Meeting Me Halfway (HSMTMTS Fanfiction)

Chapter 22

Nini
After the breakfast I had no clue was even set, I get ready for the day. Ricky and I were put into a group chat in the middle of the night and it was just when we were eating that we noticed we were in it. We texted and decided to meet up around 3, (before the rehearsals) and eat lunch so that we could all have some sort of energy to deal with the teens.
  Beyond that, Ricky and I, have been cool. We've just been watching TV. Well, I have been watching TV, Ricky however, has been drinking something out of his mug and reading some sort of book that somehow managed to catch his attention since I've only recently seen him read. Every now and then, he would take a glance at me, but I wouldn't say anything.
  This has been going on for an hour or two. I'd check my phone every now and then but my eyes would focus onto "Friends" which was playing on the screen. I have absolutely no clue how Ricky hasn't finished the book yet. He's been reading that thing since last week and I'm getting concerned with his ability to read.
   "Do you want to go do something?" I say all of a sudden, grabbing the remote. "Or do you just want to stay here and just rest for a bit?"
  He lifts his head and cocks it as if he was a dog who heard fireworks.
"What?" I question, mocking him. "Is there something wrong with that sentence or...is there something on my face? What is it?"
  "No no, I-..From your thought yesterday, I just supposed..you wanted to stay in today?" He says, closing his book harshly.
  "My thought? What ar...what are you talking about?" I turn off the TV.
   He stands up and placed his book on the small table beside him.
  "Never mind, sorry. Where do you want to go?" He takes the remote off the couch and puts it next to his book. "We can..I don't know? Wait, I remember that there's a quarter arcade around the corner. Remember it?"
   "Ricky I-"
   "If you don't want to go there, we can go on a walk or.."
   "Ricky I ju-"
   "There's a rock climbing place somewhere around here I'm sure.."
   How the hell does he know where these things are?
  "Okay Ricky hear m-"
  "We could even go to the mall! We haven't been to the mall in forever. God I miss those times."
  I sit up and grab his arm, taking him to a halt.
"Ricky. Just..chill out. Please? What do you mean by my thought?" I ask, letting go off his arm.
  "I just. I want to know." He replies, taking his mug off the table.
  "Know what?"
  "Why you thought I was going to hit you!" He answers frustrated. I didn't know it was that serious to him.
  "What? Ricky what are you talking about?"
  "Last night? When we got back here? I lifted my hand up a-and you flinched and ducked as if I was going to hurt you!"
   How does he remember that?!
  "I- Ricky. It's not that big of a deal. It's not something you should be so mad about."
  "I'm not mad Nini. I'm concerned. Do I scare you? If it was about that Hunter kid, trust me. I wouldn't normally just do that but the way he was talking, I couldn't help it."
  "No. What!? Thats not why I did that!"
  "Okay then what was!?"
This..escalated quickly. I don't get why he..why he's just so nosy and frustrated about this. I try to steady my shaky voice that I didn't even know was shaky.
  "I just did that Ricky I don't know. It's a god damn reflex."
  He lifts both of his hands up, even the one with the mug, and scoffs at my response. I'm offended, but that wasn't my worry.
  "Reflex to what? Me? What am I going to possibly do to you?! Nini you don't have to be afraid of me!"
  "I'm not afraid of you. At this moment, I'm concerned about you!" I notice his grip loosens from the mug, but it still manages to stay in his hand.
  "Why are you concerned about me?! It should be the opposite! Your the one that looks like your about to go hide in a corner!" He keeps using his hands to signal how he feels, the mug along with it.
  "I just want to know why! Why are you flinching?!" He is starting to scare me. I don't get why he is going crazy over the little things
  When I don't respond, he scoffs and snorts out a laugh of annoyance.
  "So what your just not going to respond? Huh? I'd like a GOD DAMN ANSWER!" It was the last straw. The sentence. I'm afraid of what he could do with that mug, causing me to flinch from his voice that I didn't know could even be that terrifying.
