#Rina Week 2022

[emiraee]

all my rina week drawings !! @rinaweek

day 1: secret dating

day 2: love languages

day 3: missing moment (i did the opposite lol)

day 4: nighttime adventures

day 5: oh? oh

day 6: date night

[its-musical-dinosaur]

@rinaweek Day 2: Love Languages

[asongcanmeaneverything]

Ricky and Gina’s Weekend Getaway

Synopsis: Ricky and Gina fly out to a music festival in Chicago where she's set to perform as a backup dancer for one of Jamie’s artists. While there, Ricky and Gina help each other deal with Todd and Jamie, and unexpectedly deepen their relationship before summer ends.

5,300 words. 

Characters: Ricky, Gina, their moms, Jamie, and Todd.

Author’s Note: Thanks to everyone who encouraged me to actually write it. I quit my job this week so I actually had the time. Shoutout to my little brother who acted as my editor. Hope all you Rinas enjoy. 

“Mom! I can’t find my lucky dance bracelet!” Gina yelled, tearing apart every inch of her new bedroom. Her bedroom. Her very own space. Half boxed, half unboxed – and her brain in full panic mode. 

Ricky quickly quipped over FaceTime. 

“Easy Killer. You’re like a hurricane right now. Warning! Category Five Gina has just made landfall in Salt Lake!” 

She snatched the phone and glared at Ricky with a cold icy stare… 

“Don’t get me started.” 

It had only been two months since camp ended, one month since their big first kiss, and only one week since she and her mom moved in to her seventh home in seven years. It was a mess, all of it, but she was learning to embrace it. Her room too was all over the place in reflection, and she needed to find her lucky dance bracelet now more than ever. 

Gina’s mom gently approached her door.

“You had it earlier today at the pool baby. Remember? You handed it to Ricky.”

Ricky’s heart raced. He was frozen. He felt at his pockets and pulled out the bracelet into her view. Gina’s eye twitched imagining all the things she could do to him. 

“You almost lost my—” 

"Ok. Hey – I didn’t lose it.” 

“Remember when you lost our tickets to the movies last week?” 

“They weren’t lost. I just forgot they were in my pocket. I always forget that my pockets exist. Do we really even need pockets? Come on Gina.” 

Gina tilted her head in disapproval. Ricky wiggled the bracelet like a worm, giving it a shrimpy cartoonish voice. 

“Please don’t kill Ricky, Gina, he’s very sorry.” 

She bit her lip down to hide a quiet giggle. Ricky always seemed to find a way make Gina smile. As expected, the attempted suppression failed and the two burst into laughter. Gina’s mom leaned against her door, perplexed that the two could laugh so hard at almost nothing at all and amazed at just how happy Gina had been lately. 

It was the last weekend of summer vacation and Gina and Ricky were headed to Chicago together. Jamie was premiering a new artist at a big musical festival, but more importantly, he was able to get Gina hired as a backup dancer. With so much buzz from the documentary premiere, this was a perfect follow up for her online fans to see more of her dance skills. It was going to be her first professional gig, and it meant all the more that Jamie had gotten it for her. While the two hadn’t exactly been on great terms since he left Beauty and the Beast, life was going so well for her now that this felt like the beginning of a fresh chapter for them. The start of something new.

Gina’s mom had to work this weekend though, so Ricky begged her and his parents for permission to fly out with Gina to Chicago. And they actually agreed. But Gina would be staying with her brother, which meant Ricky would be staying with his mom and Todd. As excited as he was to spend the weekend with Gina and see his mom, spending any time with Todd hung over him like a dark cloud. But he didn’t want to tell Gina and take away from her focus from the festival, and truthfully, he was ashamed to admit he was still uncomfortable seeing his parents date other people. It had taken him a while to adjust to Ms. Jenn dating his dad, but even that was different. He saw Ms. Jenn every day at school. But Todd was the guy who got his head out of the game on opening night. Ricky was eighteen now, and knew he had to fight these feelings and he shouldn’t be so affected by change anymore. It was time to grow up, and yet, there was a little something distant and sad in his eyes, which Gina, as always, quickly caught.

“Ricky. You okay?” 

He snapped out of it. “Sorry I was daydreaming about our flight tomorrow! We have so much to do.” 

“On a three hour flight?” 

“Of course! We’re going to finish the new season of the Great British Baking show, and eat pretzels, play games…” 

She smiled. “I can’t wait to see the sights as we fly in.” 

Ricky softly smiled back. He’ll just be happy to see her, he thought.

They continued to talk and pack late into the night. Ricky rambled on with joy and excitement about all their weekend plans. It was a lot, but he was making up for time lost between them. He was so busy detailing all of the places he wanted to take her, all of the things that they could do, that he hardly noticed for the better part of an hour she had quietly dozed off into a dreamy slumber. She was so peaceful when she slept, and he didn’t dare wake her. How lucky few had ever gotten to see Gina Porter sleep over FaceTime he wondered. He laid his phone down next to his pillow and turned out the lights. 

“Good night, G.” 

The next morning Gina placed her carry on in the overhead, while Ricky over shared with the pilots up front. 

“Yeah it was unreal. So, I just grabbed her arm and said, “wait.”” 

Gina overhearing all this, laughed and rolled her eyes. She then checked her phone for any messages from Jamie. She had been texting him since last night to confirm the time and location of their meet, but he had yet to reply. She checked his story only to see he was out partying all night. She was really frustrated. Disappointed, her brow furrowed and she squeezed her phone into a death grip. Ricky appeared with an armful of snacks but immediately could feel something was off.

“Everything okay, G?” 

She shook her head with confusion, “What are you –” 

“Well, I got us pretzels, and cookies, and waters, and –” 

“Ricky,” she tenderly interjected, “you’re supposed to wait for the attendants to distribute that.” 

“Oh, I was just so excited. Sorry. Should I take it back?” 

His arms full of stolen treasure, she giggled, and helped him to their seats. He almost looked proud. It was cute. He was cute, she thought, in a helpless puppy who thinks he’s a pit bull sort of way. 

“I downloaded the finale of the Great British Bake Off for us to finish.” 

She exhaled and kissed him on the cheek forgetting all about Jamie. It amazed her that no storm passed through her life, that Ricky didn’t seem to fly and glide above without even trying. The two got ready for take-off while Ricky continued to elaborate his plans for them this weekend. She listened ecstatically, but every once in a while, the sun would stream in from their window lighting the tips of his whispy brown curls, leaving her altogether beside herself. He was the only thing keeping her Jamie stress at ease. He was, she thought, the only thing.

Once they reached cruising altitude Ricky pulled out his laptop and they watched the finale. 

“I knew Rahul would win!” 

She turned to see Ricky had all but fallen asleep. He had stayed up all night over exciting himself, and now finally crashed. 

“Ricky, are you kidding me?” 

He didn’t hear a word as he nuzzled himself softly into her warm coco butter scented Afro. 

“Mmmm,” her grinning, sleepy boy muttered from his dreams. 

She wanted to be annoyed with him. Annoyed that he had left her alone with her festival anxieties and thoughts of Jamie, but the feeling of him sleeping so close against her in total serenity – not just safe, but happy – like not a single thing could bother him so as long as he was with her, she couldn’t be mad even if she tried. She gently rubbed his temple and slowly stroked his curls. Her nose twitched noticing that he was wearing the cologne she had mentioned liking to him after homecoming. She couldn’t believe he remembered it. She couldn’t believe any of this. Her finally having a home, her professional debut, this whole summer, and how this most unexpected romance happened between two outsiders just looking for someone to get them. It suddenly dawned on her. This was her season of abundance, her year of yes. If she got Ricky to get her, then she’d have to make the effort to have Jamie get her too. She didn’t want to seem ungrateful, but part of her began to believe for the first time in forever she wouldn’t have to compromise herself to reach her goals. With this thought, her stress had strengthened into resolve, and was only distracted now by Ricky muttering in his sleep about pink jelly. 

When they arrived in Chicago Ricky’s mom was waiting to pick the two up. When Ricky saw her car pull forward, he let out a deep sigh of relief. One, he realized, he had been holding onto since he last saw his mom during spring break. Ricky raced over and gave his mom the biggest and tightest of hugs. He awkwardly stepped back a bit, as Gina giggled. 

“Mom this is—” 

“Gina, as in thee Gina Porter, the dancing queen?” 

Ricky blushed “Okay, mom.” 

“Ricky’s words, not mine.” 

