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

16. (If I Knew Better)

It's been 2 hours since Nina Salazar-Roberts had meant to fall asleep. She's usually rather good about getting her beauty rest, but tonight it was getting awfully challenging to say the least. It's unclear what exactly prompts her to get out of bed and sit at her vanity, but her eyes scan over the nail polish collection she'd accumulated over the years. Her moms urged her to use things until they were gone, even if they could afford to buy more. So yes, she has lots of half empty bottles in different shades of pinks, purples, greens... But her collection especially features a few bottles in slightly different shades of the signature blue of their school colors. Silver however is the hue that coats her ring finger, it always has, always will. 

She's fiddled the cap off of the remover when she gets a request to FaceTime from none other than Kathryn Bradley. It's not hard for Nina to talk to Kat, or not harder than it's ever been before. It's just a little weird to hear her talk about Ricky is all. Not that she would admit it to her blonde friend, Kat, as draining as her presence can be at times (though this isn't the other's fault, more on her mothers who so enjoy to compare), deserves more than that. Nina knows she's the one who in a way actually set Kathryn up with Ricky, so no- she doesn't need to know about her growing feelings for the male. 

The sound of the ringing is answered and Kat's pretty face appears on her screen, Nina half looking at the blonde and half at her fingers as she starts taking off her nail polish to replace it with some new color. She swears she's going to be as nice as possible, despite the late hour and her growing jealousy over the head cheerleader's relationship with the guy she saw first. She knows it sounds childish, and she has no room to feel this way, but it's still true that the green eyed monster was lurking underneath. 

"Hey Nina!" She's chirpy for 11:00pm, but that was just how Kat Bradley was. Always so cheery, chipper, all of that stuff. Not that Nina didn't know a thing or two about putting on that same front when she needed to. With Kat though- it really didn't feel fake. Nina sometimes wonders if she's as phony as Nina herself, or if the brunette can appear as genuine as the blonde she's supposed to be conversing with... 

"Kat, hi!" She tries to match the energy level, but even so it's likely not going to last. She should be asleep. "What's up that you're calling so late? I feel like unless there's a party you're usually in bed early like me..."

"You're totally totally right Neens, I am very much an early to bed early to rise type of girl. But some things are absolutely worth staying up for!" Clearly, Nini thinks to herself. "Plus I'm honestly too giddy to go to bed yet." There it was... Though she supposed it should be obvious by that smile plastered across her face. 

"Oh? And what has you so excited Kat?" She asks, offering a teasing smile to the other girl, and she's honestly a bit curious. As happy go lucky as the blonde was, the 'too giddy to sleep' thing was far from her usual behavior.

"So- I don't know if he's told anyone yet, but I can't stop thinking about it. I really sorta wanted to tell everyone at practice but since it only literally just happened I thought maybe I should wait until after our date? If that makes sense? Gosh I feel so stupid..." She rambles, hands clasped under her chin as her face turns pink. It's only a brief pause before the confession spills from her lips. "I may or may not have a boyfriend now?" She chirps, eyes wide and smile even wider. "Ricky is the actual best Neens." 

She's just listening casually, rubbing pink polish off of her nails with the acetone and a cotton ball, but when the word date comes out, it peaks her interest. Admittedly, the brunette is glad she'd started paying attention though, given the word boyfriend would've been enough to knock over the bottle if Kat had startled her with it. 

"Katie that's so exciting! I'm so happy for you. You deserve someone who treats you the best. Remember who you are Kathryn Bradley. Being the coolest girl in school means you should have someone who makes you feel like you're happier than ever."