𝐆𝐎𝐎𝐃 𝟒 𝐔 | 𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐢 𝐚𝐮

NINE

the next day, nini choose to have a mental health day, despite the fact that her cheerleaders were having their last full practice before the final on friday night. she instructed gina via text to continue to yell at the team until their routine was in perfect condition. despite the argument that gina through back at nini, telling her is 'wasn't apart of her soul' to yell at them. she did it anyways. 

gina didn't even question the fact that nini was taking a day off school. she knew that her mom's would be a part of the reason and therefore she didn't mention it. nini also knew that gina would pass this message onto her other friends. the girl was extremely grateful for gina in these types of situations, she was comforting but also respectful to the fact that she knew nini was never the type to express her feelings.

nini used to mental health day to sleep in, strum at her guitar, do a face mask and make some food that she usually wouldn't have the time to make. this was the first time she really appreciated having the house to herself. 

it was now late afternoon, nini had called gina for an update on her cheerleading squad, happy to hear that they had nailed their routine, making the girl's day that little bit better. gina also asked the girl how her biology assignment with ricky was coming along. nini had actually not only forgotten about the assignment, but ricky never crossed her mind through-out the whole day. 

on the other hand, ricky was worried about the girl all day. for some reason, he never built up enough courage to text her through-out the whole day, scared what her reply may be. yet somehow, he built up the courage to turn up to her house after practice. 

"richard!" the girl stood at her front door, surprised, in a matching sweat set. "how can i help you on this fine friday afternoon?" the curly-headed boy smiled at the girl as he saw her in a much better mood than she was when she turned up at his house last night.

"just wanted to check on you, i suppose." ricky muttered quietly. nini folded her arms in front of her chest, smirking at the boy that stood in front of her. "don't look at me like that." diverting his eyes to looking at the interior of the house behind her. the small girl opens the rather large door in comparison to her wider, inviting ricky in. "you don't have to invite me in-"

"get in here, bowen." she cuts ricky off before he could babble on any longer. "how was practice?" nini watched ricky dig his hands into his pockets as she softly shuts the door behind him.

"it was good." he replies, dryly. "how was your day?" he bit his bottom lip as he watched the small girl make her way to the very large kitchen. ricky admired the girl from behind. her hair was pulled up into a high pony tail, that drooped slightly due to the hair tie not being tight enough. her feet were covered by her ugg-boots that were making a rather loud sound every time they hit the wood floor. 

"mmm..." she hummed as she stood up on her tippy-toes trying to reach some glasses from the cabinets. "it was nice. i haven't taken a day off school in a while." content and fulfilment radiated  from her tiny-self. every move she took was delicate, she no longer seemed tense. 

"you seem happy." ricky puts it plainly. nini stood at the sink, filling two glasses with water. while, ricky sits at the kitchen island on a stool, his head resting in his hands. his brown curls falling over his forehead. the boys eyes follow nini as she makes her way around the counter, placing the glass of water in front of him. 

nini jumps up onto the marble-top counter, turning so she is facing the sweaty-boy. she pulls her legs up close to her chest. ricky watching every move she makes. 

"i am happy until my moms walk back through that front door." she mumbles. her hands are clasped in front of her legs, so they stay close to her chest. 

"when do you think they will return?" ricky's question earns a sad sigh from the girl. she places her head in the crack of her two legs, gazing into the brown eyes that were in front of her.

"i hope never." her voice cracks. "i love them, but they are making me hate life, ricky." their eyes stay locked on each others. nini's coping mechanism comes out to play as her fingers automatically start fiddling with each other. "i wish i was able to just come home and not be yelled at or i wish i could be bad at something for once and not be told to get better at it otherwise i am a failure."

ricky sits in silence, stunned at what this girl goes through behind the closed doors. "do your friends know about all of this, nini?" she shakes her head, moving her gaze so she now looks down at the counter. 

"only gina," she whispers. "i like that the other three think of me as this put together person who has no problems in her life." 

"nini," disappointment laces through his voice. "everyone has problems in life. it's normal."