what more can i say | rini au

28.

the clock had just struck nine, and nini could hear the church bells even from here, or maybe it just felt that way because of the emptiness she felt in this place. there were people at the skate park, not a lot due to the late hour but some... just not the one person she's waiting on. 

she almost wonders if he's just not going to show up, but then this is ricky, he's never just not shown up for her. god he's always been there, especially when it mattered. he's probably just running late.

evidently not too late though because within moments of her pulling her phone out to check the time and confirm it was in fact the hour she'd suspected, she hears the sound of a skateboard clicking over the cracks in the pavement. given she was at a skate park that could in theory be anyone but somehow she just knew it was ricky, and as she looked up, she saw the familiar head of dark curls approaching her.

even in her relative anger, as she stands there wearing his hoodie with her ripped jeans, hair falling in its usual loose braids down the sides of her head, she sees him looking at her with interest, eyes scanning her frame.

nini doesn't usually give much credence to it when he checks her out, but it's obvious now that that's definitely what he's doing.

she'd be frustrated by the act if she didn't find herself doing the same to him. he does look good, in that thin white t-shirt and his flannel she's had him offer her to borrow more than a few times. he's in jeans too, and she's grateful he changed his clothes since she saw him, she doesn't know how much she wants to look at him and instantly be forced to reckon with everything that happened and the fact it's only been hours.

though nini certainly can't help but look at him.

and thankfully with the hours that have passed since she's seen him, neither looks like they'd been crying.

walking past the living room on her way out of his house, she'd just narrowly avoided letting his dad see her still damp eyes and tear stained cheeks.

ricky's tall frame comes to a halt just a few feet from her as he gets off the skateboard and picks it up with a foot pressed down on the back end to flip it up towards his hand.

he's staring at her and she can't rip her eyes off of him either as he takes a few steps towards her.

"hey neens." he greets her with a certain softness, a nervousness she catches even with the two words.

"i almost thought you weren't coming." she confesses, a bit of sadness emerging through her intense eyes.

what she doesn't expect is for him to look so sad too, somehow appearing to her like the little boy she became friends with in kindergarten.

"i would never just leave you waiting on me like that neens. i've always shown up for you. that doesn't stop when you get mad at me. i'm unconditionally yours."

at first she's softened by the undeniable sweetness of his words, but him saying all this, all the perfect little things she loves to hear, it doesn't make her drop her guard the way it usually would. she won't let herself be destroyed by him.

but then who could break her like he could? 

only the one who possesses her heart could ever crush it.