SHILOH EXITED the school building alone. She had been with Miss. Jenn trying to figure out the best ways to find out how she could get Troy and Chad (Ricky and EJ) and Gabriella and Taylor (Nini and Gina) to grow closer as friends. Yet, another task that Shiloh would have to talk to Jenna about later.

She quickly slipped her backpack off of her shoulders. She was given a huge folder by Miss. Jenn and by her words "had to study it.". It was simply a breakdown of the character relationships in the movie and how each character acted towards another character.

Shiloh knew that Miss. Jenn really cared about theater, but it didn't take a rocket scientist to watch the first movie (or any of them) and figure out the dynamics of characters.

She sighed, not feeling the folder in her bag, and quickly turned back around to get it off the chair in the Love Club.

Speaking of, the Love Club had been doing exceptionally well. Other than Ricky quitting and rejoining and the others in the musical not seeming to follow along with what the club planned... they had been doing well.

Shiloh felt an arm haphazardly be thrown over her shoulder and a slight smell of Throb capturing her throat.

"I've done something." Ricky smiled.

"Done what?"

"You can't be mad."

Shiloh threw Ricky's arm off her shoulder and stood in front of him.

"Well, I can't predict what you're gonna say. So, I can't predict how I'm going to emote."

"I left Nini a voicemail." Ricky started, "She was singing this song with Ashlyn and I felt like we had this... moment or connection and I don't like how you're looking at me."

Shiloh sighed, "Why would you do that?"

"Because I thought we connected!"

"Ricky it was moment and moments can be very different for everyone. Just because you thought you felt something doesn't mean the other person will." Shiloh explained, "I mean, did you see how Ashlyn looked at you?"

"No?"

"So what if Ashlyn thought that was her moment. This cute guy catches two girls singing and boom she catches your eye and then she feels like she's on cloud nine. Sadly, he wasn't looking at her because their moments, connections, whatever were different." She continued, "Plus it was a really stupid thing to do. We don't want to force a breakup between EJ and Nini."

"Okay, you had me and then you lost me." Ricky said, "Your club is supposed to help me get Nini back."

"In a healthy way. We want Nini to see that you're the guy she was with, but that you've changed just a little and can express yourself better. We want Nini to naturally fall for you again. Love Club isn't the club for breaking people up on purpose."

Ricky sighed, "So, what do I do about the voicemail thing?"

"It's already been sent. You have to wait this one out." Shiloh answered, resting her hand on his shoulder, "We want to help you. So stop jumping so far ahead and doing things we've never seen a guy do for a girl ever."

"I'm not going to stop thinking about this until I hear for her."

"Well, I have Love Club stuff to do. If you want to join me and get your mind off of that for a while. Plus, this gives me time to give advice."

Shiloh turned and headed towards the club room. Ricky followed behind, his pace slowing as he began to think.

This cute guy. Shiloh thought he was cute. Ricky held a cocky smile on his face. A pretty girl thought he was cute.

He paused his thoughts for a moment. He thought a pretty girl calling him cute was different. It wasn't Nini telling him this. It was Shiloh.

I mean, don't get him wrong; Shiloh was pretty, no doubt. Oh, God. This was for Nini, about him and Nini getting back together. Not Shiloh, not Ricky and Shiloh. There was no Ricky and Shiloh. They could be friends. They were friends, but friends call each other pretty, cute, handsome, whatever, don't they?

Now he was thinking too deep about it. No more cocky smile. This was not a big deal. He wasn't going to continue to make it a big deal.

"Everything okay?"

Ricky looked up at Shiloh, "Yes."

She furrowed her brows at his response. It was his tone. He sounded unsure.

"Look, I'm sure it wasn't a bad voicemail. The worst thing she could do is ignore you. Relax. We are going to go relax." She smiled.

Ricky nodded and continued to follow the girl down the hall, reminding himself to not make a big deal out of something that was a big thing.

THE TWO of them sat side by side at a picnic table at the park, looking over the character dynamic chart Miss. Jenn had given Shiloh earlier that day.

