𝐑𝐄𝐖𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐒 [a rini au]

thirteen

nina wasn't sure why she was compelled to bring ricky to her high school. she defended herself by referencing its use in the high school musical trilogy and ricky seemed to buy it, but she wasn't satisfied with that explanation. he got a kick out of her tour, though. since they couldn't go inside, she walked him around the campus and let him take as many pictures as he wanted. she didn't know why he was so intrigued by the school, but she let it go. she also drove him by her favorite ice cream shop, a café she frequented to do homework, and a park that her and her friends liked to visit. ricky was attentive, soaking in every description and fact that she spewed.

it was around 12:15 am when nina drove into the park's lot, pulling her parking break and unstrapping. she crossed her legs in her seat while she faced ricky, back leaning against her door. "so, hollywood," nina began. "what do you think?"

ricky rested an elbow on his door side, taking in the dark scenery. "definitely not what i expected," he admitted, looking at nina, "but you're a good tour guide. seems like you've got a pretty cool life here."

nina shrugged lightly, knowing that assumption was false. "it looks that way."

there was a moment of silence before nina brought up the obscurities in their circumstances. "i just wanna know," she started, ricky gazing at her perceptively. "why did you think you could just walk into the diner and pull me from my job?"

hearing her say that out loud made ricky realize just how strange his approach was earlier that night. his lips wiggled as he tried to formulate a response. "i don't know, really," he eventually spit out. "i guess i sometimes forget that not everyone can do things at someone's beckon call."

"you forget that not everyone is of your status, you mean?" nina reworded his statement, wishing he would just be a little more blunt. "that you're special?"

"i am not," he lied, nina giving him a skeptical look in return. "i'm sorry i put you in a weird spot. i shouldn't have expected you to just drop everything."

nina's smile twitched, unsure if that apology was valid. "it really doesn't matter," she stated, "but i just figured i'd call you out, considering i'm not your fan or anything."

ricky was a little hurt by nina's claim. he knew that she was unaware of his stardom at first, but he also thought maybe he made an impact on her. "right," he sighed. "you're not my fan."

nina noticed his minimal disappointment. "that wasn't supposed to be mean," she ensured. "i meant that maybe you have people sucking up to you a lot. i don't see the point in not being real with you if i'll never see you again."

when she saw the light in ricky's eyes go out, the girl bit her tongue. "you don't want to see me again?" he solemnly asked.

nina pursed her lips in thought. "well, are you saying you want to see me again?"

"would it be weird if i said i did?"

they both stared at each other, ricky astonished by what he said and nina equally as amazed to hear it. nina hugged her knees to her chest, genuinely surprised that he was showing further interest in her; she wasn't used to such a thing. "um, it's, uh, not weird at all," she fumbled over her words. "i just don't want you to say something you can't follow through with."

ricky nodded, understanding and admiring nina's realism. he began to fish for his phone in the seat. once he retrieved it and entered his passcode, ricky held the iphone across the console, waving it in front of nina. "how about i get your number and we can see about that?"

nina's eyes fluttered between his small smile and his unlocked phone. she took it from him slowly, grin forming. "okay, hollywood. i'll take you up on that."

"are you planning on ditching that nickname anytime soon?"