SHILOH HAD always made one thing clear and that was no one was ever denied any help when it came to the Love Club.

She wished she could take that back.

She stood at her locker with one shoulder pressed against it as she barely listened to what EJ was saying.

"... and it's not fair."

Shiloh furrowed her brows, "It's not fair that she broke up with you because you invaded her privacy, went through her phone, and deleted a message that wasn't for you?"

"So... you're picking sides?"

"I'm asking you a question. You went through her stuff without asking. She missed a whole hour of rehearsal because of you. Then you got someone sick on purpose for her. You sickened someone for Nini. The best advice I can give you is to talk to her."

"She's not talking to me."

"And we can't force her to do that." She sighed, "Guess... you're out of luck."

"Okay, okay. This isn't very Love Club, the biggest advice club in school of you."

Shiloh shrugged her shoulders, "What do you want me to say? I would tell you the same thing if we were sitting in the club room right now. This is no one's fault but yours. You got jealous, a normal feeling, but you let it get to you. That's what broke you and Nini up... plus lying... and getting someone else sick on purpose."

"Can you stop saying we broke up? Nini and I are not broken up."

"That's not what Ashlyn said. She told Jenna, who told Madison, who told Ashley, who told Evie, who told me, that y'all broke up." Shiloh said, "I don't even know why I'm talking to you right now. Your text to me was really rude... and your voicemail contradicts with what your text said."

EJ's text to Shiloh versus his voicemail was like reading two different books by the same author, you know the author wrote the two books but something about the stories were very, very different.

EJ's voicemail sounded like a guy who was in dire need of help. He wanted to hold on to any lasting grip of his relationship before it slipped through his fingertips.

EJ's text read like Shiloh had completely run him over and that he was going to sue her for every bone that she had broken.

He knew it was going to come back and bite him in the butt. He should've known after everything seemed to come in a full circle from getting the girl sick at camp.

"Look, I'm sorry okay. I was angry and needed help and when I went looking for it, it wasn't around."

Shiloh sighed, "EJ, the Love Club can't help everyone. Your relationship with Nini seems to be over. There's nothing we can do about that especially if she isn't talking to you."

She pushed herself off of her locker and was headed off to anywhere that didn't have EJ in it.

"But you can help Ricky get Nini back?"

"I told you once and I'll tell you one last time, I and no else in the Love Club can tell you why Ricky came to us. That is between us and him. You let Ricky and all your jealousy get in between you and the girl you care about. That was all on you. Assume all you want, but we are not magicians, we can't just wave our magic wands and make Nini love Ricky again. It's about what Nini wants and if she wants Ricky back that was on her... not us."

She was tired of EJ. No matter what the Love Club did for Ricky; at the end of the day, it would be what Nini would want. No matter how much the Love Club could help, it was all about Nini and what she thought was best for her.

Evie rushed down the halls of East High, finally seeing Shiloh walking absentmindedly towards her.

"Shiloh!" Evie smile, "Remember that suit I found awhile back for Homecoming?"

Shiloh nodded slowly, "The grey one?"

"Yeah. I found a couple of different ones that I liked a little more. We're all gonna look at them after school. Jenna's supposed to get that Beauty and the Beast looking dress today." Evie explained, "Madison and Ashley already got their outfits and everything. We're supposed to get ready at my place so my grandma can take pictures of us."

Evie had been ready for Homecoming since the announcement for it. It was a little shocking to the Love Club that they were so excited about the small event. This Homecoming seemed to be the same as the rest.

"I don't think I'm going." Shiloh whispered.

"What?"

"I don't think—"

"That's what I thought you said." Evie cut off, "Why not? Love Club goes every year. You never know when someone may need last minute help."

"And you guys will be there to help people."

"Shiloh."

"I just don't wanna go, okay? There's always next time."

"You saying that means you won't go to the next one or the one after that and it will be this continuous cycle of never going to any school event ever again."

"You're over-exaggerating."

Evie sighed and stood in front of Shiloh, "You've already bought a dress. What are you going to do with it? Sell it?"

"Good idea." Shiloh smiled, "I was going to save it for one of my sisters, but your idea is ten times better."

