❁starbucks❁

❁twenty-one❁

"We're here." Ricky said, parking in a line of cars on the sidewalk.

Nini looked out the window at the house. It was dark except for lights shining through the windows. She could hear pulsing bass coming from the door every time it opened and shut, and people were lounging in the yard. 

"Nini, c'mon." Ricky said, opening the door for her. Nini gulped. There was no turning back now. She got out of the car and cautiously followed him to the door. He opened the door, and Nini was awash in loud rap music, LED lights flashing all colors of the rainbow, and people of all walks of life. 

As Ricky walked around the house to get he and Nini food and drinks, a few people greeted him cheerfully. Nini looked around curiously. This was not like the party from high school, or even like the party that Kourtney had taken her to a few months prior. This party was slightly less crowded, and mostly people were just sitting around talking rather than at the high school party where everyone had been clumped into a circle and were dancing together.  

Nini had begun to relax and her fear began to chip away at itself. She sighed in the scent of people and drinks as she followed Ricky around.

"Nini, my friends are upstairs. Let's go meet them." He shouted over the music. Nini nodded and followed him up the crowded stairs where people were lounging. 

"Ricky!" A loud shout startled Nini as a guy who she presumed was one of Ricky's seemingly many friends stood up and walked over to them with a big smile on his face.

"Hey, Isaac!" Ricky laughed in response. 

"And you must be Nini." He turned to her with a smile. Nini nodded. "It's nice to meet you."

"You too." Nini said politely. 

"Ricky doesn't ever shut up about how amazing you are." Isaac said, which elicited a punch on the shoulder from Ricky. Nini giggled. "C'mon guys, everyone else is this way."

Isaac led Ricky and Nini to a small room where two guys were sitting on a couch chatting. As they heard the sound of the door opening, they looked up curiously and smiled to see Ricky and Isaac together.

"Ricky!" One of them yelled. "We haven't seen you in a billion years." 

Ricky laughed.

"Come, have a drink. I stole like five cups of beer from the front." The other said. 

"True story." Isaac nodded matter-of-factly.

"Is this Nini?" The first guy asked, looking at her. Ricky nodded.

"Yup. This is the one and only," Ricky said, putting his arm around her.

The first guy smiled. "Hi, Nini. We've been super excited to meet you. I'm Timothy, but you can call me Tim or Timmy. You already met Isaac, and he's Neil." He said, gesturing to the guy who apparently stole the drinks.

"You drink?" Isaac asked, holding up a cup for her.

"Sure." Nini shrugged, her own spontaneity surprising herself. Ricky looked at her, eyebrows raised. She smiled at him, taking a sip.

--

The group spent the next few hours chatting, drinking, and laughing together. Nini even drank a little before deciding to stop. Ricky's friends were funny. She learned that Neil was an English major, Timmy was an acting major, and Isaac and Ricky were friends from high school.

However, the party was soon about to end. It was pitch black outside, people were beginning to leave, and the music was beginning to slowly get quieter.