Ever since High School Musical, Ricky knew he wanted to pursue a career in music. He knew even more that he wanted to do so with Nini by his side.
So when they got back together after High School Musical, and stayed together throughout Beauty and the Beast, and the SAT's, and college applications, and the senior musicals, and prom, and graduation, and finding out they both would be headed to UCLA for college, Nini had become his constant. Even more so than she was throughout their childhood as his best friend.
She was his constant, his guiding light through their first two and a half years at UCLA, through their friend group being in every corner of the country, through his mom marrying Todd, and through his breakthrough into the LA music scene.
He had built a pretty decent following considering he wasn't trying super hard to get his name out there. While he was certain he wanted to be a musician, he knew his education was important and he would need something to fall back on if music didn't work out (even though Nini always said it would). With the help of his dad and Nini, he had decided to focus on school before pursuing music full time. During his time as a music education major, he posted some covers on YouTube and Instagram from time to time and had performed in the UCLA variety shows for the music school. Through that, he began getting requests for him to play house parties or random philanthropy events for that one sorority.
Which is how he ended up in a stuffy, overcrowded living room in some sketchy neighborhood a couple blocks from campus, dripping sweat as he played the ending notes of Sorry on his piano. The room reeked of alcohol and had a broken fog machine trying to cloud the room. But despite the typical college house party atmosphere, the vibe was electric and was feeding his soul. He banged the keys of his piano to end the song and moved up to the front mic, grabbing his guitar.
"I got one more for you guys, here's I Know (Lie, Lie, Lie)." He looked out to make eye contact with Nini, giving her his signature side smirk.
She winked back at him from the back of the living room as a blonde girl came from the kitchen holding a solo cup full of whatever was in the punch bowl. The girl stood next to Nini, not bothering to fight the crowd with a full cup and a perfectly good view from the back as Ricky began to sing the crowd's favorite.
"God, he is hot as hell." The girl gushed while fanning herself. Nini looked over at her and nodded.
"Yeah, he's something else that's for sure." She agreed with the girl who had clearly had quite a few drinks.
"Have you seen him perform before? I've been to like seven of his shows. He just gets better every time." The girl asks Nini.
"Yeah, something like th-"
"I'm gonna make him come home with me tonight. I've seen him go home with a girl once before and there is no way he'll be able to say no to me. I'm literally his biggest fan and I know he has seen me at these shows before." She slurred, interrupting Nini.
"Oh yeah, you should totally try! There's no way he will say no!" Nini encouraged her, laughing to herself. The girl just smirked back at her as she lost herself in Ricky's music. Clearly the blonde didn't realize who she was talking to.
Since their high school friends were all at different schools, Nini normally came to these things alone. From time to time she would drag her college friends along, but since she and Ricky lived together now, she felt like it was just an inconvenience for them especially since they had seen him perform so many times before.
The remarks about Ricky from the girl beside her were nothing new and nothing she wasn't used to. She watched the blonde scream the words of the chorus along with the crowd and thought about the time where those comments really did get under her skin and make her jealous.
-
Ricky had just come off the makeshift stage in the first living room show he had ever done. The room was still dark and loud, but he was making his way through the crowd, eager to get to Nini. He stopped to take selfies with a couple of girls and even signed a random arm.
"Oh my god I want to take him home right now and lock us in my room!" A dark headed girl squealed to her friend beside her as Ricky got closer to them. Nini looked next to her and began bubbling with jealousy as two girls made heart eyes at her boyfriend.
"The things I wish I could do to him..." The friend yelled back to the dark headed girl.
"Uh, excuse me!" Nini gasped at them. The girls turned their heads, looked at Nini, and rolled their eyes.
"Oh please, don't even act like you called dibs! He would never go for you!" The dark haired girl scoffed.
"Actually she already has..." Ricky replied, coming up from behind Nini and wrapping his arms around her waist. The two girl's eyes went wide as they watched Nini reach up and kiss Ricky's cheek. "Thanks for coming to the show ladies, but I think it's time for me and my girlfriend to go home."
Nini shook her head at them as they walked out to the backyard. Ricky spun Nini around so he could look at her face. "I don't want you to ever worry about other girls and what they say about me." He said gently, looking her in the eyes with sincerity.
Nini nodded and ducked her head. "I know I shouldn't let it get to me, but I just can't stand the thought of you in other girl's heads." She said softly.
Ricky lifted her chin with his finger and said, "I know that I'm always running through your mind, so that is all that matters." He winked as Nini rolled her eyes.
"Come on you dork." She laughed as she ushered him towards the front door.
-
Now, she plays into the comments, and Ricky thinks it's hilarious. She loves encouraging the girls in their appreciation of Ricky, because Nini knows she has a good looking boyfriend. She loves even more the look on their faces when Ricky immediately goes for her when he finishes his last song.
They all watch as he strums the final chords and sings "I'll kiss your ass goodbye" into the microphone. Everyone screams as he finishes and as he winks, making eye contact with Nini. She winks back as the blonde next to her swoons.
"Oh my god he just winked at me!" She squealed. "It's happening tonight, I told you it would!" She grabs Nini's arm shaking her. Ricky jumped off the stage and began to make his way towards the back. "Oh my god, oh my god! He's coming over here! How do I look? Hot? It's fine actually I know I do!"
"Here your hair is out of place, let me help you!" Nini offered, fixing the girl's fly-aways.
The girl swatted Nini's hands away as Ricky approached them. "Hey handsome!" She said as she moved towards him, trying to shove Nini out of the way.
Ricky nodded in her direction as he wrapped his arms around Nini's waist and kissed her forehead. "Hey baby." He whispered in her ear.
"Great show, babe!" Nini said, returning his hug.
They both watched the blonde's mouth drop open as she realized Ricky's attention was never on her. "What...but...you said go for...UGH!"
"I mean...I do agree with you that he's, how did you put it? Hot as hell." Nini winked.
The girl huffed out a breath and looked to the side. She grabbed a napkin scrap and the sharpie sitting on the table next to them and scribbled her number on it She shoved it Ricky's hand, saying, "If you ever get bored, call me." Turning around she headed back towards the kitchen.
Ricky crumpled up the scrap and threw it on the ground, while wrapping Nini in a hug and laughing into her hair.
"It never gets old does it?" Nini asked as she looks up at him.
"Nope, never." Ricky winks. "Let's get out of here." He took her hand in his, pulling them towards the door and into the Los Angeles nighttime.
