Chapter 7:
"Diane! Oh thank goodness you're okay!" Liz yelled, running up to envelop her in a bone-crushing hug. Diane winced but hugged her back.
"Thanks Liz, but I should warn you I have a few broken ribs." Liz let go of her immediately, starting wide-eyed into her face.
"Broken ribs?! There's nothing else is there? I mean I know you have a broken arm and a swollen ankle but if there's anything else broken inside please you have to tell us!"
"It's fine Liz. Just my ribs. The doctor didn't say anything else was wrong. I just have to wait this all out. I'll be able to go back to school tomorrow." Liz relaxed and moved aside so it could be Peter's turn to strangle her. He seemed to immediately break down as soon as she was in his arms.
"I'm so sorry. I've tried everything to stop him-" He started, but Diane quickly interrupted.
"It's not your fault." She said firmly. He gave her a weak smile, seeming to cheer up just a bit. Just then Rick came up from his house and Peter turned toward him.
"Thanks Sanchez." He said to him. Rick nodded his head.
"No problem." He replied.
"So...what are we all doing here again?" Adrian asked, jumping in surprise when a butterfly suddenly appeared beside him.
"We were all going to spend some time together, remember?" Liz said, gently reaching her hand out.
"And where was that?" Liz frowned at this, turning toward Diane and Rick.
"Um, where do you guys want to go? I hadn't didn't plan anything specific for this." Peter smiled widely, glancing toward Diane.
"I heard of this new movie: Bohemian Rhapsody. Wanna go see it?"
"Yes! Oh most definitely!" Diane yelled, jumping up and down in excitement.
"Ah, I've heard of it. It looks pretty good." Liz agreed. Diane turned to Rick, eyes shining with happiness.
"Wanna come with us?"
"Hell yes. I've always wanted to see that movie."
"Then it's settled. Although I would love to watch a certain movie with Liz if you guys don't mind." Peter said. Everyone turned to her and he blushed. "Not that I want to be alone with her- ah, I mean, you know...like a date- wait! Not a date, no, like a-"
"I'm sure Liz would love to go on a date with you." Diane said.
"We better hurry. The movie's gonna start in fifteen minutes."
…..
"Shoot, I just got a text from my mom." Diane, Peter and Rick were walking toward the theater room. "I gotta go you guys. Tell me if it's any good!"
"Sure Peter." Diane said, giving him a hug before he left, running down the hall. They continued to the theater room.
"So...Bohemian Rhapsody. I didn't know you were a fan of Queen."
"Queen is one of the best! I've seen videos of all their concerts!"
"Well dang. I didn't know you were such a dork." She frowned.
"Yeah, I guess I'm a dork with Queen." She murmured. He laughed as they entered the theater. It was empty except for a family of four sitting in the very front.
"Let's sit up there." Rick said, nodding his head toward the very back. Dianne looked at him curiously.
"Why so secluded? You're not thinking of anything right?" She couldn't see his face turn red in the dark.
"Of course not." He helped her walk slowly up the stairs, taking a seat once they had reached their seats of choice.
…..
It was nearing the end of the movie before any of them said something.
"They are a pretty good band." Rick said to her.
"Pretty good? They are the best."
"You sing better." She blushed and looked down.
"I'm not that good. Hardly as good as them." They grew silent for a moment.
"I'm still not letting you go back you know. I saw you eying a bus station outside." Diane scowled.
"It's not your choice to make Rick."
"Yeah, I can't choose for you but I can force you not to go."
"Rick, drop it. It's not that big of a deal."
"It is to me. There's no way I'm letting you get hurt again. Promise me you won't go back, at least not without telling me." Diane grew silent, pondering his request.
"I promise. I'll tell you if I ever plan on going back, which I will." He seemed to sigh in relief.
"Good. I don't want to lose you."
"Look Rick, I understand your feelings for me-"
"Do you?" She turned toward him in the dark, her eyes widening slightly.
"Well I-"
"Do you want to know my true feelings for you?"
"Yes, of course I do." He stared at her for a split second before leaning forward, kissing her clumsily on the lips since it was hard to see in the darkness of the theater. This time, she gave in, repositioning their lips so that she could properly kiss him back. She wasn't sure what to do after that. She had never kissed anyone before.
Fortunately Rick seemed to be experienced with this kind of thing. Seeing that she didn't pull away he reached a hand up to the back of her neck, pressing their lips more firmly together. He flicked his tongue out to her bottom lip, tracing over it. She was extremely tense, her lips pressed firmly together.
He took her hand, squeezing it gently to reassure her. It worked, and she soon found herself relaxing. He pushed his tongue forward to meet with hers. She jumped when their tongues flicked together and pulled away in surprise. She only had a few milliseconds to take a breath before he pulled her back in, his tongue exploring the insides of her mouth. Suddenly, he pulled away, leaving her gasping softly for air as his hand tightened into a fist, his eyes screwed shut. Diane looked at him, worried.
