𝙗𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙛𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙨 (𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙞𝙙𝙚) || hsmtmts au

13. playlist

R I C K Y 'S P O V

RICKY BOWEN'S CAR

"can you just at least give me a hint?? or, like-"

"nini, we're literally on the way there," i chuckle, "besides, you know me so well you'd probably know just from a vague hint, so.."

she jokingly rolls her eyes and bites back a smile, "okay, yeah, that was actually my plan so--"

"you're too predictable," i burst out laughing, pointing to her as i drive. nini giggles, swatting my hand away and resting an arm next to mine on top of the console.

for what feels like the millionth time in the past five minutes, nini's phone buzzes with what i can only assume is yet another call from e.j. she sighs, picking the phone up and pressing decline.

"sorry," nini whispers when the phone rings again, caving in and answering. i shake my head, mouthing 'it's fine' before i move my hand to hers and intertwine our fingers.

it breaks my heart to see her like this over some guy who doesn't deserve it at all, because nini deserves so much better. maybe someone who actually values her, and not her body or how she looks--you know, if i was her boyfriend, i wouldn't make her feel like that.

just saying.

"what?" nini sighs out when the call connects. she gives me a thankful look when i squeeze her hand, putting on a smile to try not to ruin the vibe.

"e.j, it's fine....i'm sorry, it won't happen again, i just--....yeah. okay. see you then."

see you then?!

she's not actually forgiving and apologizing to her shit-stain of a boyfriend, right?!

"sorry about that," she says softly, looking at me for a moment before setting her head down on my shoulder.

"don't be sorry, it's not your fault he's like that." i rub patterns into the back of her small, soft hand with my thumb.

"i just wish he wasn't..i don't know," she breathes out, shaking her head.

it's like she doesn't even know how much hurt he's causing her, and it's the most frustrating thing to watch.

but watching is all i can really do. i mean, i want to tell her everything--i really do, but i just can't. you saw what happened the other day when i tried to tell her, i keep choking on it. and even then, what would happen if i could actually tell her? what if she doesn't feel the same? poof! twelve years of close friendship out the window.

i can't have that.

i'd much rather settle as her best friend then lose her trying to be more than that.

so, for now i'll just be there for her when she needs me--even though it's absolutely killing me. for now i'll just love her like this, hoping that maybe one day she could love me like that too.

"you know..what you should be is excited, because i'm getting off at the next exit," i tell her with a smile.

her mood seemingly changes instantly, nini lifting her head off of my shoulder and plugging her phone into the aux.

"what're you doing?"

"shuffling our playlist!" she smiles, pressing her lips together.

and yes, nini and i have a playlist.

it started out as just a few songs we would share with each other every now and then when we were younger--but when you've been this close with someone for this long, it doesn't take long for a few songs to turn into a whole shared spotify playlist.

there's at least a hundred songs on there and growing, the two of us adding more and more every time one of us hears a song they think the other would like.

of course, an old taylor swift song comes on--half the playlist being taylor swift and lorde, the other half being oldies like rick springfield and ABBA.

one of nini and i's desert island movies is mamma mia, obviously. we basically have the same DI list, because anytime one of us sees a movie it's kind of implied that the other has seen it too, because we always watch everything together.

and then of course there's a few glee songs here and there, nini having made me re-watch the entirety of the series with her about seven or eight times. i actually don't hate it--but as far as everyone besides nini knows, i do.

it's my guilty pleasure show, okay?!

"but she wears high heels, i wear sneakers, she's cheer captain and i'm on the bleachers," nini sings, holding up her hand like she's got a microphone. i stifle a laugh before i play along, keeping one hand on the wheel and using the other to jokingly flip my non-existent long hair.

"dreaming 'bout the day when you wake up and find--"

i join in, neither of us bothering to even try and sing well and instead just screaming at the top of our lungs.

"THAT WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR HAS BEEN HEREEE THE WHOLE TIME!"

nini takes her hand away from mine, putting her hands on her chest and leaning back against the seat while she passionately screams the lyrics (the two of us knowing the song WAY too well, because this is one of her favorites).

"IF YOU COULD SEE THAT I'M THE ONE WHO UNDERSTANDS YOU, BEEN HERE ALL ALONG, SO WHY CAN'T YOU SEEEEEE?!"

she scrunches her nose as she sings, balling her hands up and shaking her head/hair all over.

"STANDING BY AND WAITING AT YOUR BACK DOOR, ALL THIS TIME HOW COULD YOU NOT KNOW BABYY?!"

don't you just love irony?

i laugh, turning my head to actually look over at her (since we're at a red light). nini catches me staring right away, the two of us now silent as we look at each other.

the red glare from the stoplight is hitting her skin at just the right angle, saturating her red dress even more to make it look like she's glowing as she leans up against the seat of the car. and don't even get me started on how gorgeous the light looks on her face, the tinted red lipstick on her parted lips somehow making them look brighter and darker at the same time.

we don't really need words, we just kind of look over at each other and smile. her smile is still perfect, by the way--

HONK!!

"ricky, GREEN LIGHT!!" nini giggles as i quickly press my foot down on the gas, (thankfully) avoiding getting rear ended.