She gave Gina a tight hug, an image Ricky never knew how much he needed to see.

“It’s nice to meet you Ms. Lynn.” 

“You too, sweetheart. You guys hungry?” 

“Starving,” Ricky replied, throwing their bags into the trunk, “I didn’t get anything to eat on the plane.” 

“Cause you abandoned me and slept the whole way.” 

“You know, Ricky has always loved naps ever since he was a baby. One time, at Big Red’s ninth birthday party, he disappeared, and we were all freaking out trying to find him. When I finally found him, he was cuddled up in the petting zoo with a baby goat and two piglets.” 

Gina exploded with laughter. 

His mom excitedly continued, “It’s true I have pictures at the house.” 

“Okay, that’s enough.” A mortified Ricky interjected. 

“Oh I’m going to be getting all the tea in Chicago.” 

“Pizza and tea!” His mom responded, taking Gina in her embrace. 

“Sounds perfect.” Ricky relented opening the car door for Gina. 

“Why thank you my little piglet.”

The three huddled together in an Italian pizza joint as their server sat a steaming hot pie at their table. Ricky grabbed a slice add and immediately drowned it in Parmesan. He took a bite, scorching his tongue, and quickly downed his soda to cool it off.

“So Gina, Ricky tells me you’re going to be dancing at the music festival this weekend. Are you excited?” 

Ricky noticed Gina was still anxiously checking for texts back from her brother. He quickly picked up the missed cue.

“She’s a pro mom. This is just another day at work for Gina.” She looked up embarrassed, but he rubbed her shoulder assuredly. “We’re going to go to the bean. Gina found this awesome food truck on Lakeshore drive that we’re going to try, and then we’re supposed to meet her brother Jamie later at the mall.” 

“Well, that is a lot. You sure you kids are going to be okay all on your own?” 

“Of course! We’ll be sure text you throughout the day, and I’ll be sharing my location. It’s going to be great, and then tomorrow is the big show.” 

Gina put her phone away and finally rejoined the conversation. 

“You’re welcome to come to the show tomorrow. I’m sure Jamie could get you in with a plus one if you want.” 

Now it was Ricky who was stuck. His mom had learned by now to handle this with great sensitivity and care, to help keep Ricky from becoming overwhelmed. She could see in Ricky’s eyes that he still wasn’t ready and that was okay.

“I do have some prior engagements tomorrow, so I’ll have to wait and see if I can, but thanks for the offer.” 

She rubbed Ricky’s shoulder who exhaled another deep sigh of relief. 

“I’d love to come though, if I’m able.” Ricky looked at Gina hoping to have some of her classic courage rub off on him. 

Ricky took pictures and recorded TikTok’s with Gina by the bean. He was so excited to participate. It was easy helping Gina make content. They just gelled creatively. They just got each other. Ricky was a shameless madman, willing to go to wild lengths to catch Gina at all the right angles. Giving her notes and making endless attempts at the perfect shot. And yet, they almost always posted the outtakes. The mess ups. The candids. The takes that unraveled without reason and made them laugh and grab onto each other desperately trying to breathe. He had almost no memory of all the times he was forced to make content with Lily. It wasn’t that he forgot, it was more like it never even happened. Is that what love is, he quietly thought. Something or someone rearranges your life so that it’s only before, her, and after? When he looked at Gina through the phone camera lens, he wasn’t just looking at his girlfriend. He was looking at the whole world. That’s what Gina does for him. She changes how he sees everything. As he steadied the phone for another picture, he saw Gina’s smile fall into worry. Jamie still hadn’t text her back. Her neck tensed. She was watching her whole world fall apart. 

Gina walked through the mall clouded by doubt. Voices in her head begging her to get it together quick. Ricky followed closely but not too closely giving her just enough space. Jamie had told her he’d confirm the time to meet them here. But he hadn’t. Maybe all this was a mistake, she wondered. Maybe Jamie regretted offering her the gig and didn’t think she was ready. No, there’s no way, she told herself. If she wasn’t sure about Jamie, how could she be sure about herself. It dawned on her that this was the real problem. But how could she address it when he was never available or even around. She’d do what she had always done.

“Just keep pushing. Just keep pushing.” She softly muttered in an almost trance like state. 

“You hear from Jamie yet?” Ricky offered in softness.

“No. Not yet.” She exhaled sadly, stopping to drop her head.

“There’s still time. He’ll call soon.” 

“That’d be a miracle at this point.” 

Suddenly the two heard a large crowd cheer. They took a left around the corner to investigate. 

Ricky and Gina stumbled into a huge Dance Dance competition. There was at least a hundred people standing by to watch as contestants competed in pairs. The goal was simple: Highest score wins. But this was a competition, so contestants weren’t playing the same version found in homes. This was an intense expert level routine designed specifically for skilled dancers. Ricky smiled in disbelief. This is exactly what Gina needed. He grabbed her hand. 

“Let’s go!” 

“Oh Ricky, I don’t know. We need to find Jamie.” 

“La-la-la – Sorry, I can’t hear you.” 

He dragged her up onto the platform and a familiar song began to play. Of course, it was “Born to Brave.” Finally, it was their turn to leave a mark on this now essential wildcat anthem. The two began, and immediately something switched in Gina. She wasn’t just nailing each move, but added extra spins, touches, and flourishes to make the choreographed moves all her own. Ricky struggled to just keep his breath, and with the dance break approaching, things weren’t looking good for him.

“Bosses and Queens stand up on your throne. Know who you are this is your kingdom. Legends at heart, Individuals. Go make your mark. Be original.”

The fast paced dance break finally broke Ricky. He collapsed into pile of sweat. Gina laughed, still dancing, and looked at him concerned. Ricky laid there immobilized, panting, and waving for her to go on without him. 

“Don’t stop. You got this!” he breathlessly assured her.

The crowd laughed at Ricky and roared for Gina. She got to the section of choreography that had proved the most difficult for all the other contestants. She just had to zone in. Focus. Her feet working double time, one foot in front of the other. The crowd was amazed. Ricky still lying down, worked the crowd. 

“Oh yeah, that’s the Gina Porter I know! Come on everybody. Let her hear you!” 

As she finished the routine, we see that despite losing a partner she still hit the high score. The winning buzzer went off and she screamed with elation. A judge handed Ricky their winning ribbon. Gina fell down elatedly exhausted next to Ricky. The two embraced each other.

“We did it! We won!” 

“We? You’ve gotta be kidding me. That was all you. You see the crowd right now. They love you. Just like they’re going to love you tomorrow. Everyone loves you.”

As he said each of those last three words, the two fell silent as each word delicately nestled its way in between them. The crowd continue to cheer and take videos and pictures, but Ricky and Gina might as well have been the only two people in the entire world right then. Gina’s heart was racing. Everyone meant everyone. Everyone meant Ricky, she thought. Did he mean to say it? Did he want to say it? She searched Ricky’s soft brown eyes, and she had this gut feeling he was about to tell her. Ricky sweetly smiled and opened his mouth to speak when suddenly Jamie appeared clapping loudly above the crowd. 

“Now I’ve seen some legendary Gina Porter performances in my day. But that was top two and not two. You ready for sound check superstar?”

Later that night Gina was settling into the hotel with Jamie and FaceTiming Ricky. Ricky was in his mom’s new apartment with Todd. Gina was tired. Ricky was uneasy. The two surviving through the electronic signal passing between their phones. They had much left to discuss. Ricky went first. 

“How was the rehearsal?”

“It went well. I didn’t do a bad job, but it wasn’t my best either. Whatever I had at the mall with you, I lost it on stage tonight.” 

Jamie listened hesitantly. He wanted to say something reassuring, but he could tell Gina was already frustrated with him for the lack of communication. He wished she only knew that every time he didn’t say something, he always wanted to. 

“Hey Gina. Sorry to interrupt. I’m going out with the talent tonight to introduce them to some industry folks and network. I might be back pretty late. Are you going to be okay here alone?” 

Gina wanted to shout. She wanted to scream. Couldn’t he for once just be my big brother, she thought. Couldn’t he for once act like one? For once couldn’t he just stick around? What is it about me that makes him runaway? She sighed sadly. 

“Yeah Jamie. I’ll be fine.” 

Jamie was no fool. He could tell she didn’t mean it. Defeated, he nodded silently and slipped out the door. Gina grabbed her pillow and screamed into it. 

She shot back up with a scary smile on her face. Ricky’s head shot back with fear. 

