What Do You Know About Heartbreak?
Summary: Summer was supposed to be fun ... now its full of confusing feelings between you, Ricky, Gina, and EJ who never expected his ex summer fling to show back up at Camp.
Pairings: Ricky Bowen x reader, Ricky Bowen x black!reader, EJ Caswell x Gina Porter, Portwell
Warnings: characters are slightly aged up to all 18+ so everyone is the same age, gonna mention hook up culture, some cursing, angst, fluff
***
"I think this is the best I've ever seen you, EJ."
You cackled loudly as your ex fling stumbled about of the dressing room in the most embarrassing reindeer costume that you've ever seen. If you hadn't healed from what happened last Summer you'd argue this was sweet revenge.
You looked to Gina, seeing if she would say anything but there was nothing but a small smirk written across her face. Still thinking about how she could use this time to torture EJ, per Carlos' words.
Ricky locked eyes with you and you both stifled a laugh, trying not to be obnoxious.
The tall boy rolled his eyes at you. "Very funny, Y/N, I should have known you would enjoy this." He snapped slightly, making your brows furrow in confusion. There was no way that he was the one mad at you? Not after he handled everything so terribly between you two.
"Now wait a minute-" You started, pointing a finger at him when you saw the blinking red light of the camera positioned in your face.
The camera man smiled, nodding his head. "Don't mind me, just getting some of the past lovers angst here. Makes for great TV."
Instead of you being labeled as the 'jilted ex' for this documentary, that title had gone to Ricky to establish some form of fake drama. You were labeled as the protector of the group, always there to give great advice and heartwarming moments ... but you weren't afraid to call out someone if they were wrong. As much as you wanted to protest the label, they were right when they gave it to you.
"I think the camera man and director getting into a fight would make better TV, don't you think?" You asked him sarcastically with a fake smile painted on your lips. You gently positioned the camera down and out of your face while you tried to get the attention off of you.
You were elected by the campers to co-direct this years summer musical of 'Frozen' much to you and EJ's dislike but it wasn't exactly like you could turn down directing. Your friends looked so sad and helpless and you wanted Summer to be fun for everyone. But now, only a couple weeks in, it looked like no one was enjoying the new dynamics going around.
"Alright everyone!" You clapped your hands together to get everyones attention. "So I know we've barely run the song, so just mark it. Use the space but just be safe. Half-energy."
EJ popped up behind your shoulder, making you jump at his reindeer fur touching your skin. "Gotta agree. No reason to go crazy, you guys." He smiled nervously, another small smirk appearing on Gina's face that didn't go unnoticed by you.
Something was definitely going on between EJ and Gina and while it was none of your business, you just hoped he hadn't done anything to hurt her the way he had done to you. You hoped he had grown in his relationship with her.
You pushed the thoughts away as Maddox started the instrumental to "What Do You Know About Love". Watching Ricky and Gina perform was refreshing from a directors view, their chemistry was some of the best out of the pairings in the show. Which is why your personal feelings had to be buried deep, deep, down for the sake of the show. They began singing, using the space as directed but it was definitely not half-energy as instructed.
"I said mark it!" You called out, not wanting anybody to get hurt. Gina was grabbing Ricky and throwing him onto the yellow couch on the back of the stage. She leaned her body on the counter top and kicked up her legs, turning back to face the stage before singing again. "Okay wait ... I like that." You nodded to Carlos, making a note on your clipboard before watching them perform once more.
"Oh, what do you know about love?"
As the pair sang, Gina grabbed Ricky's shoulders, the boys eyes widening as his lips settled into a quick smile. If you would have blinked you would have missed it. You turned to see if anyone else had caught what you did, Ashlyn's eyes went wide and met yours, settling into softness as she realized you saw it too. You tried ignoring it, probably reading deeper into the situation that what it was. They were acting, there's no way that it was anything besides that.
And as the performance continued, your gut reaction was proven correct.
"There's scaling and scrambling and too many steps for counting .. and the work doesn't stop."
Rickys body noticeably tensed up at being so close to Gina. Her gentle hand on his shoulder as she smiled at him was enough of an indication that she was serious about torturing EJ. The girl sat on the moving stairs set, Ricky pushing her around the stage as they sang to each other. "Excellent choice you guys!" You clapped happily. You wrote a note down on your board, looking back up to find EJ staring at the pair with his heart in his throat.
Both of the boys looked like being up there was torture for them, and you hoped your poker face wasn’t showing how shitty you felt watching them perform together. As he sang his last note, looking into Gina's eyes his heart was breaking right in front of him.
