stolen kiss || rini au

33. daffodils

ricky sat under the bleachers as he put his phone away, swallowing the bite of his sandwich he had bitten as he waited for nini.

when he heard the doors swinging open, he looked up and noticed that there was something wrong when he saw nini walking towards him.

he knitted his eyebrows together and opened his mouth to speak as she sat down in front of him

"hey-"

"did you eat lunch under the bleachers with lily when we-we were-like-'broken up'?" she asked with air quotes around the last two words.

ricky looked at her in confusion "what?-"

"because she came to my locker and did a lot of talking, mentioning how she had lunch with you under the bleachers and that you loved the-kiss with her." she rushed out "and not to mention she apparently knows that we had that deal together and that we kept it secret because you were embarrassed of me and-"

the boy shook his head "okay, stop." he said softly, taking his hand in hers "first; i'm not embarrassed of you." he said, feeling her relax slightly as she looked up at him "with the whole lily knowing thing, i probably slipped something that night of the party, i don't remember much because we played truth or dare and i ended up drunk - but i do know that i didn't love the kiss with her."

nini kept her eyes on him and nodded "and lunch under the bleachers was-?"

"i would eat here sometimes when i didn't want to eat where you and the others were and to deal with everything, and only once she came here and tried to eat with me but i wouldn't really have it." he explained

she took a deep breath "okay."

"you're okay?" he asked assuringly as he sat a little closer to her

nini nodded as she turned around and leaned back against him, ricky wrapping his arms around her small frame as she held onto him

"i'm sorry for being an idiot all this time," he mumbled as he leaned his chin on her head

nini chuckled lightly under her breath "you were an idiot," she smiled, glancing up at him "but i forgive you."

ricky returned her gesture as he looked down at her and leaned in to kiss her.

it was gentle and soft and nini felt her heart flutter as they both pulled away and she kept her gaze on him.

"daffodil." he whispered

nini beamed at him "daffodil."

"hey, can i ask something?"

she nodded "yeah,"

"why'd you pick daffodil?" he asked "as the word."

nini felt her heart rate speed up slightly as she heard his question and traced little circles on his hands; ricky took notice over the weekend she did this when she was a little nervous or shy.

"you know...that day when we were younger." she answered quietly

"well, there were many days, sunday, monday-"

he gets cut off by nini whacking him in the chest as he chuckles and she sits up, turning around to face him

"you know what i mean!" she exclaims with a laugh

ricky looked at her and nodded "yeah."

"you know i still have the daffodil in my room?" she asked

"isn't it supposed to be dead right now? we were seven." he told her, making her roll her eyes playfully

"i'm good at taking care of plants." she said simply

ricky hummed with a raised eyebrow, a playful grin on his face "so, even after all this time you claimed to hate me you kept it?"

nini felt the heat rise up to her cheeks as she glanced down to the grass and ricky felt her hands going to trace circles on his again

she shrugged her shoulders "it was one of my favorite days."

ricky nodded "mine too."

this was a year before they had become 'rivals' or 'enemies' - as they used to call themselves. and nini remembered clearly that she was having a bad day and sat on the front lawn of her home, picking at the grass.

a seven year old ricky was riding his bike for the second time after learning how to properly ride one, arriving past her and he noticed how sad she was

"hi nini!" he exclaimed as he jumped off his bike and ran towards her, his big black helmet bobbing up and down from being slightly too big and his curly-hair falling out the front

the little brunette was wearing a yellow sundress and she picked at the leaves, glancing up at her best friend

"hi ricky." she said monotonously

ricky knitted his eyebrows together and sat down in front of her "what's wrong? why are you sad?"

nini shrugged her shoulders "momma c is sick."

ricky gasped "is she going to-"

"no!" nini exclaimed quickly "she's just a little sick."

ricky frowned "i'm sorry nini."

"and momma d is mad because i won't stop playing with the pinano so i came outside to try and cheer up but i can't." she said sadly

the boy looked around to try and find something to make her happy, not wanting to see her sad any longer.

he quickly got up, running as quick as his little legs could take him towards the pot of different plants that were placed on the side of the lawn.

his eyes scanned the different flowers; roses, lilies, daisies, tulips - but he smiled when he saw a bright yellow daffodil sitting in a single little pot at the back.

he quickly took it out, turning back around and running towards the girl

"here you go," he says with a bright expression

nini looked up and saw the flower in his hand, a small smile on her face as she slowly took it from his grip "...why a daffodil?"

ricky shrugged his shoulders "it's a pretty flower and it fits with your dress. and now, when you look at daffodils you can think of right now and be happier."

the little seven year old nini beamed at the boy and nodded "thank you ricky."

"your welcome nini," he said, returning the gesture as he sat in front of her and the two laid back on the ground, pointing out different shapes of the clouds as nini held the daffodil close to her chest.