Ricki stood there, looking up at Gabe before she answered. "David wanted to talk, I guess he didn't like where I was ending the conversation and he grabbed my arm. I didn't realize it had bruised." She said, using her hand to cover her still sore spot. "What did you want to talk about anyway? How you've been so far us Voss' ass that you have left me to fend for myself?" Gabe was silent now, and Ricki spoke again. "What happened to you, Gabe? You used to be sweet, now you're so different. I mean, I actually used to kinda like you, probably more than I should have, but now... I find myself wondering why." "Rick, I'm sorry... I-" He began and soon Adam came up and Ricki looked to him. "Go ahead and get in, I'll only be another minute." She informed before she looked back to Gabe. "I didn't realize that-" He continued but she stopped him. "I'm done, Gabe. I'm done trying to figure out the best way to deal with this drama, so just stop. Please. Maybe it will make It easier until this whole ordeal blows over." She said, heading towards her driver door, but Gabe went and stood in front of her. "I really am sorry." He said, "I wanted to talk to you after what happened with Nick, but you weren't there anymore. So I checked the art room." "I need a new hiding spot." With that she moved passed him and got into her car and.took off with Adam. -- The next morning hadn't come soon enough, and after Ricki got dressed she headed.to school. She didn't put any effort into herself aside from some cover up and mascara, and she wore a black t shirt with a pair of faded jeans and a pair of sneakers. Her hair was pulled up into a bun, and she was the most dressed down she had been in a long time. She just didn't feel up to it anymore, and she pulled on one of her.brother's goodies and left for school. She got there an hour early, Mr. Dancy letting her in so she could work on the backdrops for the drama club's play. That and while she worked on them, Dancy was going over the art club meeting agenda for that afternoon. "So, we're going to go over our annual fundraiser and start planning our little gala at the spring choir/band concert." He said. She nodded. "I also wanted to go over how we're going to do the backdrops for the spring play too, really divide the work." She said, continuing on her piece for the backdrop. "Sounds like a good idea. Have you got the t shirt order forms?" He asked and she nodded. "And I have plenty of ideas for the fundraiser." She said. Neither of them realized that the hour had passed by so quickly as the first bell rang. "Shoot." She began scurrying to clean up, and Dancy wrote her note explaining why she was tardy, and just after the second bell She finished.cleaning up. After she toon the.note, she headed to class and she set her things down, she handed Ms. Andrews the note. Andrews dismissed her to her seat and Ricki Sat down, feeling eyes on her as she.opened her book and her journal. They were given a worksheet over the content they covered yesterday, Andrews being behind on some grading, and they had until the end of the class to turn them in. Her phone vibrated in the pocket of the hoodie and she.looked at the message. [I]How's your arm?[/I] It was from Gabe, and Ricki briefly looked towards him and she answered. [I]Sore. Thanks for asking.[/I] She Sighed, sliding her phone back into her pocket and working on the classwork before her. She was tired, not having slept well last night since she was alone. She Had been up until three in the morning painting, and the few hours she did sleep weren't very restful. Her mind was so heavy, and she wanted.nothing more than to be at home. But she had to face this. She had her assignment near completed, but the last bell was coming closer. She was just so off focus and the last question she just stared at for a.minute before she started her answer. She was just trying to block everyone and everything out to get her work done, but her phone vibrated again. She looked to her phone again, and it was Gabe again. [I]You alright?[/I] [I]Just fine.[/I] She turned her phone off and she finished her assignment at the bell and she handed it in as she headed out the door, heading to the art room. She just wasn't in the mood.to deal with anyone, and when she entered the art room, Krista saw it immediately as Ricki took her iPod and put in her ear buds. She took it as a sign to just leave it alone, and she watched as Ricki opened her sketch pad and just went at it, her music drowning everything out. About halfway through class though, Maureen pulled an ear bud.out of her ear. "Ricki, d'ya hear?" She asked, and she shot her a look. "Hear what?" She asked. "Voss and Landry are going to the formal together." She said, and Ricki rose a brow. "And this involves me because?" She asked, and Maureen and Krista fixed her with a look. "You like him." Krista whispered. "Yes, he's a nice guy, but let's be honest, it would never go past school work." She said. Maureen rolled her eyes, and Ricki put her ear bud back in and went back to her sketch. When was lunch? She wanted nothing more than to disappear and be alone.for a while.