Author's Note: This was requested by @yeetingunicorn This is my take on season two. I am a Rini shipper all the way. I hope you enjoy! Sorry if its a bit long. Pretend corona doesn't exist in this story. This is just a scene from one of my ideas.
January 29th, 2020
It was the end of winter break, Nini decided to accept YAC's offer and moved to Denver a few weeks before the spring term started at East High. Ricky spent every day of winter break making memories with his girlfriend, Nini. He rode with her to the airport. The couple parted there ways when she got to security, Ricky had sunglasses on to hide his tears. The couple started the beginning of their long-distance relationship by having daily facetime calls after homework and updating each other on their school days.
A few weeks later, Ricky auditioned for the spring musical, Beauty and the Beast, a promise he made with Nini over winter break. When Miss Jenn posted the cast list that same day, Ricky was surprised to see that he got the lead role as Beast. He was so excited to tell Nini during their nightly facetime call and rushed home after school to finish his homework. After some tough calculus equations, he pressed the call button on Nini's contact. She usually picked up on the second ring. Ricky waited until, it went to her usual "This is Nini, Talk to me me" voicemail message. No response. Weird.
Meanwhile, Nini had gotten coffee at YAC's café and had bumped into one of her classmate's. The tall blonde-haired boy who she knew from her Music Theory class stopped to ask her a question about the homework. After she helped him with the homework, the two hit off into a deep conversation and he invited her to his concert in the recital hall.
(This is what I imagine he looks like.)
*************
*The Next Day in East High's Cafeteria*
Ricky's POV:
"Big Red, love is hopeless, and non-existent." I groaned as I put my head on the lunch table staring at Gina cuddling E.J at another table.
"Why? What did you do to Nini now?" Big Red replied eating his lunch.
"It's not always my fault. Why does everyone think I did something wrong? Ugh. No, it's not that. Nini didn't pick up on our daily facetime call last night." I replied picking up my head off the table.
"Woah someone's in beast jealousy mode again. Don't worry. She probably fell asleep early or got caught up with homework. She takes YAC pretty seriously." Big Red said patting my shoulder.
"She didn't even reply to my text this morning. What if she's cheating on me? What if the guys better than me? What if she forgot about me?"
"You're overreacting. I'm sure she will text you today and facetime you tonight. Are you going to eat you're sandwich?" Big Red said to me while staring at Ashlyn sitting at another table.
"I sure hope you're right." I mumbled to myself.
***********
*The Same Day at YAC's Campus*
Nini's POV:
"Hey Nina,right? We met at the café the other day." The tall blonde caught up with me after Music Theory class.
"My real name is Nina, but I like Nini better." I sighed as I remembered seeing three messages and one missed call from my boyfriend Ricky this morning.
"I forgot to introduce myself yesterday. My name is Luke Richardson. I'm a senior." The tall blonde said.
"Wow. You seem so talented. I thought you'd choose athletics instead." I said admiring his muscles.
"Dance can be considered as a sport too. Want to get a head start on the homework in the library? I need a study buddy because I'm not good at this music theory class." Luke replied holding his books.
"I'd love to, but I have to call my boyfriend he goes to another school and we call each other almost every day." I replied immediately.
"Oh. I didn't know you had a boyfriend. I'm sure he can wait a few hours. Tell him that your studies are important too."
"Ok. I probably should prepare for the test that we're having this Friday. I'll call Ricky before dinner tonight." I replied walking to the library with him.
When we got to the library, we spent half an hour studying music notes and another half an hour studying the composition part. I looked at the time on my phone and it read 6:45. We've been here since 4:00pm. I didn't even realize how much time had passed.
"I'm kind of hungry. Can we stop now?" I replied to Luke.
"Yeah, I'm hungry too. The dining halls are closing in 15 minutes. I can get us a sandwich from the library café. What do you want?" Luke said touching my hand from across the table, which I didn't notice till after a few seconds as I pulled away.
"Ummm I'll get a ham and cheese on Rye and a water bottle. Thanks Luke." I said handing him some cash.
"Don't worry. Dinner is on me." Luke said before walking to the café.
*************
Ricky's POV:
I checked my phone during every class to see if Nini had replied but she hadn't. Big Red was wrong. Nini wasn't going to call me back. Love is hopeless and stupid. She probably met another guy.
"What's wrong Ricky?" Gina said turning to me as we practiced the Beauty and the Beast dance.
This was Nini's favorite musical and her favorite Disney movie. Too bad Nini wasn't here to play Belle. I was happy for Gina when she read on the cast list that she got the female lead but sad that Nini wasn't there to see it.
"How can you tell that something is wrong?" I asked stopping the dance.
"Your stepping on my feet and you're frowning." Gina replied.
