Winter break (Rini)

The Island of Misfit Toys

Nini and Ricky are the first to arrive at Ashlyn's house for the cast Christmas party other than Big Red. Surprisingly. While Ricky and Big Red help out with some of the decorations, Nini helps Ashlyn in the kitchen.

"How did operation distract Ricky go?" Ashlyn asks, watching as Nini placed the Christmas cookies she and Ricky baked onto a plate. "How's he doing?"

"His mom hasn't called all week," she says. "And I'm starting to think she won't."

"It really sucks that he always has to be the one to reach out. But he seems like he's doing okay for now at least."

"Oh yeah," Nini smiles. "Thanks for agreeing to have this tonight. It really helps."

Ashlyn leaves to open the door as some more guests arrive and Ricky and Big Red venture into the kitchen, both trying to steal cookies from where Nini has neatly packed them.

Once the gang is all sitting around the living room, listening to Christmas music and catching up, Carlos decides it's time to start the secret santa.

"Okay, let's get this secret santa started. I'll pick a gift at random and then you have to guess who your secret santa was based on the gift," Carlos says, picking up a neatly wrapped box.

"This one is for Ej," he says, handing it over.

"So this isn't any one of the guys since it wrapped so nicely," he jokes.

He immediately falls silent when he opens it, knowing exactly who it could be.

"It's a college survival box," he says softly, looking up and making direct eye contact with Nini, who's smiling right back. "And it's from Nini."

"Well you're graduating in a couple months and the drama club isn't going to be the same," she says. "But I know how excited you were for college."

He sifts through the box, showing everyone some of the stuff. At some point he closes it and tells them to move on, partially because they were wasting time and partially because he wanted to look through it on his own.

"Okay, Nini the next one is for you," Carlos says, handing her a gift bag.

When Nini first catches sight of the handmade, customised East High tshirt with "Salazar-Roberts" on the back, her first assumption is Kourtney. It seems like a piece of memorabilia in case she does leave and Kourtney is all about designing and making clothes. Her mind changes when she sees the songbook- very clearly handmade as well. It's decorated beautifully, with cursive lettering that could only belong to one person.

"Ashlyn," she says, tearing up a little, before pulling her in for the biggest hug.

"You have some serious talent Nini," she says. "Write. Write for yourself, and for boys. Just never stop working your magic."

Ashlyn unwraps her gift next- candles designed to look like crystals, each scented with a different essential oil- from Seb. Ricky gets Seb a handpainted sign for his barn. The pun confuses every one but seems to have Seb and Ricky in stitches.

"We were rehearsing a Sharpay and Troy scene," Ricky barely gets out between laughs. "And yeah it just happened."

The commentary doesn't do much to help the group of confused students but the way Ricky and Seb are laughing is enough to get the whole group laughing too.