"This is so hard to follow." She muttered.

"This seems easier than working on the actual musical." Ricky rebuttal.

"It's not. These characters get along. The people in our East High musical do not and helping people who don't want the Love Club's help is ten times harder."

"What do you mean?"

"You and EJ obviously don't get along and aren't planning to. I have not once seen Gina or Nini talk unless forced and everyone else seems distant."

Shiloh brushed the hairs out of her face and let out a small groan as she pushed her glasses up. Ricky couldn't understand what the Love Club actually went through trying to help people. Some people trauma dump, some people don't like what they have to say, and some people just give up before actually trying.

"You know what? Let's take a break from all of this. It's finally time that I teach you the one thing I want you to learn."

"Which is?"

Ricky held his skateboard up in one hand and his helmet in the other.

"No." Shiloh smiled, "I'm not getting on that and I'm not wearing your sweaty helmet."

"It's not sweaty. Look, I'm a professional. You can trust me."

The two of them stood on either side of the skateboard and as much as she hated it, Ricky made her wear his indeed sweaty helmet.

"Are you going to step on it tomorrow?"

"How do I get on? Jump?"

"Are you serious?"

Shiloh sighed, "Can you teach me something else?"

"Okay, look, one foot at a time."

Ricky held his hands out. Shiloh taking one within her own and stepping one foot on the board. It instantly shook from under her and his other hand caught her waist. Shiloh's one hand gripping Ricky's.

"I got you." Ricky smiled, "Relax. Now the other foot."

Shiloh slowly put her other foot on the board. Ricky's one hand still attached to her waist the other somehow still dealing with the death grip she had on it.

"It's not hard. It's actually very easy. You just have to find your balance." Ricky reassured, "But I can tell you're nervous. So today I'll push you just so you can get the feel of the board, okay?"

Shiloh nodded, "Okay."

"You gotta relax first. I'm starting to feel nothing in my hand."

"Sorry."

She let some of her grip go. Not a lot, but some. Ricky was now able to move it slightly within hers.

"I'm going to push now. Remember I'm not letting go."

Ricky felt her grip grow softer. He didn't see why she was so nervous or scared, but he definitely couldn't be the one to judge. He also had to start off with square one and had someone teach him how to do the same thing he was doing with Shiloh.

"Okay, you can push."

JENNA AND Shiloh could be heard laughing as they entered the bomb shelter. Today was the day that the two of them had a small group activity with Ricky and EJ with the presents of Miss. Jenn.

Shiloh talked about her day with Ricky yesterday. Completely forgetting about the character chart Miss. Jenn gave her and just enjoyed her time with him.

"Finally!" Miss. Jenn smiled, "As you boys know the Love Club has kindly offered to help us connect with each other for the musical this fall."

"You almost begged us." Jenna smiled.

"... Anyways, Shiloh and Jenna have come up with an activity for the two of you. To better connect with each other and your characters."

Shiloh let her bag fall towards the ground as she grabbed one of the basketballs from the floor.

"Jenna actually came up with this idea so she'll explain this whole concept."

"You guys are best friends in the musical. We aren't worried about off-screen friendship for now." Jenna explained, "We want you guys to be "best bro". So, we're gonna start with improv; pass the ball back and forth and pretend that this ball is... something both care about, which is your friendship."

"Just say whatever?" EJ asked.

The two girls looked over at Miss. Jenn. They really didn't care what they said as long as it wasn't hurting anyone, but they weren't Miss. Jenn who, at the end of the day, makes the rules.

"Chad it up." She chuckled.

EJ cleared his throat, "Troy, you're the best player we've got. We're so lucky."

"Wouldn't be anything without you." Ricky falsely smiled.

"The way you pretend to play basketball is inspiring."

"Remember, Troy and Chad are friends... best of friends." Shiloh quipped.

EJ glanced her way before chest passing the ball towards Ricky.

"Thanks, Chad, and the way you dance is totally normal and not at all weird for a high school kid."

"This isn't how I thought this would go." Jenna muttered.

"You deserve everything that's coming your way."

