Didn't Know It Before( An EJ Caswell/HSMTMTS Fanfiction)

Chapter One: Start Something New

"If I'm too young, to know anything, then why do I know that I'm just not the same. Don't tell me I won't, don't tell me I can't feel, what I'm feeling is real. 'Cause I'm not to young..."

I sang quietly to myself, making sure no one in the crowded hallway around me could hear me as I jotted down notes on the song I was working on. 

It was the first day back to school, my first day as a Junior, and I still hadn't managed to finish the song that I've been working on all summer. Either the lyrics aren't right or the notes aren't right or...I'm trying to write a love song when the only guy I've ever liked doesn't even know I exist.

I sighed, biting my lip and closig my notebook, giving up on my musical venture for now  and opening my locker to put my stuff in it.

"And this..." I glanced to my left to see Nini Salazar-Roberts and Kourtney, two of the girls in my class, and one of which I knew vaguely from various East High productions, walked up to the lockers a couple down from me. Nini handed Kourtney her phone, pressumably showing her a picture.

"Ooh, I know who that is Nini."

"Girl, I am 0.2 seconds away from making that my lock screen." I furrowed my eyebrows. Nini had been dating Ricky Bowen for ever, but from the way they were talking, it sounds like Nini is with someone else.

One of the perks or...curses depending on how you look at it, of being an invisible person, is that people talk about their business in front of you and either assume you can't hear them or they just don't notice you, so I basically know everything about everybody. If I were a worse, more outgoing person I could probably use that to my advantage but luckily for them I am not.

"I can't tell if you're glowing or sunburned." Kourtney told her.

"Definitely glowing. Yeah, I had the best summer. Ever."

"And what does you-know-who have to say about this?"

"I'm waiting for the right time to tell him." Nini answered.

"Yo, Nini! What's good?" I cringed as Ricky walked up to her locker, nearly running into me in the process, not that he or anyone else would've noticed.

"How do you feel about right now?" Kourtney questioned.

"Hey."

"Hey. Um...can we talk?" Nini asked him. "I met somebody else at camp. I didn't plan-"

"Wait. Wait, is this a joke?"

"Still talking here." Nini interjected. My eyes widened at the uncharacteristic behavior of easily one of the sweetest girls I had ever met. She was the only person in the entire cast of Brigadoon to give me an opening night card and...she was playing a tree. To see her standing up for herself like this, I had to admit it was kind of awesome.

"Oh, snap."  Ricky's friend, who's name I didn't know, but had heard him be referred to as 'Big Red', shot Kourtney a look, which se returned.

"I met someone at camp. Uh, I didn't mean for it to happen, but it happened. He was the Music Man, I was Marian the Librarian. Its called a showmance."

"Wait, you went to librarian camp? That's a thing?" Big Red asked, clearly confused.

"Please...tell me you're joking." Ricky said.

"I'm not." Nini and Big Red said in unison. Ricky shot his friend a look before turning back to Nini.

"Come on, Ricky! You know what you did! Or what you didn't do."

That one wasn't too hard to figure out. At the beginning of the summer, Nini had posted an original song on her instagam, basically telling Ricky that she loved him. It was a good song, and being a songwriter myself, I appreciated the artistry. But, based on that response...he didn't reciprocate those feelings.