over the next week or so, nini and ricky returned to their old ways of arguing over anything and everything, criticizing each other — almost as if the last few weeks before never happened.
nini, though still evidently hurt deep down from what had happened, went straight to putting a wall upfront and being quick with her old insults towards ricky; she'd roll her eyes whenever he came closer to her or was in the same room, she'd never acknowledge him unless it was to reply to him (and not nicely either) and she never let herself show him how much of an effect he had on her no matter what.
ricky tried the first few days to talk to her or get her alone to explain, but then he started becoming frustrated with the way that she was responding to his efforts. so, he would act like his old ways, giving up with making it as friends, because in his words; if she wasn't trying, why should he?
though the group was always used to ricky and nini's old ways of arguments and disputes, these new times seemed much different — worse.
their arguments were louder, harsher; it seemed like they were deliberately trying to see who could hurt one the most and who could drive the other over the edge the fastest.
"this is all your fault." gina groaned as she slumped down on the kitchen stool, holding a water bottle in her hand
"me?! what did i do?" big red questioned in frustration
"well-"
"i don't care bowen, just give me the freaking remote!" nini's voice was heard from the living room, anger clear in it
"you don't need the remote roberts, the movie's been chosen!" ricky bellowed back
"i can't even stay in that room anymore," ashlyn sighs as she enters the kitchen, glaring at big red and ej "good job guys,"
"yeah this is on you two." kourtney nods, pointing between the two boys who dropped their jaws
"i didn't think you guys were coming over!" ej defends
"you literally said 'let's have a movie night' on the phone." carlos told him
"yeah, but i was thinking a guys movie night." ej sighed "now-"
"not everything is about you!" ricky exclaims, their voices nearing the kitchen space
"i can say the exact same for you with your stupid choice of films!" the brunette girl's voice replied loudly
"oh yeah here we go again, always my fault right? no explanation because poor little nini salazar-roberts is always the victim!"
"oh for god's sake!" nini breathed with a scoff as she entered the living room "you-you're so-"
ricky followed her with his eyebrows raised and a glare on his face "what? huh? what's the matter roberts? lost your train of thought? cat got your tongue? that's a shocker seeing as you haven't been able to shut up for the past seventeen years of your life!"
"oh that's rich coming from master basketball player richard bowen and his hit with the ladies!" nini yelled back, everyone's eyes widening slightly as they returned their attention on the curly-haired boy who rolled his eyes and shook his head with a bitter laugh
"really? so we're going down this road again?" he questioned
ashlyn swallowed "uh-guys-"
"we never even went down the road, bowen," nini snapped back, interrupting the red-head
"h-how about we all calm down-"
"how about she just leaves?" ricky suggested, cutting seb off this time
nini let out a frustrated breath and grabbed her bag, shoving her way past the curly-haired boy before leaving ej's house, slamming the front door behind her.
the group all looked at ricky who had his eyes still on the entrance, all of them sighing
"ricky-"
"spare me another lecture," he said as he grabbed his phone and stuffed it into his pocket "i-i gotta get home, i'll see you guys tomorrow at school,"
they all nodded slowly and watched as the boy left the house before exchanging looks
"well...do we still want to watch a movie?" big red asked hesitantly