"If you don't like the banana peppers, you can pick them off." Big Red spoke as he walked into the office where Nova was, "Pepperoni was my first choice but I definitely knew you'd want to say away from that."

Nova gave a small smile as she held the ice pack on her head, "Thanks, Big Red."

"You know my name." he smiled, putting the box of pizza next to her.

"Duh, I know your name. It just took me a second." Nova said with sad eyes, "Of course I know you take my order and make my pizza, I just get confused and my mind is all over the place. I'm really sorry. You're great and no one makes pizza the same way you do, i'm a jerk."

"You aren't a jerk. You don't have the best memories there anyways." Big Red gave a small laugh, encouraging Nova to eat as she took her first slice, "Whats this liquid diet EJ said?"

"It's where you get low calorie, low carb, but enough nutrients to keep you alive through drinks." Nova said, trying not to talk with her mouth full but was busy shoving the pizza in her mouth, "Oh my god, this feels so good."

Big Red laughed as he leaned on the door, "As good as when I make it?"

"Right now I can't even notice." Nova said, licking the pizza sauce off her thumb, "The banana peppers? So much better then pineapple and pepperoni."

"I thought so too." Big Red smiled before he went to leave.

"Big Red." Nova called out, making him pause and look back at her, "Thank you."

His eyes squeezed shut when he smiled, "Anytime."

His presence being left was re filled with Miss Jenn just a few minutes later, "Enjoying that pizza?"

"More then anything else in this world." Nova moaned as she took another slice, "Do you want one?"

Miss Jenn shook her head as she watched Nova devour the pizza on her own, "Nova, i'm obligated, as your teacher to notify the school if there is any form of abuse going on at home."

Nova stopped eating at the stared at the blonde woman. Miss Jenn sighed as she looked forward, "But as a friend, why don't you tell me what's going on and I can see what I can do?"

Nova swallowed as she put the pizza to the side, "My mom loves me, she does a lot."

Miss Jenn nodded, "I can understand why."

"She just wants what's best for me, no matter what. She's looking out for me when she does stuff like this." Nova nodded as she stared hard at Miss Jenn, "She just wants me to be the best."

"Oh, honey, I don't think starving you is whats best for you." Miss Jenn spoke gently as she stood up and took the spot next to Nova, "Is that all? Just the food situations?"

Nova didn't say anything. Miss Jenn placed her hand on Novas arm, "Nova?"

"She makes me do volleyball and swim team." Nova said honestly, crossing her legs, "She says the only way she'll agree to let me be in theater is if I continue with them."

"And you don't want to do volleyball and swim team?" Miss Jenn asked as Nova avoided eye contact but shook her head.

"I don't like volleyball, it annoys me and all the girls on the team say things to me that they don't realize is ridiculously offensive." Nova said in disbelief as she looked Miss Jenna way, her eyes were glossy, "When I was younger I almost drowned in my aunts pool. I've been scared of the water ever since, that's why I hate swim team."

"Oh, Nova." Miss Jenn sighed as she hugged her, letting Nova cry on her shoulder, "Does you mom know this?"

Nova nodded as she cried, "She doesn't care. She just cared about me being better then everyone else and making sure they all know it. She wants me to be this emotionless monster all the time because she says emotions make you weak."

"Emotions do not make you weak." Miss Jenn said as she pulled back and stared into Novas eyes quickly, "If anything, they make you strong and something you should be proud of."

Nova sniffled, "Really?"

Miss Jenn nodded with a sad smile, "Do you have any other family close by? Someone you can stay with?"

"My closest family is in Oregon." Nova said back, whipping her face, "Please, Miss Jenn, please don't tell the school. I can't get taken away, this is my home."

Miss Jenn sighed, feeling guilty and stuck in the middle, "I'll do everything I can for you, Nova. But if it comes down to it, i'll have to."

Nova stared at her a moment before giving a small nod, looking down as the woman put a new slice of pizza in her hands. EJ stood outside the door, his mind racing as much as his drama teachers.

EJ decided he should drive Nova home. It was relatively late when rehearsal ended and Nova ask around for someone who could drive her car home. Ricky agreed, driving behind the pair. EJ and Nova didn't talk from the second they got in the car to the second they pulled infront of her house.

"Nova." he finally broke the silence as she unbuckled her seatbelt, "Talk to me."

