rainbow connection | rini

ten

Nini looked at Ricky as if he were the dumbest person on the planet. "They what?" She asked.

"That's why I was mad that day and asked you if you really wanted to date him. It made me really mad when they decided that. I'm sorry." He looked at her with pleading eyes and she gave him a sad smile.

She was silent for a moment, then asked, "And you weren't in on this?"

He shook his head. "Of course not. They decided after some talk you had with the other cheerleaders about you being a virgin. I've never taken part in the stuff that's like that."

She nodded but refused to look up from her hands. Ricky looked at her hands too. "And last night, I walked in on you making yourself throw up. It makes sense now. I'm sorry."

Nini groaned. She definitely didn't need a third person worrying about her. "Why are you sorry?"

"Because I called you a cow in class that one day. And I- I didn't know but I'm sorry. I didn't mean it, I was just trying to annoy you." Then he began to cry. Nini found this to be strange.

"Why are you crying?" She asked softly.

"Because I don't want you to feel like that! You're very pretty, Nini, and what you're doing to yourself is dangerous and pointless." He wiped some tears away, but more began to fall. "And I care about you and your health."

Nini grabbed Ricky's hand. "You don't have to worry about it. I'm fine, everything is under control," she told him.

He looked at her, his eyes red, and asked, "can you promise me that?" And she thought to lie to him, but her lips betrayed her.

"No."

He nodded. "Let's go see if breakfast is ready."

The two went down the stairs and Ricky's mother was setting down plates. "Oh, hello!" She exclaimed. Then, her eyebrows furrowed at the sight of Nini. "I know you! You're Carol's daughter, right?"

"Yes, ma'am," Nini said politely, her lips tugging up at the corners.

"This is Nini," Ricky said, "And she is very ready for some waffles."

The trio sat down, Nini next to Ricky and his mother across from them. It felt to Nini like some weird first meeting of your in-laws. Only Nini didn't feel that way for Ricky and he didn't feel that way for anyone except Gina. So that was that.

"Nini, what do you like to do in your spare time?" The woman asked.

Nini laughed a little and said, "I hardly have any free time with choir, dance, cheer, church, and theatre. I guess I read a lot."

"Wow, you're really active. What do you do in theatre?" She asked.

"I've acted a couple of times in our plays but I mainly work the lighting and soundboard. I love doing all the technical stuff," she explained.

Ricky laughed. "Nerd."

"Ricky," his mother said in a warning tone.

"She's a nerd, Mom. Tell her, Nini," he said.

Nini smiled. "I'm a little bit of a nerd."

"Oh," his mother said suddenly, "I got an email about the end of the year choral performance, are you in it?"

"I am," Nini confirmed.

"Ricky, are you going to support your friend?"

Ricky looked at Nini to try and read her expression. "I, uh," Nini shrugged at him, "if Nini wouldn't mind, I'd like to go."

"I don't mind," she said softly with a smile at him.

"Mom, I was wondering if you would mind Nini doing yoga with us today," Ricky said.

"She's more than welcome."

So, Nini did yoga with Ricky and his mother. They rolled out mats on the floor in the basement and each sat on one, their legs crossed.

"So, Nini, I don't know if you've ever done yoga but just try your best to follow along," his mother said with a smile. Nini nodded.

The woman was surprised with Nini's ability to mimic the poses she and Ricky were doing, even those with a higher level of difficulty. Afterward, Nini and Ricky decided that Nini should probably get home.

"I don't know how my mom isn't freaking out and calling me constantly," she laughed as they got in the car.

"I texted her last night. I didn't want her to worry."

Nini looked at Ricky and said, "Well that's very nice of you. I have to explain to her what went down last night so let's hope I don't get grounded."

"Do you get grounded?" He asked.

"Doesn't everyone?"

"No," he said, "I mean, have you ever been grounded?"

"No, actually. But I think my recent actions are deserving of one," she decided. When he pulled into her driveway, she said, "I've never gotten drunk in my life. Ugh, they're gonna be so disappointed."

"Maybe not," he said. "I can talk to them with you if you'd like."

Nini rubbed her face and said, "It's fine. You'll meet them on Monday anyway, right? French practice is definitely still on."

"That's very true. Hopefully, they think I'm an acceptable friend." He grinned at Nini and she rolled her eyes.

"I think they'd accept any friend at this point. At least I have one now, right?" Ricky didn't know what to say, so he didn't say anything. She smiled at him and gave him a hug. "Thank you for bringing me home. And for last night."

"Not a problem, Neens." She smiled at the nickname he gave her.

"If you insist, Ricks." He chuckled at her response.

Once inside, Nini found her parents watching television in the living room. They often did this when they were waiting for her.

"Hi," she said quietly. "Can we talk?"

Her mother turned off the television and patted the space between the two of them for Nini to sit. "What's on your mind, honey?"

"I got drunk last night," she started. "I know that it was a bad choice but I prayed about it and I came to terms with it."

Her mother nodded. "Is that all that happened? Where did you go?"

"Well, I didn't exactly singlehandedly decide to get drunk. I was with the guy that I mentioned going out with, one of my teammates, and one of his teammates," she explained. "And apparently, it was his intent to get me drunk because almost the entire football team was in on a bet over how fast he could get me to have sex with him."

"Almost all of the football team?" Her stepfather asked. She nodded.

"Anyway, I got drunk and the guy, obviously I'm not going to tell you his name, kind of cornered me and was- yeah. You get the point. But according to the guy who dropped me off here this morning, I was really out of it. He said that he saw what was going on so he helped me to his car and took me to his house but as soon as I got in the car, I passed out.

"He asked his parents if I could stay, I guess, and they said yes. So, he gave me some food last night and I slept in a guest room. We had breakfast this morning and did some yoga with his mom. Now we're here." She shrugged and let her hands fall to her lap. Her parents exchanged some very complex glances.

"What's that boy's name?" Carol asked.

"His name is Ricky Bowen."