what more can i say | rini au

1.

It's the first day of the last summer of high school. You'd think that would be exciting, but all that Nini Salazar-Roberts can think about is how she's going to have to sit at Aspen's pool watching Ricky relentlessly flirt with that Gina Porter all summer. And then of course she can't forget sitting in the food court watching Ricky watch Gina since that girl refuses to acknowledge him in front of her friends.

That would all probably be a great deal easier if she didn't find him so attractive, especially when he's standing there shirtless and tanned from the summer sun. God, she was definitely going to need to get some kind of distraction, because staring longingly in his direction was not going to work out long. Nor would it convince Kourtney she was over him.

She wasn't.

But well- Kourtney didn't need to hear that to know it was true. Kourtney Greene had always been observant, especially when it came to Nini and her feelings. Kourtney probably realized that she'd developed a crush on Ricky before Nini knew it herself. But that was seventh grade. We were long past a little middle school crush.

She just wants to be at the skate park. Ricky, Red, and Howie were a nice respite from Kourtney's irritations over her crush or Aspen's interest in it. None of the boys knew, and she'd prefer to keep it that way for as long as possible. Especially Ricky. Or Big Red, who would probably tell Ricky. He wouldn't do it on purpose but... this is Big Red we're talking about. He's got a bit of a slippery tongue.

Kourtney's trying to protect her, and honestly if her heart weren't so deep in it, Nini would understand. Ricky has a girlfriend. Has had said girlfriend for over a year now. Last spring they'd gotten together and Nini had pretended to be happy for him. His first real relationship. She should by all means be thrilled for her best friend to find happiness.

--

Except how real of a relationship is it if they couldn't even go to prom together because she didn't want to be seen with him in front of her friends. It's something Nini will never be able to understand. How happy could they really be if he's being hidden away?

Maybe Nini should be thanking Gina for that one though. She was Ricky's prom date instead. Even if it was just as friends, she still got the slow dance and the memories. She'd been planning on getting up the nerve to ask him to slow dance with her, trying her best to work up the courage, when he'd just walked back over to where she was sitting and reached out his hand as the slow song came on.

"Dance with me? For old times sake?" His voice was melting her like butter, and as he stood there in his dad's old tux, his hair gelled for once, Nini could only nod, letting him lead her out to the dance floor. She thinks as they swayed to the music, she could've kissed him right there.

Except she didn't. She couldn't.

He was right, it was like old times, when they were slow dancing in the middle school gym instead of this more beautiful venue. Except in middle school there was an arms length between them like every other 'couple'. Even the couples who were dating had a great deal of space between their bodies. And they weren't dating. Have never dated, and as Nini has to remind herself, they never will.

Back at prom though, she's pressed up close against him, gazing into his beautiful brown eyes and wrapping her arms around his shoulders. He's so much taller than she is even in her heels, and it's so nice, looking up at him and just taking in the moment. She remembers thinking how easy it would've been, to go up on her tiptoes and press her lips to his. No one really knew he was dating anyone, besides their friends. No one but them would judge her for it.

For a split second, as her eyes flickered to his lips, she even thought he was doing the same, considering kissing her.

But that was impossible.