what more can i say | rini au

18.

It's been about a week since they properly made up and had their talk. A week since she made her frustrations clear and he agreed to cool it with the flirting.

Nini has decided to let herself move forward, and he's done the same. He did back down with the borderline flirtatious comments, and she appreciates it, she does, but... Would it be so bad for her to admit it if she almost missed his affection?

Perhaps she doesn't really have time, or mental space rather, to wonder though, since today they were all hanging out at Aspen's pool again. Well- not Gina this time for the more or less obvious reason of her and Ricky's breakup, but the whole group's schedules aligned so things were good for the day.

It would be fun, enjoying the summer sun and one another's company, taking cute pictures... Just taking advantage of a warmer day while they were able. Plus Nini could take advantage of the opportunity to spend time with Ricky but with the buffer of their mutual friends to keep things from getting weird.

"Hey Nini, you coming?"

Speak of the devil. Or well- not the devil, but the saying feels right at the moment.

Ricky was picking her up, like he so often did, and she can see from her spot in the doorway Big Red shuffling seats into the back so that Nini could sit shotgun. All is as it should be.

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" She replies quickly, shaking her head as she locks the front door behind her, running down the driveway to hop into the car.

Canvas bag is set at her feet as she leans over to hug Ricky, then smiles at Red in the back.

"Hey guys, you ready to have some fun? I heard Kourtney's bringing the volleyball stuff."

"I thought you said fun? Last I checked volleyball was my least favorite p..e. unit." Big Red groans, but he's at least halfway teasing in that regard.

"And here I thought your least favorite unit was when we did frisbee because Mr. Thomas made you go find your frisbee clear across the football field." Ricky replies, grinning at the memory.

"Oh shut up... And I believe you mean our frisbee actually." Big Red replies with a smile to match Ricky's, causing Nini to beam as well.

"You two being put in the same pe clsss was a mistake. Then again you in any class together could be to be fair." Nini giggles, shaking her head.

"That's not fair... You should know in the third grade our teacher told my parents I was a joy to have in class. And we were all in that third grade class... " Big Red points out, raising an eyebrow.

They're driving down to Aspen's but while Ricky's eyes are on the road, the three of them are all having a great time bantering like nothing was different.

For now anyway. She only hopes that same kind of attitude persists when she inevitably ends up alone with the curly haired boy at some point. It hasn't been properly awkward between them, but it hasn't been quite the same either.

To be fair, Ricky's been taking time to talk with his dad and Jenn as much as he could, truly settling back into his life at home. So Nini's had some space from him, and he from her. So perhaps the distance was the issue and not their talk causing some kind of strain on their friendship.

A girl can dream.

—

The lounge chairs are empty except for Nini, the others playing in the water while she waits for her mom's call, under the guise of letting her stomach settle before she swims.

Ricky gets out of the water with a few words to the others that the girl can't quite make out. He's pushing himself up onto the decking with his arms, undeniably drawing her eye to his flexed muscles before he heads directly over to where she's sitting.