𝐆𝐎𝐎𝐃 𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋𝐒 [a rini au]

TWENTY

          Ricky was paralyzed, eyes glued to where his clumsy thumb just accidentally fell onto. He was in his room doing some leisurely reading before beginning his AP Literature homework for next week. As soon as he opened to Chapter 5 of The Catcher in the Rye, his mind flew back to class that morning and the Socratic seminar. He couldn't help but think about how his opinions squashed Nina Salazar-Roberts', and his recollection of her name tempted him to go Instagram stalking again.

          The boy revisited the old pictures he was familiar with, but once he refreshed Nina's profile, a new post popped up. Ricky clicked on the photo, a professional one of Nina in her cheer uniform. After scrolling through the comments from random people, East Highland students, and the elite, he navigated back to the beginning of her profile. However, Ricky couldn't stop the sneeze he felt coming on, and once he released the violent sneeze, he felt his thumb tap lightly against the top of his phone screen. As he looked back down, he felt his organs collapse when he saw that the blue Follow button turned into the white Following.

          "Shit!" Ricky yelled, throwing his phone to the side and jumping to his feet as if he just touched hot lava. He nervously clamped the back of his neck, sweat already beading by his temples. Ricky knew unfollowing would only make him look more suspicious, since Nina probably got the notification already. He had to come up with something that would justify his sudden follow. Maybe he truly didn't, but Ricky was an overthinker. "Think, Ricky," he quietly scolded himself. "Think!"

         Ricky's eyes landed on the J.D. Salinger book on his bed, split open and lying face down so peacefully that he envied it. A light bulb then went off in his frazzled brain. He retrieved his phone, hands trembling as he tried to navigate to Direct Messages.