"Nini missed my facetime call last night and she hasn't replied to any of my texts all day." I sighed as I went to get my water bottle.
"I'm sure she was doing homework, or she fell asleep early." Gina said hugging me by my side.
"That's what Big Red told me that at lunch. What if it's something more? What if she met someone else?" I rambled
"Ricky, you're overreacting again. Take a breath." Gina said helping me.
"You're probably right. Thanks Gina you're a great friend." I said as I side hugged her.
After rehearsals, I rode my skateboard home and ran up to my room to finish my homework. I wanted to facetime Nini before dinner. When I pressed call the phone rang and then I heard the familiar voicemail. I heard a beep and then the receiver asked me to leave a message. Where was Nini?
I groaned and frowned as I laid back down on my bed and decided to call Big Red to rant to him.
**************
Nini's POV:
Luke and I were eating our café dinners as we chatted about YAC. My phone was vibrating in my coat pocket. Frick it was Ricky. I forgot to call him.
"Excuse me. I got to take this call." I got up from our table and walked to a secluded corner near the bathrooms.
I read on my phone two missed calls and seven missed messages from Ricky my Love. Shit.
*Phone Call*
"Hello?" I heard Ricky's voice through the phone.
"Ricky, I feel so bad. I missed two of our nightly facetime calls and so many of your messages. I'm so sorry about that. I've been studying for a test with a friend since I got out of class and we just got dinner at the café. I feel so bad. I'm a terrible long-distance girlfriend." I rambled.
"Nini, is this friend a guy?" Ricky demanded through the phone.
"Umm yeah. His name is Luke. He's in my music theory class." I replied.
"Oh." Ricky said through the phone.
There was a moment of silence and it was very awkward.
"Ricky are you still there babe?"
"Don't 'babe' me. Nini are you cheating on me?" Ricky said in a nervous tone.
"Are you accusing me of cheating on you because I'm studying with a guy?" I replied harshly.
"Well that's what it sounds like from your end." Ricky replied.
"You don't trust me with guy friends?" I said wiping a tear from my eye.
"That's not what I said. Did he do anything? Or try to kiss you?"
"Ricky, he's just a friend. Calm down."
"I think we need a break." Ricky sighed through the phone as his voice cracked.
"Last time you said that it turned into a breakup. Ricky, don't do this." I cried through the phone.
"Well maybe it is. If I can't trust you with guys long-distance." Ricky said harshly before hanging up on me.
"But it hasn't even been three weeks..." I cried through the non-existent phone call.
I walked back to the table Luke was waiting at and put all my stuff in my backpack.
"Hey what's wrong, Nini?" Luke said touching my hand.
"My boyfriend broke up with me because he found out I was hanging out with you. I'm heading back to my room." I said as a tear fell from my face.
"At least let me walk you back. It's dark out." Luke said sympathetically.
"Ok. Thanks" I sighed as I wiped another tear away.
**********
*April 5th 2020, opening night*
Ricky's POV:
It's been almost four months since the breakup with Nini. It was a stupid move. I should've trusted her with her guy friends. I didn't know how to apologize for yet another breakup that I caused and didn't even have a car to drive to see her. I couldn't even afford to skip school to book a plane ride. I was miserable.
Anyone can ask Big Red or Gina, I haven't been doing well at dance rehearsals, even though people say I'm doing fine. I also haven't smiled like I used to when Nini was around.
"Ricky, you have got to calm down. You've been pacing back and forth all afternoon. Show starts in 45 minutes." Big Red patted my back as he put his headset on.
"You got to clear your head Ricky. I mailed Nini her tickets to opening night. I don't know if she's coming or not." Kourt replied while doing my makeup.
"I'll try my best." I mumbled as Kourt put special effects on me.
"Try harder." Carlos replied as he walked in the room carrying a gift box that was probably from Seb.
"Hey superstar, why the frown?" Gina said walking in with her hair already done.
"He's still upset about you know who." Big Red replied for me.
"I'm sure she's here. I'll take a peek into the audience if you want?" Gina said nervously.
"No thanks. I don't want to get my hopes up." I f frowned as Kourt put faux hair on me.
"Ok. Suit yourself." Gina replied after sitting in another makeup chair.
Fifteen minutes before showtime, we all stood in a circle and did a group prayer. I missed this circle when Nini was here last fall for the musical. I closed my eyes and wished for Nini to be in the audience.
"Five more minutes theatre people." I heard Miss Jenn yell.
Mr. Mazarra was up top on the sound machine ladder helping Big Red, this was usually the time when I would glance at Nini and she would wish something along the lines of 'break a leg'. I never understood it but missed her comfort.
I wasn't supposed to be on stage until the second or third scene after Belle finished her scene, but I had to take a peek in the audience. I was hoping that Nini was somewhere in the audience. I peeked from the side of the stage and saw Nini sitting with her mom's in the front row. She didn't seem to see me though.
