𝔉𝔞𝔩𝔩𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔞𝔤𝔞𝔦𝔫 - 𝖆 𝖗𝖎𝖓𝖎 𝖆𝖚

Tears. 22

⚠Trigger warning: Mentions of death and related activities ⚠

About a week or two later:

'Neens, are you free this Friday evening?' Ricky asked, turning his head slightly to face her, as he gripped the steering wheel in one hand. 'I am.. why, bubs?' She asked with a warm smile, that made Ricky's heart flutter. 'My mom..  um she's uh coming home to visit us and-' Ricky hesitated, like he always did when he talked about his parents, especially his mom.

'Say no more. I'll be there. What time?' 'Around 5.. I guess. Thanks Neens. I really wouldn't be able to face her alone.' 'No problem, Ricky. Any idea why she's visiting you and your dad out of the blue?' Ricky gulped. He knew exactly why, but he didn't feel like telling her. 'No. Not really.' He bluffed, and she nodded understandingly, and softly sang along to the Taylor Swift song playing in the background.

'Oh we're here.' He said, parking in front of the school. He picked up his bag and opened the car door for Nini. She got out, smiling, and they walked to class hand in hand.

Nini sensed something was wrong with Ricky because he just wasn't.. Ricky. It was hard to explain, but she decided to keep an eye on him. Just to make sure he was okay. Classes dragged on for what seemed like forever, and Ricky seemed to be lost in his own thoughts. Nini was getting more worried by the minute, when Ricky didn't eat a single fry or even touch his lunch tray.

How is dad gonna feel about Mom's visit? Is that idiot Todd tagging along? Its been almost a year! And they're getting married already, and not to mention-

'Ricky! Ricky!' He felt a tiny hand shaking his arm. He snapped out of his thoughts and turned to the direction of the voice. 'Are you okay?' Nini asked, concerned. 'What? Uh yeah, I'm fine. What happened?' 'We've been calling your names for like five times now! You know, you can talk to us..' The whole table was now looking at him, with a worried expression on their faces.
'Yeah.. I- uh just thinking about stuff.. yeah thats all.' He said, making up a random sentence. He avoided everyone's stares by looking down at his lunch tray and picking a single fry and popping it in his mouth.

A few minutes later, he was lost to the world again. Nini sighed sadly.

Friday, 5 PM.
'Mama D! I'll be going over to Ricky's. I'll be back by 9!' Nini announced, grabbing her jacket that was hanging on a hook. 'Tell him we said hi.' Mama D replied, from the kitchen. 'Don't be late, Nini.' Carol added, and Nini smiled before closing the door softly behind her.

The walk to Ricky's was a pretty nice one. A gentle breeze blew, and the sky was a nice light shade of blues and purples. She knocked on the door and waited for Ricky to open it. Instead, Mike opened it and greeted her with a warm smile and let her in. 'He's in his room.' 'Got it.' Nini replied politely, before heading up the stairs to his room. Ricky was sitting in silence, staring at the wall in front of him, his room actually pretty clean.

Nini knocked on his door softly, and he looked at her with a wistful expression, and made a gesture with his hands for her to sit next to him on his bed. She sat down, and looked at him. They were sitting in silence for a few minutes when Nini spoke up.
'Ricky, I know you're hurting on the inside. What's wrong, bubs?' She questioned him, in a gentle voice.

He didn't reply, instead he looked down at his wrists sadly. She followed his eyes and gasped in shock when she saw his bleeding wrists . 'Wha-' 'I tried, Nini. I tried. It didn't work. I'm still alive.' She gently took his wrists in her hand, rubbing off the blood with her thumbs and looked him in the eyes. 'Why, Ricky, why..?' He sighed sadly, before explaining.

'Nini, I've had enough. Enough of everything. My parents.. they won't stop fighting. They- My dad.. he-' Ricky choked back a tear, as his voice cracked. 'He was supposed to be fighting.. for us, as a family again, for them.. And my mom, she- she's not the same, ever since she left for Chicago, Nini. She's changed. And she doesn't even call back. I get it. She's too busy, working in Chicago.. too busy to even talk to her own son. And now, I feel so bad for messing up our relationship, by moving to Chicago, my parents they don't deserve a pain like me and you -now-' Tears rolled down his red cheeks, and Nini softly pulled his head down to her shoulder, her arms wrapped around his neck, as he sobbed into her jacket. 'Everything is gonna be okay, Ricky, I promise. I'll be here with you, all the way.' She cooed, rubbing circles with her hand on his back, her voice bringing some comfort to Ricky's heart.
Nini's heart had shattered at the sobbing and his sad, broken on the inside expression, as she tried to put on a brave face.