𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐄 𝐀𝐅𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐘𝐎𝐔 [a rini au]

- TWELVE!

the release of nini's debut ep was quickly approaching, causing the girl to be in meetings twenty-four seven. she had been at the studio late one night–the monday before the ep's friday release–when she found herself fumbling in her tote bag for her phone after hearing its muffled ring. she assumed it was an eager margo calling, about to pry nini for what she wanted for dinner. however, once nini looked at the caller id, she realized it was a number which she did not recognize. her mind went immediately to one place, but she answered while holding her breath as if that would somehow make her theory come true. "hello?"

"hey, nini! it's ricky."

nini let out an inaudible sigh of relief as she slung her tote back over her shoulder and made her way to the elevator. "hi, ricky," she greeted the boy who sounded awfully joyful on the other line. "how are you?"

"i'm well, thanks," she could hear his smile. "let me preface by saying i have been meaning to text you for the past couple of days, but i couldn't find the correct words. i figured i could only do this right if i called."

"do what right?" nini wondered aloud, cursing herself for not locking her curiosity inside her head.

ricky didn't even pause before answering. "i would like to ask you out on a date."

the ping of the elevator door opening had to pull nini from her trance after hearing the proposition. the girl stepped into the elevator slowly–almost as if she was being watched–while she processed ricky's request. of course she wanted more than anything to go out on a date with the charming singer, but hearing the possibility out loud sent nervous energy coursing through her veins. "i–uh," nini began to blabber.

"i know, i know. i'm being pretty straight-forward, but i don't want to beat around the bush, nini," ricky explained himself with full-proof confidence. "i'll take care of everything, just as long as i can pick you up at seven on thursday night."

the grin forming on nini's face was enough to force the words out of her mouth. "i...would love that," the girl beamed, exiting the elevator in the lobby of her management's office building. "seven o'clock it is."

"sounds great," ricky cheered. "would you mind texting me your address?"

nini's heart skipped a beat as she began her familiar trek to the nearest bus station. she had begun to stay at margo's apartment full time due to her toxic relationship with her mothers, staying an occasional one night a week in her childhood home when she knew dana in particular wouldn't be making any appearances. nini was beyond grateful for margo's hospitality, and she was eager for her ep's release for the sole reason that she would have now possibly enough income to start looking for a place of her own by her eighteenth birthday. but, despite the pleasantries that came with her current living situation, it meant nini having to potentially fill ricky in down the road. well, that depended entirely on how well their relationship continued, and with nini desperately hoping for the best, she knew she'd have to make some sacrifices. she didn't want to just yet.

"oh, actually, i've been staying at margo's recently," nini prepared herself to tell a white lie. she wasn't ready to open up to ricky, not yet. "my...my house is getting renovated, and it's just been easier to be closer to the studio right now with the ep release coming up. i figured i'd take up 'casa de la margo' instead of a random hotel."

"the ep release, yes! margo mentioned it to me," nini's excuse seemed to fly completely over ricky's head. "here's my early congratulations."

"thank you," nini laughed lightly, "and margo also mentioned to me how your last ep reached ten million streams the other day. here's my belated congratulations."