"Shiloh." Evie whined.

"Shiloh!"

Evie stepped to the side. Ricky and Big Red now standing in front of the duo.

"We gotta talk."

Shiloh furrowed her brows, "Just me?"

"I mean, I can talk about it with the club later, but I need to talk to you now."

"Yeah, imagine how I felt when he told me." Red smiled.

Shiloh side-eyed Evie who shrugged their shoulders. If this was about EJ and Nini's breakup then she knew what was up. Everyone knew what was up.

"Lead the way."

Shiloh and Ricky fell into step as he lead her into the back stairwell of the school.

Ricky was going to be honest with Shiloh. He trusted her and after that night where he cried in front of her and she didn't judge him, he knew that he could rely on her.

"I didn't go to Red's when I said I was."

"Did you go home?"

"Yeah, but... I went to Nini's first."

Shiloh slowly nodded, "Okay... did you stay the night there and went home that morning?"

She was more concerned about where Ricky stayed than the story he was about to tell. If Ricky slept in a godforsaken place she wouldn't forgive herself because Ricky could've bunked with one of her brothers or something.

"No, no, I actually stayed at home, but that's not the point." Ricky answered, "Nini and I almost kissed but then she hardcore friendzoned me."

"Well, she did just get out of a relationship Ricky. Maybe she was just in a vulnerable state and you were also very sad and probably just wanted comfort, but I can't really speak for your feelings." Shiloh explained, "All I'm saying is that you should take things slow now. It's good that you and Nini almost kissed, but also bad because neither of you were in a good state of mind to do so. Does that make sense?"

Yes and he hated it. What if Nini wanted to kiss him too? Evidently so because she also leaned forward for it. Their lips were literally inches away before Nini pulled back from it, but Shiloh wasn't wrong. He was in a vulnerable state and he probably would accept any comfort that came his way and he did when Shiloh rested her hand on his cheek even when he initiated the hug between them. He didn't know why, but he felt better, dare to say warmer when she did so.

Ricky sighed, "Yeah. It makes sense."

"Remember, it's not necessarily a bad thing. You can work your way up from this. Is she going to homecoming?"

"I don't know. I don't want to ask her the day of."

"You don't have to ask her as a date. You can just go as friends."

"That's what Red said."

Shiloh smiled, "Maybe he should join the Love Club." She joked.

"Are you going? To homecoming?"

"Don't think so. Love Club goes every year, but um, I don't think I wanna go."

"Is there any reason?"

Shiloh sighed. There was a good reason she didn't want to go. While almost getting into this relationship with EJ, he had brought up the fact that they could win homecoming king and queen this year. They would go together and just look good, but then... he broke up with her.

She sat on one of the steps and Ricky followed suit, "I just think I need a break." She lied, "I love helping people with the Love Club, but I think taking the day off wouldn't be so bad, right?"

"Nothing wrong with an off day, but I know you would've looked great."

Shiloh smiled, "Thanks, Ricky. Bet you would've looked just as great. Dare I say dashing."

Ricky smiled at her joke and by any means necessary wanted her to look away from him. The blush creeping up onto his cheeks would be very visible and the thought of Shiloh making him blush was only adding on to the rosacea.

Ricky quickly stood, "You know what? I have to go to class.

"Right now? There are five minutes before the bell rings."

"You know what they say? Earlier get the worm or whatever that saying is. I'll catch you later."

Ricky left his spot and out of the stairwell leaving Shiloh alone.

There were definitely better ways to leave the situation and he could have been a lot smoother with his actions.

Ricky began overthinking the situation that wasn't much of an issue. Many ideas were running around in his head. There was one that made total sense, but he really didn't want it to make sense at all.

There was no way Ricky Bowen was going to shift gears right now, it seemed that he was just getting back into the groove with Nini, and now here comes Shiloh making him blush in the stairwell over a stupid joke.

Then again, it was Shiloh that made him easily blush and not Nini... maybe he needed to take this one to Evie, but as discreetly as he could.

