoy it over zoom or facetime. I tried to make it work. But it didn't work out.

Bella: I didn't pack my dinner because I thought I'd just eat food from the café here :/

Ricky Bowen: What do you like on your pizza? : )

Bella: Just cheese. Ricky, I can pay for my own food. I'll just eat the pizza they serve here.

Ricky Bowen: Big Red said that pizza tasted like old socks last time we were there :/

Bella: Fine. I'd like just plain cheese then. See you during my break.

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At 4:30pm I ordered a cheese pizza from Dominoes which was conveniently right next to the roller-skating rink. I don't know what happened with Nini but I feel kind of bad giving this pizza to another girl, when I already planned a long-distance date with someone else.

"Cheese Pizza for Ricky."

'Huh, oh yeah that's me. Thanks."

I grabbed the hot pizza box before heading to the skating place. I looked at my phone for the time 4:50pm. Perfect. The pizza will still be warm when Bella gets off work.

I held the pizza in one hand and my phone in the other hand as I walked towards the roller-skating rink. As I opened the front door I immediately heard one of Nini's favorite songs from middle school playing, "Love Story" by Taylor Swift.

Damn I miss her. I hope she calls or texts to say what's been going on.

 I glanced at my phone to see if she texted but nope no new messages.

"Hey Ricky, give me a few minutes and then I'll be on break." I heard Bella skate by as she held a cleaning rag.

I sat down in a booth near the arcade and food stall while I waited for Bella. While I was opening the pizza box to let it cool, I saw Bella's friend Brandon open the front door and walk towards me. He wasn't alone though, Nini Salazar-Roberts, aka my girlfriend was walking in behind him.

Am I daydreaming?!