𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙧𝙩 • 𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘪 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘴

home

[ in which nini comes home to slc disappointed in herself after dropping out of yac ]

nini

i clutch my luggage and get off the bus. right away, the familiar fresh breeze of salt lake city engulfs me in a warm welcome.

i'm home.

but not in the way i wanted to be.

just thinking about it makes me disappointed in myself. one minute i'm high and mighty—"i want to find new shores!" i said. my friends even secretly invited the dean of the youth actors conservatory to our hsm production because little nini was apparently so talented but scared that she wouldn't get into this fancy drama school.

and she did! she got in, made everyone proud, and achieved what she wished for.

only that dream was all an illusion and it wasn't a happily ever after.

so here we are—a few months later and that very same girl is returning to everyone who believed in her as a drop out.

i gave up everything to be in yac. east high. big red's pizza place. the house i've lived in for forever. spending time with my friends. my moms. and even ricky.

thinking about my childhood best friend hurts my heart. to keep it plain and simple, let's just say he finally told me he loved me back in opening night.

and what did i do?

well i kissed him, of course.

but then after it talking out, we both agreed to stay friends because we didn't want distance to ruin us.

back then, i really hated that decision. something in me always told me we could have worked it out. but now i'm a little grateful. if we did date, i would have let him down even further.

i'm back now though and we actually have a shot of being together. but the problem is i'm back as a disappointment and failure.

so much for finding out who i wanna be.

"nini!"

a familiar voice draws my thoughts away, and i look up immediately to see none other than ricky bowen a few yards away.

a smile creeps up on my face as i run towards him and he does the same - and the moment we meet in the middle he engulfs me in a tight hug.

"you're back," he whispers. "i missed you."

"i missed you too, wildcat," i reply with an equal amount of affection. his embrace sends warmth all throughout my body. for a moment i forget all the worries that came with me when i arrived back here...

"you're on your break right? finally, it felt like you've been in yac for years," ricky chuckles as he pulls back.

okay, now that moment of pure bliss is over. how fun!

"you must be hungry, let's go to slices!" he exclaims with childlike enthusiasm shining in his eyes. i smile back at him and take his hand while he grabs my luggage for me.

oh, how am i ever going to tell him?

. . .

"andddd, here you go, pizza for two,"  ricky says as he places a big plate of pizza on the middle of the table. "left half is pesto - your favorite - and right half is hawaiian, for me!"