euphoria. [ rini au ]

chapter twenty-three.

Carlos Rodriguez was a lot of things. Sassy. Dramatic. Slightly obsessive. Overbearing. Demanding. He was not, however, blind or stupid. Ricky and Nini fascinated him. The two of them were like two puzzle pieces that slid together so effortlessly that a stranger would never be able to understand the path they travelled to reach their current place in life. It was even a mystery to Carlos of how they came to be, the way everything was in sync was inexplicable. The way their energy was exchanged was like electrical currents and the way they thought and worked and played together. He could watch them for hours . . . except when they were doing what they were doing now.

School had let out for the Friday and Ricky was due to be in the locker room for pre-game warm-up in less than five minutes, but Carlos was certain he had little concern for it. His main priority had to do with Nini and how far he could shove his tongue down her throat. Carlos tried to avert his eyes as Nini arched away from the wall and leaned her head back. There it was, Carlos told himself, the little bit of puke in his mouth. Sighing, he dropped his phone and walked over to the two.

"Nini Salazar-Roberts, could I bother you for a moment?" he called out, his voice hinting that he was being far from polite. When he got no response, he cleared his throat and wondered where everyone else was. "Bowen, they will start the game without you. Your big moment will disappear and when you look back and your kids will ask how it felt to open against West High in your senior year, what will you tell them? Hmm? Sorry, kids, but I was busy dry humping Mommy against the wall?"

"Carlos, leave it," Ricky growled, his voice muffled by Nini's wandering mouth.

"You are going to get in shit," Carlos cried, not knowing if he should just leave or continue trying to drive that concept through their heads. "Both of you will be in so much-"

"Carlos, I'm coming," Nini reassured him, unwinding herself from Ricky's grasp and pulling away. Looking back at him over her shoulder, she smiled. "I'll meet you backstage after the game."

"Oh no you don't," Carlos cut in, wrapping a hand around Nini's arm and pulling her away. "We are not having a repeat performance of that just before you go onstage. You will have everyone thinking you had sex back there and let's be honest, they're already going to think that without you giving them proof."

"Carlos!" Nini protested, her cheeks the colour of roses in bloom, "Do you have to be so . . . . brash?"

"Brash?" Carlos spit out as he held the gym door open and let Nini go ahead of him. "You just had virgin sex in the hallway while I stood there! You knew I was there and you did it anyways! I'm not brash!"

"What is he yelling about?" Ashlyn asked, eyeing Carlos's flashing eyes and Nini's quiet disposition.

"I had to pry Ricky off of her," Carlos announced. "Tonight will not be an auction, it will be live porn."

"I'll bet that they won't go the whole show without eye-sex or mentally undressing the other while the school looks on," Kourtney added in, while Nini suddenly became oblivious to everything and anyone as Ricky burst through the doors of the locker room, leading the team.

"They'll need to stand on opposite sides of the stage to keep anything from happening," Gina joined in on the bantering, seeing that Nini hadn't budged from her staring contest with Ricky's figure. "Nini? You hear that?"

"Yup," she murmured. "Opposite sides of stage."

"You're screwed," Seb told Gina, a tilted smile on his face as Nini shook herself to focus on the game.

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Ricky could feel her watching him. He didn't have to turn around and search through the sea of people to find her, he knew she was there. It was an itching on the back of your neck or the feeling of waiting for the phone to ring. It was knowing when she would smile or when she would take a step back. It was like knowing that her hands always went for his waistband whenever he kissed her. He just knew. She was there. Watching.

Catching the ball, he spun and dribbled twice before shooting down court to E.J.. Ahead, an East player blocked a West player as E.J. dribbled up court and sent the ball to Ricky who had maintained his clear shot of the net. Jumping, the ball leaving his fingertips spinning, he watched as it pounded into the net just as the buzzer signalled half time. Heaving heavily, he turned and met her gaze briefly before following his team to the locker room.

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Ricky pulled at the collar of his shirt, the tie feeling like it was choking him. The spotlights of the stage filtered over the tops of the curtains and beat down on him as he waited for his cue offstage. On the opposite side of the brocade divider, Kourtney's voice was clear as she introduced the point of the evening and welcomed those who had come to support or simply watch. Behind him, E.J. and the other guys fidgeted while they nervously waited, the girls smoothing hair or checking their lipgloss in a mirror. Nini was waiting at the other end.

"Ricky Bowen!" Kourtney's voice barely travelled over the sound of applause and whistles when he stepped on stage, the light momentarily blinding him. "And Nini Salazar-Roberts!"

The spotlight shining in his eyes was nothing compared to the vision that flickered before him. Waving to the crowd that continued to clap, Nini walked towards him with perfect posture and poise, despite the four inch heels strapped to her feet. She smiled as the mic in Ricky's hand froze half way to his mouth and he visibly swallowed.

Ricky could only see Nini. It was like the night at camp when he had found her on the basketball court, deep in thought as she shot basket after basket. It was like seeing her for the first time. Clearing his throat, he tossed her the extra mic that she caught one handed as she fell into step beside him at the podium placed on stage. Swallowing again, he tried to recall all the lines they had joked over that morning, corny one liners that E.J. had researched from Oscar presenters for nominees. Instead, he said the first thing that came to mind.

"How much do you think we could fetch by putting you on the black market?" he asked cheekily, his eyes never leaving her face as she smirked.

"More than you. I have class. And I had a shower this morning," she shot back, grinning.

They clicked and the words flowed like water, never stopping to think of the next quip or joke or tease as they explained the rules to the audience. Strangers would murmur in their seats that East chose the two most charismatic people they could find. The students would sit on the edge of their seats, waiting and listening for an indication that one had gone too far. It never came.

The night went very smoothly. As the last date was sold, there were brief announcements about ticket sales and then Kourtney appeared again to thank them and end the night. Sweeping back stage with Nini on his arm, he leaned close and let his hand slide up her back and burn into her bare skin.

"I'll meet you in the parking lot," he told her, his breath whooshing against her ear.

"I'll see you there," she promised, tilting her head back to kiss him before going to gather her things.