if i can't have you || rini au

07. a.m set up

the first day of salt lake city for nini began with her waking up early that saturday full of energy and excitement.

she got herself dressed in a white top with jeans - which made her excitement lift even more since she never got to really wear trousers or jeans when she was back in autonia.

nini looked around her room, noticing how it was very bland and not at all decorated to showcase any of her, so she quickly got ahold of a little notepad from her backpack and wrote down all the things she needed to get.

once she was done, she grabbed her bag and tightened the white ribbon she wore in her braided hair before making her way out of the apartment home and down the spiral staircase.

"good morning!" nini beamed as she jumped the last step before she widened her eyes when seeing ricky working at the counter with his gaze on her "oh! ricky! hi!"

the boy chuckled as he put a new tray of pastries in the display "you're awake early on a saturday."

nini smiled "i have a lot of things to do today." she said dramatically, walking towards him as she showed the little notepad

"oh yeah?" he asked interested, leaning against the counter

she nodded excitedly with a little jump "yup! i have to get a load of things to decorate my room and i need to ask erica if i can get a phone,"

ricky knitted his eyebrows together "you don't have a phone?"

nini stopped and widened her eyes slightly "o-of course i have a phone! had-i had a phone. but-it broke. me being the clumsy girl i am you know?" she laughed nervously before it faded, ricky nodding slowly

"okay..." he said hesitantly before nini cleared her throat

"um-so," she began, diverting the attention from her weird moment "what are you doing here so early?"

ricky took a deep breath "well, i work here so it's part of my job and i also like to stick to the schedule that erica gives me which part of it is to be here on a saturday morning."

nini raised her eyebrows "oh, you're a rule follower."

"isn't everyone?"

"not me, my friend." she grinned proudly

"yeah i got that vibe from you yesterday." he joked as nini giggled, sitting at the counter

"life shouldn't be about having to follow rules and stick to one thing." she told him "believe me, i grew up in a ca-" she stopped "uh-craaazy fun world!"

nini felt relief flood her when erica walks out from the kitchen before ricky could reply to her, the girl quickly standing up

"good morning aunt erica!" she exclaimed as she rushed towards her

erica raised her eyebrows "you're cheery today."

"it's room decorating day!" ricky exclaimed with fake enthusiasm, nini giving him a playful glare while he chuckled

"i was going to ask if i could get a phone too." she said, ignoring ricky's remark before he made his way to a few tables

"of course," erica nodded, folding her arms "so you know where the mall is?"

nini stood there for a few seconds, looking back at erica before nodding "mhm!"

"where is it then?" erica asked

nini thought for a few seconds before gasping "oh! okay-it's near the buildings. around the city."

erica gave an amused chuckle "why don't you just go to the mall with someone?"

nini sighed heavily "i don't know anyone here!"

"sure you do!" erica exclaimed "like ricky!"

"what about me?" the boy asked, arriving towards them

"well, nini doesn't know where the mall is here, in fact she doesn't know much about salt lake city, so i think she needs a tour guide." erica beamed proudly

nini suddenly felt nervous and cleared her throat, fiddling with her necklace she wore.

"um, i think he's busy...with the schedules and rule following stuff..."

"well, now it's part of the work schedule." erica said simply

ricky shrugged his shoulders "i don't mind showing you around."

nini grimaced "you're going to write down a tour guide thing aren't you?"

the boy gave her a look and rolled his eyes "not anymore..."

erica chuckled "just don't go overboard nini."

"well-"

"nina."

"okay, fine. yes." the brunette girl corrected herself as she waited for ricky to take his apron off and follow her out of the coffee shop.