" I DO NOT WANT TO SEE EJ AS TROY. "

"the play starts tomorrow." hannah pointed out as her, kendall, nini, ej, and kourtney sat around the lunch table.

"yeah, and?" kendall rose an eyebrow.

"we're going to support nini and ej!" hannah stated in a 'duh' tone.

"oh." kendall slouched in her seat, but no one noticed. she picked at her lunch, not really hungry that day.

"it's going to be amazing." nini smiled. "i'm excited."

"me too." ej agreed. "it sucks that i'm chad though."

"who's troy?" kendall asked, looking up from her fries.

"ricky." nini rolled her eyes.

"you gotta give him credit though; for someone that never sung or acted he's doing pretty well." hannah stated and that perked kendall's interest.

"ricky's in the play?" kendall spoke up again.

"yeah," hannah smiled at her. "now you definitely have to come to the show."

"what's that supposed to mean?" nini rose an eyebrow.

"kendall's friends with ricky." hannah stated and the blonde mentally cursed at her.

"oh." nini pursed her lips. "cool."

"speaking of ricky," kourtney looked behind kendall and the blonde looked over her shoulder to see ricky and his redheaded friend walking into the cafeteria with trays of lunch.

"let's not speak of ricky." ej scoffed.

"i'll see you guys later." kendall smiled. she rose from her seat and grabbed her tray, making her way over to the two boys as they sat down at a table. she sat down next to ricky and smiled at the boy. "hey."

"hi." he looked up from his food. "what are you doing over here?"

"am i not allowed to hang out with you?" she questioned. she hadn't talked to the boy since he had stayed over her house a few days prior. it was friday night and everyone was talking about the cast party they were throwing at "big red's" house; whoever big red was. kendall was kind of jealous that she wasn't part of the cast so she could go. she loved parties.

"you are." ricky nodded quickly. "i just expected you to be with nini and hannah."

"i'm allowed to have other friends besides them." kendall chuckled, shoving a fry into her mouth.

"cool." he smiled.

"so how have you been?" she asked.

he shrugged his shoulders. "i've been okay." he frowned. "my mom leaves tomorrow."

kendall frowned, "i'm sorry."

"it's okay." he shrugged again.

"wait a minute," the redheaded boy finally spoke up. "who are you?"

"right," ricky sat back in his seat so the boy could see kendall better. "this is kendall. kendall, this is big red."

kendall smiled, "so you're big red."

"you've heard of me?" big red rose an eyebrow.

"everyone's talking about the cast party that's being held at your place." kendall explained.

"you should come." ricky smiled.

"thanks, but i'm not part of the play." she shrugged her shoulders. "i will, however, be attending the show and i can't wait to see you play the role of troy." she was excited for him even though she barely knew that boy.

"i hope i don't freeze up on stage." he frowned. "i don't even like musicals."

"then why did you try out?" kendall questioned.

ricky looked over at big red before turning back to kendall. "my ex girlfriend--"

"nini." kendall nodded in understanding.

"you know about us? i'm surprised she said anything."

"hannah did." kendall pursed her lips.

"of course she did." he rolled his eyes. "she has the biggest mouth ever." he paused, looking over kendall's shoulder at the table of jocks. "anyway, nini was trying out for gabriella and i was trying to win her back and figured getting the role of troy would really seal the deal."

"gotcha." kendall nodded again. "what do you mean 'was trying'? have you given up because she's with ej?"

"pretty much." he confirmed. "there's no point in wasting my time on trying to make her happy when she's no longer mine. i decided to stick it out for the musical though because i do not want to see ej as troy."

"understandable." kendall chuckled. the bell rung and everyone started heading to their next class. "walk with me?" she questioned with a smile, since they had the same class next.

"sure." he nodded, rising from the table. he turned to big red, "i'll see you after school."

kendall rose from the table and the two of them headed out of the cafeteria and down the long hall until they reached their class, neither talking, but both of them enjoying the silence. they both exchanged smiles before sitting in their seats and got ready for class to begin.

at the end of the day kendall was standing at her locker, humming along to the song playing through her headphones. she had had study hall the last period of the day and the teacher let them listen to music on their phones which kendall was grateful for. she felt a finger poke her back and spun around to see hannah standing behind her.

"hey," hannah smiled. "i just wanted to confirm if you were going to the play tomorrow." she looked down at her phone before putting her attention back on the girl.

kendall nodded, "yeah, i am." she looked back at her locker and continued to shove her books in it. "i'll meet you here tomorrow then?"

hannah nodded, "yeah, that'd be awesome."

"cool." kendall gave her a smile.

a male cleared their throat behind hannah and the girl spun around to see ricky standing there. hannah pursed her lips and turned back to kendall. "i'll see you tomorrow."

kendall watched the brunette walk away before turning to ricky with a smile. "what's up?"

"i was wondering if maybe you wanted to be my plus one at the cast party tonight?" he had a hopeful smile on his face.

"i don't know..." kendall frowned, looking around the hall as it began emptying out. "i don't think it's a really good idea..." she turned back to ricky. "i mean, i'm not a cast member."

"who cares?" ricky shrugged his shoulders. "other people are bringing people that aren't in the play. it's fine, really."

"i don't really know anyone..." she trailed off, still unsure of whether she wanted to say yes or no.

"you'll know nini and ej and big red." he wore a crooked smile. "plus, you'll know me."

"true." she smirked. "fine, i guess i'll go."

"cool." ricky's smile widened. "i'll meet you at your house at seven and we'll walk over together?"

kendall nodded, "sure."

"cool." he repeated. "i'll see you later then." he gave a small wave before he turned on his heels and walked away. kendall quickly closed her locker and made her way towards the exit of the building, beginning her walk home.