𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚒 𝚑𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞 || rini au

sweater weather

ricky's pov

"oh, hey, sal-robs," i say when nini enters the hot tub area by herself.

"what are you doing out here?"

"oh, i just had free time to kill, i can go if you want me to."

"no, it's okay," she says with a smile, taking off her oversized white shirt which she used as a cover-up over her red bikini and slowly getting into the warm water. she takes her long, dark hair out of its bun and tips her head back to get it wet.

wow.

"hey, about the other night.." i start.

"can we please talk about literally anything else?" she walks over and sits next to me, putting on a smile.

"yeah, sorry. i don't know why i-"

"don't be, hot wheels."

on the outdoor speakers in the distance, i recognize the song. i can't put a pin on it, but it's definitely by taylor swift.

"mm, i love this song," i say.

"you don't have to keep pretending that you like the stuff i like, you know," she smiles.

shit. shit. shit.

"uh, what do you mean?"

"ashlyn told me what happened in the library," nini giggles.

"oh my god, this is embarrassing-"

"no, it's not, ricky. besides, i kind of did the same thing.."

"what?!" i say with a laugh.

"you know, the whole skate park picnic thing?? i mean, there's a lot more than that, but carlos and seb weren't much help with the rest."

"oh my god, wow, keep going," i chuckle.

"and didn't you think it was weird how i'm always wearing red around you? you told me i looked gorgeous in it."

"you'd look gorgeous in anything."

"oh, whatever," she laughs.

"i did actually like some of the books, though. and the songs."

"really? you actually read them?"

"yeah, maybe you'll get me into theater next," i joke, "although i'll never be as talented as you."

she brushes her hand on top of mine under the water, which makes both of us grin. i wrap my pinkie around hers, lightly pinching it as i hold her hand.

"oh, come on. i think i kinda you know is literally my favorite thing ever. you're already more talented than me."

"come on nini, your voice is like, one-in-a-million."

"you've never left salt lake, you don't know how much talent there is out there."

"that's not true, my parents took me to disneyland when i was little and i met a very talented minnie mouse."

"ah, yes, minnie mouse. your first crush."

"actually, she was my second," i blurt out. she turns her head and looks at me right in the eyes, then at my mouth, then back to my eyes and brings her hand up to my jaw. i grab her and pull her on top of me as she finally leans in and kisses me, without getting interrupted this time. i have one hand on her back keeping her steady and the other threading through her wet hair, her hand moving down to my neck. i can't explain how it feels, it's just like..

fireworks.

after a while, nini pulls away with a wide smile on her face as she breathes out. we just stare at each other for a second, catching our breath while her arm rests on my shoulder playing with my hair.

"so..what does this mean?" she asks.

"what do you mean, nins?" i say, tucking a piece of her hair behind her ear.

"what is this? what are we doing, ricky?"

"i don't..uhm.."

"do you like me or not?"

"oh." i don't know what to say, okay?! i've never had to have a conversation like this before. i just don't function well under pressure!

"oh?" she scoffs.

"yeah, um.-"

"wow."

"look, nini.."

"no, you know what, ricky? i think i know why you're so good at tearing everybody else down. it's because you're constantly tearing yourself down--because you're scared. you're scared to admit to everybody that you just might have feelings for me, and i just might have them too!" she says, getting out of the hot tub and frustratingly grabbing a towel.

"that must hurt. not being able to admit to everyone how you really feel. you couldn't do it when we were little, and you still can't do it now! because that's just SO SCARY, isn't it? because what happens when you have to actually commit to something, instead of just making out with me in pools?! i'm not the one living in a cinderella fairytale fantasy with glass slippers and castles and corsages, here! you are! you know what i think you are, ricky bowen? a coward!"

i sit there for a moment, my mouth hanging open. she looks at me, a towel wrapped around her expecting me to say something. she scoffs and walks off after she figures out that i have nothing to say.

wow. i really fucked that up.