folded | rini

📖 mutiny (part 1) 📖

conflict was inevitable, the way things were going.

nini knows it better than anyone as lily grabs yet another color of lipstick from a shoebox she's got stashed under her bed.

it was friday evening, and as she feels the metal zipper of her skirt nip at the skin of her hip, nini's nervous about more than just the unfamiliar attire.

she feels somehow like she has something to prove tonight. nini is incredibly familiar with being under pressure, particularly with her schoolwork, but that was a weird feeling to be going into a social event with.

ashlyn had said this was going to be more chill, but nini was definitely not chill.

in fairness, the frantic energy of the blonde girl darting around her bedroom doesn't help. posters from old magazines and collages of various cast photos, tickets, and programs from shows she's been in or attended, a lot of these familiar to nini, adorn the walls. it's all cluttered without looking messy.

that's an awful lot like lily she supposes, messy without looking like a mess.

nini's never particularly envied this girl, but with the way lily had steered her past the living room with a quickness when nini came in the front door, nini felt all the less keen on her life. because it certainly didn't seem like nini was what lily was ashamed of in those moments.

"okay so- i think i've settled on my lipstick, do you want something to drink? it's better to get started before the party usually. show up feeling good and all."

lily offers, and after considering it, nini nods.

"okay sure. i'll have one drink." but she pauses as she gets up and lily's already started for the door. "wait- if we're both drinking how are we getting to ej's house?" she realizes.

"ricky's picking us up." lily chirps, making her way out into the hallway again without glancing back to see if nini's following her.

instead of going to the kitchen though like nini had expected, lily grabs a key out of a hall cabinet and turns towards what looked like another bedroom, and as she unlocks and opens that door, it definitely is a teenage girl's room.

as lily gestures nini ahead through the door, nini looks around and this room is so different yet so much the same as lily's. instead of all the theatre stuff there were trophies and sashes and tiaras displayed on practically every surface, and nini's not sure how someone wouldn't feel trapped by all of it.

"it's my sister ivy's room. my parents are lds so there's no alcohol allowed in the house. their perfect little pageant queen daughter is 21 now though so... what they pretend not to know can't hurt them."

she rolls her eyes at the mere thought of her supposedly perfect sister, but nini's left with more questions rather than less as lily goes to open the closet doors, flipping past dresses until she reaches for a cabinet, pulling out a bottle.

"how do you feel about vodka? i'm awful with tequila but our options are pretty limited so it's totally your call."

nini clearly looks out of her depth, and in fairness she is, so when she finally is able to answer, lily smiles with a warmth to it nini wasn't expecting.

"i- i don't really know what i like or not. i haven't exactly done this a lot."

"that's totally understandable. i mean you're always so busy with school stuff... why don't we do a vodka cranberry then, we should have cranberry juice in the fridge. that should go down easier."

nini just nods. "okay. i'll try that."

"i'm not pressuring you am i?" lily's attitude seems to shift as she asks the question. "you don't have to drink if you don't want to. i will not take it personally."