folded | rini

📖 two households, both alike in dignity 📖

there was little that nini resented quite like reading aloud in class. sure, she was perfectly capable of reading the text, though perhaps understanding it was a bit more challenging.

but at least she was actually bothering to follow along and participate.

unlike some people...

as she stretches, she turns slightly and there was ricky, sitting in the back as per usual, tucked in the corner by the door and staring at his book. that was actually probably the most unusual thing about the scene, he usually doesn't even bother to pretend he cares.

but as she totally is not staring at him, his ego is big enough as it stands, that's when she realizes he's reading something else entirely. no wonder he actually looked invested in the words on the page.

unless he had his phone hidden between the pages, that sounds more like the ricky she knew. but then that theory goes out the window when she sees him turn the page, no excess maneuvering that he'd need to hide a cell phone and look like he's reading.

as far as she's concerned, it's a wonder he's even in this class. ap literature didn't seem like his cup of tea, and yet there he sits, doing anything other than paying attention as they go around taking turns reading the passages aloud.

but as she returns to following along in her book, nini eventually gets called on herself. she'll have to talk to gina about not picking her later, they're supposed to be friends! well- she supposes that's exactly why gina picked her. but nini still doesn't like to read aloud.

as she gets through her portion, mr. price looks at her, calling the class's attention properly and bringing everyone's eyes onto her. nini likes attention, but not like this. not pressure.

"excellent job as always miss salazar-roberts. i'll have you leave it there, and then who would you like to read next?"

she eyes ricky, sitting there reading his book as though nothing else is going on around him, and frankly, she's not even sure if he has a copy of the play on his desk anywhere.

nini turns back to the teacher after giving a quick glance around the room, coy smile on her face as she looks up.

"popcorn, ricky."

"very well. mr. bowen? just go through mercutio's speech if you would? i believe that would be quite enough."

that was the most perfect sort of coincidence she could ask for... not only was he going to have to scramble for the right page, but the absolute length of that monologue...

oh he was in for it... and after what he'd done earlier... he totally deserved this.

her lips curl up as he sits up taller in his chair, and stares her directly in the eyes.

he looks mad, and she'd be biting her lip nervously if she wasn't in such a mood from their previous encounter, now she's just pleased with herself.

but then he starts talking, not giving a single glance to the text (not that it would've helped, given it was a different book) and not dropping her gaze for a second.

it's not even as though she could look away if she wanted to as her jaw drops as though to the floor.

he says every word, verbatim like he'd studied it for hours.

she checks, too. he's perfect.

no- god no. ricky bowen isn't perfect.

but that speech... mercutio's dream monologue... he's done it perfectly.

she doesn't know if she should be pissed or impressed. or something else... but nini shoves that thought down quickly. he's not the right kind of guy for that, for her. though maybe he'd be the exactly right kind of guy for that...