The two stared at each other and then burst into laughter. At everything. At nothing. 

“I don’t want to tell you what to do G, but…”

“But I should tell him how I feel?”

He nodded as Todd called over from the next room. Dinner was ready. The timing of the moment couldn’t have been more perfectly imperfect. Almost like a sick joke he thought. Ricky twisted his neck, eating his own words. Gina crossed her arms.

“Yeah, okay Ricky. You first.” 

The next day Ricky jumped out of his uber and headed into the festival area. After getting checked off at security he entered the performance space. It was huge. Crew hoisted up huge lights as the DJ set up his table. He texted Gina to let him know she was here. He waited and looked around. He then heard a voice call from onstage. 

“Ricky!”

He turned to see Gina in full make up and costume. Her hair was in a high ponytail with bits of silver streaking throughout. Glitter makeup danced around her eyes. She beamed. His heart stopped. It didn’t matter how many times he saw her in her element, it never got old. A crew member focused a light onto Gina. The light bounced off the sparkles in her costume, the glitter in her make up, and the twinkle in her eyes. Ricky legitimately couldn’t move. 

She could tell. It almost brought her to tears. Sometimes he didn’t even need say the things he felt. To tell her how beautiful she was. She could see the compliment trembling in his fingers. 

“Wow G. You are everything.” 

What he really wanted to say was that he loved her. Maybe he would soon he thought. Those words felt all too heavy after Nini. He knew the responsibility in saying them. He respected their power. He knew that a time would come when he would tell her, and at this rate, it would be very soon. 

She took him backstage and showed her the green room where everyone hung out. Ricky was beside himself when he learned all the food and snacks were free. He helped take pictures of her in costume for her socials. 

“Okay champ. How are you feeling? You ready to crush it?” 

“I guess. I don’t know. No? I kinda wish I hadn’t come. I thought this would be a bonding experience for me and Jamie, but somehow, I feel more distant from him now than ever.”

Jamie was down the hall pacing back and forth on his phone. Ricky looked over to him. Gina too. 

“Why can’t you tell him that?” 

“It’s easier to say how I feel when I’m with you.” 

Ricky thought about it. “Okay. That's what we’ll do then.” 

Before she knew it, Ricky had grabbed her arm and raced the two down the hallway. Gina stumbled into place as Ricky stood right around the corner giving them some semblance of privacy. Jamie stared perplexed. 

“Hey Gina. Need something?” 

She fumbled with her lucky dance bracelet. She smiled nervously and gulped. She opened her mouth, hoping words would just spill out, but nothing. Ricky grabbed her hand, squeezing tight like one of their opening night circle up’s. Jamie was lost.

“Is that Ric—“

“I’m upset with you Jamie. You got me this gig, and I’m beyond grateful. And you’re my big brother, and I love you. But you haven’t been communicating with me. You’ve been constantly ditching me to go out, and I don’t know, I’m at a place in my life where I don’t need anyone’s pity. I came here for the opportunity to work, but more than anything it was the chance to work with you. But we haven’t really done that. I just want to know where we stand. Okay. That’s all of it.” She glanced back over to Ricky who gave her a thumbs up. “I think.” 

Jamie’s eyes watered a bit. Gina was shocked. She dropped Ricky’s hand and grabbed her brothers. Ricky walked away to give them space they needed. 

“You’re a star Gina. I’ve always believed that. It’s been hard for me lately. I don’t feel like I’m where I’m supposed to be professionally, and personally. It’s no excuse, I guess I just thought by keeping you at a distance, I would spare you any more disappointment.”

She grabbed him into a long hug. “You’ve never disappointed me. I thought you didn’t really want me around.” 

“I didn’t want my bad vibes to rub off on you or hold you back.” 

She hugged him, and he hugged back. The two talked, and talked, and talked some more. They cried a little. Hugged. Laughed. Cried again. She smiled. He smiled too. That’s the thing with siblings, when the love is genuine, it’s never too far away.

“I wasn’t so sure about the other guy I met, but that Ricky’s a good kid.” 

“He’s the best. He’s – wait, where did he go?” 

After some searching, Gina found Ricky back in the green room entertaining a dozen people with a story.

“… and so then Gina asked me to play my solo acoustic guitar version of the song, and I was like, really? You want to hear it? So I pulled out my guitar and started playing.”

One of the musicians handed Ricky his guitar. Gina stood there smiling when she got an idea. She stepped out into the hall to make a phone call. 

“Perfect. We’ll see you then.”

She hung up and stepped back into see Ricky getting a warm applause for his song. 

“Oh hey Gina, how’d it go?”

“Good. Really good. I couldn’t have done it without you Ricky. So, I hope you don’t mind, but I took a leap and did something for you.” 

“Okay?” he offered confusedly.

“I invited your mom and Todd to come.”

Ricky was shook. 

“Now listen, I know you want to push past the awkwardness so you can just feel like a normal person around them. This is your chance. I’ll be onstage the whole time so if you get nervous you can just look up to me.” 

“G, I don’t know.” 

She thought for a minute, and then grabbed his hand. She slid down her lucky dance bracelet and placed it over his wrist. Ricky smiled. 

“You were there for me with Jamie. I’ll be there for you. We’ll always do that for each other.” 

He grabbed her and the two went in for a kiss. One that lingered in joy like a home. As they kissed Gina slipped a small note into his pocket. Ricky was so locked into the embrace of her love he didn’t even notice. As Ricky pulled out of their kiss, his worries grabbed back hold of him. The other dancers grabbed Gina to go and finish getting ready. Ricky called out to her as she disappeared down the hall.

“Gina! What if don’t know what to say?” Did she hear him? He turned away nervously and made his way out to the audience. 

His mom was there. Todd too. Ricky was trying. He had graduated from terror and panic and was now battling intense awkwardness. If you looked at these three you would have had no idea that they were at a festival. The crowds cheered around them, but between them was tense deafening silence. 

The DJ played an intro song to hype everyone up before the artist Gina performed with came out. Ricky bobbed around trying to find safety in the rhythm of the music. It started to work, and he even smiled at Todd and his mom. Todd smiled at Ricky’s mom and pulled her into a dance. Ricky didn’t know how to feel. He slowly lost the beat. He texted Gina quickly, as his mom subtly brought their dance to a halt.

“I’m ruining the vibes. I don’t know what to say.” He pressed send.

He watched as the typing bubble appeared and then dropped. His hopes dashed, and the song ended. He softly shuffled his feet and crossed his arms. The lights dimmed, and then three back up dancers ran onstage. Gina was down stage left. His attitude turned on its head when he saw her posed, ready to pounce. She was with him, like she had promised. He wasn’t alone.

This was it. Gina took a brief look offstage and her brother made a heart sign with his fingers. A smile beamed through her eyes. Right before the beat drop, she turned her gaze to Ricky. She saw his face light up. She slowly traced her finger down to her left pocket and tapped it. She raised an eyebrow subtly so Ricky would catch the hint. 

From the crowd, Ricky watched her tapping her left pocket, wondering what it might mean. Instinctively, he reached down into his pocket, and like some magic trick, he found the small note Gina had secretly left there earlier. The beat dropped and the dancers ran upstage to bring on the singer. Ricky began unfolding the small piece of paper that somehow smelled of Gina. In it, there was a message written just for him. 

Don’t say anything. Just fly dude <3

She hit the first steps of the combination, fiercely swinging her hair like a dragon’s tail. Ricky nodded with unfamiliar acceptance. He looked at his mom and Todd who seemed to be waiting to take his lead. He reached out to his mom and swung her into a dance. He spun her out with one hand, and then brought Todd in with the other. He passed his mom back over to Todd and three danced and boogied while Gina tore the stage in two. Gina changed everything for him.

Jamie was live-streaming Gina’s performance on her Instagram. Screaming and cheering her on in the background like any proud big brother.

“That’s my little sister! That’s my star!” 

Gina faintly heard his cheers over the sounds of the crowd and the music. Some strain of electric joy zapped up and down her body. She was back at the mall doing Dance Dance with Ricky. She was back onstage in the barn with Kourtney. She was back at East High dancing in the lunchroom with her friends as they desperately tried to save Ms. Jenn’s job. At its best, this is what performing was all about for her. Sharing joy with people. During the dance break she hit her famous death whack. The crowd thundered with approval. The dancers and the singer hit the final pose. She held it while her heart pounded out of her chest. She looked down to the crowd to see Ricky standing there screaming at the top of his lungs. The two held each other’s gaze. Ricky changed everything for her.

