𝐆𝐎𝐎𝐃 𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋𝐒 [a rini au]

FIFTY-ONE

East Highland Academy had a different feel to it in December. There were the remnants of a Thanksgiving snowstorm on the ground and subtle Christmas decorations were peppered around campus. When he met the prickly, full wreaths hanging on the front doors of Stoneham, Ricky thought it was a bit too early for the festivities. Nevertheless, the holly that snaked around light posts and Christmas-themed bulletin boards in the lounges were almost more comforting than the thought of finally seeing Nini Salazar-Roberts after two weeks. Almost.

         Ricky was strumming on his guitar in his dorm room, which was now an icebox from the break that he was desperately trying to defrost. He had gotten a lot of inspiration from Nini in more areas than one, but as he hummed along to some lyrics he was constructing over the break, he couldn't help but feel that songwriting was his greatest outlet to convey his feelings for her. "You say you're sorry for crying in front of me, darling," Ricky sang softly as he plucked at the guitar strings despite already deciding that the song fit better with piano. "I say I'm sorry that he made you feel that you should."

         The singer was about to grab his songwriting journal and jot down some chord changes when the knock he was awaiting erupted from his door. Ricky grinned to himself as he propped his guitar against the end of his bed, pulling at the wrinkles in his baseball tee so the always well-dressed girl he anticipated didn't think he was too lazy to put on a nicer shirt. But, when Ricky yanked open the door in hopes to see the bright mocha eyes and pristine middle part he loved, his heart stopped beating.

"You have a minute?"

If Ricky were more physically fit, he would've stopped the intruder from pushing past him and entering the room anyway. Instead, Ricky watched in petrified awe as Charlie Kingston stomped to the middle of the room and turned around with smoke
flying out of his ears. "I don't know who you think you are or what you think you're doing with Nini, but just because she can't see past your facade doesn't mean I can't."

Ricky had no words, his mouth permanently hanging in an o-shape as he proceeded to jump in terror over the sudden automatic slam of the door behind him. Charlie laughed at the action, running a hand through his dark hair. "Don't act so innocent, Ricky. She thinks you're a good boy, but we all know there are no real good boys," he lectured, Ricky trembling in his shoes as he recalled Nini's biggest piece of advice from weeks ago. "You are the reason Nini is sniffing around for shit she doesn't know anything about."

"I–I–she....that's not true," Ricky didn't know how to defend himself, only flimsy, broken up sentences flying from his lips.

"Why can't you just come clean?" Charlie asked, brow knitted cynically. "Not that it would do you any good, considering Carlos is suspended now, but just admit that you kickstarted this stupid Scooby-Doo investigation to bust Carlos for the house so then Nini would think there are other things up with our friend group."