Winter break (Rini)

You and I, kid

"Yo Nini, you coming?" Ricky's voice breaks through the ringing in Nini's eardrums.

She looks up to face him, the wide grin on his face melting through the layers of panic that were slowly building up. She nods slowly and he disappears through the front doors again.

Nini turns around and shoots Kourtney a look that basically screams "help me!" and it takes all of two seconds for her to drag Nini back into the dressing room that she had just been in minutes ago.

"Okay, breathe girl," Kourtney says, handing her a bottle of water she grabbed earlier. "What just happened?"

Nini contemplates telling her everything. She knows she suspects that her and Ricky are back together- or whatever it is that they're doing. They didn't really talk, more like had a hasty confession and a not-so-hasty makeout session. She also knows Kourtney saw her talking to Kalyani Patel in the foyer.

Nini freezes. She can't tell Kourtney. Or Ricky. Or anyone right now. Everyone is on some sort high since the musical and she refuses to be the one who dampens their moods. Nini refuses to dump all of this on Kourtney. She refuses to already rub salt into hers and Ricky's healing wounds. So she breathes in, breathes out, and lies through her teeth.

"Nothing," she says. "I've never played the lead and I think the adrenaline was finally getting to me. I'm all good now. You ready to go to Ashlyn's?"

Kourtney looks at her skeptically- like she knows its a lie- and Nini curses under her breath knowing she can read her like a book.

"Sure, lets go," she says, and Nini lets out a relieved sigh at the fact that she isn't pushing her for an answer.

They leave the dressing room, catching up with the rest of the theatre gang as they all decide how they were going to commute to Ashlyn's place. Nini tries to pay attention and be present but she keeps spacing out and she's sure Ricky notices. His hand slips into hers and she hears a faint "Neens and I will walk," before she's pulled away from the group.

"Nini," Ricky calls once they've walked enough of the distance from the school to be out of sight. "What's going on?"

"I just," she starts, guilt settling in the pit of her stomach at the thought of keeping this from him. "I'm kinda spacy tonight."

"I can tell," he giggles. "I don't blame you. It's been a weird night. It's hard to imagine what went down in just a few short hours."

"We just put on the most confusing rendition of High School Musical: The Musical. So many character changes."

"My mom has a boyfriend, who's here apparently."

She looks up at him sympathetically, rubbing her thumb along the back of his hand. He squeezes her hand reassuringly.

"How was that?" Nini inquires, remembering that they were talking in the hallway before the Dean from Y.A.C came up to her. "Everything okay?"

"She wants me to have coffee or ice-cream or something with them at some point," he sighs. "I asked her to just give me today. I just need one day where my life isn't filled with chaos. And I mean, most of it already was thanks to her."

"I'm glad you're giving her a chance but I hope you know you're in no way obligated to," she says. "She's your mom, yes, but she sprung this on you and she had the worst timing. So at least find out how long she's staying and take as many days as you need, even if that means she leaves for Chicago without that ice-cream date."

The side of his lips turn up in a smile and he squeezes her hand again. She returns the gesture and they walk in silence for a little bit.

"I almost forgot," he says, stopping in his tracks. "Us."