Second Chances (Ricky + Nini)

chapter 35 - i've lost my mind, i've spent the night crying

"Neens, maybe you should slow down." Kourtney said. It had been 3 weeks since Ricky and Nini broke up, and by now Kourtney had gathered enough pieces to put together a story.
But she had never seen Nini like this before and she was getting worried. They'd broken up before and she thought that it would make Nini stronger. But she didn't recognize the girl in front of her.

From Monday to Friday, Nini would drown herself in work, and she was a professional. So nothing ever got in the way of her performance at work. Then came the weekend and Nini would unleash the party girl inside of her from Friday night onwards. It always ended up with her passing out. And then when Sunday morning came, Nini would ask to be left alone, but Kourtney knew she would spend the whole day crying her eyes out. But something was the same every single day. Nini would disappear between 5.30 to 6.30 pm every day, even on the weekends, to God knows where, and she would look disappointed when she came
back.

Kourtney decided that perhaps it was up to her to end this vicious cycle. She truly missed her best friend, and as much as she hated to admit it, she's passed the age where it was fun to go out and party every single weekend. She was a grown ass woman who just wanted to come home, chill, maybe have a glass of wine, and go to bed before 11 pm. Nini's not going to listen to her right now though. Good thing she brought back up.

"Kourtnee.. whys everything so ssspinny.. you're upside down." Nini slurred.

"Okay. We're done here. You're going home."
Kourtney replied firmly.

"She's right, Neens. Let's get you home, okay? I'm getting worried about you." Gina added. By now Gina and EJ were also regulars of Nini's weekend shenanigans.

"But I'm having funnn, G" Nini pouted.

"No. You're just trying to numb the pain." Kourtney said sadly. "EJ, just pick her up and take her outside. Gina, try to hail a cab. I'll take care of the bill and meet you guys outside."
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Sunday morning came and Nini felt the familiar throbbing of her head, and somehow she'd grown fond of it. It distracted her from the ache in her chest. She turned around to find that Kourtney was still in her apartment, passed out beside her on the bed.

She tiptoed to the kitchen to grab some water and headed straight for the shower afterwards. As warm beads of water dripped onto her skin, she thought about Ricky, and she almost lost it right there. But she remembered that Kourtney was outside, and she would have to reschedule her weekly breakdown till later in the day.

When she stepped out, Kourtney was already up and ready with breakfast for her. She looked serious as she slid a plate towards Nini.

"Thanks, Kourt." Nini said grabbing a fork. "You didn't have to stay you know."

"I did, actually. I think we need to talk."

Nini sighed. She knew it wasn't going to be long before her friends would call an intervention or something.

"I know you're hurting, and you just want to forget the pain. But Nini, this has to stop. The overworking, the partying-like-it's-the-end-of-the-world..." Kourtney said. "We're all here for you, okay. We just hate seeing you do this, because you're just hurting yourself. Look, whatever you need, we'll be there, but we can't let you do this to yourself."

Nini wanted to say that losing Ricky did feel like it's the end of the world. But she knew Kourtney had a point.

"You're right." Nini said.

Kourtney smiled and took her hand. "Look, how about I take a shower, and we can go for a walk with Bob, or go shopping, or meet up with EJ and Gina for coffee? Anything you want.."

"Kourt, I really appreciate it. I love you, and I see your point." Nini swallowed. "I'll be brave and strong tomorrow. But can I please just spend one more day crying in my bathroom. Just today. Please."

"Okay, honey. Take your time." Kourtney squeezed her hand. "But can I ask you something?"

"Anything."

"Where do you go everyday at 5.30 when you disappear?"

Nini looked down. "I go to the Bethesda Terrace and I wait for him."

"Oh, Nini.." Kourtney moved to give her a hug, and she couldn't hold it in anymore. She burst into tears as her best friend tried to calm her down.

"I wrote him a letter, and I promised that I would wait for him there everyday. Whenever he's ready to love me again, I'll be there."

"For how long ?" Kourtney asked.

"For as long as it takes for him to come back to me." Nini knew how it sounded. But she didn't care. Ricky promised her he would come back to her, and she knew in her heart that he would. "I know I sound crazy. But we're meant to be, Kourt. I told you before that there's no one else for me, and that's still true today."

"What if he doesn't come?"

"He will. He has to." Nini said. "Can you please just not fight me on this one?"

Kourtney nodded reluctantly. Nini knew her friend was just looking out for her, but she needed Ricky to come back to her. She needed to believe it. It was something to hold on to. It gave her hope everyday.
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Every time he closed his eyes, he could see her face when he broke her heart. She was crying, the light from her pretty brown eyes had died, and Ricky did that.

He was at the park again, and he'd just walked away from her. She ran after him, he could hear the sound of her running, and he tried with all his might to keep walking.

"Ricky!" He kept walking.. "Ricky, wait.."

"Rick-" Suddenly he heard honks and screams and sirens. He turned around and everything went red. There'd been an accident. It was Nini. He ran to her and pushed past the crowds and he nearly passed out when he saw her. She was covered in blood, her eyes were closed, but she was breathing.

"No, no, no.. Nini. Please wake up." Ricky said touching her cheeks. "It's Ricky. Please, baby wake up."

She opened her eyes ever so slightly, and Ricky sighed in relief. "Hey. You're gonna be alright. You hear that? The doctors are coming. They're gonna take care of you. Just stay with me."

Nini looked at Ricky as he whispered that mantra over and over again. "Stay with me. Please stay with me."

Her eyes were slowly closing and Ricky panicked. "Baby, stay with me. Please don't leave me."

"You left me." Nini whispered and close her eyes.

"Noooo!" Ricky woke up drenched in his own sweat, his breathing was erratic and his vision blurred. Before he knew what he was doing, he'd grabbed his phone from the nightstand and hit 1 on his speed dial.
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Nini woke up to the sound of Ricky's ringtone on her phone. She sprung right up because she wasn't expecting a call from him. She hoped that he was calling to say he made a mistake, that he was miserable without her, and he would do anything to have her back. A girl can dream, right?

"Ricky?" She answered the phone, hoping this wasn't a dream. But Ricky wasn't on the other line. He didn't reply. He must've just accidentally called her or something. Nini was about to hang up when she vaguely heard him whimper. She listened closer. He was breathing heavy. He was having some sort of anxiety attack. She could tell.

"Hey, I know you're there, okay. Just breathe with me, bab-" Nini stopped herself before she was too late. "Listen to my voice, okay?"

She walked him through it until his breathing evened out. He still hadn't said a word to her, but she assumed he'd calmed down.

"Okay.... Well, goodnight, Ricky." She said reluctantly.

"Neens.." He finally croaked out. Oh how she missed the sound of her name on his lips.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for that.. I-"

"Always."
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