"About what? What do you want me to say?" Nova asked in disbelief as she threw her hands up, she had mascara under her eyes and her hair was pulled up. EJ stared over at her, a hopeful look on his face, "What? Tell me."

"I want you to say whatever you want to. I know we're not on the best terms right now, but I still care. You can still talk to me like you use to." he tried to get to her, Nova pulled her eyes away from his eyes, "Anything."

"You say you care." Nova nodded, sucking her breath in, "But just yesterday you made it seem like you didn't when you basically said to my face that our whole relationship was a lie and that we had no feelings for each other at all. So what is it? Do you care or are we just a stupid lie?"

"What? I didn't mean it that way at all." he defended himself with wide eyes, "I just meant- I don't know what I meant. But you literally told me we only got together because everyone was pressuring us to constantly."

"That didn't mean I spent two years of my life just pretending to care about you. Do you think i'm that much of a peoplepleaser?" Nova asked in disbelief as EJ stared over at her, "Do you think i'd have cared so much that there were other girls you'd complement a little too comfortably if I didn't care? Or the fact that I ate all my feelings and gained three pounds after our break up, even though you clearly know my mom weighs me every week just to make sure I don't go above a certain weight? Or the fact that I couldn't even stay in auditions because it kills me seeing you be completely in love with Nini? Does that sounds like someone that doesn't care?"

Out of the two years EJ and Nova had been together, the three they knew each other, he'd never seen her show so much emotion not once. He was more in shock with that then anything, forgetting he needed to say something. The door swung open as she began crawling out, "Nova, wait!"

She shut the door quickly. Ricky hoped out of her car when she did, "Hey, hope I didn't mess anything up."

"Thanks, do you need a ride home?" Nova asked with a long sigh, taking the keys.

Ricky held his skateboard up, "No, i've got-"

He was cut off by EJ getting out of his car and circling it quickly, "Why couldn't you just tell me these things? I didn't think it would bother you because I didn't think you cared. We didn't communicate at all the whole time we were together."

"Yeah, i'm gonna go." Ricky said quickly, skating off and leaving the pair in the drive way.

"Tell you what? Tell you that it hurts me when you tell other girls they have a nice smile or stare at them when i'm right there infront of you. You should just know that, EJ! This victim complex you have is getting old, i'm not always the bad guy like you've got everyone else convicted to." Nova went on and on, swinging her hands around as she stared up at him with glossy eyes.

"I know, Nova, i'm sorry." he spoke softly and with sad eyes down at her, "I just wanted your attention, something out of you and I did it wrong. I shouldn't-"

"I told you everything about my mom! I told you how she constant pushed me to be better then anyone and was always in my corner telling me I wasn't good enough." Nova said in disbelief as he kept his mouth shut, "And to get my attention you make me feel that exact way? Are you kidding me?"

EJ shut his eyes, "I know, okay? I know I messed up and i'm sorry, like, extremely sorry. I just wanted you to see me, I wish i'd have just talked to you. This is the most we've even gotten from each other for the past two years."

"No kidding." Nova said with a sad look, "I'm not saying i'm completely innocent. I was a bad girlfriend and I can admit that. But was anything even real to you? Any of it? Or were you just faking it like you said I was? Because I wasn't, EJ. Things felt forced constantly but that doesn't mask the fact that I adore you and wanted us to work."

EJ sighed as he stared at her a moment, "Do you think i'd do everything to get your attention if I didn't care? Nova, I liked you, so much. But you never acted like you cared about anything I said, it felt like all you ever did was accuse me of things that weren't true at all."

Nova blinked as a tear fell, "That's all I know how to do."

EJ reached for her as Nova stepped back and whipped her face quickly, "I'm sorry, this is all ridiculous and you're with someone else so it doesn't matter anymore. I'm sorry, goodnight."

"Nova." EJ called for her, watching her legs hurry up to her front door, "Talk to me."

But she didn't, she hurried inside and left all he feelings splattered on the concrete infront of him.

•

kylie speaks

ej thinking nova didnt care about him so he gets insecure
🤝
nova thinking she wasn't good enough for ej so she gets insecure

finally these fools are
being real and honest
with each other. BUT LIKE
SOMEONE LOCK THEM
IN A ROOM SO THEY CAN
WORK THROUGH THIS
AND WONT RUN FROM
COMMUNICATING FOR
ONCE!