JUST LIKE THE STARS

Chapter 29

Gina waited patiently but nervous out of the residence, excited for the day that was coming.

she spotted Kourtney coming ahead of Nini, giving her a thumbs up before turning to the conversation with the brunette behind her.

".. so we still up for that shopping day tomorrow?"

"definitely-" nini stopped in her tracks when seeing her favorite dancer in front of her, she gasped putting her right hand over her mouth and her left one stopping Kourtney from walking any further

*

"so you guys are staying here until Monday?" Nini asked sadly at Ej and Gina while walking downtown to the beach, Kourtney had to leave earlier finding the excuse of her mom calling to go to the grocery store and saying she'll see them later than night.

"yup, and Ej said he wants to take me on a date tomorrow night, so we won't be able. to spend all day with you tomorrow, sorry neens"

"hey!" ej said bringing his hands up in the air in defense "you make that sound as if my idea of going out was a bad thing"

Nini laughed softly "it's okay, don't worry about it gi" she said directing the last part to her best friend who was at her right
"tomorrow I might be celebrating my birthday with my family if you guys are here today"

both ej and Gina stared at each other almost wide opened.

talking about celebrating was not okay with ej being there.

"oh- uh......... where do you think you'll celebrate?" Ej asked as Gina elbowed him from behind Nini "-ow!?"

Gina tried to gesture at him but Nini caught her.

"uh- what's going on" the brunette asked stopping and turning to face them "guys?"

"no- no nothing, I just.. uhhaaa-had to go to the bathroom and Gina said I had to keep it" he smiled innocently avoiding Gina's gaze as the girl glared at the back of his head.

"oh. just.. i think there's a bar over there and it has- a bathroom" nini said confused.

"alright, don't go away, I'll be right back" he said before rushing over there as Gina continued to glare at him.

"hey can I ask u an advice"

"you know you can always ask me anything, what's up?"

"it might sound stupid" Nini laughed

"no go ahead" Gina put an assured hand over her shoulder as they began walking again.

"I want this necklace so bad, my mom won't buy it, I just know it, it's.. very similar to the one my Lola wore, but it's too expensive. how- how do I convince her?"

"u want an advice? ask for a big favor, even if u don't want it, she'll say immediately no!"

"wait- a big favor?? like what? wait no, for what?"

"just trust me, okay?
normally when you ask to your parents or someone you live with, a big favor, they are bound to say no.
if you change it later to a favor that is smaller, in this case the necklace you really like, they're less inclined to deny you.
In psychology this technique is called, drum roll please" she prepared with jazz hands "you ready?" she asked as nini made some sound on her thighs, similar to a drum roll, Gina dreaming the title looking at the sky "the door-in-the-face technique" she said with a dreamy sigh "and can be used in many situations, I mean look it like this, if u really need 20 bucks, but you know your friend or parents, again, don't like to lend you a lot of money, try asking for 40 or 50 instead, well 20 bucks seems like a lot less now in comparison doesn't it?" Gina smirked.

and just then Ej came breathless trying to stop them, he had been running.

"I told u to wait for me" he exclaimed trying to gain his breath "it's a hot day today isn't it?" he said looking at the sky trying to not see the clouds that appeared but in reality the sky was very cloudy.

the girls looked at each other before bursting out laughing and beginning to walk again.

"what?!" ej tried to hide his smile.

*

"okay, balloons done, baking cake done, snacks and drinks done" Ricky said presting attention to the list in his hands as he sketched the already done things.

"you're excited for this party aren't u, curly head?" Peter asked from his position on trying to put the 'sweet sixteen' letters they wanted to hang

"very" he answered honestly.

he wanted to make sure everything was perfect, he didn't care if it was only a little party they had thrown, he hoped it meant as much as it meant to him.

for his sixteenth birthday, earlier that year, he wished he had celebrated his birthday with his friends and girlfriend... and stickied to the rules

"helloooo" Peter waved his hands in front of Ricky's face as he came back from hanging the letters "you just zoned out bro, all good?" he asked patting him on the shoulder before passing by him to drink water.

"y-yeah" he laughed a little trying to forget, he was angry at himself for getting his emotions and memories come back to him

today was not supposed to be about me, it ISN'T supposed to be about me

he thought to himself, and before he knew it he was zoning out again.

"you wanna talk?" Peter asked as worry crossed his face.

"n-no? yeah. maybe" he said unsure "today isn't supposed to be about me" he said trying not to spill everything.

"come here" Peter said offering him to sit in the chairs in his garden "we don't know a lot about each other, but you can talk to me" he assured him.

Ricky sat across from him dropping his elbows on his knees and putting his hands over his face, letting out a sigh.

"earlier this year.." he began "at my sixteenth birthday, I didn't have my license yet, but I started driving for a few weeks, all I needed was.. the license

"I- my friends and my now ex girlfriend, were waiting for me to arrive at the party they made at one of my friend's house, my dad was drunk, again, and.. I wanted to arrive there as soon as possible, to forget that my mom wasn't there and my dad pretty much wasn't either.
I wanted to arrive sooner that I expected but,... I never arrived cuz I passed a red light without noticing and I was stuck as two cars crashed almost the entire car, both sides.

"so I ended up in the hospital for about two weeks, best birthday ever". he finished sarcastically.

"hey" Peter said softly "you're here now, I know it's hard to believe this after being stuck between two cars who crashed yours, but you're here, it doesn't mean you will forget in three seconds, but you are already doing progress"

"and how do you know I am?" Ricky asked confused

"when you found Ace, my dog, you were driving. And maybe Nini doesn't know about this accident, but she was with you and she didn't ever say anything about you being nervous while driving. that's progress dude.
do you know how many people drive nervous or drive at all after car accidents? especially like yours?"

silence filled the air.