𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐧 𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫 [𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐢 𝐚𝐮]

07. | wrong person

ricky angrily slammed his phone onto the table, frustration etched across his face as he tightly grasped at his own curls. the overwhelming pressure was too much to bear, especially when even his closest friends seemed to be turning against him. in a moment of despair, he looked up, searching for nini amidst the chatter on the other side of the room where the girl cabins were located. nini, engrossed in conversation with her phone, probably chatting with her boyfriend, added to ricky's sense of isolation.

letting out a sigh, ricky tried to divert his attention to his campers, who were enthusiastically attempting to stack their french fries to impressive heights. peter, noticing ricky's troubled demeanor, interrupted his own enjoyment of a cheese pizza.

"mr. ricky, is everything okay?" peter asked between bites. 

ricky turned towards the concerned boy, forcing a smile as he playfully ruffled peter's hair. "of course! how's your first dinner at camp?" he asked, attempting to steer the conversation away from his own struggles.

"it's yummy! why aren't you eating anything?" peter questioned, noticing ricky's untouched plate.

"oh, i had a lot of snacks beforehand, so i'm not too hungry," ricky lied with a reassuring smile. peter just nodded before returning to his meal.

in reality, ricky's appetite had vanished when his friends brought up the disconcerting "crush" allegation. consumed by thoughts of his friendship with nini, he couldn't dismiss the possibility that they might be true. the idea weighed heavily on him, and as he absentmindedly picked at his food with a fork, his stomach churned with unease instead of the usual hunger.

===========================

nini furiously tapped away at her phone, engaged in an argument with her friends. the notion that there might be something more than friendship between her and ricky baffled her, considering their history. why was this suddenly a topic of discussion, especially when they were both happily committed to stable relationships?

fed up with the absurdity, nini powered off her phone, determined to put an end to the speculation. if one more person asked about her and ricky, she might explode. she had already discussed boundaries with him, assuring herself that everything should be fine. yet, an unsettling feeling lingered within her.

the lively voice of the camp director, jenn, broke through the murmurs in the dining hall, demanding attention. as all eyes turned to the front, jenn shared her excitement for the upcoming year at haven pines. after the feast, there would be an abundance of desserts before the celebration around the campfire. jenn then introduced the camp counselors, signaling the start of first-day traditions.

nini cursed under her breath, realizing she had forgotten about the introductory session. this was her fourth year, yet she felt the sting of embarrassment rushing to join the line of counselors. ricky's concerned expression didn't escape her notice, prompting her to avoid eye contact.

when her turn finally arrived, nini planted a bright, yet forced, smile, sharing her enthusiasm with the campers. "hi everyone! i'm nini, and this is my fourth year at haven pines. i love campfire songs, swimming in the lake, and indulging in music and stargazing. i'm so excited to spend the next month with all of you!" a round of applause followed, providing some relief. she bit the inside of her cheek, attempting to focus on the ongoing introductions, but her thoughts were consumed by ricky. unfortunately for her, he was up next.

"yo, yo, yo! your favorite counselor is back again for his fourth year: ricky bowen! i'm a man of many talents, but my best ones are probably songwriting and rock climbing. we're gonna make this year the best one yet!" ricky announced, triggering a burst of enthusiastic cheers and whoops that echoed throughout the hall.

amidst the cheers, nini could have sworn she caught phrases like "we love ricky and nini!" and "our favorite couple!" 

nini tuned out during the remaining counselor introductions, snapping back when miss jenn prompted the kids for one more round of applause before dismissing everyone to dessert.

in a rush, nini made her way back to her table, exchanging greetings with campers along the way. releasing a breath, she lifted her head with a contagious smile. just as she was about to assist her campers with dessert, her phone vibrated with a message.