𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐄 𝐀𝐅𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐘𝐎𝐔 [a rini au]

- FORTY-SEVEN!

"thank you. have a good one," ricky nodded to the barista with a friendly smile as he took the two coffees from her hands. as he made his way out to his car, his phone rang just in time for him to place the drinks in their respective cup holders and climb inside the vehicle.

the singer started the car as he answered the call, securing the phone in its magnetic holder wedged into the air vent. "good morning," ricky said shakily, fearing the wrath that was about to strike him. he processed just how strange another voice on the line sounded after not corresponding via phone for weeks.

"well i'll be damned!" margo richardson shrieked. "only took a month and a half of calling you for you to finally answer your phone. to what do i owe the pleasure?"

"i should be asking you that," ricky craned his neck and threw his arm around the back of the passenger seat as he maneuvered his way out of his parking spot.

margo evidently scoffed. "i want to be mad that neither of you have bothered to tell me how things are going when i very well enabled you to get to london in the first place with my disclosure of nini's flight information, but i'm just too happy that i no longer need to be switzerland with you two."

ricky knew the blond had a lighthearted tone to her tease, but a piece of his heart managed to crack. through all this trouble he and nini caused for one another, their third best friend often caught the brunt of it. "yeah. look, margs, i'm really sorry abo–"

"i don't need an apology," margo interrupted with what ricky thought was a smile. "i know."

the boy swallowed hard before taking a sip of his coffee. "so, where are you headed?" margo asked.

"going to meet nini at the studio," ricky chimed. "she pulled an all nighter last night trying to get something done for the album since she's at a stalemate, so i figured i'd bring her some coffee because she's probably passed out on the couch there."

"oh how casually you speak of abbey road studios."

ricky let out a laugh at the reality of it all as margo continued. "seriously, though. do i have permission to tell everyone you're alive? and nini isn't, quote, 'sucking your blood like the vampire she is'?"

"quote from gina?"

"who else?"

ricky began to slow down at the entrance of the exclusive abbey road studios driveway, which only nini's car occupied at the moment. "i already talked to nini about this, but i'm done answering to people," ricky sighed. "i'm here to figure out my life with nini, and it's our business only. i'm sure we'll open up once we're comfortable, but i also am not going to tolerate the unnecessary backlash from people who claim to be my friends."

"wow," margo huffed. "standing up to portwellney for the first time? what has england done to you?"

"portwellney?"

"portwell and kourtney. c'mon now."

ricky shrugged although he knew margo couldn't see. "based on what you already said, i know they won't have kind words for me. this is the time to see who my real friends are and who i want to keep in my life or not."

"good for you, ricardo," margo supported. "as long as i'm not on the chopping block, i will cheer you on from sunny los angeles."

ricky cracked a smile as he settled his car in park. "you're always top of my list, margs. c'mon now," he mocked the phrase the blond previously employed. "i gotta go. i'll tell nini i talked to you and maybe we can both give you a call later."

"i'd want nothing more. see ya."

___

nini scribbled the last lyric on her notepad with a bright grin on her face. she had finally done it.