Yellow Lights

Chapter 4 : The Talk

"Hey Nini! I'm glad you came." Ricky said
"Hey." Nini replied dryly "What is this about?"
"I was just wondering about us. I wanted to make things right. I want to do right by you. I still love you, and I know you do too. I saw how broken you were at the audition, about not getting the part. I saw it, Ej didn't." Ricky blurted out

"Us? Really? When you were the one who broke up with me? Do you know how devastated I was?!" Nini was now crying, her cries are turning into sobs and it hurts Ricky to see her like that.

Ricky came at her and hugged her tight. He held her on his chest while she was crying uncontrollably.

"I'm sorry Nini. I'm so so sorry. I didn't mean for it to be that way. I didn't break up with you. All I wanted was a pause, but that doesn't mean that I don't love you 'cause I do. I love you, Nini. I still love you, I've always loved you."

Upon hearing that, Nini eventually stopped crying looked up at Ricky and saw it in his eyes, the Ricky that she loved and still loves. And remembers Ej, how he saved her.

"I can't, you know I can't. Even if I wanted to get back with you, I just can't, I'm with Ej now." Nini regrettably told Ricky.

"I know. I know. Just think about it, please." Ricky held her hand and kissed them. And she saw a tear fall from his eyes.

"We better get to rehearsals."Nini told him and took her hand from his.

Nini was confused at how she feels.

--●--

Rehearsals are well underway and everybody is getting ready.
Gina was talking to Ashlyn about what they expect in this coming musical.

"I'm so excited for this one. I wonder how Miss Jenn is going for a modern take on this classic. You know I've watched the 25th anniversary at The Royal Albert Hall and it was glorious! They were soooo good!" Ashlyn gushed about the play.

"Yeah, I've watched that too. Ramin and Sierra's chemistry was something. I loved it. They really embodied the Phantom and Christine very well. And you know, you're right, I don't know hoe Miss Jenn is going to give this a modern take, but she said a day before is to trust the process." Gina said.

"I guess you're right." Ashlyn replied.

"Hey you two, I see you're getting close." Ej came in and told both Gina and Ashlyn.

"Oh yeah, Gina's really cool and we got a lot of stuff in common you know." She replied

"Yeah, we've met at the first day of school, she is cool." Ej said but Gina seemed to catch some sarcasm in Ej's words.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Gina retorted, her voice louder than normal.

"Nothing, I just think that you're cool." Ej said dryly.

"I thought you have a problem with me because I got the lead role and not Nini. I saw you the other day frustrated that Nini didn't get the part but if we are going to make this play right, we need to work together." Gina added

"Whatever you say." Ej still not amused

While the two of them were talking, Nini came into the room. Eyes a little puffy from crying and Ricky came two minutes after her. When Ej saw her, he immediately came to her side and put his arms around her. She shrugged him off.

"Hey, you okay?" He asked
"Yeah. Yeah. I'm fine." She replied.
"Are you sure? You don't seem to be." He insisted
"I said I am fine!" She said angrily
"Woah, there's no need to be mad about at me." Ej's brows furrowed.

Nini stormed out of the room much to Ej's surprise, Gina followed a look on them, Ashlyn too.

"That was a little intense wasn't it." Gina told Ashlyn

--●--

At the hallway...

Ej caught up to Nini, he held her arm and she yanked it away from him, hard.

"Hey Nini! Wait a second, tell me what's wrong?"
"Nothing"
"Nothing? It doesn't seem like nothing to me. What is happening, what is wrong with you?" Ej asked, getting a little irritated at how she is acting.

"Ricky." She simply said.
"Ricky? What about him? I thought you guys were over?" Ej now fuming with anger.
Nini didn't reply, 'cause she knows what her answer'll be.
"Answer me. Do you still love him?" Ej asked her seriously
"Answer me, damn it!" He said angrily now.

Nini was startled. Ej was so full of his emotions that he started to tremble.

"I...I...do..." she admitted.

"What?" Ej was devastated.

"I...do"

"If I asked you to choose right now between me and him, who would you choose, answer me, please."

But Ej already knew the answer to that, he just wanted to hear it for himself, to confirm what he has suspected 3 months after they got back from camp.

"Please don't make me do this..." Nini said with tears running down her cheeks

"I know. I already know the answer." Ej muttered. He left.

Nini was left crying down the hallway. Alone. But she knew it was the right thing to do.

Ej walked all the way to the school's rooftop, while he was there, he screamed at the top of his lungs. He was angry. Not with Nini, he was angry at himself for not seeing what his relationship with Nini truly was. He felt stupid. He was there sitting, all alone when all of a sudden, he heard someone at the door...