"Are...are you okay Rick?"
"I'll be honest with you princess it's taking all of my willpower not to start banging you here and now." He said in a quiet voice. Diane blushed, hard, and began to shift in her seat uncomfortably. They both jumped when the music began to blast, the credits now rolling. Rick quickly exited the theater, Diane scrambling after him.
"Hey Diane!" Liz called out when they left through the door. Turning her attention away from Rick, Diane waved over to Liz and Adrian.
"Liz, how was your movie?"
"It was brilliant! Yours?" Her face turned a little red as Diane remembered what happened.
"It was fine. What time is it?"
"6:34." Adrian replied. "I've got to take Liz home soon or else her parents will freak. You guys wanna ride with us?"
"We kinda have to since Peter had to leave early." Adrian nodded his head, offering Liz his arm.
"Then we shall head off m'lady." Liz smiled and took it. Diane followed after them, glancing back momentarily to see a sulking Rick.
…..
Rick hadn't said a word the whole drive back. He just sat there, starting out the window, so Diane couldn't tell what he was thinking without seeing his face. She knew something was off, and Adrian did to. He tried to lighten the mood by talking about rock bands, but Rick just ignored him. Eventually he had given and settled to just talking to Liz and Diane.
"I'll see you guys tomorrow okay!" Liz called out before entering through her front door. Adrian and Diane waved goodbye to her before heading out to Rick's house. As soon as they came up into the empty driveway Rick was out, not even looking back at Adrian who had attempted to say goodnight. Diane stared after him.
"Diane, did something...happen?" Adrian asked her. Diane sighed.
"I'm not completely sure. He seemed okay during the movie." Adrian grimly nodded his head.
"Well maybe you can talk some sense into him. Goodnight Diane."
"Night Adrian." She exited the car, following Rick who had already disappeared into the house. She gently closed the door behind her and looked around. The house was dark, which meant his father hadn't come home yet, but there was no sign of where Rick had gone. She shook her head and began to ascend the stairs to the guest bedroom where Rick's father had told her she could stay.
She turned on the light, looking around at her new living space. It was simple. The walls were a very pretty light blue with bed sheets to match. There was a window to her right with the bed lying underneath it. A single wooden cabinet stood in the corner. She approached it, noticing a few pieces of paper.
Picking up the first one, she saw that it was a drawing made with crayons. In the corner was scribbled:
To Mommy
From the best kid in the world, Rick!
She smiled, and was about to flip through the other pages before she heard Rick say from the doorway:
"I always considered myself to be an expert at drawing." She turned to see Rick casually leaning against the doorway. She looked down once again at the scribbled picture of who-knows-what.
"Yeah, I can see that. You could become the next Bob Ross if you wanted to." He smiled, though it was small. He averted his eyes from her, starting at the both grew silent.
"So...what was your mother like?" Diane asked him. His eyes followed her as she wandered around the room.
"Like any other mother I guess. She was caring, extremely smart, and...well...just the coolest. I still see her from time to time. She lives about half an hour away."
"I would love to meet her one day."
"Oh believe me she's pretty desperate to meet you." His eyes widened when he realized what he said. "Not that I, you know, told her about you or anything. I may have mentioned your name from time to time, but it was just...yeah." He awkwardly ended his sentence as she laughed at his obvious embarrassment. She stopped in front of him, narrowing her eyes.
"Are you alright?" She asked. He quickly looked up at her, then back to the floor.
"Yeah princess. Everything's good."
"Was it something I did?" His eyes widened as he raised his hands, waving them frantically.
"No! No of course not!" He sighed and shoved his hands in his pocket, stepping closer to her. "I like you Diane. I really do. You have that bossy I-don't-take-shit-from-no-one thing about you that drives me insane but you're also as vulnerable as me. I've never felt like this toward anyone else before. I just don't want to scare you away." She looked up at him.
"Rick, you could never scare me away."
"How do you know? What if I-" He took a deep. "What if I do something to you? I'm not the most stable person in the world when it comes to handling myself, and you're the hottest chick I've ever met. It's just...nevermind."
"Rick, you trust me right?" He looked at her. "You can tell me."
"Diane, do you feel the same way I feel about you?" She stared him straight in the eyes, which were dead serious.
"I...I never tried to fall for anyone. Never made close friends, because every year or two we would move away, or when I stayed out late hanging out with anyone he would...he would beat me. Didn't want anyone taking away his beloved daughter, but you-" She let out a laugh. "You're always there. Every time I see you I can't help but get annoyed but at the same time I feel relieved. Relieved that you care."
She approached him, their feet only a few inches apart.
"I...I like you Rick! I want to be with you!" She yelled out bravely.