  "Ricky. Can you just put down the mug? Your...your scaring me."
  "Oh. So your scared of me? NOW? Now you admit it?!" He continues to move his mug like it was nothing.
  "Ricky stop it! We can talk about it. Can you just calm down and put down the mug!?"
  "Really?! The mug!? That's your fucking worry right now?!" His eyes are red. Not once have I seen him the way he is now.
  "Yes! It is! I don't know what you could do with it for fucks sakes!" I shout, throwing my arms up in the air.
  "Do with it? Like this!?" He lifts his hand and roughly throws down the mug, shattering into a million pieces on the floor.
"RICKY!" I shout, as I flinch and back away from the shattered mess. I remove my arms away from my head and look at the broken pieces that made a dent on the polished, wooden floor. "WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU!?" I shout, with all the might I had in my body.
  It wasn't until the smell came in, causing me to lower myself on the ground.
  "Back away from it Nini! Be lucky I didn't throw it at you for fucks sakes. Don't fucking get on my nerves.."
  "It's alcohol..." I say quietly to myself. I slowly push myself up from the soaking wet ground and do nothing but look at the drunken monster I called my friend. "W-why are you drinking.."
   "What the fuck are you talking about?!" He questions dumbfounded.
   "Why are you drinking!? Your fucking 19 and it's 9 in the morning! What reason do you have to DRINK HERE?!" My body involuntarily shakes. I can't do this again.
  "I'm drinking because I'M FUCKED UP. You, those kids..they just fucking push me to my limits!" Ricky? Drinking? Because of me? Because of a 15 year old?
  "I..I gotta clean this up.." I say quietly, my eyes tearing up.
  "Don't touch it!" He shouts, causing me to go mental.
  "THEN WHO WILL?!" I question loudly. "I KNOW FOR SURE THAT YOU WONT TOUCH IT. YOUR TOO FUCKING DRUNK AND CANT DO IT WITHOUT CUTTING YOURSELF FOR ALL I KNOW!"
  "Don't raises your voice at me. I'm not that drunk and I think I can clean up after myself!"
  "NO! No.." I calm myself. "I've seen you go up at least FIVE times to go refill the cup that's now smashed into a million pieces on the ground."
  If I had only noticed. If I had stopped him. Even if I didn't say anything. Why the FUCK are these guys in my life?! I start walking towards the kitchen to grab a broom, but the angry footsteps trailing behind me cause me to turn around, hoping he isn't as drunk as I said he is.
  "I can clean it up! When I tell you to not touch it I-"
  "You what!? You don't FUCKING own me. Hell, I didn't even know you had this side to you! I don't know how this escalated so damn quickly or..or why your drinking! I don't! God I wish I found some sort of way to keep you out of my life!" I regret saying the last part. I don't know the possible reactions that could come out of his drunken self.
  "Is that so?" He asks, voice calmed but I could tell he was offended. "Then you can leave. I paid for this house and you can go ahead and leave it!"
  The veins popping out of his neck tell me not to argue back.
"If that's what you want.." I say, as a tear drop falls slowly down my face. I grab my phone off the dining room table and make my way to the door. "You need help. Seriously. You don't just..get drunk in the morning a-and take your frustration out on me. That's not how it goes."
  My voice is still shaky. I need to get out of here.
  "Your crazy.." he scoffs.
  "Your FUCKING delusional!" I shout back, opening the door.
  "Don't even think about taking the truck!"
   "IM WALKING!" I yell behind me as I slams the door close.
  I take a couple of steps out before resembling the area. Reaching where I think is far enough, I take out the only contact I still personally have in my phone and click call.
  "Hey.." I say, trying to calm myself. "Can I come over?"

   Shit got real fast😂
Im going back to my normal schedule until I say so. Sorry I made you guy's wait! Can't wait to hear your reactions!

Shoutout to:
@ShelbyTulowitzky
For saving my story into her library!
(Yes, I shoutout everyone😂 I'm just so thankful for you guys!)

Word count: 1642