ricky and nini's realizations

chapter 56

nini's pov

the following morning i wake up before ricky. i don't move as i lay there feeling his slow and steady breathing that i last remember to be shallow gasps for air through his tears. i relax into my bed just watching him in this peaceful state. his chocolate brown curls catch my attention absentmindedly bringing my hand up to run my fingers through them. he breathes out in his sleep twisting his body where his hand lands on my lower back just barely grazing my butt. i smile to myself at his deep sleep state that still reacts to my touch. i lay there as the time passes waiting for his eyes to open. in the meantime closing my own eyes against him while cuddling into the comfort of his body. my eyes open when i feel him move. his eyes meet mine with a tired smile. my hand never left his hair to which i begin moving his curls around again, "how'd you sleep," i ask. he digs his head deeper into the pillow. "really good," he says while pulling on my waist. i giggle stretching my neck out to kiss his cheek. his eyes open as a big grins appears on his face as soon as i pull away. he snakes the arm he's laying on underneath my torso and pulls me flush against him. "we gotta get ready for school ya know," i acknowledge the time. "what's school?" he sarcastically replies. i turn my head that's already practically on his shoulder to kiss his cheek once again. "c'mon let's go," i state pushing away from him to get changed for school, but it's no use as his arms hug me tighter. "we gotta get up ricky. we've only got like twenty five minutes before we need to go," i say hoping to rush him along. "five more minutes then," he makes a deal that i'm not gonna win. i don't say anything as i untense my body. the five minutes pass quickly with ricky as we lay together. i go straight to my bathroom to freshen up and as i exit ricky enters to do the same. i change quickly enough then sling my bag over my shoulder. i stand at my bedroom door waiting for him as he goes to grab his phone that was lost in my tangled up comforter. "got it," he says holding it up before sliding it into his pocket. "k let's go," i say with a smile. we both grab something random from the pantry for breakfast. i end up with a granola bar while ricky pokes around thinking about all of his food options. "ricky we gotta go, so we have time to go by your house for your book bag and you still gotta change clothes." i go stand by the front door as i watch ricky in the kitchen picking through the shelves of the pantry. "i'll pick something for you if you don't pick something in the next minute," i warn sounding like a mom. he finally grabbed something and followed me out the door. once in the car, we drive just down the street to ricky's house as he grips my thigh. when i park in his driveway, he speaks while opening the door to get out, "i'll be quick." at this point, we were in no rush and had plenty of time before we would need to worry about being late, so i knew that he said this because he didn't want to be in there any longer than he needed to be.

ricky's pov

when i get inside, the house is completely silent. i tip toe up to my room in hopes of not running into my mom that way i can hurry up out of here. i see my chromebook on the end of my bed and shove it into my book bag. then i put on my most worn jeans and throw on one of my crew necks making it quick and easy. as i'm shuffling down the stairs my dad comes into view, "i thought i heard you." "i had to get my bag. bye dad." "hold on a minute," he says to stop me from leaving. i worry that the longer i have to talk to him the more noticeable it'll be that i'm here and my mom will start something as i'm trying to get out of here. "your mom left in the middle of the night last night going back to chicago," he looks like he has more to say, but stops. "well i'm not exactly surprised," i state gripping the shoulder of my book bag tighter. "i've gotta get to school dad. nini's outside waiting. "okay. have a good day," he tells me. "bye dad. love you," i say because i felt like it needed to be said in this short moment. my body relaxes hearing that my mom is gone, but in the past every time she left it would hurt more and more. i guess a lot has changed unfortunately. the tension that left my body began to creep back as i'm opening the front door, "oh and rick. you need to come home right after school," i give him a confused look asking why. "we need to talk about your mom," he tells me. we've never really talked about her in a serious talk and i have a really bad gut feeling about this.