can't blame a girl for trying | a rini au

6. (Passed the First Test)

It's as she's leaving the school that she sees Ricky again, skateboarding down the sidewalk just as he was before. The window is rolled down as she stops carefully at the stop sign, calling after him.

--

"Fancy seeing you here!" Nina shouts over with a laugh.

"Ah, seems we meet again." The boy chuckles, stopping and scooping up his board to walk a bit closer so they can converse once more, this time without the anger.

"And you somehow didn't run away from me after yesterday..." Nina teases, shaking her head as she watches him approach her. "Can I give you a ride this time? I really feel like I owe you..."

He stands there for a moment, and while he's not exactly sure why he agrees, he does so this time. "You know what, why not."

With that, he opens her passenger side door and hops in, setting his backpack in the backseat and the skateboard on the floor. Ricky is a bit cautious, not wanting to mess up her very clean car, and her eyes on him, hopefully more curious than judgmental, definitely don't go unnoticed by the teen.

Nina glances in her rearview mirror briefly as she hears the seatbelt click. "Listen, I don't know what your plans are, but if you have time, I kind of have been craving milkshakes... Mama D is working late tonight so we're not doing family dinner. And well, like I said, I kind of owe you."

Family dinner, something she will dread and something that he will crave more often than he'd like to admit nowadays. Eating takeout with his dad wasn't the same.

"Milkshakes huh? I could go for a milkshake... You promise you won't wreck the car with me in it?" He'll tease her about it, but it's just a joke now, he's not particularly afraid of her actually wrecking. "Plus I have a feeling I need to learn more of the cool spots in this town."

"Oh you wanted to go some place cool? Ah, sorry skater boy, we're going to the diner..." She runs a hand through her hair before finally turning out onto the street, heading out with this quasi-stranger in her passenger seat.

Though he sends a quick text to his dad, letting him know what he's doing, Ricky is oddly focused on Nina as they drive together. She is a good driver, even if he won't be telling her as much.

"So, what's the deal with this diner? Back home I'd normally go to in-n-out if I wanted a milkshake." He asks, trying to make conversation even as he fiddles with the bracelet on his left wrist.

"Oh it's the best place in town if you want something sweet. Or shepherds pie. Donna makes the actual best shepherds pie you have ever had and will ever have. My moms will tell you not to try it without Salabat though. It makes it like 10 times better."

"Got it... seems maybe we'll have to come back and have the shepherds pie sometime, with Salabat. Can't go making your moms mad before I've even met them. Though I can't say I'd ever heard of it." He admits, waiting for her explanation. Maybe he's being a bit forward, assuming he's ever going to meet her moms, and assuming they'll be going out to eat like this again, but he hopes she doesn't notice any of that.

"It's Filipino ginger tea basically. With sugar, I'll be honest, I don't drink anything unsweetened."

"Got it, that does sound good. The ginger is probably the perfect contrast to all that potato. I think I'll probably stick to french fries and ice cream tonight though."

"It's completely perfect. Though most things Mama D suggests food-wise are. My Lola taught her so many family recipes, and she's teaching me." Nina's not sure why she offers the information about her family so willingly, but if she's sharing her diner with him, she may as well open up more.