in your reflection || rini au

33. flying

"you look perfect!" big red beamed along with the group as they saw their best friend ready and changed into her costume, the girl smiling back gratefully as she arrived in the wings

"thanks guys..." she said sheepishly before exhaling "um...where's ricky?"

before their little heated argument over her ankle, nini hadn't stopped thinking about their almost-kiss...she was the one who had initiated it and she honestly didn't know why. she couldn't think of what had sparked inside of her to do it but all she could remember was how it was like a rope had been pulling towards him. maybe it was the nostalgia from being in the room their childhood-selves had been in all those years ago...maybe it was the way he looked at her. full of adoration in his eyes. and with that smile. that damn smile that had managed to make her heart rate speed up until it was restless and uneven.

nini didn't know how to properly acknowledge how she felt. and though she was close to accepting it and finally defeating the huge part of her that had always ran, she was still terrified of whether he'd even want her.

"he's out on stage behind the curtains." gina replied "you guys are on soon-"

"yeah, i should go." nini nodded, quickly rushing to the stage

when she arrived, she could hear soft music playing and shuffling from the audience, seeing people stretch or practice their moves last minute along with the crew rushing around frantically.

her eyes scanned the space before arriving to the back of the curly-haired boy who had been pacing back and forth nervously

he wore a blue dress shirt untucked with a pair of regular blue jeans and sneakers, his hair all messy and she felt a strange feeling in her stomach as she walked closer to him

"hey..."

ricky shot a quick, unbothered glance "hey—" he began before he suddenly turned his head again to get a good look at the girl

nini had her long brown hair curled and pinned up with a white flower on the right side, wearing silver eyeshadow and lipgloss that perfectly articulated her features and her white dress had a v-neckline and fit her frame beautifully. the skirt engulfed her hips before having a flowing manner; growing a bit longer in the back

she suddenly fiddled with her fingers, noticing how he'd been gazing at her in awe for quite some time now "what?? w-why are you looking at me like that?"

he opened his mouth to say something but closed it "um...n-nothing..."

nini furrowed her brows in slight confusion before deciding to leave it. something else was bothering her...

but she didn't get a chance to speak seeing as ricky had also wanted to say something

"look, about your ankle..." he began in a low whisper "a-are you sure?"

nini gazed up at him and put on a small, reassuring smile. the best one she could muster. "i'm sure."

"alright you two, get into positions." miss brown said quickly, checking her watch "the curtains will be rising in two!"

nini exhaled slowly and nodded, looking up to see ricky being nervous.

"i thought being nervous before performances was my specialty?" she said teasingly with a light grin

ricky looked down at her and chuckled softly "well, i didn't expect to get the lead this time."

nini shook her head with a small smile before looking down at his hands, seeing him anxiously fiddle with them.

she hesitantly reached out to take one of his in hers, ricky's glance falling down at their interlaced fingers in surprise before up into her eyes, greeted by her smile that always made his heart skip

"we're going to be great." she whispered softly "you're going to be great."

ricky felt a small smile tug on the edge of his lips as he nodded, suddenly feeling relaxed as they both slowly pulled their hands away from one another to take their position.

nini knelt down onto the ground, bending forward as ricky just knelt down on his knees, his back facing the audience further away from her on the other side of the stage and the music began and the curtains rose for the lights to shine bright on them.

—it's about...this magnetic force between us.