rainbow connection | rini

eight

"That's a really nice outfit," EJ told Nini when he picked her up for the party. Her black, high-waisted skirt, knee-high socks, and collared blouse looked nice to him, and that made her feel good.

"Thanks," she smiled and looked down at him. "You look nice."

EJ batted his eyelashes sarcastically. "I know," her told her with a laugh. She laughed too.

He started up his car and pulled out of Nini's driveway. After a short, comfortable silence, Nini asked, "Hey, uh, is this a date?"

She felt embarrassed when EJ laughed. "No, no one goes to a party as a first date." He laughed a little more and then said, "I guess you wouldn't know what to expect for a first date, huh?"

Nini giggled and responded, "You're right, I wouldn't."

"Well, we'll see how fast that changes." He smiled over at Nini and she smiled back. She felt relief spread through her.

EJ leaned forward and turned up the radio. Occasionally, he smiled over at her singing to the songs on the radio. She was having her own little party right in the passenger seat of his car.

"You sound nice," he told her, "but you probably know that."

She blushed and thanked him. For a good few songs, she didn't sing, but she seemed to get comfortable once more and began to dance and sing again.

They pulled up to the party just as Ricky and Gina were getting out of their car. EJ waved at Ricky and he waved back. The couples approached each other.

"Hey, guys!" Gina exclaimed. Her dress was much shorter than Nini's and she had on a lot more makeup. Nini felt inadequate, but that was nothing new. "Let's go in, I think everyone else is already here."

Nini had never been to a party, so she was thoroughly disturbed by how loud the music was before they even got inside the house. "Whose house is this?" She asked.

"Does it matter?" Ricky responded. She took a moment to respond because she was surprised that he'd even acknowledged her.

"Well, I guess not, but do people's parents just let them throw parties like this?" The three teenagers with her all laughed at how naive she was.

When she stopped laughing, Gina said, "What they don't know won't hurt them, Nini." Nini nodded, taking in that piece of information. She knew it meant that she wasn't supposed to tell anyone about it, but that seemed like it wasn't the best idea.

Gina led the group directly to the kitchen. Once there, she handed each of them a shot. They downed them and Nini coughed too many times.

"I don't think I like that very much," she told Gina. The girl laughed toward EJ and then looked back to Nini. She couldn't focus on anything but the burning sensation in her throat. How could they possibly enjoy it?

"They taste a lot better after you had a few. Here," she said, handing Nini one that smelled like coconut, "This one should taste better."

Though she probably shouldn't have, Nini obeyed. She was right, it did taste better, so Nini drank two more coconut vodka shots and realized she was starting to feel a little woozy. She looked at Ricky, gave him a goofy smile, and then stumbled to EJ, engulfing him in a hug.

She then turned around and pointed at Gina. "You were right, I love coconut!" Gina laughed at the shrillness in Nini's voice when she said she loved coconut.

"You're welcome," she said and led Ricky out of the kitchen. Nini watched them go, unable to find the words to call her friends back to her.

"Can I have another one?" Nini asked.

EJ chuckled. "Nini, you can have coconut vodka till the world stops spinning if you want."

When Ricky next saw Nini, she looked a little sleepy. It had been less than half an hour later and she was drunk off her ass. He knew it was most likely her first time drinking, but it seemed a little weird to him.

His suspicions worsened when EJ leaned down to kiss down Nini's jaw. When his hands began to roam her skin, Nini made a sound that didn't seem all too happy to be in such a position. The pair moved back a few steps and Nini was officially cornered.

Nini's hands gripped EJ's shirt and she let out a whine when his fingertips brushed a part of her skin that was covered by her skirt. Ricky was going to say something, but after a second, it looked like she'd bucked her hips toward EJ.

He pulled her leg up and wrapped it around his hips, which Ricky knew wasn't difficult for Nini at all. EJ ground his hips against Nini's a couple of times and Ricky stepped forward to stop him when he noticed Nini looked like she was going to faint.

"What the fuck, man?" EJ called over the music when Ricky pushed him away from Nini.

"Can't you tell that she's about to pass out? And you're just trying to fuck her?" Ricky snapped.

EJ sighed and said, "She's fine, just a lightweight, dude."

"By the time you would have gotten her to a room, she would have been passed out and you wouldn't have cared." Ricky sighed and wrapped an arm around Nini's waist. He leaned down to whisper, "I'm gonna take you home."

Without telling Gina or anyone that wasn't EJ, Ricky helped Nini to his car. She mumbled something incoherently and curled up in the seat.

"Nini, what's your address?" He asked. She didn't respond.

"Nini?" He looked over and noticed that she was asleep. Not asleep, but rather absolutely gone.

He groaned and turned the car in the direction of his house. If he could get past his parents, then he could take care of her for the night and just drop her off at home when she was able to repeat her address.