in your reflection || rini au

10. exile

at the end of class, nini stayed behind, letting her friends leave until it was completely empty apart from the brown-haired boy who had returned from the entrance

he had a straight face, not showing his usual charming smile as he looked at her while nini took a deep breath

"hi." she said with a small smile

"hey." he nodded curtly "so, what happened? you haven't been returning my texts and you missed on dance and our plans tuesday."

nini frowned "i'm sorry...my teacher gave me this detention—"

"detention?" he said surprised

nini nodded "yeah...and so then there was a whole complication that i couldn't stop thinking of. plus work and studying and dance."

leo felt a slight amount of jealousy in his veins as he clenched his fists "the complication. with bowen."

nini's gaze immediately shifted to his as they locked eyes on one another and she furrowed her eyebrows together

"um...yeah. but it's all over and done with."

"then why can't you stop thinking of it?" he questioned, folding his arms

"why are you questioning me?" nini copied his composure, squinting her eyes at him "are you —are you jealous?"

leo let out a scoff "of bowen? the guy runs away from every little problem? not a chance."

"he doesn't run from things." she told him in slight annoyance

"and yet he doesn't go here anymore."

"he got hurt leo." nini snapped in defense "it wasn't his fault."

"you don't know that." leo shrugged carelessly

nini parted her mouth and scoffed "okay, what is up with you today?"

"i'm just sick of having to listen to my girlfriend and her friend talk about past events with a guy who became obsessed with her and that i can't do anything about it."

the girl let out a disbelieved breath "we literally both agreed that it's best to keep this a secret for red—"

"red can take care of himself!!" leo exclaimed "since when does what you do affect his feelings? it's your life! i'm not the one who dated him-"

"no, but your best friend did and i don't want to hurt mine!" nini snapped "i'm already letting this happen when i don't need distractions—"

"so our relationship is a distraction now?!" leo fired back

nini's face fell as she suddenly realized what she said, his reply ringing in her ears as her memories flashed through her mind...

flashback:

"nini...can you hear me?"

the frozen brunette girl had her mouth gaped open, her hands had dropped to the side of her body as she stared blankly at the curly-haired boy stood in front of her

she blinked out of her shock, clearing her throat uncomfortably as she felt her heart paining "y-you...what did you say?"

ricky looked at her nervously, fiddling with his fingers "um..."

"you like me?" she whispered

"um...yeah..." ricky nodded, letting out an awkward, uncomfortable chuckle

"what are you doing?" nini asked shortly, as if suddenly coming to her senses

ricky looked back at her puzzled "what??"

"you can't like me ricky." she told him "we're friends. we're dance partners!"

"i know..." ricky nodded before stepping a little closer "but...you kept the necklace and i like everything about you...and i just—i can't help how i feel."

nini shook her head, stepping back "things are good the way they are." she pleaded

"but nini—"

"you don't like me." she told him again "you—you don't-"

"yes i do." he said determined "and i think you like me too."

nini felt overwhelmed. she didn't know how to act right now. everything was too much for her and she was so focused on too many things at once that this was just the one additional thing that made everything tumble down.

she quickly shook her head, eyes stinging "no. i don't. i don't like you."

"you don't?" he asked, his voice wavering as he looked at her in pure confusion and hurt

"no!" nini exclaimed "you're just—just another guy who became my dance partner and yeah it was fun but now i have things to focus on. important things and i don't need a distraction like you to ruin it for me!"

end of flashback

the girl shook her head out of her thoughts, regretting her words "i—i didn't mean—"

leo hummed "seemed like you did."

"leo—"

"i've got to go." he said coldly as he turned around and adjusted the strap of his bag, leaving nini alone in the dance studio

"leo!"