the flaw in being perfect - rini au

forty one

When Nini has to go out on the track for sidelines, she plasters her perfect fake smile back on her face, ready to go back to pretending.

She's gotten really good at pretending.

The first half of the game goes well, the East High Leopards up 19-14, having scored 3 touchdowns and one of their field goal kicks, while the West High Knights scored 2 touchdowns and both of their field goal kicks.

Halftime goes by quickly, with the Leopards' cheer team hitting every stunt cleanly and their tumbling passes only having one slip up. You could say Gina was pleased.

Nini lets Coach Jen do the post-halftime speech, knowing she doesn't have it in her to be that ecstatic.

Soon enough, the game is over and the Leopards have won.

Ricky is bursting with happiness that his team has won, high fiving all his teammates and smiling ear to ear.

Nini feels a tear fall down her cheek, wiping it away quickly, glueing her smile back on.

"Hey, I have to head home. My foster mom doesn't want me to eat dinner too late."

"Lame. Bye," Gina dismisses.

Nini slips out and drives home, going straight to her room.

Meanwhile, Ricky is elated. His dad is smiling when he sees him. He can't remember the last time his dad smiled that big.

"You did so well, Rick!" Mike pulls Ricky in for a hug. "Wanna go get some pizza?"

Ricky's smile grows, if that's even possible. "Yeah."

And so, Ricky spent the night stuffing himself and chatting with his dad while Nini spent it alone, laying in a dark room she shares with her foster sister, listening to her stomach growl and knowing she deserves the pain she's feeling.

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ummm i'm gonna just yeeT out of here because idk what to say but like ,,, yell at me if you want 🥰

-jenna