"Back at you, dude."

"Back at you times two."

"We're right back at square one." Shiloh sighed.

"I don't think we ever left it." Jenna whispered.

"Back at you infinity plus one!"

Ricky threw the ball right back at EJ with more force than the last, causing the ball to hit him in the face. Small gasps being heard by everyone.

"Okay, major overcorrect!" Miss. Jenn said loudly, "Let's take a soft ten."

Miss. Jenn ducked down towards EJ and helped him to his feet, leading him to get some ice.

Ricky let out a heavy sigh before facing Jenna and Shiloh, whose hands rested on her face and her glasses pushed up into her hair.

"Jenna, Shiloh... I'm sorry."

"You need to apologize to EJ and not us." Jenna said.

The two of them grabbed their bags from the floor.

"I told you yesterday it's hard to help people who don't want our help. It's very clear that not everyone wants our help here." Shiloh said, "I know you want Nini back and I know this is all for her, but you and EJ can't keep taking jabs like that. Not only are you both making things harder for the Love Club, but you're also making this worse for yourselves. Apologize to EJ."

Jenna stood at the entryway of the bomb shelter as she waited for Shiloh and Ricky's conversation to be over. No matter how Shiloh had spoken to Ricky at that moment, no matter her tone, Ricky knew she was upset with how he and EJ both acted and the outcome of it. EJ's small injury had been on Ricky, but the idea of the improv activity came from the Love Club. So, she felt like it was their fault that he was hurt more so than Ricky's.

Shiloh left without saying another word to him.

"So, what now?" Jenna asked.

"I don't know if I'm being honest. I have never done anything like this before." She answered.

"I could've thought my idea through—"

"Stop. Just like you all told me, we did not know that was going to happen. We cannot predict the future, though that would be so helpful right now."

Jenna let out a small laugh, "We'll figure this out. We don't give up that easily." Shiloh smiled.

Shiloh watched as Jenna's smile dropped slightly. She could only assume the worse.

She turned and faced Dylan, "You are very persistent."

"I just want answers, Shiloh. I thought we were good."

"We were. Then... we weren't. Okay, can't you just understand we stopped. You stopped. I was doing so much for you and got nothing in return."

"I got you things."

"It's not just that." Shiloh sighed, "Our relationship was stressful and I told you that Evie could help you learn how to not stress your partner out like you did with me."

"It's just the Love Club with you." Dylan said, "That's all you care about."

"At least I'm not pining after a person who I know wants nothing to do with me anymore."

"But you're helping Ricky Bowen. A guy who wants his ex-girlfriend back. Isn't his ex dating yours?"

"Knock it off, Dylan." Jenna said.

Shiloh stepped closer, "I keep all my personal business outside the Love Club. So now you're going to listen to me, carefully. We're not getting back together. Suck it up, cry about it, and leave me and my club alone."

Shiloh grabbed ahold of Jenna's wrist pulling her away from the Lapids' boy.

"He's never spoken to you like that before, Shiloh."

She threw her arm over Jenna's shoulder, "You see how okay I am. I'm not going to let Dylan Lapids run over me. I promise."

She sent Jenna a reassuring smile. She was fine, that was the truth. Shiloh wasn't going to let Dylan scare her or try and intimidate her and she definitely wasn't going to let him make her feel bad about her failed relationship with EJ.

"Jenna?"

"Shiloh?"

"I'm okay." She smiled softly, "Now, come on we got a lot of square ones to fix. Starting with our core four."

Jenna trusted Shiloh. She was the type of girl to stand up for herself and to help others when needed, but she also was sometimes scared of confrontation and butterflies. She wasn't a perfect person. No one was. Shiloh thought she could handle Dylan on her own. The two of them all bark and no bite.

Jenna knew Shiloh could do a lot of things on her own, but maybe it was time that she asked for help.

— lucy has something to say !!

i think i'm insane for finishing season one of this book as fast as i did :)

why is tomorrow friday why are we going so fast SLOW DOWN

tim i'm under your bed watch OUT

bye :))))