“Everyone loves you Gina!” He yelled. She smiled and laughed, and he searched her eyes with certain seriousness before silently mouthing I love you.

Gina’s heart dropped into her stomach, and then launched out through the top of her head. It danced through her body like a revolution. The artist announced the next song and she hesitated before jumping into her next position. Even the most seasoned performer can be shaken by the power of love. 

That night on the plane back to Salt Lake Gina was passed out, laying across Ricky’s lap, her legs stretched into the empty third chair beside them. They had to leave immediately from the show, so she never had time to get out of costume. Ricky gently wiped off her make up and draped a blanket over her. She stretched, readjusting to getting comfortable, before falling back into a peaceful slumber. How lucky few had ever been able to tuck Gina Porter into bed he thought to himself. He wrote her a small note and gently slid it into her pocket. He wrote it before he even realized what it said. 

I love you, Gina Porter. I always will. 

He put in AirPods and quietly opened his laptop to finish the finale of the Great British Bake Off. His eyes grew wide as he whispered.

“No way, Rahul won? She called it.”

@rinaweek hope I’m not too late lol

Edit: I’m sorry for blazing this post. I genuinely wanted to see what would happen and have learned my lesson lol.

[27emailsicantsend]

Chapter Seven: Oh? Oh.

March

And I've still got the Converse that I wore the day we met. I'm running out of reasons not to do it all again. So, if I showed up at your doorstep, would you turn me away? Or would you care to see a stranger whose eyes are still the same? Take me or leave me I'm going home, but I'd rather be going your way, so would you love me now? Take me back to when we were young again, darling. Would you love me now? After everything would you let me in and love me now?

-”would you love me now?”, Joshua Bassett

The weather in Salt Lake pushed dreary days into March. The snow was piled high, but full of dirt and dead leaves. The air still felt cold and unwilling. Ricky was desperate for a bit of sunshine, because he wanted nothing more than to be outside on his skateboard to think. The skatepark ended up being a lot less helpful than he wished; relentlessly reminding him of the time he saw Gina there. The time she first believed in him. It was like the ghost of her faded in and out on the steps every time he tried to make another glide down the ramp. As much as he wanted to shake the thought of her for even a second, he felt powerless to her. 

It had been two weeks since Ricky and Gina did their full run through of “Rewrite the Stars”, but this was another memory that took precedence in his head. He couldn’t stop thinking about Jenn clapping softly at the end, saying their performance was "beautifully tragic”, and then Gina running off the stage after. Over and over again, the ghost of Gina was everywhere Ricky went. The coffee shop, the skatepark, his house, the school, the theater- he couldn’t erase the part of his life that made him better, even when she tried to run.

Surprisingly, Gina’s “disappearing act” wasn’t very convincing. She used to be really good at making herself sparse when she was upset, but Ricky began to notice her around more and more in March. She still refused to talk to him, but she wasn’t avoiding the groups he would hang out in either.

Ricky couldn’t blame Gina for that, though. His friends were her friends and she had every right to them as he did. It took their friends a little while to catch on that things weren’t well between the two of them, but from what Ricky gathered, neither Gina nor him had called it a break up. 

Not until today, when Big Red asked Ricky to come over and play video games after school.

Ricky was sitting on Red’s basement chair, sipping on a Root Beer, when Red handed him a controller and asked, “you two are really broken up then, huh?”

Ricky didn’t know why Red’s question had caught him so off guard. If he was in their position, he would probably think the same thing. But there was that line in the sand... the one that he (and possibly, Gina) seemed to be the only ones to notice wasn’t there.

“I don’t know if we are, Red,” Ricky tried correcting him as he clicked some buttons on his controller.

“It’s been nearly a month and you two still don’t talk to each other. Normally, it seems like we can’t tear you guys apart. I’m pretty sure the last time I remember you guys being happy was.... the Sweetheart’s Dance?” Big Red reminded Ricky, before clicking the TV on with a remote. He flopped down in the giant chair next to Ricky.

Impressed with Red’s memory, Ricky asked, “You remember that far back?”

“Ricky, I’m your best friend. I notice”.

Ricky was touched.

“Wow... that means a lot,” Ricky commented, shaking his head. He was secretly glad Jet wasn’t there; Ricky knew he’d be keyed up hearing this conversation.

Red smiled. “A month just seems like a long time to not talk to your girlfriend over something. When Ashlyn and I were dating, our fights didn’t last longer than a week or two”.

“Not even when she was openly flirting with Maddox?”

“That’s just the thing, she was open about it Ricky. She was honest with me that there were feelings there. Maybe she wasn’t at first, but she came around. I was upset at first, sure, but in the end I understood. Not every couple is meant to be together,” Red replied, using his controller to gesture his thoughts.

“I know that. I want more than anything to be with Gina and I’m willing to make it work, in whatever way we need. But if she just doesn’t want to be with me anymore, I wish she would just say that. Honesty- like you’re talking about”. Ricky sighed heavily, reeling on what he had just said. The words felt unnatural and difficult to say. He never, ever pictured having this conversation about Gina. The only thing he could do next was stare blankly at his lap.

“Did she ever actually say that Ricky?” Red queried. 

Ricky took a minute to think back on all of their conversations. The ring. The ring that had been haunting him since the performance. Why was she still wearing that? Ricky gave his back to Gina. That still didn’t make sense to him. He couldn’t think of a single time Gina had said she didn’t want to be with him. Ever. Even before they started dating.

I wouldn’t quit on us, if I wasn’t moving away, Gina’s voice echoed in Ricky’s head.

“No,” Ricky said, his thoughts spiraling out of control. Gina became his life force and now he was struggling for air. Every second he was reminded that he couldn’t just talk to her, hold her, was another minute closer to him feeling like he was going to go ballistic. His thoughts were becoming overwhelming; he needed to think about something else for a minute so he could clear his mind.

“Can we just... play some games for a minute? I need to think about something else,” Ricky clicked open the game on the TV.

“Sure, but can I just add one more thing?” Red asked sincerely. One thing Ricky appreciated about Red- he was always willing to speak his mind, but he did so tactfully.

“Go for it,” Ricky gestured with his controller, turning his head toward Red.

“Couples that are meant to stay together, will be together. Fate or whatever you want to call it. It’s why, no matter how hard it was, I was willing to let Ashlyn go. If we’re meant to be together, she’ll come back. If not, I’ll find someone new and better”. Red paused before adding, “that’s all I wanted to say. We can play now”.

Fate. The stars. Serendipity. These words seemed to have a chokehold on Ricky. Why did he have to wait for it to happen? What if fate wanted something else for Ricky? There was no one else he wanted. He wanted Gina. Even when he was dating Nini and Lily, there was this part of him that felt attached by some invisible string to her. It felt like their hearts were tethered by something stronger than the explainable.

Ricky went about his next week still pondering on everything that happened since the day of the “Rewrite the Stars” rehearsal and hanging out with Big Red. Every time he saw Gina, she still had her ring on. She was beginning to watch him more, from inside the classroom to theater rehearsals, he noticed her staring. She even said hi casually a couple of times as she greeted the rest of the group. 

But it still wasn’t enough. She was still everywhere Ricky went, even only in his thoughts. He saw her pink converse every time he left the house, he saw her ring in each passing glance, and he even once thought he saw her at the coffee shop. He wondered if she knew she had a doppelgänger.

All of this thinking and reeling and hurting was starting to become too much for Ricky. On one particularly overcast day, toward the end of March, Ricky found himself in his room with his blinds closed. All he wanted to do was empty his head into his music. Ricky grabbed his guitar, music book, and pencil- ready to write. He pushed his sharpened pencil into the paper excitedly, led bits falling at the impact, but stopped immediately because his mind ran blank. It was the first time he hadn’t thought of Gina in weeks, but it was also the first time he hadn’t thought of anything. The one time he felt inspired to do something with all of his feelings- about Gina, graduation, his dad and Jenn- he came up empty.

Angry, he tossed his notebook (his pencil came with it too) at the wall. He placed his guitar down and set his head in his hands, too sad to be angry and too angry to be sad. Ricky gritted his teeth, as he began to pace around his room. He needed something. Anything. Anything to let the emotion out. It was consuming and enraging and he was shaking and sweating and-

And that’s when it clicked.

Ricky wanted to scream.

