as soon as the music ended and they left the stage to the wings, nini jumped into ricky's arms and squealed happily while he just laughed and twirled her around
"i knew it!" she beamed cheerfully as he put her back down gently "i knew we were going to do amazing."
"yeah, i guess you're right." he grinned softly
"you guess?" she asked with a joking scoff "nope, we killed it."
"you're awfully positive." he smirked
nini blushed and looked down, shrugging her shoulders "i guess...i guess i just missed dancing with you out there..."
ricky's smile softened as he looked at her before she gazed up at him and he slowly took a deep breath
"thanks." he said quietly
"for what?"
"for...all of this." he gestured around them "for getting me back into it. i don't think...i mean...dancing with you. it really makes me realize how much i love it."
nini felt her entire world stop and she nodded "me too."
"COSTUME CHANGE NOW!" a crew member exclaimed as the shuffling about the backstage area increased, the two giving each other one more look before rushing to get ready for the next dance.
nini could just barely make out the julliard scouts in the audience throughout the masquerade ball dance number - the one where romeo and juliet first meet. their seats were reserved at the front row near the center aisle for the best view and she knew she had to dance her very best to get looked at and talked of.
as she twirled around to finish up her solo and feeling leo - he was playing an extra on the capulet's side - along with carlos and seb take ahold of her shoulders to stop her, she stepped down on the ground firmly and felt a twinge in her ankle. it made her wince but she kept a firm composure on stage just up until the curtains fell back down for act one to end.
nini exhaled sharply and turned away instantly, ignoring everyone who hadn't taken notice of her as she limped as fast as she could towards the dressing room. she didn't know that someone was following her.
"hey, you alright?"
she turned around to see ricky again and the girl forced a smile and nodded "y-yeah. i-i just need water."
ricky's eyes dropped down to her ankle and back up to where she was standing; leaning against a table
"do a pirouette." he said
nini furrowed her brows "what?"
"do a pirouette."
"i don't need you to test me, ricky, i'm okay." she assured him
"if you were, then you'd do the move." he said "nini, it's okay. you danced the first act. that's enough for the scouts to see-"
"no, i haven't even danced my final solo!" she exclaimed
"who cares about a stupid solo when you can get seriously hurt?!" ricky questioned her
"ricky, i said i'm fine. leave it alone." nini pleaded. her eyes held desperation for him to give it a rest. to let her dance the rest of the show. but he shook his head
"i'm not going to leave it alone-"
"dude, she said she's fine."
ricky and nini turned their attention to the doorway to see leo peering in hesitantly, his eyebrows furrowed and his gaze fixated on the curly-haired boy.
ricky scoffed
"this really isn't any of your business."
"well, obviously from what i hear, you're bothering her." leo added, walking into the room now as ricky turned around to face him fully
nini swallowed nervously and exhaled "leo...it's okay really-"
"no, no, it's alright." leo interrupted her, his eyes still glued to ricky's threateningly
"oh, of course." ricky laughed dryly, raising his hand to point at him "you know, i don't even know why i didn't think of it before."
"what's that supposed to mean?" leo questioned
"it means i wouldn't be surprised if you didn't have anything to do with her ankle acting up like this." ricky took a step towards him angrily and leo kept his front up, glaring at him.
"what's that supposed to mean?" nini asked confused but the two boys didn't seem to hear her. they were too focused on their argument.
"i would never hurt nini."
"that's rich." ricky chuckled tauntingly again "you stand her up, you do everything unfair to her as long as it works for you. because you don't care about anything or anyone apart from one and that's yourself. it wouldn't be the first time you hurt someone for your own benefit!"
leo exhaled deeply "you better watch it."
"or what?" ricky questioned in a low, deep voice "what are you going to do?"
ricky clenched his fists so tight that his knuckles had turned white. leo had his jaw shut dangerously as he glared at ricky and nini could've sworn by the look in both of their eyes that a fight was close to breaking out right in front of her
"okay, that's enough!" she exclaimed worried, forcing herself to walk towards them and stand in between where they stood, pushing the two away from one another. "both you stop."
ricky finally broke the stare at leo and looked down at nini for a split second before swallowing hard and taking a step back.
he ran his hands through his curly-hair and exhaled deeply "i'll leave."
"ricky-"
but he ignored her and left the room, leaving the girl to rub her hand over her face - careful not to smudge her makeup as leo watched her
"are you-"
"what did he mean?"
leo blinked confused "what?"
"'i wouldn't be surprised if you had something to do with it' ?? 'it wouldn't be the first time' ??" nini repeated ricky's words, raising an eyebrow as she folded her arms "what did ricky mean by that?"
leo looked away "nini-"
"what the hell did he mean leo?!" she exclaimed frustrated
the boy exhaled deeply. inhaled again. and exhaled once more.
"ricky...his injury last year." he began "...it wasn't an accident."
nini parted her lips and dropped her folded arms to her sides in shock at his next few words.
"it was me."
YOU ARE READING
in your reflection || rini au
Fanfiction𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐞, 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬... -in which nina salazar-roberts believed that she could find her soulmate; though being in denial of who he is.
