can't blame a girl for trying | a rini au

26. (Flower Party)

{author's note: i literally have been to one of these things in my life and it was at the actual warehouse the trailer was being stored in but i've heard about the ones at people's houses so...}

ricky bowen had never heard of a "flower party" before, let alone been invited to one, or considered going.

but he's never dated a varsity cheerleader before either. especially not the captain of the varsity cheerleading squad. this was all just a mixture of things that were new, so he'd be best off getting used to it.

so he's now driving towards nina salazar-roberts house with his girlfriend in the passenger seat of his dad's beat up old truck, hoping kat's not too embarrassed to be seen in it.

she hasn't said or done anything to indicate that she is, but- she also seems like the kind of girl who might, even if it's only privately.

"it's this right-" she says, but he's already taking the corner. "oh. you already knew that. you look up the directions beforehand?"

ricky really wasn't sure what the best way to answer her question was. he could be honest and tell her he's been to nina's house before, but that didn't feel like it would go over well. but then this white lie won't likely make him feel much better.

"i've been over here before." he doesn't mention he'd been there to comfort nina in the middle of the night, but his response was honest, and that's good enough for ricky at this point.

"gotcha. we can probably just park anywhere on the street, the neighborhood is pretty chill." she nods, humming brightly to the music playing over the radio.

"sounds good." he agrees, finding a spot fairly easily before shutting off the engine and throwing the parking brake on.

"oh and babe- i hope you're not planning on drinking because i don't know how to drive stick." kat tells him as he helps her down out of the passenger side.

he wasn't even aware there would be drinking at this thing.

"oh- no i mean i wouldn't drive here and then expect you to get yourself home." ricky shakes his head.

"brilliant. i'm not thinking of drinking tonight either honestly just- wanted to check. it's going to be fun. and i promise these things are super chill. we're all just going to sit around making tissue paper flowers and listening to music for a few hours."

"tissue paper flowers... got it. do they come with instructions?" he can't help being nervous despite her reassurance.

"it's super easy! and i'll help you, promise." the blonde girl gets up on her toes and presses a quick kiss to his lips, leaving him smiling as she does before they walk in through the unlocked front door.

nina's house was filled with a good deal of other members of sle's senior class. ricky recognizes some a lot more than others, whether from classes or from water polo, or just hanging out around kat at lunch.

there's groups sort of scattered about the living room and kitchen, conversation flowing and yes, the alcohol kat had briefly mentioned to him too.

but this wasn't a big party at least, people really were just sitting around talking and vibing to the music that was playing in the background.

he heard some kids talking about music as he passed by, but from all he can tell, this isn't nina's own playlist, based on what she'd had on the radio in her car with him before.

sutton comes over to him and his girlfriend, inviting them to sit with her and some others, and kat of course takes the offer immediately, joining the group in the corner of the living room, piles with pre-cut strips of tissue paper laid out already.