" PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME. "

kendall found herself running her fingers through ricky's curls as he sat between her legs, resting his head on her lap. she was sat up in her bed, watching whatever movie ricky had put on the firestick. the boy was passed out, probably from being so upset, when his phone started ringing next to him. kendall leaned forward and saw that it was his dad. she slid over the answer button and pressed the phone to her ear.

"hello?" she whispered and a sigh of relief left ricky's dad's lips.

"where's ricky? is he okay?" he started asking quickly.

she continued to whisper, not wanting to wake ricky. she continued to run her fingers through his hair with her free hand. "he's okay. my name's kendall. he's at my house." she paused and another sigh of relief left his dad. "i'll let him know you called because i don't want to wake him."

"thank you, kendall." he hung up and kendall placed the phone back where it had previously been.

"who was that?" ricky yawned and tilted his head to look up at the girl.

"it was your dad." she said. "i just wanted to let him know you were okay."

"okay." he gave her a smile before closing his eyes again. "that feels good." he commented as she continued to play with his hair.

"i like when my cousins play with mine." she smiled. "it does feel good."

the door closed downstairs and ricky sighed. "i should probably go."

"you don't have to." she said, watching as he sat up. "you can stay for dinner and sleep over if you need." she joked, "i'll even let you sleep in my bed again if it makes you feel better."

he chuckled, "that sounds like a good deal; i'm in."

they made their way downstairs and into the kitchen where kendall's mom was putting groceries away. "hi, mom." kendall smiled, giving her mom a side hug and kiss on the cheek. "ricky's gonna stay for dinner and sleep over again."

"okay." her mom smiled, looking at ricky. "you're always welcome, ricky."

"thank you, ms. molnar." ricky smiled and kendall's mom scoffed.

"call me trish, please."

"trish." he nodded and turned his attention to kendall who was already smiling at him.

"what are you guys feeling for dinner?" trish asked once everything was put away.

kendall shrugged her shoulders. "anything with mashed potatoes."

ricky nodded in agreement. "that sounds good to me."

"mashed potatoes it is." trish smiled and grabbed the potatoes from behind the basement door. "i'll make chicken with it, yeah?" both teens nodded before making their way back upstairs.

"i noticed you have a keyboard in your living room." ricky said as they reached kendall's room. "do you play or does your mom?"

"we both do." kendall smiled. "my mom taught me how to play."

"let me guess," he smirked. "you write your own songs on it."

she shrugged her shoulders and smiled wider. "sometimes."

"can i hear another song?" he grabbed her guitar from against the wall and sat on the bed. "but you have to sing too this time."

she playfully rolled her eyes and sighed. "fine." she grabbed her notebook and flipped open to a different song.

"exhale." he read the title and nodded in approval. "sounds good already."

"if you say so." she laughed before beginning to strum the guitar. she softly sung the lyrics and halfway through the chorus ricky started to sing along with her. there voices sounded magical together, but neither would admit that out loud.

by the time the song ended they were staring at each other. ricky leaned in, his lips barely brushing across kendall's. kendall quickly cleared her throat and moved away, looking down at her notebook as a blush crept onto her cheeks.

"sorry." ricky apologized and quickly ran his fingers through his hair.

"you don't have anything to be sorry about." she sent him a smile. "now it's your turn to play me a song."

"i only know songs from the musical." he stated. "i haven't written anything of my own yet."

"then sing a song from the musical. one that i haven't heard you sing yet." she smiled.

"fine." he rested the guitar in his lap and started strumming, singing the lyrics to one of the songs. the smile never left her face as she watched him sing and when he finished she clapped.

"you're amazing, ricky, really."

"thanks." he chuckled. "i didn't even know i had it in me until i tried out for the musical."

"i'm glad you did." she said. "you're so talented."

he stared at her for a few seconds before quickly turning to look at the floor. he cleared his throat and forced a smile on his face while looking at the girl.

"what did i do?" she laughed.

"what?" he didn't realize how easy he was to see through.

"your smile is forced." she pointed out.

"i don't know." his cheeks started to heat up. "i just kind of want to kiss you right now."

"why?" she asked.

ricky sighed, tucking a piece of her blonde hair behind her ear. "i don't know. you've just been there for me so much the last couple weeks and i don't know, i guess i like you."

"you what?" she was shocked. she'd only known him for a little over a month and he liked her? she had to admit, she kind of liked him too. but would she admit that out loud?

"i'm sorry." he frowned. "i shouldn't have said that."

"it's okay." she shook her head. "i'm just trying to wrap my head around it. i—" she paused, "i haven't had a guy like me since ever. it's just different for me."

"how has no one ever liked you?" ricky asked, sliding closer to the girl. "you're incredible."

"i guess i've just never been anywhere long enough for a guy to like me." she shrugged her shoulders.

he eyed her for a minute before reaching for her hand. "please don't leave me."

"i don't plan on it." she gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. she watched him lay down on the bed and stare at the ceiling. "what's wrong?"

"nothing." he shook his head. "i'm just happy you came into my life."

she gave him a smile. "i'm happy you came into my life too."