During my entrance scene, Nini looked me straight in the eyes as I recited my lines perfectly.
**********
Nini's POV:
I promised myself that I wouldn't fall back in love with Ricky. He hurt me again. I only came to support my theater friends and Kourtney's amazing makeup skills My moms saw my nervousness as I was biting my nails before the show started and told me not to. During the first act Ricky looked so handsome in his beast costume and recited every line perfectly. Those Disney movie nights must have paid off well.
When intermission was called. I got up to use the restroom. As I walked out of the stall, I saw Gina in her beautiful yellow dress washing her hands.
"Hey." I said to her as I washed my hands.
"Hey, East High and a certain someone really missed you." Gina said putting soap on her hands.
"Y'all are doing fantastic without me." I sighed.
"It's not the same without you. I have something for you." Gina said as she dried her hands.
"What is it?"
"You deserve to play Belle. I know how much you love the movie and Ricky's been messing up the dance and stepping on my toes. I think you should play Belle in act two." Gina said trying to unzip the back of the dress.
"Oh my. Gina I can't take the lead role from you. This is not necessary. I don't even know the lines. I don't even go to this school anymore." I rambled as I hugged her.
"Miss Jenn won't mind. She adores you. You do know the lines. You've seen the movie like a million times. Come on hurry up. Let's exchange outfits before Act 2 starts. I'm about the same size as you anyway. It will fit." Gina said excitedly.
"I don't know about this Gina. I might mess up. Ricky might be mad at me still." I replied
Gina went into the stall she was in before and threw the dress over the door.
"Come on. We have five minutes to change. I'll do your hair really quick. I've done it a billion times. The belle hair do is just a bun." Gina said excitedly from the stall.
"I don't like this plan Gina." I said going into another stall and exchanging clothes with her.
"I know how much you wanted the part as Belle since Miss Jenn announced the spring musical." Gina said coming out of the stall in my clothes as I came out in the sparkly yellow dress.
*********
Ricky's POV:
"Ricky, do you know where Gina is? Act two starts in two minutes." Miss Jenn yelled backstage.
"She went to the bathroom during intermission." I replied.
"Act two starts in one minute." Miss Jenn yelled.
"We can't do 'Be our Guest' without Belle. Where is she?" One of the forks exclaimed from the side of the stage.
"I'm sure she is just fixing her dress. That dress is large and poofy." Ashlyn replied from the side of the stage.
I stood at the end of the stage, since I wasn't in this scene and watched all the forks, knives and other characters walk on stage. Where was Gina? The song had started, and the lights flickered on. At the head of the makeshift prop table sat Nini. My Nini. What was she doing in the Belle costume?
As soon as the song ended the curtain closed and the stage crew entered to reset the stage. I took this moment to talk to Nini.
"Hey, you look lovely in that dress. Why did Gina give you her dress?" I said as Nini brushed past me backstage.
"Oh, umm hi." Nini said looking down at the ground.
"I'm sorry for breaking up with you. I should've trusted you. I feel like an idiot. Will you accept my apology?" I said frowning. I hated seeing her so upset.
"Yeah we're still childhood friends. I can't lose my best friend too." Nini said picking her head up.
"Oh, and you are an idiot." Nini giggled as she got her makeup touched up by Kourtney.
"You'll have to explain to me how you got Gina's dress after the show. Right now, we have another scene to do." I replied grabbing her hand.
*********
After the curtains closed. I picked Nini up bridal style and twirled her around. Gina stood behind us smiling.
"Too soon?" I asked Nini since she looked uncomfortable.
"Umm yeah. It might take a while to get back to where we left off." Nini replied shyly.
"Cast party at Ashlyn's! We'll meet you there." Carlos and Seb yelled from a corner.
"You'll have to explain to me why you gave Nini your dress during act two at the cast party." I said hugging Gina.
"Guys before anyone takes their makeup off. I have an announcement." Nini said in her British accent.
"Nini, what is it?" Kourtney replied as she stopped what she was doing.
"I want you all to know that I'll be spending the rest of my senior year as an East High Leopard. I've decided that YAC is not the place for me. There's too much competition there and besides I want to be with my friends when I graduate." Nini said tearing up.
I hugged her from the side and everyone else came to join a big group hug even Miss Jenn joined in.
"I missed you guys so much. It isn't the same without you guys at YAC." Nini said taking a step back.
"You're riding with me and spilling all the YAC tea." Kourt exclaimed before I could say anything.
I was just glad to have Nini back. I still had a lot to work on with this jealousy thing though. I'm sure I'll find the perfect time before prom to fix things with Nini again. Right now, I was just happy to have Nini back at East high.