set after episode 7, directors room
Ricky walks into the directors room looking for EJ.
“Oh there you are Elton, Val is looking for you she needs to check off the “In Summer” choreo.”
Ricky gets no response from EJ, so he moves closer to him. “Hey? You good? Whats…” He notices EJ has tears stained on his cheeks and his voice shifts to a softer tone, “EJ... whats wrong?” Ricky sits next to EJ putting an arm on his shoulder as EJ wipes away his tears.
“Gina broke up with me tonight” he says without making eye contact with Ricky.
Ricky looks at him speechless. He knew that Gina and EJ were kinda tense throughout the night but he had no idea it went this far. “Oh. EJ, I…”
Ricky is cut off as EJ starts to ramble anxiously, “I’m just stupid! I’m so stupid for thinking that I could be good enough for her.”
“No it’s true!” EJ makes eye contact with Ricky before continuing, “first Nini, now Gina! I’m just, a horrible person…I’m not- I’m not worth it” he concludes feeling extremely defeated.
Ricky looks at him upset, with a pang of guilt as he realizes that he unintentionally ruined two of EJ’s most treasured relationships.
EJ looks down at his feet, smiling wryly, “I mean, I’m such a failure that I’m not even good enough for my own father to say that he’s,” he stops for a moment staring at the wall blankly, “that he’s proud of me.”
A moment of silence passes until Ricky speaks up, unable to see EJ in such a weak and vulnerable position. He’s almost shocked to see the graduate so insecure of himself. Maybe he’s not as perfect as he seems to be?
Ricky turns to face EJ. “No you know what, that is absolutely not true you are not a failure EJ, you are so worth it, you are worth so much more than you know. and you know what? If your dad and Gina can’t see that then it’s their loss, because you are so incredible EJ.” EJ looks at him through his teary eyes as Ricky rambles on with a distant smile on his face. “I mean you’re talented, you’re kind and smart, and if I’m not wrong you were voted most likely to become a hollister model” he chuckles and EJ scoffs with a smile. “I see it, Maddox sees it, Val sees it! you’re the one who can’t see it.”
“Ricky you’re just saying that”
Ricky looks at him seriously, “I’m not! and EJ you don’t need someone else to prove that you’re worth it. I get it trust me, we all need validation. But EJ, you need to believe you are worth it. and as for Gina” Ricky sighs, “if you guys really are meant to be, she will come back to you. But EJ, maybe you just need to let her go first?”
“Yeah, i guess you’re right” EJ smiles back sadly.
Ricky smirks proudly to lighten up the mood, “when am i not?”
EJ punches his arm lightly as the two laugh quietly.
“Hey, it’s kind of like in frozen when Kristoff lets Anna go to Hans and when she realizes she loves Kristoff she comes back to him!” Ricky suddenly realizes, making a perfect analogy to EJ and Gina’s relationship. However, EJ doesn’t register this, choosing to focus on the fact that for once, Ricky actually got the plot of Frozen right. EJ looks at Ricky stunned, turning his body to face him.
“You- you actually know the script?” he asks.
Ricky blinks, “I mean, you did tell me to study it,” he replies referring to a couple hours ago at the camp prom.
“No, thank you. You’re the reason we’re not gonna make a fool of ourselves on national television tomorrow. You might not think so but, I do appreciate you EJ.”
Ricky stands up and walks out, giving EJ a small smile and leaving him feeling a little more confident in himself than before.
i always pictured ricky and ej having some sort of heart-to-heart conversation in s3 after they’ve finally put their differences aside. this headcanon is where i imagine ricky discovering his sexuality for the first time after realizing he’s some what attracted to ej? and where ej realizes that ricky’s not that petty junior he was at the beginning of the school year and they can actually be friends. and it kinda leaves things open ended for portwell, rina, and caswen which they could’ve explored in season 4🤪
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