𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚒 𝚑𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞 || rini au

falling for ya

nini's pov

"i don't see the big deal. you guys just worked on your project, right?"

i'm on a late night call with kourtney, because i just don't want to sleep. i don't want to keep dreaming about ricky. i know it's stupid, and nothing happened--i just romanticize everything.

"right, nins?" kourtney says after a moment.

"hm?"

"nothing happened?"

"i don't know? yes? there's just a lot that i didn't know we had in common."

"i just don't understand why you aren't going after E.J. you've wanted to be with him for forever, and now he's going after you! i mean, he's captain of the waterpolo team, senior class treasurer, instagram famous, popular, wakes up looking like how he does-"

"i just don't, okay?! drop it."

yes, i know i probably should have told kourtney about what happened. i just don't feel like talking about it.

"do you want to be with ricky or not?"

"i don't know-"

"because it sounds like you're falling for him."

"i am not!"

"okay, let's review; yesterday you said, and i quote, 'his eyes look like they have a million stars in them,"

"i-"

"five minutes ago, you said, 'when he looks at me, it feels like i'm on a rollercoaster and it just dropped ninety feet,"

"well-"

"after that, when talking about what happened today, you told me that, "his hands are so gentle, even when he's-"

"OKAY! okay! i get it! i may or may not be falling for him. just a little."

"a little? girl-"

"okay! a lot! is that what you want me to say?" i sigh out, plopping down on my bed and staring at the ceiling.

"i don't want you to say anything. i'm just saying, look at the facts. you know he's going on the big ski trip this weekend?"

"wait, really?" i yip, sitting up.

"yeah, that's what seb said. who heard it from carlos. who heard it from red. "

"i need to start packing, i haven't even-"

"you're letting me help you pack tomorrow! afterwards us and the gang can meet up for coffee!"

"the gang? you mean seb?" i laugh.

"and carlos. and some of his friends."

"sure, sounds fun!!"

by some of his friends, i did not know that she meant ricky bowen. as soon as i see him entire the coffee shop, we make eye contact, neither of us knowing the other would be here. ricky, kourtney, and ashlyn volunteer to get the food, leaving just carlos, seb and i at the table.

"hey, can i ask you guys a question?"

"go for it!" carlos says mid-selfie.

"this is going to sound incredibly stupid, but..what do you know about ricky?"

"what do you mean, nins?" seb asks.

"like, what's his type?"

"you cannot be serious. girl, you could do so much better," carlos says.

"just answer the question," i laugh.

"ricky doesn't have a type. he doesn't believe in that sort of thing," carlos jokes. i can't help but look over at ricky when we're talking about him, and catch him staring in our direction. he quickly looks back over to the cashier, but i saw it. see what i mean?! i romanticize everything. it's stupid of me to think a guy would just burst out into song for me or something. that's not how it works in the real world.

"but what does he like?"

"hm, let's see--video games, skateboarding, and pizza."

"that's it?"

"pretty much. told you, you could do so much better."

"you guys are no help," i joke as the others come back over to the table.

"so, are you guys going on the big ski trip this weekend?" ashlyn asks, talking a sip of her half-calf mocha frappe.

"oh, definitely. i heard some seniors are throwing a cabin party, which everyone's invited to," carlos says.

"and by seniors, you mean.."

"e.j caswell," the group says simultaneously.

"no seriously, it's e.j," seb says, pointing to the entrance where e.j has just entered with a big speaker and some of his waterpolo buddies.

"yo, nini!" he says, pressing play on his speaker. what the hell?!

"uh-" he grabs my arm and pulls me up from my seat in the booth. kourt, seb, carlos, and ashlyn are giving me excited and encouraging looks, but ricky--the only one who knows what's going on here--has his eyes wide.

"see, ash, is this gesture grand enough?" e.j says, before he starts to sing along to his music. he's singing "start of something new", from high school musical, and his waterpolo buddies are dancing in the background. i swear to god, he cannot take a hint. i haven't texted him back in days! how did he even know i was here?

ricky's pov

who the fuck does this guy think he is?!

was he in the library when ash was giving me advice? fuck. of course he was! this is as grand of a gesture as it gets! nini's putting on a smile, but something tells me she's uncomfortable. i sure am. he sits nini down on a stool and sings to her, the rest of the group and people in the coffee shop clapping along to the beat.

"it's the start of something new, it feels so right to be here with you, oh" he sings, grabbing her hand. yuck.

"and now, looking in your eyes, i feel in my heart...the start of something new." e.j takes both of her hands and pulls her up from the stool as the song ends, and all of a sudden PULLS HER INTO A KISS. what. the. fuck.

nini's pov

i almost immediately pull away, ignoring all the cheers and claps. i've quite literally always dreamt of a guy--mostly e.j--serenading me in front of everyone, just like this. i don't get it. this is all i've EVER wanted for forever, but it doesn't feel..right? i don't know! i've wanted to live this fairytale life, but now i'm not so sure. i just don't feel like cinderella right now.

"so?" he says.

"so...?"

"what's your answer?"