SHILOH SAT in the club room, staring at the wall. The very blank wall. It was driving her insane. She had blown the school's budget on the cheap decorations from the dollar store. The budget for the club wasn't as big as the other clubs either so they blew their money faster than most other clubs. Most of the decorations came out of the Love Club's pocket.

Ricky didn't bother knocking on the door of the club room as he entered.

Shiloh looked over for a moment before going back and staring at the wall.

"Staring contest?" He asked.

"Haha." She sighed, "The wall is just so bare... I can't keep coming in here for escape and stare at a blank wall. It makes me think more about the thing I didn't want to think about. It's a lot of wall to cover.

Ricky nodded and grabbed a chair, pulling it beside Shiloh's.

"Well, what are you thinking about? You know, since you can't get rid of the thought anyway."

"It's a lot. I... I don't know. I think Homecoming is just adding to my thoughts, so it's not helping."

"Are you really not going because you just don't want to?"

Shiloh looked his way and turned her entire body towards him. She sighed and held her pinkie finger out.

"What I tell you stays in this room."

Ricky latched his finger with hers.

"Evie really wants me to go, but EJ bought my dress awhile ago and they don't know, so... I don't want to go in a dress my ex bought me."

"Show him up."

"Why would I do that?"

"Show him what he's missing out on." Ricky answered, "Show EJ that he's missing out on the best person ever."

Shiloh shrugged, "I don't think I could do that."

"Why not?"

"Because it was two weeks. What could he be missing?"

Ricky stood from his seat, "Stand up."

Shiloh raised her brows but didn't question what he was doing.

"You help tons of people with no reward. You also ask for no help. So, I'm going to help you and you get a reward at the end."

"You're right I didn't ask for any help."

Shiloh grabbed the two chairs and pushed them back under the table.

"Look, all I'm saying is that EJ missed out on a great person and if I were him I would hate that." Ricky said, "I know it was short and I know you hate that, but, I would love to see EJ's face literally fall off when you walk into Homecoming."

Shiloh turned away from him and rested her hand on her hip. Pretending (and hopefully convincing) Ricky that she was thinking.

In reality, she was trying very, very hard to hide the growing blush on her face. He just complimented her throughout the day... it was no big deal. Or maybe it was? Or maybe Shiloh was overthinking the situation that wasn't a situation in the first place.

She smiled and faced him again, "I'm not making any promises, but, if you can tell me what I could put on the wall; I'll consider going to Homecoming, but not for him."

"Of course." He smiled, nodding slightly, "Not him."

Ricky faced the wall again. It was easy for him to decide what he wools put on the wall, but it was the Love Club... the wall had to bring people comfort and feel like that could let loose.

"A poster?"

"Great start."

Shiloh walked over towards the wall. She rested her body against the locker that she had paid for out of pocket.

"I put the poster right next to the locker. What poster is the question."

"It can be anything?"

"As long as it's positive." She answered, "But most positive posters are cheesy and boring, and since I'm paying for the poster and don't want to waste money on a stupid one."

"The school can't provide a cheap poster."

"It's um, complicated." She huffed, "I rather not talk about it. Lunch is almost over, so we should get ready to head out."

Ricky watched as Shiloh cleaned up any little thing in the classroom. The whole reason why he stopped by the club room was because he noticed that she wasn't at lunch.

Why couldn't the school provide a five dollar poster? He couldn't understand it. Was it because they didn't want to? I mean, Shiloh did say that not a lot of people cared for their club and it was mainly the staff.

Ricky glanced back at the blank wall before watching Shiloh grab her bag.

"Ready?"

Ricky nodded but stopped her from leaving the room. He pulled the banana out of his backpack and handed it off to her.

"Didn't see you at lunch."

"Thank you." She smiled, "What if I hated bananas?"

"Start eating at lunch?" He joked.

She gently hit him with the fruit before making her way out of the club room with Ricky falling into step with her.

Ricky knew that Shiloh helped tons of people and didn't ask for much in return other than a five star review, but maybe she deserved more than that.

He knew she deserved more than that.

— lucy has something to say !!

woah no new episode today wtf 😐

miss. jenn and april rhodes are the same person you can't tell me otherwise. miss. jenn is funnier and sane (expect for that one time) that's the only difference.

bye :))))