rayanne nowhere to be seen

[shorty]

did anyone notice that throughout all of Rickie's traumas Rayanne was nowhere to be seen? talk about being a bad friend. What she did to Angela was bad enough, but Rickie had worried and stressed himself out about her all the way through her drinking problem, and every time Rickie had a problem, she would just cut off! I mean that is like really low!

[Guest]

yea I did notice that, but some best friends are like that which is so sad.

[K-man]

Not trying to disagree or argue here but I just wanted to point out in Guns and Gossip when the two thugs are roughing up Rickie and Rayanne steps between Rickie and them and runs them off. And I can't remember the episode, but I do recall RayAnne saying to Angela something about "you've never had to clean him (Rickie) up after someone roughs him up". (Or something to that effect.) This just kind of implies to me that on occasion RayAnne has been there for him. But you are right, in On the Wagon, she does come across as very callous in the way she leaves Ricky (and everyone else for that matter) hanging after she disappears from the club.

[Natasha (candygirl)]

Not to totally defend Rayanne here, but remember that these kids are in high school which means that they are inherently self-centered (and I don't necessarily mean that in a bad way).

First of all, Rickie was not exactly forthcoming about his problems at home. He was too embarrassed to talk about getting kicked out and avoided seeing Rayanne and Angela at school. In most abusive relationships, the victim does not want to broadcast (or even admit) what is going on, especially to those closest to them. In addition, Rickie was very proud and didn't want to ask for help and was reluctant to accept what little help Angela could offer.

And if we're going to talk about which friend was there, Angela was so wrapped up with Jordan (even after they broke up) that she wasn't there for Rayanne either. Again, they are in high school so they are concerned with their own problems.

[Nostradamus]

Yes, I think Rayanne and Rickie did what they could to help each other, but in the end neither had the power to erase the other's problems, and they both became somewhat calloused as a result.

In "So-Called Angels" (the one K-Man's thinking of) Rayanne sees right through Rickie's excuse, but she knows better than to push him for the truth right there. Later, she tries to shelter him at her place, only to see him driven away by her mother's creepy boyfriend. At the same time, she must've been feeling rather isolated to have joined Sharon at the helpline.