we all know ricky and nini's love story, but what if nini isn't the girl ricky confessed his love to..will ricky realise he made a mistake? will nini keep fighting for ricky?
i've spent the last hour putting my dorm room together. i want it to feel perfect. as i was hanging my last polaroid, the door burst open and in walked this tall blonde girl. she's got that million dollar smile, the coolest style, and her makeup is perfect. talk about being intimidating.
"hey, i'm isabelle. you're new, right?" the blonde introduced herself, shaking my hand.
"oh um yeah i am. are you too?"
"oh, no! i've been here for a little while now. well, i guess technically i'm new but my mum is the principal here."
i just stood there quietly, with an awkward smile on my face.
"look, you're probably really nervous, and that's completely understandable. i get super shy sometimes, too. what's your name by the way?" she said sincerely.
"my name's nini. and sorry for being so quiet, i'm just nervous and a bit intimidated. i feel like everyone is so talented here," i sighed, sitting on my bed.
"that's valid. but you gotta remember that you wouldn't be here if you weren't talented," she smiled, sitting next to me on the bed.
we talked for a few minutes and it truly feels like we've known each other for a lifetime.
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"how are you so nice to me? you just met me yet you're being so kind and welcoming," i pointed out, turning to face her.
isabella shrugged her shoulders and looked at me. "i dunno. there's just something different about you. you're not like the other girls, you're real. you seem special."
i couldn't help but laugh slightly at that "trust me, i'm not that special."
"all the other girls would've shown off about how they're 'such an amazing singer' within 3 minutes of us talking."
that shocked me"seriously?"
"mhm. you and i have been talking for a while now, and haven't mentioned your talent ONCE."
"hahah i can't tell if that's a good thing or not."
"oh trust me, it's an amazing thing. you're like a breath of fresh air. oh! speaking of fresh air, do you wanna go on a tour of the campus?"
"sure," i smiled, getting up and following her down the hall.
"i never asked you about your name. i've never met someone called nini before," isabelle said as we down the dorm halls.
"well my real name is nina, but everyone calls me nini," i shrugged my shoulders nonchalantly.
"really? how come?"
"it's kind of a long story," i said, laughing breathily.
"i've got time," she replied nudging my shoulder jokingly.
"hahaha well i'll tell the short version: my boyfriend was the one who started calling me nini. we've known each other since kindergarten and he could never pronounce his 'a's. so, he called me nini. and after a while it just sort of stuck. his name is ricky, but that's also because i called him that when we were in kindergarten. his real name is richard, which 5-year-old me thought was stupid. so, i started to call him ricky. and our names just sorta stuck," i sighed dreamily.
"ok, that's adorable. how long have you and ricky been dating?"
"oh, uh we're not dating."
"you called him your boyfriend," she pointed out, laughing.
"oh shit, i did? that was a mistake. he's with some other girl now. besides, i hate him. the summer before junior year i told him i loved him, and he couldn't say it back. he broke up with me and i went to theatre camp where i met EJ. him and i started dating over summer, and it turns out we go to the same school," i started, laughing at the memory of us finding out we go to the same school. "anyways, when ricky saw EJ and i together he kinda realised what he lost i guess. he auditioned for the spring musical, even though he despises musicals, and ended up getting the lead male role. i got the lead female role, and we had to be love interests-"
"what was the musical?" isabella asked, cutting in.
"it was high school musical."
"oh jeez. you and your ex had to play troy and gabriella?!"
"yep," i confirmed, laughing.
"alright, alright continue. this is like a wattpad book."
"yeah, it felt like one. so fast forward a little and i found out ej had stolen my phone and did some shady and toxic shit. so EJ and i broke up. then ricky and gina, the girl who ricky is now dating, started getting closer. i won't lie, it hurt like hell. but i knew i caused it. fast forward to tech rehearsal and ricky and i almost kiss."
"you WHAT?!"
"we almost kissed. but then our friend, big red, barged into the room and so we jumped apart. thighs got kind of awkward afterwards. fast forward to the night of the show, and things seemed great between us. i actually thought that we would get back together. he was giving all the signs, but no," i sighed.
"what happened?"
"he told gina he loved her. and they kissed and became boyfriend and girlfriend. so now i feel like a complete idiot," i admitted.
"WHAT THE FUCK?! HE TREATED YOU LIKE THAT?!" isabella exploded.
"it's fine. he's happy and im pissed at him so."
"and you said you hate him?"
"yeah, i mean im supposed to."
"you know what i think?" she asked, stopping in her tracks.
"what?"
"i think you're still in love with him. i think you miss him, but you're trying to convince yourself that you hate him to try and cover how much you're breaking inside."
"no, no that's not true."
"nini, i think it is," she said, grabbing my hand and sitting us on the bench. "come on, you can talk to me."
"if i talk about i might get upset."
"that's ok, just let it all out," she said, grabbing me into a hug. "it's ok to be sad," she whispered.
that was all i needed, and next thing i know im full on sobbing.