Ricky had thought about it in the past, but had never acted on it. Maybe it was because Zac told him to do it. Maybe it’s because it felt weird. Maybe it’s because it was a song he sang last semester when he was only starting to connect to his character. But this time, this time he felt ready to try.

So Ricky walked over to the window, fully pushing it open. A cold wall hit his face from the breezy air outside. He didn’t care who heard, he didn’t care how cold it was, he didn’t care if he sounded crazy. He wanted it to reverberate off of rooftops, for every bird to stop and listen for a second, for it to break through the clouds. Filling the air in his body from to stomach to chest, he reached his body outside and let out the loudest yell he could think of. Exhilarated and wild, Ricky went to his computer at his desk and started to play the song, “Scream” from High School Musical 3. He sang openly, feeling each morsel of his being connect with the lyrics:

The day the door is closed The echoes fill your soul They won't say which way to go Just trust your heart To find what you're here for

Ricky stood up before opening the door to his bedroom and stepping over the threshold, singing:

Open another door But I'm not sure anymore

It's just so hard

Ricky paused before pulling a cushion off the couch, tearing it to pieces. He threw the contents into the already lit fireplace:

Voices in my head Tell me they know best Got me on the edge They're pushin', pushin', they're pushin'

Ricky stared emptily at a photo of Mike and Jenn on the fire place:

I know they've got a plan But the ball's in my hands This time is man-to-man I'm drivin', fightin', inside of A world that's upside down

He was now in the kitchen, throwing down chairs, slinging hand towels off the oven, throwing forks and knives at the door, breaking the plates and glasses in the cupboard:

It's spinning faster What do I do now Without you? I don't know where to go What's the right team I want my own thing So bad I'm gonna scream

I can't chose, so confused

What's it all mean I want my own dream So bad I'm gonna scream

By this point he was fully invested in the song. Not taking a thought into his destruction. He sang the rest of the song as darted around the house, jumping on the couch, knocking over chairs, knocking a lamp off the side table, pulling clothes out of the hamper and strewing them everywhere as he looked for his orange sweatshirt:

I'm kicking down the walls I gotta make them fall Just break through them all

I'm kicking down the walls I gotta make them fall Just break through them all

Ricky balled up his fist and punched a hole in the wall, his hand throbbing from the pain of a power he didn’t know he had:

I'm punchin', crushin', I'm gonna Fight to find myself Me, and no one else Which way, I can't tell I'm searchin', searchin', can't find a way that I should turn I should, to right or left, it-

It's like nothing works Without you I don't know where to go What's the right team I want my own thing So bad I'm gonna scream

Ricky sang as he unraveled every piece of the apartment, not caring about Mike’s reaction. He finally felt free- like all of the pent up energy had a release. Every lyric another confirmation of how he felt on the inside until he reached the end of the song:

I want my own thing I want my own thing I can't chose, so confused What's it all mean I want my own dream So bad I'm gonna scream

Even though Ricky had sang this song several times before, it was like the music had completely enveloped him this time. When it ended, he was surprisingly caught off guard. Ricky shook his head, bringing him back into the present moment. He was sitting back at his desk, in the same position he was at when he first played the song. He peaked his head out the door to see the house in the same condition it had previously been in. The song might have been a daydream, but the rest of his life felt like a nightmare. 

It was time he decided what he wanted, once and for all.

Ricky picked up his notebook and pencil from the other side of the room and drew a line down the middle. On one side, he wrote “decided” and on the other he wrote “not decided”. Anything that was still not decided, he would take the time to figure out today. He was done being confused.

On his “not decided” column, he wrote:

-college

-what I’ll do after I graduate

-where I’ll live

When Ricky got to his “decided” column, he was only able to write one thing before his mind came up blank again:

-Gina 

However this time, instead of staring blankly at the page and getting frustrated over having no other decisions again, he made a new course of action. He was going to get outside and ride it out, no matter what the weather. He put on his black converse and grabbed his skateboard, bolting for the door.

However as he was running, exhilarated and ready to decide, he nearly sprained his ankle at the foot of the door. It landed awkwardly on an object that had somehow made it’s way onto the welcome mat inside the apartment. Ricky thought it must have gotten kicked over when he or Mike had come inside for the night. His foot landed awkwardly on Gina’s pink converse.

And that’s when the floodgates opened. It was like Ricky had closed them to protect him from getting hurt, by Gina, by his family, by making a choice. He refused to acknowledge what has been there the whole time. Every moment he had with Gina, even before they started dating, avalanched their way into his mind. Slowly and discreetly, before pouring in- unstoppable. 

Secret dates in coffee shops.

You’re a yes.

The days dancing and baking in the kitchen.

Serendipity.

Going over to her house every night to read her to sleep. All in due time. The fair. I’m not going anywhere. Me neither... at least not without you.

The promise rings. They’re promise rings. That way we promise to always come back to each other. All of the warm feelings Ricky couldn’t explain. I wouldn’t quit on us if I wasn’t moving away. Adventures in the woods. We’re a team. Real Campers Of Shallow Lake. I don’t do anything right the first time, Ricky. The night of Homecoming. I can’t believe I let Color Wars slip through my fingers.

The thoughts raced and raced and raced. Everything made sense. Every connection, every thought, every piece of the puzzle all started to come together. Ricky looked out the window and saw the sun bursting through the dark clouds. 

He made the same break through.

“Oh”.

Ricky being ok if Gina went to New York and only caring about how he would stay in contact with her. Ricky not trying to control or manipulate the situation, even if he felt frustrated. He doesn’t always do things right the first time.

It was all Ricky could say out loud before grabbing Gina’s converse and running out the door. The houses and trees worked together to seamlessly blend in his peripherals as he picked up pace. The air whipped against his body, pushing faster to make it to his end destination quicker. The end destination was a couple neighborhoods over.

Ricky was sprinting when he realized what Gina meant to him. Every crash of his foot to the pavement was another reminder of what they did for each other. For so long he didn’t understand why Gina going to New York didn’t bother him- why he felt ok with long distance. He didn’t understand why being separated from Gina was hard, but he didn’t try to control or manipulate the situation. He didn’t understand why he and Gina worked so well together, being able to finish each others sentences and know what the other person needed without even asking. Until now. This perfect, beautiful metaphor for their relationship:

When Gina tried running from her problems, Ricky steadied her. When Ricky emotions ran wild, Gina steadied him. Gina was change; Ricky was stability.

Like converse to pavement.

Ricky ran and ran, the rain beginning to drip on his face in a light and refreshing way. He could feel the worry wash off him, because for the first time in forever, he finally knew what he wanted. As sure as the invisible string tethering them together, he knew.

His heart thumped harder in his chest as his breath showed in light puffs of air outside. The closer he made it to Gina’s house, the worse the weather became, but Ricky kept pushing through.

Cold beat across his face from the light wind and now heavy rain. He didn’t care. His surroundings were nonexistent now, a black backdrop with the light of her house shining at the end. He was going to get these shoes back to Gina.

He was going to get back to Gina.

Ricky finally reached Gina’s house, the rain dumping down on him in a thousand directions. He didn’t even take a moment to catch his breath- he only slowed down his running- refusing to stop until he accomplished what he came to do. Ricky jogged up to the front door of the familiar two story house and knocked loudly.

Silence.

He wondered if Gina couldn’t hear because of the storm outside. He knocked again even harder this time. Gina needed to know he was there.

More silence.

Ricky gave a sigh. Maybe she wasn’t there. He turned around, cold and defeated. Upset and frustrated, he began to make his way down the cement stairs, opening himself back up to the long walk home.

But then he heard a latch unlock the door.

Ricky spun around to see Gina, confused and bewildered. She was in an oversized shirt and sweatpants. A large headband holding back her hair in a top knot. She shook her head several times as if she couldn’t make sense of Ricky showing up at her door.

“Ricky?! What are you doing?! It’s pouring out!” Gina exclaimed.

“Oh,” Ricky said, panting as he looked Gina over. It was all he could muster out. Her confusion began to turn into... anger? Sadness? Ricky couldn’t tell.

“Oh?” Gina said, some water filling in her eyes. Ricky suspected that she was definitely upset.

“Oh”, Ricky said, more sure this time. “As in, ‘oh, that is why I’ve been feeling this way the whole time. That is why every time I’m with you, I feel this warmth in my entire body. That is why, every time I look at you, I’m reminded of comfort and home. That is why you push me to be better and carry me through my worst’.

