𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗴𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗰 [𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗶 𝗮𝘂]

ur such a dream to me .35

ricky shot up from his bed, screaming and crying. tears fled down his manic eyes as he quickly backed into his headboard. lynne and mike ran in the room, holding the boy in thier arms. they tried to restrain his body as he tossed around in anxiety. ricky finally started to calm down as he sobbed in his dad's arms.

"shh.. shh you're okay," mike whispered to ricky. the boy closed his eyes and tried to control his breaths. "just another nightmare...you're okay."

lynne ran her hands through her hair as she looked at ricky with sympathy. this has been going on for two weeks now, ever since nini broke up with ricky.

the doctors and his parents think his nightmares are coming from his near death experience. ricky thinks it's everything.

he didn't listen to nini. the boy continued to help his friends even after nini cut him off. jack and them continued to harrass ricky and the boy did nothing. he struggled with nightmares of death. he struggled with his parent's fighting.

he struggled without nini.

in his dreams, he usually dies alone. his parents are the ones that find him and thats where the dream usually ends. although this time it was different. he died in front of nini. everything felt so real. there's usually never talking and nini's never there. he saw the aftermath of his death. ricky saw his whole life flash through his dream before he woke up. it scared him more than his other dreams.

"they will never understand him," mike whispered to lynne as he coddled the boy. ricky felt his eyes get heavy as his parents discussed his future.

lynne grabbed franklin. the little teddy bear nini once gave ricky when they were younger. she stuffed it in ricky's arms and tucked the blanket over his cold body. she ran her fingers through his hair, greiving for her son.

"he needs to get help. he needs therapy, mike," lynne said in a stern voice. "i don't care how much it costs. he needs it."

+

one month later.

nini got home from work. the girl kicked her shoes to the side and hung her sweater on the coat rack. she could smell the scent of adobo and egg all the way from the kitchen. when she walked in, the rice cooker was steaming and dana was setting up a table of four.

nini let out a smile, "is lola coming over?"

dana and carol glanced at each other and gave nini a smirk. carol pointed to the backyard, "see for yourself."

nini awkwardly chuckled and shrugged her shoudlers, "okay? you guys are being weird."

when she stepped outside the backyard, she saw ricky standing under their tree house. fairy lights hung all over the trees and lanterns were lit across the grass. the boy had a suit on and was holding a corsage in his hand. music softly played in the background as ricky made his way up to nini.

nini sucked in a breath and slowly closed the door behind her. "i promised i would take you to prom," ricky softly said.

nini didn't say anything but let the boy put the corsage around her wrist. the girl felt a tear roll down her cheek and she looekd up at ricky with admiration.

"i know what you're thinking but just hear me out, okay? ...i know you think that i'm better off without you but nini...that's not the truth. you're the only thing that keeps me grounded and you're the only thing that keeps me alive," ricky breathed out, "i know i've been selfish. i wasn't listening to you and i just wanted to have something that made me feel special ... or important. but nini i don't need to take away people's pain to feel that way. because it's you. you're the thing that makes me feel important. you're the thing that makes me feel special. you're all i need. and.. i-i've been going to therapy. she knows about everything and it's been really nice to have someone to talk to that could actually help me. i haven't been taking away anyone's pain and i told my parents about jack and them. they threatned to take things to court if he continued and talked to his parents. you were right...about everything and i'm sorry i didn't listen to you sooner. but i'm here now because i realize that i was wrong. i couldn't take care of myself like i kept telling you i could. i was hard headed and didn't want you to worry about me but i just kept making it worse. if i just listened to you, we could've went to prom. we could've still been together. and i-i know i'm throwing up a lot of shit on you right now but i guess what i'm trying to see is that ... i love you. and i'm sorry."

nini looked at him with proud eyes as she melted into a smile. the girl didn't know what to say but she grabbed ricky by the face and smashed her lips into his. ricky got taken aback but kissed nini back. their lips moved in perfect sync as if they never broke up. ricky could taste the saltiness of nini's tears in his mouth . the boy only grabbed nini by the waist and pulled her in closer. 

they finally pulled away. their heavy breaths harmonizing with the soft music in the back. nini melted into a smile as ricky was beaming from ear to ear. his hand was under her chin as he looked at her with admiration, "i'm taking that as a good sign you forgive me," ricky breathed out.

nini lightly chuckled and nodded her head, "i can't live with you either," nini finally said. a grin emerged from the boy's lips as he mad the music louder on his phone. he pulled the girl into his arms. she laid her head on his chest as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"i love you," nini whispered, "and i'm glad you're here with me."

"i love you too," ricky whispered, tightening his grip around the girl. 

the couple swayed to the music as they held each other in their arms for a few more minutes. when he song finally answered, nini held onto the boys hand. "you hungry now?"

"for your moms cooking? always," ricky exclaimed, pulling nini's hands up to her lips to softly kiss it. the girl's cheeks blushed and she led him into the house, squeezing his hands three times. ricky squeezed her hand back three times and nini felt relief and comfort wash all over her body. 

both of them not knowing they had the same dream.