"The stars look beautiful tonight, don't they?" Nini asked that December night.
"Not as beautiful as you," Ricky replied dreamily, his eyes still locked on the woman sitting next to him.
"Have you always been this cheesy?"
"Only for you, darling."
The young man nervously fiddled with the ring in his back pocket given to him by Nini's moms. "Anyway...I thought it would be a good time to do this."
"Do what?" she turned to face him.
"Well..." he began, getting on one knee. "I love you, Nina Salazar-Roberts. I've said it once, I'll never stop saying it, even if it means yelling it from a rooftop. I remember that my parents always told me to marry for love, and only love. I think there was a part of me who always could tell...you were the one, and I wouldn't want to spend my life loving anyone else except you. So...will you marry me?"
Nini turned pale and took a step back. "Ricky...no, I...can't."
He laughed and shook his head in disbelief. "How...why? Have I done something wrong? Just tell me what it is, and I promise, I'll fix it-"
"No, Ricky, it's not you," Nini assured. "It's...I don't know...what...I don't want...you're...anyone else...better...not me...sorry, hold you back, more than this...goodbye...I'm sorry," she said as she let go of his hand and ran away, leaving him there still in incredulity and sorrow.
----
champagne problems played from Ricky's phone as he wiped some tears from his eyes, looking out the window on the night train ride home. He wasn't sure whether he did this to distract himself from the pain or to come back to reality and take it in.
A picture of them was in his hand, and he remembered that bus trip. Looking at her curly handwriting and the heart she insisted on drawing only made his heart ache even more.
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When he got back home to Salt Lake, Ricky unlocked the door of his old apartment, turned on the lights, and walked into something he'd already expected. After all was said and done, he was the one who had told everyone that he was planning to propose.
"SURPRISE!" the entire Salt Lake gang jumped out from behind their chairs when the door opened, champagne bottles and glasses in hand. In some cases, their heads were adorned with the most ridiculous party hats and colored noisemakers in their mouths. Even Nini's moms, Mike, and Lynne, all had their arms out, ready for some bear hugs to congratulate the newly engaged couple. "CONGRATULATIONS!"
The last thing anyone expected to see was a crestfallen Ricky with bloodshot and tear-stained eyes, walking through the door. "I'm sorry to rain on your parade, but..."
Without another word, they all went to embrace him, whispering 'I'm sorrys' and 'she'll come around.' However, Ricky's grandpa had other ideas.
"Called it," he grumbled as he continued to knit...whatever he was knitting. "From the day I met her, I told you it wouldn't last. You really should've listened to me, shouldn't you?"
-----
Nini walked into the ever-so-familiar town of her childhood a year later, feeling like an outsider. After getting hooked up with loves that never lasted, getting on-and-off jobs, maybe it was time to settle back here.
"Oh, she would have made such a lovely bride," some old school friends Nini vaguely knew from high school gossiped as they passed her by. "Their wedding would've been splendid, the best Salt Lake has ever seen."
"Such a shame she's fucked in the head," the second friend shook their head. "They would've made some fine children, just saying. It's good to see he's moving on, though."
Nini's cheeks felt like they were on fire and tears burned the back of her eyes as she realized they were talking about her. Of course, after what she's done, how in the world would she expect a warm welcome home?
-----
"Another champagne, please," Nini said to the bartender. She was...how would Anne Shirley say it? In the depths of despair.
"Nini?" a familiar voice asked next to her. She froze, recognizing it immediately.
"Oh, Ricky," she said weakly. "Fancy seeing you here."
One of the first things she noticed was that there was someone else new on his arm. She looked absolutely gorgeous, with long blonde hair and icy blue eyes. She looked like a princess, straight out of a romance novel.
"Nini, this is Rose, my fiancee. Rose, this is Nini."
The brunette stuck on a smile as she shook Rose's hand. "A pleasure to meet you, Rose."
"You too," the blonde smiled, but unlike Nini's, it was genuine. "Should we order now, darling?" she asked, turning to Ricky.
"You go ahead, love," he grinned and kissed her hand. "I need to talk with Nini for a moment."
When Rose was gone, Ricky and Nini looked at each other. "Ricky, I have to ask, do you love her?"
"I do," he slowly nodded. "More than anything, even life itself."
Nini broke into a grin, even despite her tears that were desperately threatening to spill. "Do you open doors for her, keep your picture together in your wallet, read her Anne of Green Gables on picnics, hold her hand while dancing, sing along to The Greatest Showman every time you watch it?"
"Always."
She laughed. "That's it. That's how I know, that's how you know. You love her. Ricky...the reason I didn't say yes when you asked me...I'm not the person you want, the person you deserve. I am ever so grateful that you got a second chance at love, to fall for someone who deserves you, and that person isn't me since I...we could never make each other happy. I wish you all the best, really. You love her...that's it. That's all that matters."
"Nini-"
"Mind if I cut in?" Rose asked, accidentally ruining the moment.
"Please."
"Ricky, can I have this dance?" she asked, holding out her hand. Of course, Can I Have This Dance from HSM 3 started to play.
"Of course, milady," he smiled. When they made their way onto the dance floor, he mouthed a "thank you" to his old lover from across the room. Nini smiled, although her heart was shattering inside.
You won't remember all my champagne problems...
-----
Some well-deserved angst since...well, I'm going back to school on Tuesday. This book will be coming to an end very soon, but there shall be more.