“Gina, I’m in love with you,” Ricky confessed.

“Oh,” Gina echoed. Ricky began to wonder if they were going to do this all day.

“Oh?” He said, his sneaky eyebrow raising up again. Maybe his eyebrow was more keen than he gave it credit for.

“Oh. As in, ‘you came back’. I always knew you’d come back,” Gina said, tears now falling down her face. She didn’t need to say anything more.

“It’s why you left the shoes,” Ricky concluded her thought, breathless. He shook the pair of pink converse in front of her, splashes of water flying out. 

Ricky couldn’t help it. Watching her cry, feeling as happy and as overwhelmed as he was, realizing it’s why Gina kept on her promise ring too- he began too cry to. Big, happy, beautiful tears. They masked themselves in the rain, but released all of the pain he had been feeling. Everything finally made sense. It was truly “all in due time”.

Ricky threw the wet shoes in Gina’s house and pulled her out into the rain. He began to kiss her passionately, over and over. Gina reached her hand up, pulling her hair now soaking wet hair out of it’s bun. They continued to kiss, releasing all of the tension and build up that had been fogging their lives.

Gina pulled slightly back from the kiss, putting her hands on Ricky’s face, and with tear-soaked eyes said, “I love you too, Ricky Bowen”. 

They pulled each other in again, kissing until their lungs gave out. 

Ricky finally spoke again- slightly yelling over the loud rain crashing on them and her house, “Gina, everything that I have done this last year was for you. It was always for you. You have dictated every move I have made in the best way. They were always my own choices, but I made them with you as my lighthouse. I never wanted to quit on us either. I’m not going to lose you. Not because you can’t walk away from me or because I don’t want you to go to New York, but because I want to make it work. I want to make us work. Because whether we try to or not, we will work out. We come back to each other every time”.

“Ricky!” She stopped him loudly over the rain, giggling.

��What?” He asked, a confused smile glued to his face.

Gina laughed even harder, her eyes squinting with glee as she said, “You got started”. 

The couple were now fully bursting out in laughter, wiping away tears and water off of their own faces. They couldn’t stop laughing, even as Gina pulled Ricky’s face in again to kiss him.

Gina understood what Ricky meant, because he had one thing wrong this whole time: Gina’s love language wasn’t gift giving, it was words of affirmation. The song she wrote, the promises she made, the writing in the rings, and even the way songs affect her- it all made sense to Ricky. 

Ricky was supposed to tell her he loved her first. That’s how she would know they were going to make their relationship work after graduation. That’s how she would know that he chose her back. That’s what she was waiting for.

Gina reached into her now soaking wet pocket and pulled out a small silver band. She took Ricky’s hand and slid the ring back on his pinky.

“How long have you been carrying that around?” Ricky shouted over the torrential rain.

“Since you took it off!” Gina yelled back, letting out her last few giggles.

Ricky wrapped his arms around Gina, picking her up and spinning her as they kissed one more time. After he set her down, Gina slid her pinky finger around Ricky’s. Their rings clanked together as she led him into her house. 

Once inside, Ricky kicked off his water-soaked converse next to Gina’s... where they belonged.

He was finally home.

****************************************

Epilogue

Over the next month, the weather began to let up. The sun shined more often than not, giving Ricky a lot of time to spend outside with his friends and Gina. They savored their last moments together before the select few of them graduated.

The Greatest Showman wasn’t going to be until May right before graduation, so Ricky spent a lot of time with Gina rehearsing. He even helped write a new song for the show that Jenn took to immediately. All of the time on stage, being “Little Zac”, his passion for writing music, and having previous experience on TV made Ricky realize that he might want to do something involving the arts after he graduates.

Ricky finally told his dad that he was going to move to New York with Gina to pursue his dream of writing music for TV and stage productions. He also chose the option of trying to act in some of the shows that would use his music. He ended up giving Zac a call, telling him he was sure this was what he wanted to do with his career. Zac was so ecstatic to hear from “Little Zac”, that he pulled a few strings to make sure Ricky wouldn’t start off at nothing.

Broadway was creating a new play, The Chronicles of Narnia, in September and needed actors and music producers. Zac told them he knew a guy, Ricky Bowen, who could do both. Zac even said if they were lucky enough, Ricky’s girlfriend, Gina Porter would probably be willing to choreograph for the show too. And despite some hesitation from the producers, Zac was able to convince the producers to hire a couple of soon-to-be graduates to help with the show.

Mike reminded Ricky that he would be fine if Ricky left because now he had Jenn. They were going to get married that summer in July. Ricky would spend the first half of the summer in Salt Lake with Mike and Jenn, and after their wedding spend the second half with Lynn and Todd in Chicago. After that, he would get on a train and meet Gina in New York.

One late Saturday in April, before he and Gina went to rehearsal for The Greatest Showman, Ricky ran to his room to grab his skateboard. He was hoping to ride it that day. He went to pick it up from the side of his bed when he saw a notebook peeking out from the corner. It was opened to the page that had his list of “decided” and “not decided”. Ricky thought that it must have gotten kicked under there without him realizing it.

Ricky walked over to his desk and got out a pencil. Picking up the notebook and sitting on the edge of his bed, he scribbled out the undecided column completely. After that he added one more thing under the “decided” column. It now read:

-Gina

-What I’m doing after I graduate

“Ricky? You almost ready? It’s about time we go!” Gina called to his room.

Ricky grabbed his skateboard as responded, “coming!” 

Once he made it to the front door, he slid on his black converse and crouched down to tie the laces on them. Gina giggled as she tapped his leg with her foot. 

“Hey, we’re matching,” she noticed, her pink shoe peeking in the corner of his eye.

Ricky finished tying his shoe and stood up, giving Gina a quick kiss on the cheek before saying, “good”.

Gina grabbed her rehearsal bag with her dance shoes in it and held her right hand out, lacing it with Ricky’s. They began to walk to rehearsal, Gina’s dance bag in her open arm and Ricky’s skateboard in his.

Ricky thought about what Gina said before the school year. About how he was never the plan, but plans change. Maybe she was right- his plans changed. Even now, none of his life was part of the plan. Maybe before he met her, he was always going to be in Salt Lake. He was going to be fighting for a girl that didn’t want him back, unhappy with his dad, and alone with no friends but Big Red.

Ricky thought about how much he used to push change away. That new things were scary and they needed to be right the first time. That he would try to fit puzzle pieces where they were never meant to fit. However, Gina came in and changed everything in the best possible way. He never knew what to expect with her, but he willingly followed. He kept up with all of her paces. 

Ricky finally realized that regardless of how many changes his life brought, he knew one thing with more certainty than anything else: Gina wasn’t a maybe. Gina was a yes.

[rinaweek]

our seven prompts for rina week 2022 - as voted by you - have been selected! rina week 2022 will run from sunday 13 november to saturday 19 november

day one: secret dating

day two: love languages

day three: missing moments

day four: nighttime adventures

day five: oh? oh

day six: date night

day seven: jealousy

additional information about how the event works and how you can participate can be found here

[glitterjuj]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (TV) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Ricky Bowen/Gina Porter Characters: Gina Porter, Ricky Bowen (HSMTMTS) Additional Tags: Rina Week 2022, day four: nighttime adventures, Strangers to Lovers, Next Door Neighbours, Sneaking Out, Fluff Series: Part 4 of steambend's rina week 2022 Summary:

“So, are you new here?” Ricky asked, his eyes roaming over her face, and down and up her body, as if trying to take all of her in at once.

“Yeah,” Gina replied, a little tentatively, not sure what kind of a person she’d stumbled across, “We just moved in today.”

“And you’re already sneaking out?” he raised an eyebrow, glancing up at her balcony where her lights were off so her mom would think she’s asleep.

“I had to get away from the craziness,” Gina explained, not sure why she felt comfortable enough to disclose that piece of information with this stranger.

for @rinaweek day four: nighttime adventures

[jojameswinter]

Little did Gina know that Ricky had very real reasons to be afraid, that they were actually surrounded by ghosts – the very things that haunted him, painted black streaks right over his days, shone a bright accusatory light over his nights. A confession. A kiss in a car. A duet. A smile, a look, a touch–

“Check this out. My heart’s racing.”

It was just a moment then. A second when her face fell into something more serious, his hand over hers, fingers interlaced as she gripped his chest. A flash of something in her eyes that looked dangerously close to hope.

Maybe he shouldn’t have done it. But as the seconds ticked by, held in those mocha eyes still flickering with bonfire flames, he couldn’t really bring himself to care.

