Like Catching Lightning

Chapter 23

okay nini, this is simple. just point your foot and bring it in when the beat of the music hits. and one, and two, and three, sharper, four, and five, and six, and seven, and eight, first, first, first, first, first, first, close. first, first, first, first, first, first, close. susu, plie, piroutte, LAND IN FIFTH! COME ON NINI YOU DIDN'T LAND IN FIFTH! STUPID STUMBLING! 

"your foot was sickled." 

i groaned in annoyance (for about the third time that day) picking up my water bottle and throwing directly at the center of a chuckling ricky's head. 

"how many times could you possibly distract me in one day, bowen?" i exclaimed, my hands pulling at my tight bun in exasperation. "do you ever get tired?" 

ricky hummed, scrolling through whatever he was doing on his phone. "this sounds like your own problem, roberts. after all, you are the one that invited me to a dance studio." 

"i thought you could be more behaved than this!" i argued as ricky looked up at me with an amused smile. 

"well you thought wrong, nay nay!" ricky chortled, grinning when he saw my nose flared angry expression. "seriously, we've know each other for so long now, i would've thought you would know everything about me."

i let out a sarcastic laugh, walking over to the stereo to change the cd. "well a whole lot can change in seven years!" i shouted across the room. 

"yeah, no kidding!" ricky shot back. "you're hair color did twice. whatcha going for next, huh? purple?" 

i inhaled sharply, whipping back around to ricky, who was watching me with a innocent expression. "oh, you are just so comfortable around me now. aren't you?" 

ricky tipped his head as he smiled. "should i be? or do i need to watch myself over the oh so high and mighty nina salazar roberts?" 

groaning, i threw (yet another) water bottle at ricky as he dodged it with laughter. "you make me so frustrated sometimes!" i shouted as ricky let his head fall back as he laughed.

"awww, i'm sorry." he mocked with a goofy expression. "did i make you angry?" 

"you made me so angry!" i fumed, hurling my (third) water bottle in his direction.

ricky laughed loudly as the water bottle hit him square in the head. luckily, it was plastic, but boy did i wish it wasn't right now. "i'm sorry, i'm sorry." he said in between chuckles as he caught his breath, but he stopped when he saw my (fake) pouting expression. "aw, did i do that?" he mumbled, standing up from his seat. 

i glared up at him like an angry little toddler, crossing my arms and trying to hide my smile to the best of my abilities. "that was mean." i huffed as ricky pouted his lip as well. 

"i'm sorry, best friend." he replied, holding his arms out for me to step into. "hug?" 

"it's okay, best friend, i forgive you." i beamed brightly, stepping into his open arms and wrapping my own around his skinny bean of a torso. i placing my chin on his chest to look up at him while he swayed us side to side, both of us grinning at each other happily. 

it was friday, so it had been about four days since ricky and i's photo shoot and four days since we have been back to ricky and nini: the best friends. nothing more, nothing less. everyday after ricky's shift at starbucks, he'd come over to cdda and watch me dance, often adding his own commentary or trying (failing) some of the moves as well. i loved having him here, but he was certainly a distraction.

we had quiet a few little moments here and then, but they were just like they were when i was younger. hugging, him wrapping his arm around my seat if we sat next to each other, me flicking his head if he did something stupid. we were both so comfortable and un-apologetically ourselves around each other. it all felt so easy, so normal. like nothing had ever changed.