"Do we have to write anything today?" I groan, laying on the floor in the practice room that Ricky and I had reserved for the afternoon. He grins and it's unfamiliar and lovely at the same time. "Princess, you were literally the one ask to meet up to work." I laugh, sitting up and rolling my eyes. "No one can prove that." Ricky smirks and watches me carefully. "My phone can, you texted me." I slap my forehead and Ricky laughs brightly. "We don't have to work if you're not up for it." He says after a second and I take a deep breath. "No it's fine, I'd feel bad, well no I wouldn't because it's you but I'd feel better if we got something out of our meeting." Ricky nods and his smile slips which catches my eye. He turns away quickly though and we're left with more tension. "So uh, should we get started on the second song?" I nod and slip onto the piano bench, warming up my fingers quickly and then scooting over so that he'd have a place to sit. He sits down carefully and rubs the palm of his hands across his pants. "So what's next when it comes to love?" He asks and I bite my lip. "The magic. When it feels like everything in the world is hell, but you've got that one person." I say and Ricky looks at me skeptically. "You've really never been in love?" I shake my head, an involuntary blush spreading across my cheeks. "Those who can't do, teach." Ricky raises an eyebrow. "You can't fall in love?" I shake my head and play with my fingers. "It invites too much attention, too much judgement." Ricky looks fully invested in the conversation, turning on the bench to face me. "From other people? Why would you care what people think of your relationship? Plus, no offense, but I don't think people care enough to talk about that shit." I huff and focus on the wall. "You'd be surprised Bowen, I mean YOU of all people." I say before turning away from his wide, curious eyes. "How's this key?" I say, playing a few chords and cutting through the tension he was emitting from his confusion. "Uh sure, I guess. What the fuck did you mean princess?" I shake my head and focus even harder on the piano. "Not important." I don't turn to see the sadness or the confusion in his eyes, but somehow I can sense it and for some reason I care. I shake my head as I get lost in my thoughts. I hate Ricky Bowen, I can't care.
"Hey baby how's college?" I grin as the FaceTime screen connects, revealing my two moms cuddled up on the couch with mugs in their hands. My heart pings in sadness and homesickness and all I wanted was a bit of positivity after my day with Bowen. "I miss you moms." I admit and they give me gentle smiles, ones that made me feel right at home even though we were so far away. "We're always just a call away baby. Are you okay? Was your day bad?" I'm asked and I sigh, nodding a little and curling into my desk chair. "You know Ricky? I told you that we're partners for class and that's all we are, well were, but now things have started to change between us and I'm not ready for it. His words are still right there in the back of my mind. If I let him in... it just wouldn't be good." My Momma C frowns, nodding slightly. "Do you like him?" I laugh in disbelief and shake my head but feel myself stop as the gravity of her question hits me. The hangouts, the deliberate hand holding, the massaging moment in the practice room a few days ago... did I? But I couldn't, because he was Ricky Bowen and I swore to hate him until the day I died. "Baby, we can tell there's something. My Nina, don't hate him on our account. Don't, because your heart is going to hurt so much." My Momma D says gently and I sit back, breathing out gently. "There's a lot I have to think about." I admit and I see my moms nod. What I don't see (well fully at least) is a body out of the corner of my eyes, dash away from my slightly ajar dorm room door that I had left open for a bit of fresh air and for the arrival of Kourtney. That was strange, to say the least.
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Here's a short little chapter for you as we start to build up the plot line! Much longer chapters to come, but enjoy for now. ❤️
YOU ARE READING
A Change of Plans
RomanceNini Salazar-Roberts has hated Ricky Bowen since the day he stepped into her Intro to Songwriting class at UCLA. That's that, and that'll never change. Until it does.
