Falling - Benny and Nina - An Adapted In The Heights Roleplay (COMPLETE)

54 - Falling Friends

"We're good. Sorry we didn't come yesterday, we had a bit of a night mare situation." Benny replied. "Café Nina?" He asked turning to her.

"I'm good," she said. After a few moments, she realized that she hadn't eaten since breakfast the previous day, but still wasn't hungry at all. She was almost worried for herself.

"Just the one then por favor." Benny took a seat on one of the chairs at the table. When Nina moved to sit down on the other chair, Benny pulled her by the waist and sat her down on his lap, so her back was against his chest, he wrapped his arms around her stomach and placed his chin on her shoulder.

Usnavi fixed two café con leche's and handed one to Benny, keeping the other for himself. He sat down in the chair opposite the couple. Sweetly, Nina asked, "How are you, Usnavi?"

He smiled at her and said, "I'm fine."

Vanessa walked in behind them. "Hey Benny, Hey Nina."

"Hey Nessa," Nina said.

She smiled and sat next to Usnavi. "How are you?"

"I'm alright, how are you?"

"I'm alright..."

"Are you sure? You don't really sound very convinced."

She nodded and smiled a little.

Nina was a bit worried about her, but she decided to drop it and come back to it later. "Alright," she said softly.

She laid on Usnavi's shoulder and yawned.

Usnavi turned his head to look at Vanessa. "You want to go back home, or are you alright?"

"Nessa, seriously go home and get some sleep, you look like you haven't slept in days." Benny said sounding concerned.

"I'm alright." She protested.

Nina looked at her with pleading eyes. "If you need to, just go home. We've all had a rough couple of days."

Usnavi rubbed her back softly.

She shook her head. "I don't need to go home. Going home would be worse."

"If going home would make or worse, then something is clearly wrong Vanessa."

Nina pushed herself off Benny's lap then wrapped her arms around Vanessa, not knowing what else to do.

She sighed. "I can't sleep at home... All I do is think when I'm by myself... I thought maybe if I listened to you guys talking and didn't have to think, I might fall asleep."

"Aw," Nina said. "Is there anything else I could do to help it? Do we need to have a sleepover like when we were little?"

She shrugged slightly, unsure of if it would help.

Nina hung her head over Vanessa's shoulder. "I'm sorry," she said, "I wish I could help."

"It's okay... It's not your fault"

Nina sighed, but didn't say anything else. She felt that if she said anything else she'd mess something up.

"You guys just talk... Don't worry about me." She mumbled.

With regret, Nina retreated back to Benny's lap, hanging her head in defeat.

Usnavi pulled Vanessa into a hug, rubbing her shoulder with the hand wrapped around her back.

She snuggled into Usnavi and closed her eyes softly.

Usnavi brought his hand that was rubbing her shoulder up to her hair. He ran his fingers through it, cautious to move his hand back down at any sign of discomfort.