Gina took a deep breath, tears threatening to spill, so she stepped down from the platform and the stage with a frown on her face. A clear contrast from how bubbly she was moments ago in the performance. EJ shook his head, frustration bubbling up in him as he stormed off.
You sighed, biting your lip nervously. "Okay, um, let's take a five everyone. That was ... a lot." You whispered the last part to yourself.
"Ricky, that must have been awful for you. Being Gina's jilted ex and all." Carlos said, sitting on the edge of the stage with Ricky who looked like he just got hit by the love bus.
The curly haired boy chuckled nervously. "Heart-wrenching honestly."
Ricky looked like he wanted to throw up or punch a wall or both. He shot up from his seat, pushing the camera out of his way before throwing the barn doors open. You set down your clipboard and followed him outside while the others were distracted.
You left the barn, looking left and right to find where he might be when you saw him sitting on the bench connected to the edge of the building. "Hey, Ricky, can I talk to you?"
"I know I was kind of intense back there, Y/N, I'm sorry--"
You shook your head. "Not at all." You said, sitting down across from him. "I just wanted to check in, see if you were okay?"
"Why wouldn't I be okay?" He hesitated in saying, his eyes telling you everything you needed to know. "It was just a performance, it's just rehearsal."
You gave him a small smile. "It may have been a performance but none of what happened up there was fake for you, was it?" You sighed. "I saw the way you looked at her, Ricky, hell I invented that look." The boy stared at you, wondering what you and him could have in common. "When EJ and I were hooking up last summer, he broke it off as soon as he heard Nini sing. He was so enamored with her talent and her light that I was old news.” You shrugged, shaking off the feelings of inadequacy creeping up. “He never told me why he wanted to stop seeing me, he just kind of cut things off in a way that stung. It wasn't hard to put two and two together. They’re performers and I’m more behind the scenes, EJ’s outgoing and I’m quiet. I was always an outsider to him. I had to watch him and Nini have a summer romance while I was stuck in the wings, embarrassed because I still liked him no matter how sad I was."
"And how did you move on?" Ricky asked, scooting closer to you. "You did move on ... right?"
You nodded. "Definitely moved on, it was hard since we all went to East High but I just stayed with my head down. Focused on school and my life and who I wanted to be. I boosted my confidence, I found myself desirable and worthy and picked up the broken pieces.” You tucked some hair behind your ear, memories of crying in your bedroom flooding your mind. It was a dark time that you’re glad you grew from. “I never got an apology or closure ... so I kinda had to make my own." You inched closer to him as well, gently putting your hand on his knee. "I know it sucks, not being able to just say what you feel, you know? But it's not going to kill you, it's-"
"Gonna make me stronger?" Ricky laughed.
You chuckled, rolling your eyes. "I was gonna say it's a life lesson, but, if you want to see it that way that works too." You teased him. "Just try to stay focused. You're really talented and I know you're a sweet guy, I just don't want to see you hurt."
The curly haired boy took another look at you, watching as you played with your nails. "Same with you, Y/N." He said. "I'm sorry for what EJ did to you, you’re a great person and you didn’t deserve what happened. I didn't realize how many other people were affected by him getting together with Nini. We could have really helped each other back then."
"There you go being sweet again, Ricky Bowen." You nudged him gently. "We could always still help each other. Summer isn’t over."
Ricky smiled to himself. "I'd like that." His hand was now on your knee, the feeling of his touch being comforting when the whole point was to come outside to comfort him. You stared at his brown eyes, him staring back at you, ever so slightly beginning to lean into you.
Your body felt like it was on fire. Ricky had been on your mind since the end of the fall musical, watching him perform and grow into who he is now. Watching him with Nini and now Gina was a constant gut punch … but something told you to keep trying. Keep holding out hope.
But could hope be worth it?
"Hey! Break up the rebound, you two. I forgot something." The camera man from earlier broke you two out of your trance. Ricky's hand had found its way back into his lap and he silently cursed himself. He wasn't sure how the camera man knew it but he was beginning to use you as a rebound and he knew it was wrong.
Ricky knew you as the girl that everyone loved at East High. Nice and pretty and soft. You were a popular loner and he felt he didn’t deserve to enter your life in this way after all this time. All the chances he could have had with you and he pursued someone else, someone who was familiar. Ricky felt he didn’t deserve you in any capacity besides a friend.
You stood up nervously. "We should probably..." You motioned towards the building.
"Yeah, yeah after you." He began walking towards the door, holding it open for you to walk through as the cast gathered together.
You had to shove down whatever you were feeling back to where it came from. As if watching Ricky pin after Gina wasn't painful enough, you knew you couldn't act on any feelings you may have had for him.
Not while he was in love with someone else.
•••
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