----

Read the rest here on AO3! 

@rinaweek​

rina week 2022: missing scene, oh? oh, jealousy

[mimymomo]

Rina Week!!!

I combined Days 3 and 4 cause I ran outta time!

Context: Originally it was supposed to be Ricky and Gina on stage directly post 3x08 (it counts as a missing moment since were never gonna see any scenes directly after that kiss) then it turned into them outside on the hotel roof (blame the fanfics that take place on hotel roofs) but I got too lazy to draw a cityscape background so circles!!

Digital art is ridiculously hard and I will forever have so much respect to actual artist who do this for a living or even just a hobby!!

[incorrectolivia]

who else is having a blast reading all the fanfics from rina week! missing moments themed fics are probably my favorites so far! also the thought of ricky and gina wearing matching converse now lives rent free in my head!!!

[squishymar]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (TV) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Ricky Bowen/Gina Porter Characters: Ricky Bowen (HSMTMTS), Gina Porter, Carlos Rodriguez, Terri Porter Additional Tags: Established Relationship, Anniversary, Fluff, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, day six: date night, Rina Week 2022 (HSMTMTS), Gift Giving, Mini golf datessss, Date Night, Canon Compliant, One Shot Summary:

Ricky takes Gina on a date to Mini Golf while grappling with the fact that hes in love with her,

 or

Rina week 2022 prompt: date night

[its-musical-dinosaur]

@rinaweek Day 3: Missing Moments

We all know who taught Ricky that flashmob choreo

[poealtunias]

someone's else's flowers -- 5 times Ricky and Gina pined for each other, and 1 time they didn't need to anymore.

wrote this little 5+1 for @rinaweek day 3 -- missing moments. featuring the reason why ricky has gina's mom's phone number, too much self-gratuitious banter, and (of course) plenty of pining.

[27emailsicantsend]

Chapter Four: Nighttime Adventures

December

I guess high school never ends. You sure got a lot to say, when you're talkin' on my name. You sure got a lot to say, but did you tell them everything? Oh, and when you dance with the devil, the devil's gonna dance with you. Oh, and when you play with fire, the flame's gonna burn you, too. Starting rumors, it's nothing new, yeah... She said, he said, she said.

-”SHE SAID HE SAID SHE SAID”, Joshua Bassett

Red was laying on his bed, throwing a hacky sack up and down lazily. Ricky ushered him home after getting shakes with the other theater kids. After giving Gina a quick kiss on the cheek (met with many teasing noises from the theater crowd), he told Big Red they needed to hang out. Ricky knew if he would have framed it as a “want”, Red wouldn’t have agreed.

So, when the two finally got back to his place, Ricky sat on the large chair in Red’s basement and demanded Red to tell him what happened. Red wasn’t hard to get to talk. He flopped backwards on his bed and came clean about what was making him so woeful at the restaurant.

“We broke up. For good this time,” Big Red lamented.

“How... how soon did this happen?” Ricky was hoping Red wouldn’t say what he was worried about him saying... Ricky was wrong.

“Right before Gina’s performance”. Really? Ricky thought. Ricky recognized how painful that must have been; Red watching Ricky make this large romantic gesture right after Red had just broken up with his girlfriend. The same girlfriend that he promised he wanted to be with for good over the summer.

“I- I- am so sorry, Red. I don’t-” Ricky stuttered.

“Know what to say,” Big Red finished Ricky’s sentence. “It’s ok, I figured you wouldn’t. I just appreciate you being here”.

Ricky knew Big Red wasn’t saying anything vindictive, but somehow he still took Red’s sentiment a little negatively. 

Figured I wouldn’t know what he had to say? Ricky wondered. Why do I struggle so badly with words? They’re just words.

“H-How did it happen?” Ricky was desperately wishing he could just be there for Red, but Red’s comment made his struggle to help more apparent. It was like his brain was full of a deep fog and helpful words were floating around, but every time his hands grasped for one, the words dissolved.

“Ashlyn,” Red sighed, holding the hacky sack this time instead of letting it fly. “She said she wanted to figure things out with me, with Maddox, and partially with herself. She said she couldn’t explore her feelings honestly in a committed relationship”. Red sat up, still looking glum as he gave the hacky sack tiny squishes with his thumb and forefinger. “I appreciate her being truthful, but it doesn’t mean it didn’t sting”.

Ricky sat on the bed next to Red, putting an arm around his shoulder. “You’ll find someone,” Ricky said before pausing. He remembered something that might be helpful for Red to hear, “all in due time”.

Red met Ricky with a “thanks” and then asked to play some video games. It was apparent Red was done talking which made Ricky relieved. He wanted to help Red where he could, but he knew he could distract Red easier than talk it out. Ricky knew that just being there with Red was what really mattered to him. Ricky grabbed a controller and tossed it to Red; both boys playing Halo for the rest of the night.

The next week was a weird, wonderful, scary, exhilarating, disaster. As much as Ricky knew Gina and him being public would cause a lot of tension, he wasn’t prepared for how much attention. People they didn’t know were acting like they had been best friends for years, he had tripled the amount of followers and comments on his social media and Gina had about quadrupled hers, they had to lock the entire school down for filming so paparazzi wouldn’t show up and take photos (this still happened with the original cast filming there, but it got worse when Ricky and Gina became publicly official), Ricky was receiving random “hate” notes in his locker, and neither Gina or he could walk around in public anymore without someone feeling the need to comment on their relationship. Ricky was right, Gina did receive a lot of comments about her being a “cheater”, but he also received comments about being a “homewrecker”. Ricky and Gina loved being able to hold hands and kiss freely around their friends, as well as date publicly, but their fantasies continually broke as the public crowd would often invade them.

Ricky knew he needed a break. His life had felt nonstop since the beginning of the year and he was about to collapse under the pressure. Zac insisted they walk around the halls and sing “Scream” together to help Ricky sort out his stress, but Ricky just thanked him and said he had other plans. He was going back to Chicago to see his mom.

Ricky invited Gina to come, but Gina also recognized that with the overbearingness of Dani, her tight schedule, trying to see Ricky when she could; she had rarely been around her mom, something she looked forward to so much since Ms. Porter had moved back. Gina figured this was a good opportunity to spend some time with her mom. So Ricky found himself on a solo flight to Chicago.

When Ricky finally landed, Lynn welcomed him with open arms. He told her how bad he felt about the last time he saw her... spending so much time wallowing over Nini and ditching her; he wanted to make it up to Lynn. So they spent Friday night and all day Saturday exploring the city like Lynn had originally planned last year. The pair took a lot of photos, ate way too much pizza, and Lynn even bought Ricky several new clothing items. Surprisingly, Ricky only got noticed a couple of times in public, and neither of the notices were met with hostility. They were compliments on Gina and Ricky as a couple, as well as asking if he knew if there would be another documentary again soon. 

The entire experience felt surreal. Ricky hadn’t felt this at peace in months. It was like he had forgotten to breathe and now he was getting all of the fresh air the world had to offer, savoring every last bit of it.

When Lynn and Ricky got back to her apartment, they set down all of their shopping bags on the floor and headed toward the living room to watch a Christmas movie. They sat on opposite ends of the couch before Lynn flicked on the TV and began to scroll through different streaming channels. As she was scrolling, she nonchalantly asked Ricky, “so, what are your Christmas plans for Gina?”

Ricky felt all of that fresh air leave, suddenly unable to breath again from panic. Gina. Christmas. He had gotten so wrapped up in the insanity of November that he completely forgot about getting her a Christmas gift. Ricky remained quiet. As per usual, he didn’t know what to say.

“You didn’t get her one?” Lynn answered her own question.

Ricky looked into his lap and began to play with his fingers. He knew he needed to get her something, but his mind was coming up blank.

“Ricky? Why not?” Lynn didn’t ask this accusatorily, but more concerned.

“I-I don’t know. I wanted to get her a guitar because it’s something we’ve been doing together, but dad said no,” Ricky said, still fiddling with his hands.

“I think your dad was right on that one. Guitars are-”

“-Expensive, I know,” Ricky intercepted Lynn’s thought, feeling half-irritated. “And don’t ask me to get her a pick either. I’m not going down that road again”.

Lynn sighed and hit her thighs with her hands. “Ok,” she said as she shuffled her way over to Ricky’s side of the couch, placing an arm around him. “Then let’s get her something wonderful”.

