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Tears were beginning to well up in her eyes as she hung up the phone angrily. Earlier that evening, Nini had gone on a date with a boy from her English class. He had asked her earlier that week, and she figured why not? It wouldn’t hurt to start getting out there again and seeing people, plus it was just one date; it wasn’t like she was subjecting herself to lifetime commitment.
But that was not the person she was on the phone with. For some reason, Ricky ended up going to the little dessert café she and Bobby were having their date. She wasn’t completely sure how he found out about the date in the first place, nor where they had planned to go. The pair were chattering about the newest movies coming out at the end of the year, and if Nini was being honest she was having a good time. The pair had quite a lot in common, she just wasn’t sure if she was interested in pushing for something more.
However, her enjoyment was cut short when a tall curly-haired man had made his way into the establishment. There was fury ablaze in his eyes, she had never seen him look so angry before, and it seemed that it was directed towards her. She couldn’t think of any reason as to why he was acting so brash, but decided that it’ll be fine, he’ll simply tell her what was on his mind. She just wished it wasn’t the one time she was out on a date.
Despite the evident anger flowing through the boy that walked over to her, Ricky simply acted like everything was perfectly fine. Rather, he made up some excuse that Nini had to be somewhere. That something happened with their friend, and she was needed right away.
And Nini, being as naïve as ever, she apologizes to Bobby, swearing to make up for their date and follows Ricky out of the shop. Quickly Nini chased after the tall boy as he sped down the street, silently cursing him for his long legs, the brunette asked him what had happened to their friend.
Eventually, Ricky turned around and told her that nothing was the matter and that she shouldn’t have gone out with Bobby in the first place. When the words had left his mouth, she didn’t know what to do or even say, she was just outright angry with him. Not really quite sure what to say, she decides to leave Ricky on his own and just head home. The boy didn’t even notice that she had left, as he was rambling on and on about why she shouldn’t have gone on that date in the first place. He already ruined her date, there was no point in going back inside trying to explain what had happened to Bobby, so she drove home as anger began to rise up inside of her.
The minute she had gotten home, she saw six missed calls from Ricky and eighteen text messages from the boy. By the time she had trudged up to her bedroom, another call was coming in from the curly-haired boy. So, she did the most logical thing she could do, and picked up the phone.
“Stop calling! I’m mad at you!”
And that was the end of the conversation, throwing her phone at the head of her bed taking all the anger out on the small device. She sits at the foot of her bed, the heels of her palms pressing into her eye sockets trying her best to stop whatever tears were trying to make their way down her face. Refusing to cry over a stupid boy, no matter how frustrated she was at him, she takes in a few deep breaths; a poor attempt to control herself.
A few minutes had passed, Nini wasn’t exactly sure how long she had been sitting in that position until she heard a small knock on her door, creaking open barely seconds later. She was well aware her moms had seen how upset she was when she had come back into the house, asking how the date was before realizing that their daughter wasn’t exactly in the best mood to talk about anything. They knew whenever Nini got like this to leave her alone, and sometimes they would try and come in and talk to her, not wanting to bottle things up like she tended to do. But tonight, she simply was not feeling it.
“Mamas, I really don’t want to talk right now.” She mutters, rubbing at her eyes a few times.
“Not even to me?” A deep voice asks, a softer tone than he had taken earlier.
Surprised by the voice, not expecting the boy she was currently having a fight with to be standing at her door. Lifting her head to look up at him, she sees how tensed he seemed. His posture was a little straighter than usual, his teeth were gnawing on his bottom lip as he held his football jacket in his hands. Rubbing his index and thumb together, Nini instantly knew that Ricky was having an internal battle in his head.
“Especially not you.” She snaps, wiping at her one last time before rising from her spot on the bed, “What are you doing here? I told you to stop calling.” She crosses her arms over chest.
Ricky’s lip twitches to the left slightly, “That’s why I came.”
The small brunette scoffs, leaning all her weight onto one leg, “And, that makes it better? Get out, I’m seriously so mad at you, right now! You had no right to do that!”
Closing the door behind him slowly, as to keep her moms prying ears away from their conversation. “I know, I know,” Ricky starts, taking a careful step further into her room. “That’s why I’m here. I want to talk to you.”
“And if I don’t want to talk to you?” She raises an eyebrow.
“Then, I’ll talk and you listen.” He tells her, throwing his jacket onto her bed. Rubbing his hands together as he tries to make sure whatever he says next wasn’t going to fuck things up even further. “I know what I did was wrong. I’m so, so sorry, Ni. I shouldn’t have crashed your date, and literally pulled you out of that place. But, when I found out about your date from EJ, I just got so upset that you didn’t tell me. And, I was trying to figure out why you didn’t, then all I could think about is protecting you. Please, please forgive me.” He begs.
Nini rolls her eyes, dropping her arms down to her sides. Anger started to flare up within her even more, her vision started to go red at his sorry excuse of why he did what he did. Running her hands through her hair tiredly, she looks over at her vanity for a moment, seeing the black streaks of mascara running down her cheeks and the smudged eyeliner. Huffing to herself, she runs her finger underneath her eyes before glaring at the boy again.
