the flaw in being perfect - rini au

forty eight

"Have you heard?" Red asks quietly as he approaches Ashlyn.

"It's kind of hard not to," Ashlyn grumbles.

"Is any of it true?" Red questions concernedly.

"Red, I don't do drugs." Ashlyn glares at him.

"That's not what I meant. I'm asking if Nini overdosed and that's why she was sent to rehab."

"No, she didn't." Ashlyn answers pointedly.

Kourtney sees Ashlyn and heads over to her.

"This is crazy." Kourtney shakes her head. "Are you okay?"

"I just don't know why these rumors are hitting now. Nini's been back for a while."

"Why am I the only one here that doesn't know what happened?" Red complains.

"It's none of your business, Red. If Nini wanted anyone else to know, she'd have told them." Ashlyn clenches her fists. "I don't want to be mad at you, so don't annoy me."

Red holds his hands up in defense. "Hey, I'm just out of the loop, here! I'll stop."

Ashlyn turns back to Kourtney. "Do we know where Nini is? Has she heard about this?"

"No idea." Kourtney grimaces.

"Have you texted her?" Ashlyn asks.

"We're still sort of not speaking," Kourtney timidly admits.

"Well, now sounds like a pretty good time to mend that." Ashlyn motions to Kourtney's phone in her hand.

"Right," Kourtney realizes, typing out a message on her phone.

where are you?

"What did you say?" Red asks.

"You've got a lot of questions built up in you," Kourtney tells him before showing him and Ashlyn her phone.

"That's it?" Red makes a face.

"Red, if you're not going to be supportive right now, you don't need to be here." Ashlyn deadpans before turning to Kourtney. "That was a good start."

Kourtney lets out a breath she'd been holding. "This all feels so intense."

"It reminds me of the climax of a movie," Red compares. "Right after everything is going well and it all crashes super fast."

Kourtney can't help but laugh at that, causing Ashlyn to loosen up a little.

Ashlyn shakes her head, trying not to show her amusement. "Unfortunately, Red, this is real life."

The three remain silent for a moment, up until Kourtney's phone dings.

Nini
bathroom by the library

Kourtney looks up. "I have to go."

"Yeah, go, go. We're good here," Ashlyn encourages her.

Kourtney rushes off to the bathroom Nini said she was in.

"Ni?" Kourt calls.

A stall door opens, and Kourtney's attention is drawn to a very distraught Nini.

"I'm sorry," Nini quivers.

Kourtney rushes forward to hug her best friend. "There's no need to be."

"Every time I make a mess, you get dragged into it, and that's not fair for you. I just want you to be happy." Nini's eyes spill hot tears as she gushes.

"You didn't make a mess, Nini."

"My whole life is this giant mess, Kourt. My parents are dead, I'm sick in the head, EJ thinks he can force me to be with him, and everyone thinks I want it. They think I asked to be broken. On top of it all, I fucked up, again. I haven't eaten since Friday, and I don't want to. I can't. I don't deserve to. I don't know how." Nini's voice is coarse from her sobs.

Kourtney doesn't know what to say or do, so she does all she knows how to. She holds Nini tightly. She holds her like she can make up for the time she missed with this one single embrace.

Kourtney knows she couldn't have guessed this would all be happening, but she wishes she could have.

"When is the last time you saw your therapist?" Kourtney finally asks.

Nini shrugs limply, resting her head on Kourtney's shoulder.

"You need to see her. Today, preferably. And you need to try to eat. I know you don't feel like you deserve it, but you do. You deserve to be happy and healthy and motivated. You deserve to have the chance to fully be yourself, and you can't do that when you're weak from skipping meals."

Nini remains laying on Kourtney.

"Let's get out of here and get you some real food," Kourtney decides.

Nini stands up. "What?"

"We're sneaking off campus and having a ditch day. You need it."

"I thought you couldn't have more tardies, let alone absences," Nini mentions, confused.

"I'm sure one day couldn't be too bad."

"You'd do that for me?" Nini asks softly.

"There isn't much I wouldn't do for you, Ni," Kourtney reminds her. "You're my best friend. I want you to be happy."

Nini's eyes start to water again, but this time, in a good way.

"No crying over me, Nina," Kourt warns. "Let's just get out of here."

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I'M SOFT,,, POOR BABY

-jenna