Author's Note: This is going to be like a collection of drabbles. Although it will follow a story, a lot of the chapters will be random. This is my attempt at writing scenes that weren't shown on screen and just little snippets of their relationship, some may not even fit with the order of sequence. (Like in this first chapter; the following chapters will probably be set back in season one and season two, whereas this chapter is set somewhere after the "I love you" scene in the finale of season two. There aren't many stories about this pairing and I want to change that. This will be Ricky/Adrian all the way.

Disclaimer: If I owned The Secret Life of the American Teenager, Ricky and Adrian would obviously still be together. So unfortunately I don't own the show or the characters.

Remnants

He watched her twirl her baton from across the football field. She had on her majorette uniform, standing in line with the rest of the majorette team. She was clearly the best, which was why she stood in the front, and he knew that she knew that. He wandered between the space beside the bleachers, and when she caught him looking at her, he walked up the steps and reached the top of the bleachers, taking a seat there.

It was the last football game of the season, and he couldn't be in it. He had given up marching band at the beginning of the year because he didn't have enough time for it. Even though he was still in the orchestra part of the band, where he played at the concerts only, he couldn't play at the games.

He probably wouldn't admit this to anyone, but despite not being in them, he liked coming to the games. He liked looking at the cheerleaders and the majorettes, especially one majorette in particular.

The band began to play, the cheerleaders dancing, and the football players ran onto the field. By half-time Grant High School was winning by one point. Dodging people from left to right, Ricky walked down the gravel road and took the long way on the football field. He found Adrian and walked up behind her, putting his hands around her waist. She turned around, baton in hand, and he hugged her.

It was unexpected, and frankly, she liked it.

She figured it was just a simple hug, and he didn't want her getting the wrong idea. But he did hug her and she was rather satisfied by that because she had decided earlier that there would be no drama tonight.

Walking side by side, they got in line at a concession stand behind nine or ten people and waited at the back of the line. "What are you doing tonight?"

Adrian glanced at him, smirking with the urge to say something sarcastic because it was obvious what she was doing tonight. But she wasn't playing this today. So all she said was, "Nothing."

"Wanna be doing something?"

She laughed, knowing. "What did you have in mind?"

It was a rhetorical question, and he didn't have to answer it, and she didn't have to give him an answer either. Pushing that aside, the line grew smaller and they scooted up. "I was watching you," he said, "twirling your baton. You looked great out there."

"You should have been out there with me," she said.

"You know I can't."

"Just join band again." If he were to join band again, they would get to march out on the field together again, him behind her and them walking in step with one another. She would never admit how much she liked that. "What have you got to lose?"

"How about Amy's sanity?"

And she really laughed then. "All the more reason to do it."

The cold air around her felt good on her hot skin. She grabbed her robe from behind the bathroom door and pulled it on. Peeking out of the bathroom into her bedroom, she saw Ricky still lying on her bed in jeans and she walked in the room and got in bed beside him. He leaned over and kissed her, and then stood up and put his shirt on. "I've got to go," he said. "I've got John this weekend – I wasn't even supposed to go to the football game."

"Supposed to?" she echoed furiously. "Amy doesn't control you."

"Look, I know that. But I have responsibilities. I have to go see John-"

"And Amy."

He was heading for the door now, and before leaving he just ducked his head and said, "Not Amy," and she heard the door close behind him. She sighed and pulled the covers over her body and tried to sleep, but she knew she couldn't.

Hearing clanging noises in the living room confirmed that for her.

She got out of bed – maybe her mom had just gotten home. She walked down the spiral stairs, watching the room light up as the lightning struck outside from the beginning of the storm. She reached the end of the stairs and saw Ruben walking into the kitchen.

"What are you doing here?"

"What do you mean? I live here," he said. "Your mother's on her way to the airport – I'm about to meet her there. You okay?"

"Me? I'm fine."

He mumbled something and nodded. "Is it...just you here?"

She rolled her eyes. She knew what he was trying to ask. "Yes, Dad. Look I'm completely fine here alone." She drew the words out, trying to sound confident. "I've been home by myself a lot, so there's no need to feel sorry for me or anything. Don't feel rushed to come home. I'm going to bed anyway."

"Alright, if you're sure."

"Goodnight," she called as she walked back upstairs. She heard him call "goodnight" and could hear the door shut a few minutes later when she'd already reached her room. She sat up in the bed, the covers pulled halfway, and looked at the clock: 12:03. She was tired as hell and relieved that she could sleep past 6:30 in the morning since it was Saturday.

However, she didn't go to sleep. Instead she searched for her textbook and brought it to the bed with her so she could study. Exams were coming up and she wanted to be prepared, despite the fact that she was exhausted. Besides, she had too much on her mind to sleep now anyway.

She leaned over to turn the lamp on, sighing when her phone sent vibrations through her leg. She grabbed it and answered without looking at the Caller I.D. "What?"

"Adrian." It was Ricky. "So I just left from seeing John a little while ago. Can I...come over?"

She was surprised, because he'd never called her before to ask if he could come back over after leaving. "Really?" she choked out.

"Yeah," he laughed. "I guess I don't want to be alone tonight."