sun without rain - rini

poisoned people.

it's friday, august 26. two weeks after lynne bowen returned from chicago. two weeks after the fighting started again.

ricky tried to block out the fighting, anyway he could. music, movies, nothing worked. except for nini. you see, nini was the type of girl ricky was not to be seen around. the kind of girl who dated college football players with fancy cars and big houses. nini didn't associate with kids like ricky, no way. they had been friends since kindergarten, always there to comfort the other. when nini was dumped by her countless boyfriends, ricky stayed. when ricky broke his leg skateboarding, nini stayed. that's just how it went. but nini never knew about the fighting. ricky didn't want to look weak, breaking down in front of her. but today, ricky was close to the edge.

he grabs his skateboard before heading of into the distance. heading to the only place he could call home. he had no other choice. ricky always had a hard time at home. from the neglect to the fighting and everything in between. it shocks him to think no one realised what really happened inside his home. he knocks on the door and sees dana answer the door. seeing the person he can call a mother is enough for ricky to finally crumble. "oh ricky, what's wrong honey" dana says, comforting him like she had for 13 years. "th-the figh-ting" he manages to mumble. dana releases him from her hold. "the fighting? what fighting?". shit. he's worried her. ricky doesn't answer. "ricky, please tell me? is it your mom, dad? ricky?" "both of them, constantly". dana grabs rickys shirt and pulls it up, to reveal a large bruise just below his chest. "ricky, who did this". no answer. "ricky! please tell me. who did this?" she asks, tears in her eyes. "d-dad" he says, between sniffs. "please, don't tell anyone, he will kill me. please" "ricky, i have to call child services. how long has this been going on?" "i don't know, maybe 5 years? since the fighting started" "i'll go get carol, ricky you can stay here as long as you want, i'm not letting you back into that house, ever again". ricky continues to cry in dana's arms before hearing a familiar voice "ricky?". it's the voice of his best friend. the voice of nini. she runs over and takes him in his arms "oh my god ricky, are you okay?" she says, cupping face in her hands. "nini, ricky is going to stay here for a while okay?" "yes, of course. i'll take him up to my room. is that alright?". dana nods and nini grabs his hand before heading up the stairs.

this was common for the two of them. lying on nini's bed, watching movies and just talking. but it felt different this time. "do you want to talk about it ricky?" nini says, grabbing his hand. they sit opposite each other. ricky shakes his head. he is lost in a tornado of emotion, thoughts doubt and suddenly, reality hits him like a truck. "ricky?". he is broken from his thoughts. "ricky, i want to help you" she says. tears fall from his eyes. she wipes them away with her thumb and lifts up his chin. looking into his eyes, she leans closer and their lips meet.

a firework explodes. he didn't know he could feel this. he puts his hand on her neck and nini runs hers through his hair. one spark. and then another one. one after another, they explode. nini leans back. she smiles. for the first time in 48 hours. ricky smiles back. "wow, ok", is all he can manage to say. nini laughs, and gives him another kiss. "how are we supposed to do this, nini? you're the head cheerleader. i'm a nobody. is that really how you want to spend senior year?" "ricky, you're so smart, and funny and you make me so happy. you're not a nobody. i've wanted this for 12 years, ricky!". for 12 years, richard bowen has been utterly blind. sure, he always liked nini, her long hair, soft lips and brown eyes, but nini always dated the tall blond footballers. nini wouldn't dare someone like ricky.

"it's late, you should get some sleep" she says, jumping off the bed. "here's your clothes". she hands him a pair of sweatpants and a top, ones he always kept in her closet, just incase. ricky puts them on, and hops into nini's bed, the right side of course. next to the door. just like every sleepover they'd ever had. nini gets in beside him. "hey ricky?" "yeah" "i love you" she says. he hesitates "i love you too". nini wraps her arm around his waist and hold him tight to her.

for the first time in a while, he is safe. he is loved. and for the first time in weeks, ricky drifts into the night.

**
A speaks !
first chapter done! hope you liked it. this writing style is a bit different to my other stories but i thought i would try something new. next chapter coming shortly !

thanks for reading xx