ricky and nini's realizations

chapter 29

ricky's pov

i wake up the next morning to nini laying beside me scrolling through her phone. she notices i'm awake when i shift on the couch to bury myself further into the cushions, "hey, how'd ya sleep," she asks me clicking her phone off. "good i guess. are you leaving soon?" i ask her hoping that the answer is no. "yeah. i have plans with kourtney and gina today before the dance. you're still coming right?" she asks me turning completely to me. "i don't know nini," i say tilting my head. "nope. you're going," she tells me as she stands to fold the blanket she was using. i nod in acceptance. "are we meeting at your house this afternoon like last year?" i ask her before she leaves. "yep," she says opening my front door. "um, real quick!" i say hopping up from the couch to approach her while keeping some distance between us, "so uh about last night. i just wanted to say that i'm sorry." she gives me a sad face, "don't ever apologize for that kinda of stuff ricky. i always want you to call me if something's wrong," she tells me with her hand lightly holding the doorknob to the front door. i groan internally. this is so so awkward. "no nini, that not what i'm talking about," i say looking at the ground then to her eyes. before she even says anything i can see the realization wash over her face and how uncomfortable she just got from realizing i'm talking about what i said in our argument. "oh. yeah. uh it's okay. i'm gonna go. the girls are probably already on their way to pick me up."

nini's pov

i quickly close his front door and speed walk to my car. ricky's words get stuck in my head again "i don't like seeing you with another guy." my head hurts from thinking so hard. that could only mean that he likes me right? but there's seriously no way. like no way at all that my best friend would like me. he's my very best friend. i must've interpreted his words wrong. i get back home to quickly get dressing into my favorite ripped jeans and a cute top before kourtney and gina got here to pick me up. i freshen up and wait downstairs on the couch for them to pull up. a few minutes pass and i get a text from gina saying they're here. "hey guys," i say with a huge smile getting into the backseat. the whole feeling of it being homecoming is starting to settle in and it's getting me really excited to go get ready later. gina sequels turning around to me from the passenger seat, "i'm soo excited!" "i know me too!" i reply. "where do y'all wanna eat?" kourtney asks as she pulls out of the driveway. "ooo lets go to that new cafe on main street," gina suggests. "oh yeah! that place looks so cute," i join in. "sounds good to me," kourtney agrees. we small talk throughout the car ride there. once we've ordered our food and find our seats, we begin talking about tonight. from kourtney talking about doing our makeup to fun poses we could do for our pictures. it felt so nice to spend quality time with my girl friends. even though we had finished eating our food a while ago, our conversation kept going on and on. eventually we realized it was about time that we had to head back to my house to get ready. we had to allow ourselves enough time to before everyone else came over for pictures.

general pov

the girls return to nini's house and go straight to her room upstairs to begin getting ready. gina immediately goes to her bathroom to get start on her hair because it takes the longest. while kourtney applies nini's makeup for a gorgeous natural look. the girls scatter around nini's room for nearly an hour and a half until their looks are complete. kourtney leaves her hair natural with a cheetah print dress and accents her look with a bold makeup look. gina reveals her striped dress designed with sequence in multiple colors. meanwhile, ricky throws his look together with the help of his dad at home. he leaves his hair in their natural, messy curls. he dresses himself in a simple white button down with the sleeves rolled to his elbows accompanied by black suspenders connected to his black slacks. "dad, how do you tie a bow tie?" he asks walking down the stairs to mike sitting on the couch watching football holding the the blue bow tie kourtney picked out. "your mom always had to do that kind of stuff for me son," mike says not knowing how to help. "have you tried a youtube video maybe?" mike suggests. "yeah. i don't get it," ricky says laughing. mike takes this moment to admire his son in this moment. he's so used to seeing ricky in ripped skater clothing, not dress clothes. "hmm. how about you head over to nini's now. i'm sure her or her moms are bound to know to do it," mike informs him. "yeah good point. okay i'll see you. bye dad," ricky says with a smile. "have fun. make good choices and be sure that carol and dana send me pictures!" mike shouts. "got it!" ricky says about to leave.

ricky's pov

i skate straight to nini's house with my bow tie in one pocket and my phone in the other. i feel myself starting to get butterflies when i'm far enough down the road to see her house. i approach her front porch and knock on the all too familiar front door. as i wait for it to open, i prop up my skateboard outside. the door opens to reveal carol, "hey honey! you're a bit early," she says opening the door for me to walk in. "yeah i know. neither me and my dad knows how to tie a bow tie. i was hoping you or dana knew," i say pulling it out of my pocket lightly laughing. i follow her to the kitchen, "i'm not sure either, but let's see if nini does. i never needed to know how to tie a bow tie obviously," she says laughing at her joke. "nini! come downstairs!" she shouts. i feel my stomach swarm with butterflies again. i hear heels click onto their hardwood floor before i see her come around the corner of the short hallway, "yeah mom?" nini questions coming into the view of carol and i. "know how to tie a bow tie?" carol questions grabbing the bow tie that i sat on the kitchen island. she walks up to us opposite of the island reaching for it from her mom, "i've never tied one before, but i think i know how." i sit down on the stool beside me. nini walks up to me and lifts the collar of my shirt up. she's standing in between my legs with the fronts of our bodies just inches apart. my eyes rake over her body taking in her appearance. i've never been blind to how pretty nini is, but in this moment she looks absolutely perfect. i've never really looked at her in this way. the way her soft curls fall from her high ponytail to her stunning dress that makes her body look so good and i've never seen her in high heels before. it's like my mind stops working. "okay i think i've almost got it," she says giggling. her laugh is so perfect. i bring my eyes back up to hers, but they're too concentrated on tying this dumb material around my neck. i just watch her for the time being. "oh my gosh i actually got it!" she says pulling at it one last time. she plops her hands down on my shoulders saying, "okay, all done." shoot there's the butterflies again.