in your reflection || rini au

09. what it was and what wasn't

when nini arrived to dance that afternoon, her headspace wasn't in the right one. which was a first for her. usually as soon as she steps into the studio she's focused and determined on perfecting everything she has to do.

the warm up exercises the class had to do was enough for her friends to notice her being off, causing for big red to pull her aside before their teacher gave the cue to go again

nini was taken off guard when she felt her friend grip onto her arm and pull her at the back of the line, her eyes widening as she snapped back into reality

"-red what?!"

"what's up with you?" he asked bluntly, knitting his eyebrows together

nini looked back at him, wide eyes as she opened her mouth and shook her head "what??"

"you're completely distracted. like something's bothering you."

the girl only shook her head "oh, no i'm fine. really-"

"fine? you didn't even try to out jump lily just now." he said with a grin before becoming a little more serious "come on neens, i'm your best friend. what's up?"

nini took a nervous breath as she fiddled with her fingers, looking around them to see people still waiting to start the next exercise before she exhaled "okay...so...you know how i talked to ricky?"

big red nodded as she went on, interested to know what she was going to say

"well...we got into another sort of argument i guess? i don't know but...he called me selfish and then told me why he stopped dancing-"

"isn't it because of you?"

nini shot the boy a look who raised his hands up in defense before she sighed

"no. i mean—maybe it sort of is—i don't know, but the main reason is because he got injured."

big red widened his eyes "oh...that's something."

"yeah..." nini nodded with a small frown "it's all i can think about...is it that he's never allowed to dance again?? he loved dancing i don't-i don't know how he's doing all of this..."

big red eyed his best friend for a few moments before she looked at him in confusion

"what?"

"nothing..."

"red. tell me."

"no—it's nothing-"

"red!"

"fine!" the boy sighed "i just...find it pretty...weird—yet, intriguing—that you're thinking about ricky."

nini let out a scoff "why?"

"maybe because of some unresolved—"

"not this again..."

"—feelings??"

"two by two. grand jeté's at the counts of eight. four times!" the teacher called, clapping her hands to get the attention of the students as they all got themselves behind one another in pairs

nini looked right at her best friend as she turned to get in the line and shook her head firmly "i don't have feelings for him!! i never have and i never will."

"then why do you still have—"

but he was shushed by the brunette when they arrived at the front of the line for their turn to do the exercise, nini forcing herself to push ricky out of her mind as she did it.

when she landed on her right leg, she didn't fail to notice a little stumble she took and her ankle wobbling right at the feeling of the ground at her feet, her face contorting in discomfort but she shook it off and continued her way towards the back of the line

"you good?" gina asked as she turned around

and nini forced her perfect smile, nodding brightly before catching sight of the brown-haired boy finishing the exercise and making his way behind her, the two making a silent agreement to meet up right after class...