❁starbucks❁

❁twelve❁

Somehow and for some reason, Nini found herself awake at 2 in the morning.

Was it the late night coffee? Maybe.

The long-weekend's schoolwork that she had just spent hours completing? A possibility.

The scenarios that Nini dreamt up and carefully crafted with Ricky in her head that were too good to be true and made her too nervous, happy and nauseous to fall asleep? Yes, Nini decided, it was that.

She missed Kourtney. She had been out for the last two weeks in a fashion merchandising internship in New York City, so she couldn't even vent to her best friend about her situation. She was too busy being fabulous.

More like sleeping.

Suddenly, just as Nini was beginning to doze away to dream land, her phone started loudly buzzing. She really needed to put her phone on do not disturb at night, she thought. She stretched, rolled over, and grabbed her phone.

Of course Ricky was calling her at 2 in the morning.

And of course Nini answered.

"You're awake!" His canned voice rang cheerily through her phone.

"Yeah, couldn't sleep tonight. I was up doing homework, and then I guess I..." Was thinking about you, she thought. "I just got in my head about some stuff." She said.

"Ah, I get that. I accidentally do that all the time. Sometimes I just go out and skate and get all my thoughts out in the open, you know?"

"Not really, but I get the idea." Nini laughed.

"I should take you to the skate park and show you my moves sometime."

Nini blushed at the thought. Only Ricky would propose to hang out at the skate park. She grinned. "Yeah, you hype yourself up so much at Starbucks I'd like to see how much you can actually do. And watching you bruise your body and ego would be pleasing to me."

"I bet it would." Ricky said and Nini practically saw the eye roll through the speakers.

There was comfortable silence for a minute.

"Hey, um, Nini?" Ricky asked.

"Yeah?" Nini said.

"I know this all night snack shop. It literally has the word 'insomnia' in the name. Would you maybe wanna go?"

"Wha- now?"

"I don't have work. You don't have school or work tomorrow. Why not?"

"Uh-" Nini started.

"I'll drive if you just tell me your dorm."

"I'm in my pajamas." Nini said.

"Me too. It can be a pajama night. C'mon."

Was this a date?

Did Ricky like Nini after all?

The thought sent chills up Nini's spine and her heart into her throat. She was in utter shock.

"Yeah, sure." Nini grinned. "I'd like that. I live in 17th Avenue."

"Oh, that isn't far from where I live. I'll be there in ten. Meet me in the front."

"Drive safe." Nini barely breathed into the phone.

"G'bye." Ricky said and Nini heard the tell-tale dial tone, signaling he had hung up.

Nini was ecstatic. She couldn't believe this was happening. She threw her long brown hair into a messy ponytail and paced the floor anxiously, awaiting any signal of Ricky's arrival. Nini's heart was pounding and the feeling reminded her of when a high school crush confessed he liked her on New Years in her sophomore year of high school.