i promise || rini au

11. but you like her better

nini and ricky got ready for the dinner at their apartment. it was quiet. the girl had never been in that era of ricky's life. she'd never talked to his past friends or his family. she'd only heard bits and pieces of them.

and she was dreading having to meet the one person she knew she wouldn't get along with.

ricky had been nervously fixing his shirt as he waited for nini to get ready. he didn't know why he was so anxious. maybe it was because of the fact that he wasn't sure of how he left things with everyone over there. he knew that he'd obviously ended his previous relationship. but he had no recollection of how or why. he didn't know why nini didn't personally know his family or friends either...what had happened for them not to meet?

"ready?" he asked with a polite expression as nini emerged from the hallway.

nini wore a tight-knit smile as she gave him a curt nod. she adjusted her denim jacket and took her bag, putting her keys, phone and wallet inside as they both left the apartment and towards the car.

the drive was uncomfortable. at least for nini. ricky seemed to be too preoccupied on how he was going to greet his friends again. he wasn't going to lie that he was excited. but nini was sure that she wasn't going to enjoy this evening one bit.

and boy was she right.

+

"RICHARD BOWEN!"

the curly-haired boy laughed loudly as he caught sight of his two best friends making their way towards him.

"look at you!" antoine grinned with a think french accent "how are things?"

"good, man." ricky nodded with a sigh

ricky and nini had arrived to the restaurant in new jersey in which the dinner party for howie's engagement was happening. they hadn't seen his parents yet, but nini could see how expensive and extravagant this place was and she felt out of it. she didn't fit in here. and she knew that the real ricky didn't either. but of course, he didn't remember that.

"took you a while to come back to us." howie said with a playful eye-roll "we missed you over here back in civilization."

ricky chuckled with them "you're the one getting married! never thought i'd see the day howie."

"well," howie scoffed, puffing out his chest in amusement "what can i say?"

"that you're pathetic." antoine nodded honestly, causing for howie to nudge him before looking at the brunette

"you brought a friend!"

ricky suddenly widened his eyes in realization and looked behind him to see nini watching them with her arms folded, hugging her jacket close around her body as she put on a kind smile

"oh right! sorry," the boy said sheepishly "uh, this is nini. nini, these are howie and antoine. my best friends from high school."

"it's nice to meet you." nini said kindly with a nod as howie nodded back and antoine raised his drink as a 'hello'

"what about me? don't i get an introduction?" an amusing voice was heard behind the four, causing for ricky to turn around swiftly as his eyes caught the blonde-haired girl's.

she had her long hair styled in a half-up half-down and wore an elegant black dress that fit her frame perfectly. she was the definition of beauty and had a light smirk on her face as she watched ricky's - which had been filled with surprise and awe

"h-hi..." he forced out, feeling the air get caught in his lungs

nini swallowed as her gaze dropped to the floor and back up between the two.

she had caught the blonde girl look ricky up and down before saying softly "hi."

ricky kept staring at her before suddenly shaking his head to try and focus "u-uhm...sorry-this is-"

"lily." nini finished bitterly, her eyes moving back and forth between the ex-couple.

"it's been a long time," lily said

"has it?" ricky asked genuinely "uh-it-it doesn't seem like it...you...haven't changed a bit."

"i'm not sure he mentioned it," nini cut in with a straight face, putting her hand out politely towards lily who had finally moved her gaze away from ricky and onto her "i'm nini."

"hi," she greeted, shaking nini's hand with a smile and they both let go quickly

"i'm ricky's wife." nini added in emphasis

lily nodded with a hum, looking between the two and ricky cleared his throat uncomfortably "right...well, i think i'll go get a drink. want anything?"

nini shook her head with a weak smile as ricky nodded and with one last glance at lily, he disappeared off to the bar.

this was going to be a long night.