Ricky Bowen
Gina and E.J. exchange a knowing glance before stepping forward, invitations in hand. Nini and I stand in front of them, curiosity written all over our faces. "What's this?" I ask, taking the envelope from E.J. "Just a little something from us to you two," Gina says with a grin. Nini opens hers and gasps. "A party?" "Not just any party," E.J. says. "Your bachelor and bachelorette parties." I raise an eyebrow. "You guys didn't have to—" "Oh, but we did," Gina interrupts. "And trust me, this is going to be a night you won't forget." Before we can protest, Gina and E.J. step behind us. "Now close your eyes," Gina instructs. "Seriously?" I groan, but Nini nudges me playfully before following suit. Hands over our eyes, Nini and I are led in opposite directions. After a moment E.J. stops me. "Okay, on three," E.J. says. "One... two... three!" Big Red and a few other guys I recognized jump out and fire a confetti cannon. "Surprise!"
"On three," Gina says. "One, two, three!" Kourtney and Ashlyn fire confetti cannons. "Surprise!"
Gina Porter
The party kicks off with dancing, music, and endless laughter. Nini loses herself in the celebration, swept up in the joy of their friends. Now that the party is in full swing. It's time to get our plan underway. "Time for phase two," E.J. whispers in my earpiece. We disappear into our side rooms, emerging minutes later in disguises—me now wearing a stylish wig and black Masquerade mask, while I know E.J. had picked out a sports a fake mustache and silver Masquerade mask. I slip into hallways just as E.J. does. "This is ridiculous," E.J. mutters. "It's called a plan," I say. "Now, let's blend in and keep an eye on things."
Ricky Bowen
After a while, I step outside to get some air. The night sky is cool, the perfect contrast to the warmth inside. Just as I open the door, I see her—a random girl standing in front of me. "Hey," she says smoothly, stepping closer. Before I can react, she pulls me into a kiss. Shock jolts through me, and I push her away instantly. "What the—?" I stammer, my heart pounding. She stumbles back but doesn't seem fazed. "You're gonna regret that," she says before turning and disappearing into the night. My hands clenched into fists. What just happened?
Nini Salazar Roberts
Inside, the party is still going strong. Kourtney drags me into a dance circle, and I let myself enjoy the moment. Then my phone buzzes. A message from E.J. Attached is a picture. A picture of Ricky—kissing another girl. I shake my head, stepping back. My stomach twists, my breath catching. No. No way. Ricky wouldn't— I turn and run, pushing past people until I burst out into the open air. My mind is spinning, my heart aching. I don't know where I'm going until I bump into someone. "Whoa there," a smooth voice says. I look up to see a guy holding a single red rose. "You seem upset," he says gently, offer—" Before I can finish, he leans in, trying to kiss me. I hear the sound of a camera, before I hear footsteps running off. It had to have been Ricky. I shove the guy away, stepping back in horror. "Ricky—" But he's already disappeared. I rush back to my room, my heart hammering. Just as I reach for the door, it opens—and Ricky is standing there, stuffing some of his things into a bag.
"What are you doing?" I ask breathlessly. He holds up his phone, showing me the picture. I hold up my phone showing him the picture E.J. sent me. "She attacked me and tried to kiss me, but I rejected her," said Ricky. Something doesn't add up. "What. Wait, something's not right here because that guy in the mask tried to kiss me." Ricky takes my hand. "Something 's not right here." At that moment I knew that no matter what, we were going to find out the truth together. I never knew there could be so much drama. I had thought that Gina and E.J. would have their own relationship given how much they've always been working together. How can we get back at them? There has to be something we can do. "Maybe we should invite them to our wedding. You invite E.J. and I'll invite Gina." Ricky nods. "Sounds like a plan."
Ricky Bowen
The next day, I found E.J. by the gym dribbling a basketball. I walked up to him and handed him an invitation. On it was the following:
DEAR E.J.,
I invite you to my wedding with Nini as my Best Man.
E.J. takes it and clasps his hand over his mouth. He pulls me into a hug.
Nini Salazar Roberts
I find Gina by the locker at school. I pull out the letter from my backpack and hand her the invitation. On it was the following:
DEAR GINA.
I invite you to my wedding with Ricky as my maid of honor.
Gina was shocked. She pulls me into a hug.
E.J. Caswell
Even though the bachelor party didn't work, we still have one more chance now that we're both invited to the wedding. Of course, we would've been invited anyway—Ricky and Nini wouldn't leave out members of the cast. But being the best man and maid of honor? That's a huge plus. It gives us access to everything. I adjust my cufflinks, glancing over at Gina, who is already deep in thought. She's good at this—calculating, precise. "I'll take care of the dress," she murmurs, just loud enough for me to hear. I smirk. "And I'll handle the cake." The plan is simple. Gina will make sure Nini's dress is ruined before she even gets to the aisle. A little 'accidental' spill, a misplaced rip—something to make her hesitate, to make her feel like the universe is telling her this wedding is a mistake. Meanwhile, I'll have my moment of sabotage right when everyone's watching. The grand reveal of the wedding cake—a towering masterpiece, no doubt—will end in disaster when I trip, sending it crashing to the floor. It'll be chaos. Gasps, murmurs, maybe even a few tears. Just enough to plant doubt in their perfect little fairytale. I steal another glance at Gina. For a moment, I wonder if she's thinking the same thing I am—that there was a time when we thought we'd be the ones in the spotlight together. But we're here now, playing a different role, and if we do this right? Ricky and Nini's perfect day won't be so perfect after all.