❝We've dated the same guy...here are some chocolates?❞
GINA PORTER x NINI SALAZAR-ROBERTS.
FUTURE ALTERNATE UNIVERSE (POST CANON).
W/ HSMTMTS S1-2 CANON.
HSM: THE SERIES FANFIC.
EXTENDED DESC INSIDE.
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Gina arrived at Publik Coffee a few minutes late, she'd taken extra time to add final touches to her hair and she was just about to leave when Ashlyn needed her help reaching her cosplay sword on the top shelf. Big Red hadn't been able to help. Then, he'd lost his Slices shirt in the wash and they spent twenty minutes looking for laundry━which Gina found tucked under the couch, somehow.
"Gina!" A girl with brown curls that cascaded down past her shoulders, wearing a polka dot sweater over a blue shirt called to her. She waved with one hand, a coffee cup in her other, sat at a table for two with nothing on it except another cup.
"Hi, Nini!" Gina chirped, sliding into the table, sitting opposite her. She dropped a giant book, making the metal table wobble.
Gina smiled at Nini, eager to please, brown eyes sparkling and curls bouncing as she tucked her glittery backpack beside her. Nini thought about what Gina would look like walking in, probably not as excited to see her as she was, but she was smiling ear to ear.
"I got your order," Nini pushed a steaming cup of pumpkin-spiced latte towards her. Arriving an hour early, she had plenty of time on her hands to think about what she would do when Gina arrived.
"Aw, thank you!" Gina accepted it, smiling. "Sorry, I'm late. I wanted to get here sooner but there was this whole thing with Ashlyn then Big Red, and I needed to grab this━"
"It's cool. I haven't been waiting for that long."
"Great!" Gina's eyes lit up as she opened the big book on the table, grinning loudly. "I went through the folder you gave me from Guiterrez like you said to see if I had any ideas. And, I had a few..."
"A few?! Gina, it looks like you've planned the whole thing. Seriously, I can't let you do this..." Nini shook her head. "It's too much...I mean you're dealing with a lot, and no━I can't. You shouldn't do this because of the chocolates━"
"Stop it, Nini," Gina laughed. "Do you think I'm doing this because of chocolates? Don't get me wrong, I love chocolate but...I want to help you. I am going to be the best co-organizer you've ever seen. Besides, trust me, I need this..."
Nini knew that Gina also wasn't the best at doing 'co-stuff' with people, but she was doing this with her anyway. And, it made her all the more thankful, and she kept smiling ear to ear. She burst into an unnatural fit of coughs, trying to distract from the fact she was staring. Gina, luckily, didn't notice and turned her attention back to the large scrapbook.
"So in here, I've got floral arrangements and decoration ideas..." Gina's eyes twinkled as she pointed to the pictures. "I think having the traditional stuff is great but it's pretty dated so I thought we could use a little more modern stuff..."
Gina had planned the whole thing. She pointed, hurriedly, at pictures of pastel pink flowers and tables covered in red silk. Ideas had poured out of her, and Youtube, all night. She started with the floral arrangements, then spent time on the balloons, cake, invite process, and overall theme.
"This is all great..." Nini smiled through teeth━her cheeks already starting to redden. "But it's a lot. Geez, how much have you planned already?"
"Just the decorations, but I did start thinking about ticketing and a little bit about invitations!" Gina chirped. "I got a bit carried away. I get over-ambitious with everything, I guess..."
"I guess it runs in the family," Nini blurted, covering her mouth with her hand. "I'm, sorry."
"No. Is the whole thing with my brother getting too much? Is Jamie being a jerk? Tell him I'll kick him in the knees if he's being a jerk."
"No, Jamie's the best. The best, as always. I was joking..." She felt her heartbeat rise. Gina's eyes still searched for a real answer, so she added, "It's nothing...let's move on━we should talk about the dance."
"But━"
"Hmm." Nini pulled Gina's scrapbook towards her. "This all looks so great but maybe we should start with getting a venue before dive into all the decorating. And, um, the price of the tickets?"
"I think we should set them at around four dollars. We don't usually have a winter formal this big, so I think it's a fair price. But, we'll need to talk to Mr. Mazzara about the budget before making any authoritarian decisions about the price."
They discussed financial matters, agreeing to leave it until later, before moving on to the invitations.
"Yeah, um, I've been meaning to talk to you about this idea I have." Gina's smile grew. "It's a little silly. I mean, you don't have to agree to it━"
"Go on," Nini insisted, a warm expression on her face.
"So, you've heard of a Christmas Tree, of course. But, what about a Valentine Tree?" Gina scrolled through her folder, opening a page with a picture of a white-coated pine tree with decorative hearts hanging from the branches. "It used to be this huge thing at East High to have a tree as one of the staple decorations but I thought we could make it a little more fun."
Gina flicked the page again━an image of a deco heart looped with string, a transparent layer making the words written inside visible: My Love.
Nini chuckled, her heart pounding again, forcing herself to settle down before she asked, "Uh...what's this?"
"It's a design for the hearts I think could go on our tree. I thought if people write their Valentine's names on the heart and hang it up━it's a cutesy romantic thing for couples. I know, blergh. I just thought people would enjoy it━"
"They will," Nini insisted. "This is a great idea, Gina! People can come to the dance, put a heart on the tree...Ooh━it'd be cool if we had a photo booth right next to it!"
"Yes! Then everyone can take photos putting their hearts on the tree."
"Oh my gosh, yes. That sounds like great fun! How the hell did you come with all this?"
"I...when I was a little girl I visited St Valentin, in France with...my, um...with my dad. This was a long time ago, god, I don't remember it all but...I do remember how amazed I was. I look up and I see the most remarkable decorations. Red roses, dazzling lights, gorgeous little hearts...and, it's weird but I can still clearly picture this one guy, emerging from a crowd with a whole marching band playing a song...I don't remember what it was but it definitely sounded romantic. And, it was for this girl...then I realized it was all for her━the decorations...he loved her that much...." Gina snickered, scratching the back of her head. "Sorry, I'm getting carried away..."
Nini cleared her throat before she gave her a gentle smile. Gina had never mentioned her dad before. Nini knew better than to bring it up, but the fact she had shared it with her probably meant something. This was probably information she had disclosed with Ricky before. Something she probably wanted with him, too.
"It sounds beautiful."
"I hope you get that someday," Nini's hand landed on hers, resting on it softly before realization struck, and she brought them back to rest on her coffee cup.
Gina touched her hands, pulling them off her cup and bringing them back to the table so she could squeeze them. "You too."
