When Hate Turns to Love

Ch. 3

Nini stared in horror at her cellphone lying on the ground.

"It's him." She whispered hysterically to Kourtney. "It's him!"

"Him who?" Kourt asked.

Nini tried to do some breathing techniques to calm herself, but nothing was working. All she ended up doing was hyperventilating.

"Oh, for gods sake, Nini" Kourt said, bending down to pick up her phone. "Hello. This is Nini's best friend. Who's this?"

Kourt went wide-eyes as the man answered on the other end of the line.

"Oh, that him. Girl, c'mon. You need to talk to him." Kourt said, shoving the phone back into the brunette's hands.

Nini shook her head. She didn't want to talk to him. She didn't want anything to do with him.

"Nini!" Kourtney insisted.

Nini threw her head back with a groan and put the phone up to her ear.

"It's Salazar-Roberts, actually. What the hell do you want, and how did you get my number?" Nini asked, frustration evident in her tone.

"Most girls would love for me to have their number." He said arrogantly.

She could just hear the smirk in his voice. His arrogance filled her with the same fire as yesterday.

"I'm hanging up," Nini snapped.

"Not yet, darling." He drawled, sending a shiver down her spine for some reason. "We have a little problem."

"What? The tabloids? Don't worry, I'll be more than happy to deny those rumors" Nini said passionately.

"There's more to it than that, darling." Ricky said.

"Quit calling me that!" She exclaimed.

"Why? Does it irritate you?" He asked nonchalantly.

Nini scoffed. She couldn't believe this guy. "Yes!"

There was a pause.

"Darling." He said.

"What are you? Four?" She yelled, ignoring the little voice in her head that told her she quite liked the endearment.

"Coke meet with me and my staff." He continued in a bored tone. "A limo will be there to pick you up in an hour."

"Excuse you?" Nini said, fed up.

Ricky breathed a heavy sigh. "Fine. Two hours."

"That wasn't what the 'what' was about. You know what- forget it." Nini said in defeat. "But I'm not coming alone. My friend Kourtney is coming with me."

"I'm what?" Kourt said from her place in the kitchen, rifling through Nini's fridge looking for something to eat.

Nini just waved a hand at her to shush her.

"Of course. My driver will be there in an hour."

"TWO!" Nini shouted, but it was too late. He had already hung up.

Nini stared at her phone in shock.

"..Ni, Nini, NINI!"

Nini jumped when Kourt shouted in her ear.

"What the hell is going on, and where am I going with you?"

"To see Ricky Bowen, apparently." Nini said, standing shakily. "I have to call my mom to watch the kids."

"When?" Kourtney asked excitedly.

"An hour. Oh god. An hour! I have to call momma C, get dressed, the haven't eaten or gotten dressed. Oh god." Nini panicked.

Kourt pushed her towards her bedroom.

"Go handle you. Leave the twinions to me." Kourt said.

Nini laughed at Kourt's nickname for the kids. A mix of the words twin and minion.

"Thanks, Kourt." She said, hugging her friend tightly. "Wait, don't you have work?"

Kourtney shrugged. "I'll call in sick. This is way more important."

"Are you sure? Because I- "

"GO!" Kourtney interrupted her, shooing her away. "I'll call Mama C for you, too."

Nini was so grateful to have Kourtney in her life. She opened her closet and immediately hated everything in it. What does one wear to- well, whatever she was going to? She finally settled on a green and white floral dress and some white wedges. She loosely curled her hair and added some light makeup. She also wore her favorite gold treble clef pendant necklace.

"This'll have to do." Nini sighed, looking at herself in the mirror.

The doorbell rings a little while later, indicating Mama C had arrived. She ran out out of the room and into her open arms. Sometimes a girl just needs her mom.

"Thank you, mommy." Nini said, quietly. "I'm so sorry about this mess."

Carol just hugged her daughter tighter. "Honey, Kourtney is right. This will blow over soon and everyone will forget about it."

"I love you, mom." Nini said.

"I love you too, sweetie."

"GRANDMA!" The twins ran out of their room to giver her big hugs.

"NO RUNNING!" Nini exclaimed.

"We'll be fine here, right kids?" Carol asked Charlotte and Connor.

"Mhmm," Connor said. "By mommy and Auntie Kourt."

Charlotte just waved, shyly.

"I think our ride's here." Kourt said.

"How do you know?" Nini asked, running her fingers through her hair.

"Maybe because there's a giant limo amongst all the wreckers in your parking lot." Kourt said, pointing out the window.

At this, Nini had to see for herself. Sure enough, a huge white limo sat in front of the building.

"Do you think it's okay to go out there?" Nini asked, tentatively.

"It's a limo, Nins. Not a spaceship. Loosen up, girl." Kourt said.

Nini made a face at her friend, took a deep breath and opened the door.

"Be good, kids. I love you."

"Love you, mommy." Both the kids responded at the same time, making Nini smile.

Here we go, she thought.
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