“Protecting me?!” She grits her teeth, ignoring his apology, “Protecting me from what?! Do you really think Bobby’s going to do anything bad? I wouldn’t go out with someone that I knew was going to treat me like shit, I’ve been through that one too many times. Bobby’s sweet and kind and so smart. He’s literally harmless!” She defends the boy she barely knows.
“You don’t know that!” He argues.
“And you do?”
“Well, no.” He clasps his hands together, his gaze shifting down to his feet before looking back up at the brunette, “I didn’t come to fight with you, Ni.”
She nearly laughs at his statement, taking a step back as she sees him taking one towards her. Ensuring the space between them remained, considering how angry she was at the moment. “Then, why did you come here?” She asks, an angry tone still evident in her voice.
The boy rubs the back of his neck before answering, “I don’t want to see you get hurt.”
“I’m not a porcelain doll, Ricky. I can take care of myself, I’ve done it before.” She lets out in a tired voice, studying him carefully. The boy was pressing his lips together like he was trying to hold back the answer that he wanted to tell her, but for some reason couldn’t. If she was being honest, she was tired of the angry back and forth, so she pressures him into telling her. “There’s more to it. I know there is, you’re not exactly subtle. Just tell me.”
“Do you really need me to say it?” He practically whispers, his gaze completely fixed on her.
Nini nods, tucking her hands into the back pockets of her jeans. Waiting for the answer that she had an idea in her head, but didn’t want to get her hopes too high in case it wasn’t true. Staring up into his light brown eyes, the distance between them was still rather large, the girl not quite sure if she could have that conversation with him in such close proximity.
“Fine. I was jealous, are you happy?” He bites, “I was fucking jealous when EJ told me you were going out with Bobby. I thought there was something here, Nini. I thought I was being obvious with my heart, and my feelings ever since prom. Maybe it was just my delusional head making up scenarios but I thought you felt it too.” He finally admits.
The brunette feels her heart skip a beat at his confession, she draws her lip in between her teeth as she sees Ricky’s gaze studying her. Like she was this puzzle that he just couldn’t quite place together. As if there was a piece that was missing that he just couldn’t seem to find.
“I did! Or, I do, I guess.” She runs her hand down her face, “Ricky, we spent all summer together. You got to know me better than anyone else. You know my hopes and my dreams, my deepest and darkest fears. And I love spending time with you, but after so many months of the shameless flirting and dates that weren’t really dates, I thought that maybe I was crazy. That I read too much into it, and mistook your kindness for liking me or something. For months you haven’t done anything, so I figured I should try and move on. Why mourn over something I never had?” She lets out.
“Well,” Ricky starts, “Where does this leave us?” His voice softens, as his eyes study her carefully.
“Where do you want it to?” Nini whispers.
Ricky takes a few careful steps closer to her, placing his hands on her shoulders tenderly like he was scared the second he touches her she’d disappear, “I know what I did was fucked. And, I’m really, really sorry, Nini. I care so much about you, but I let my selfish needs guide me. You really have no reason to forgive me. But, I really, really like you, Nini. I want to take you out on a date, that we both know is actually a date this time.” The pair let out a small laugh, Ricky’s thumbs stroking her exposed skin, as he continues. “I want to give this a shot, if you’d let me.”
“Most people, if not all, that I’ve met in my life would’ve let things fall through.” She starts, feeling tears beginning to well up again but she blinks them back, as she looks up into his hopeful eyes. “The last few months you’ve proven to me time and time again how much I mean to you. I know you feel bad about what happened, and I shouldn’t have gotten so upset and just let you talk. I know you, Ricky, I know that you have a good heart.”
“What are you saying, Nini?” He asks, his words came out just above a whisper, his eyes calculating her every move and studied her every word.
Sucking in a sharp breath, sliding her hands up to grab his, twining their fingers together. “You stayed, Ricky. You’re the first person who ever stayed and fought for me. Not with me.” She tilts her head up to have a better look at his face, pressing her lips together before finally answering his question. “I’m saying, if you really want this, then yes, I’ll go out with you.”
A bright smile makes its way onto both of their faces, Ricky moves to cradle her face in his hands gently. He runs his thumbs over the apples of her cheeks, as Nini’s hands find their way around his torso. “Can I kiss you?” He whispers between them.
Nini bites her lip, nodding up at him, reaching up on the tips of her toes as Ricky leans down to close the gap between them. It was better than either of them imagined their first kiss to be. Nini’s small hands fist at the back of Ricky's dark shirt, as his hands shift slightly, one moving to the back of her head to apply more pressure on their joined lips. His other hand, coming down to her jaw, tilting her head up for better access.
A small giggle comes crawling up Nini’s throat, causing the pair to separate. A wide smile danced across both of their lips, their foreheads remained connected looking into each other’s eyes as they simply took in and embraced the moment. Unable to help himself, Ricky leans in pecking her lips three times quickly before finally pulling back and standing to his full height.
The small brunette that he held in his hands, wraps her arms around him colliding their bodies together as she hugs him tightly. He tucks her underneath his chin, wrapping his own arm around her, thankful for the chance that he got to prove to her that he was worth a shot. Nini sniffs quietly, tilting her head up to look up at the boy that made her feel utterly and completely loved.
“Thank you for staying.”