Page 5 of Pride High 2: Orange

“Happy Thanksgiving!” the duo cried in unison.

Ricky was speechless, but he did manage to gobble like a turkey.

The others laughed at this. Ricky stepped out on the front porch, closing the door behind him.

“Are you busy?” Mindy asked.

“No,” Ricky said. “I’m bored out of my mind.”

“Same here,” Cameron said, “so we decided to have a Thanksgiving of our own.”

“We’re trying to find a fast-food place that’s still open,” Mindy said. “I want a milkshake.”

“Come with us!” Cameron said. “I’ll buy you an ice cream cone.”

Ricky briefly imagined sharing one with him, their tongues lapping at the ice cream and accidentally touching a bunch on purpose. “That sounds—”

Great. The door opened behind Ricky. He knew who it would be, even before he turned around. His mother was standing there while looking concerned.

“Oh,” she said when eyeing his friends. “You have visitors?”

“Yes,” he replied tersely.

“I’m Cameron,” said the hunkiest guy in their school as he extended a hand. “And this is Mindy.”

Ami shook hands with him while seeming amused. Mindy simply waved.

“How nice of you to stop by,” his mother said.

“Do you mind if I hang out with my friends?” Ricky asked. “We’ve already eaten so…”

“Not at all! Come on in!”

“We were actually—” Cameron began.

“Going to chill out here for a bit,” Ricky finished for him.

“Oh.” Ami’s attention darted back and forth between Cameron and Mindy, but they looked so wholesome that even she couldn’t find cause for concern. Now if it had been Anthony instead, or Diego for that matter, she probably would have sat down on the steps to play chaperone. “Have fun,” she said at last before disappearing behind the door.

“Sorry,” Ricky whispered. “They keep saying that I’m not in trouble, but I totally am. I feel like a prisoner.”

“Aww!” Mindy said in sympathy. “That’s no fair!”

“So you can’t go anywhere with us?” Cameron asked. “That’s all right. We can hang out here.”

Under strict supervision, no doubt. “I’m going with you,” Ricky insisted. “Whether they like it or not.” He’d have to make a run for it, but as long as he got to have fun with his friends, it would be worth the consequences. He was basically grounded anyway. How much worse could it get? “Wait in the car,” he said. “With the engine running.”

“Is this a jail break?” Cameron asked.

“Yeah,” Ricky said, unsure how they would react.

Mindy and Cameron grinned at each other, like this was exactly the sort of day they were hoping to have.

“Be right back,” he promised.

As soon as Ricky was through the door, he heard his father call from the living room. “You’re missing the best part! Wait until you see these aliens!”

“I’ll be right there,” he lied.