the flaw in being perfect - rini au

fifty two

Ricky has been thinking a lot today, and a good majority of those thoughts have been about one girl in particular.

He just wants to know if Nini is okay. He wants to apologize and make it up to her as much as he possibly can. He feels insanely bad for what he's done.

What he did was uncalled for in the first place, and what she was going through without his knowledge makes it even worse.

He decided that he'll be going to Nini's foster home as soon as school gets out to find her. He wishes he could understand what's going on in her head, but he knows he's going to do his best to help whether he gets it or not.

Now, here he is, after school on Nini's doorstep, waiting for someone to answer the door now that he's knocked.

The door creaks open.

"Hi," a girl confusedly greets.

Ricky vaguely recognizes her as Willow, a sophomore at East High.

"Hi," Ricky greets back awkwardly. "Is Nini home?"

Willow raises an eyebrow. "You two really are friends, huh? I thought that was a joke."

"Why would that be a joke?" Ricky furrows his eyebrows.

Willow scoffs. "Because you're hot and popular, and she's... Nini."

"I'm sorry, what is that supposed to mean?"

"We're the damaged goods, you know, no parents, the ones that survive instead of live." Willow shrugs. "It's no big deal, it's just that the normal kids don't usually want to deal with us."

"Oh, um..." Ricky trails off, not really sure how to respond.

"Relax, you don't need to pity us or anything. I'm just surprised is all." Willow opens the door farther. "Nini isn't here, she's at therapy or something. I'm sure you heard about what happened at school today."

Ricky runs a hand through his hair. "Yeah, I heard alright."

"Do you know what she went to rehab for?" Willow asks.

"No, do you?"

"No, Linda keeps it as some big, like, secret. It's something to do with her anxiety, but I don't know how big it is. I don't think it's drugs, but it has to be something kinda big for her to have been there for so long. She was supposed to stay longer, but being a foster kid makes things a little complicated."

Willow gushes like she's gossiping, which honestly isn't what Ricky likes to hear, but at least she has knowledge to back it up.

"You're not talking about this at school, are you?" Ricky clarifies.

"Oh, gosh no. Nini would be so upset. She's too sweet for me to do that to her. Plus she knows my past, too, so that wouldn't be good."

"Just checking. Nini's going through a lot, and people knowing she was supposed to go to more rehab than she already did would be a nightmare." Ricky shakes his head.

"Are you two dating?" Willow suddenly asks.

Ricky's eyes widen slightly. "Oh, um. No. We're not."

"But you like her," Willow finishes for him.

Ricky clears his throat. "Do you know when she'll be home?"

"Who's that at the door, Willow?" A voice calls from inside.

"Nini's boyfriend." Willow smirks.

"Nini has a boyfriend?" Linda appears, and eyebrow raised.

"No, ma'am. We're just friends," Ricky clarifies.

"For now," Willow adds on, amused.

"I'm Ricky." Ricky holds out his hand to Linda.

"Linda. Nini and Willow's foster mother," Linda introduces herself, shaking his hand. "How do you know Nini?"

"Just from school. We've run into each other quite a few times."

"He's on the football team," Willow leans against the doorframe nonchalantly.

"Do you and Nini hang out often?" Linda asks.

"I don't know if I'd say often, but quite a few times, yes. She's an amazing girl." Ricky smiles slightly as he thinks about her.

Linda studies Ricky's face, as it's a look she knows all too well. "You know, I just remembered that I have some errands I need to run, but I'm supposed to pick Nini up from her therapy appointment in forty five minutes. Is there any way you could pick her up instead?" Linda asks.

"Oh, yes, of course." Ricky nods. "What's the address?"

"Let me get your phone number and I can text it to you. Sound good?" Linda offers.

Ricky smiles. "Sounds perfect."

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this was so cute to write i LOVE IT

anyways, thoughts??

we got to meet willow a little more — what do we think of her??

-jenna