common sense • rini/jolivia one shots

the way i loved you

the airport bustles around her as she sits and waits for her flight to board. going back to SLC wasn't going to be easy. she hasn't been back since...him.

"hey, you okay?"

Nini turns to the side, smiling a little, "i'm fine babe."

"good, can't wait to tell your moms the good news. you're soon to be Mrs. Nina Williams."

she forces a smile and turns back to the book in her lap, just staring at the same page again. in all honesty, this wasn't how her life was supposed to turn out. Nini always figured she'd live in Salt Lake her whole life, become a teacher or something, get married young and start a family...with him.

but that's not what happened.

instead, her fairytale life with her high school sweetheart came to an end not lot after they finished college. just when Nini thought they were at a point where they were going to get engaged, they broke up. she packed up and moved to New York, getting a teaching job at one of the performing arts schools in the city. Max just happened to be there too.

Max Williams was a sensible man, an incredible man. he loved her, she loved him, they hardly fought, they enjoyed being together, they were even engaged. still, something seemed wrong.

Nini let her mind begin to wander, thinking of the boy she left back in Utah.

Ricky smiled widely as Nini stands in front of him at the bottom of her staircase, a dark red prom dress hugging her body in all the right places.

"wow," he says breathless, "Neens...you're beautiful."

she smiles, approaching him. her hands hand on his chest, smoothening down his jacket a little before holding onto the lapels of his blazer, "you know i only get this dressed up for you."

he grins, leaning in to press a sweet and loving kiss to her lips, "i love you."

Nini smiled wide, "i love you more."

they take pictures for her moms, both teens getting a little restless after awhile. Nini starts pulling Ricky to the door, "love, we have to go or else we'll be late."

"love, we're boarding now."

"hmm?" Nini hums, looking towards her fiancé, "oh, okay."

she hates that pet name. it's the one that she's told him several times she doesn't want him to call her, that's what she called Ricky.

the flight feels so long, Nini staring out the window the whole time. she's thought about what he's been up to since they separated basically every day since she left 4 years ago. is he a music teacher still? is he married? kids? there's were all questions she still had no answers to, and she didn't know if she wanted those answers.

her moms are waiting for them when they land, both Dana and Carol have big smiles on their faces as they see their daughter for the first time in almost a year.

she grins contently when she's in her moms arms again, "i've missed you guys."

Dana wraps her arm tighter around her daughter, "we've missed you more sweetie, let's head home."

Max helps put their suitcases into the car before getting in the backseat with Nini. she's quiet as her moms chat in the front seat, Max rubs her left ring finger, eyeing her a little. she purposely didn't wear the ring, packing it in its box in her purse for the trip. she said it was because she wanted to tell her moms when she was ready but she's not so sure if that's the only reason.

as they pull onto her childhood street, she can't help but think back. back to those nights at 2am out in front of her house.

"Ricky! get back here!"