𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙧𝙩 • 𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘪 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘴

sensitive

[ let's just say episode 3 and 4 take a sliiiightly different route in this one shot ]

“sorry, it's just...there are some things i tell you that i don't really tell anyone else,” gina nervously said as she awkwardly waved her hands around and clasped them together.

ricky eyed her warily and couldn't help but feel uncomfortable because of the tension between them. he didn't know how to feel about the girl in front of him. they were friends. they were never anything more than that. but ever since he and nini got back together, things felt different. it was like both of them were keeping something inside, as if something was left unspoken. they just pretended not to notice it.

the boy looked down in deep thought. “yeah i..., i think...” he looked up at her with sincerity. “we do that for each other.”

he takes a step forward—but at that very moment his phone rang.

“oh, sorry,” ricky reacted as he checked who was calling him. his face suddenly lit up at the name on his screen. “it's nini!”

“oh,” gina blurted out. she immediately gave him a small smile as he answered the call right then and there and nini appeared on his phone.

“ricky! i'm really sorry but—”

nini stopped herself when she saw gina in the corner of her screen. she had nothing against the girl—sure, they started out on the wrong foot but they've moved on from all that. it's just...she didn't expect the former rival to be alone with ricky. in his new apartment. the one she didn't know he moved into until today. on valentine's day.

ricky looked back at gina and gestured her to come closer and say a quick hello to his girlfriend.

“hey nini!” gina exclaimed, walking over to stand beside the curly-head boy. they were close enough to the point that the sides of their faces made slight contact every so often. “just came to talk to ricky about something. how are you?”

“g-great!” the girl in the hospital stuttered in reply. “what a coincidence, i also called to talk to ricky about something.”

both girls awkwardly laughed. ricky mentally slapped himself for the situation he created. now the tension was a bit more unbearable.

“are we still seeing each other later or...?”

“right, that was what i wanted to talk to you about,” nini said, relieved that the subject of the conversation was changed. “mama carol might have broken an ankle, and i love my mom, but she's being a big baby about it. i have to be a good daughter and stay here, you know? i'm sorry.”

gina stepped back a bit, feeling like a third wheel. this whole situation killed her inside. she felt like she was intruding on the couple's privacy, but at the same time a part of her is happy to know that she's the one beside ricky right now. not nini.

she shook the thought away in guilt. she had to remember: at the end of the day, she was just playing a supporting role in ricky's life. it hurt, but it was the truth. and she knew that.

meanwhile, ricky was too distracted to notice gina going through an internal conflict. he frowned at his screen for a moment, then masked his disappointment with a smile. “that's alright. i understand.”

nini could tell he wasn't actually happy, but she decided to ignore that little detail. “thanks! i'll call you later. i love you, bye!” she blew him a kiss and ended the call.

ricky sighed as he put down his phone. he stood there as if still processing that he wouldn't be seeing nini any time soon.

“so...”