“Like what? I tried asking my buddy, Jet, but he was absolutely no help. He just went off on some tangent about ‘love languages’,” Ricky gestured in frustration.

“Maybe Jet was right?” Lynn shrugged. “Do you know what Gina’s is?”

“I think it’s gift giving? At least, that’s what Jet and I deduced last time we talked”.

“And why is that?”

“Because,” Ricky blushed, thinking about his conversation with Gina after the documentary promo. His mom didn’t need to know every detail Gina said about the hat. “She knitted me a hat... and she got very excited when I gave her chocolates,” Ricky said the last part quickly. He knew Lynn would embarrass him over the hat if he spent too much time talking about it.

“A hat?! She made you a hat?! That is the sweetest thing ever, Ricky! Do you still have it? Can I see it?” Lynn gushed. Too late.

“No, mom. You can’t,” Ricky concluded followed by Lynn pursing her lips. “Let’s just think about what I could give her. Luckily, because it’s gift giving, as long as she gets a gift she’ll be happy, right?”

“Not necessarily,” Lynn rubbed her hand on his arm in a comforting way. She could tell Ricky felt frustrated. “Sometimes,” she pulled one of her hand-knitted blankets across both of their laps, “it’s about the meaning behind the gift. I really think the guitar could have been a good idea because of what it meant to you both. But you know your father couldn’t afford that”.

“Sometimes it feels like we can barely afford a box of cereal,” Ricky replied sarcastically. “I would get a job, mom, but everything Miss Jenn has us doing is keeping me so busy-”

“Ricky, hey, it’s ok” Lynn said calmly as she pulled his chin up with her hand, smiling sweetly at him. “I know you’re busy. I just mean, maybe we need to think a little outside of the box. What is something that is really important to Gina?”

Lynn moved her hand and Ricky looked down at the blanket, now fumbling with it instead of his hands. 

Ricky responded, “Well... she likes dancing, singing, learning things on YouTu-” That’s it, Ricky thought. It was like Ricky was struck by the most brilliant idea he’d ever had. He knew exactly what to get Gina.

“What?” Lynn asked confused. 

Oh, right, I’ve got to say it out loud, Ricky remembered.

“She knitted me that hat, mom! You know how to knit. Do you think you could help me make her something?”

“Well,” Lynn laughed, “we only have one day left together, so I probably couldn’t help you finish it. I could, however, teach you so you can finish it on your own time”.

Lynn and Ricky began to toss ideas around what to make Gina. They thought about also making her a hat, or maybe a cute ornament, or even a keychain, but Ricky wanted it to be something Gina could wear, so Lynn and he collectively decided on a scarf. She hurried to where she keeps her knitting supplies and let Ricky pick out the yarn. He chose the same colors Gina made the hat: maroon and burnt orange. Then, Lynn and he spent the rest of the night and the next day in scarf making lessons. Luckily, Lynn was letting Ricky take any supplies he needed home with him, so he felt like he could finish the scarf in time.

Ricky continued to work on the scarf on the plane, when he got home, and later on that night. Just as Ricky was finishing up his portion of the scarf for the night, he received a call. He looked at the ID, a picture of Gina making an adorable pouty face in a mirror.

“Hey cutie!” He answered, so excited to finally hear from Gina after not talking all weekend.

“Do you have a minute to talk?” Gina sounded worried.

“Of course? What’s going on?” Ricky put the scarf down instinctively, a sense of protectiveness starting to course through him.

“It’s Dani,” Gina said apprehensively.  

Gina began to explain that Dani was making Gina’s life even worse. All week she had been making fun of her in the halls, making threats that she was going to destroy everything Gina owned, and try to get her kicked off of the dance team. Gina explained feeling so helpless in the situation, which only illuminated Ricky’s protective side. He was furious at Dani.

“Are you kidding me?? That’s not ok, Gina! No one should ever talk to you like that, regardless of the circumstances. I’m going to go find her right now and tell her to back off-” Ricky fumed.

Gina jumped in quickly to stop him, “-Wait! Ricky, don’t. It’s not worth it... I’m calling you because there is more. I think she’s making fake social media accounts to cause more trouble. I’ve already had three news sources asking to talk about my ‘lingering feelings’ for EJ and why I would ever choose someone like you. They said they got videos of me saying I was still head-over-heels for EJ and just want him. And I never, ever said that. Please Ricky, you have to believe me,” Gina begged.

Ricky did believe Gina. He didn’t believe that snake.

“How do you know it’s her for sure?” Ricky pressed, making sure they had the right suspect.

“Because one of them actually sent me a video and it was me during dance. I was talking to another girl about how I still had lingering feelings for you at camp and was wondering why I ever chose EJ. I think she cut the video and manipulated it to make it sound like I was talking about you both in reverse. I’m so sorry... I didn’t know this would happen...” Gina trailed off.

“Gi, you don’t have to apologize to me. I believe you,” Ricky reassured her. “Let’s keep living our lives the best we can for now until we can come up with a plan to get her to stop. Have you gotten something to eat? Any sleep? What do you need?”

“No, I’m exhausted. The problem is, I am so on edge over all of this, it’s making it hard to sleep. Ricky, I just want to be with you,” Gina requested.

“Be right over”. Ricky said, hanging up his phone and throwing on his coat. He was pretty sure he heard Gina say, “wait, what?” before he hung up, but he wasn’t going to let her talk him out of helping her. And Ricky knew she would try. He didn’t want her to feel bad for needing him.

Ricky walked up to Gina’s two-story house. It was white and plain, blending in with the surrounding homes. The porch light was on, reflecting some snow covered rocks below the main windows. Ricky grabbed a handful of them, wiping the cold moisture off of them onto his coat. He then went to the side of the house and unlatched the fence, making his way to the backyard where a balcony stood boldly above him. The balcony was connected to her room, another balcony on the opposite side of the house connected to Mrs. Porter’s room. He saw Gina’s light on and then her figure pacing around the room.

He took a rock in his hand and threw it at the window. It met the glass with a loud, “thump!”. Gina looked over but shook her head and continued to pace. Ricky threw two more rocks, thump, thump. He saw Gina walk over to a chair near the door and grab her coat laying on it. She walked onto the balcony, looking like a cozy winter dream in her coat and pajamas.

“Ricky? You’re going to wake the neighbors! What are you doing he-” she whispered loudly at him, now having approached the banister.

“I came to help you fall asleep!” Ricky’s volume matching hers.

Gina smiled as she rolled her eyes. He knew she wouldn’t be mad. He took her eyeroll as the signal to make his way up to her balcony. There was a large tree next to where she was standing, the perfect distance for him to get to her. So Ricky scaled up the tree, hopping over the edge once he reached her.

“You know I have stairs?” Gina said sarcastically, looking a little like Ricky with her raised eyebrow.

“Didn’t want to wake the neighbors,” Ricky said with a wink before making a cocky walk into her room.

Gina’s room was bigger than the average, but not filled tight. Ricky was sure this wasn’t just because of the size of the room, but also the little amount of items Gina had from moving so often. He looked happily around the room at her bed, filled with old stuffed animals, flattened pillows, and Rina, the monkey. He noted a chair in the corner, a large moon shape holding a fuzzy blanket. He saw some clothes piled around a laundry basket, the basket sitting right beneath a corkboard. On that corkboard was her ribbon from last Thanksgiving pinned to it. Ricky gave the ribbon an acknowledging half-smile.

Gina walked up to Ricky, wrapping her arms around his waist. He met her back with a tight hug around her upper arms as he rested his head on hers.

“So, how are you going to help me sleep?” she muffled into his chest. Ricky gave her a peck on the forehead, before giving her another tight squeeze. 

“Just get into bed, you’ll see,” Ricky prompted.

Gina threw off her coat and excitedly ran to her bed, jumping on it before getting under the covers and propping herself up on one arm. Her smile was full of innocence and kindness; Ricky couldn’t shake how horrific Dani had been to someone as incredible as Gina. Ricky handed her Rina and then pulled the chair up next to her bed from the corner of the room.

“Do you have a favorite story?” Ricky asked.

“The Chronicles of Narnia,” Gina replied, eyeing her bookshelf. “But you can’t read that all to me in one night, Ricky”.

Ricky got up and examined the bookshelf, grabbing The Chronicles of Narnia off the second shelf. “Good thing you need sleep every night,” Ricky lovingly joked, sitting down in a chair. He saw Gina’s cheeks start to flush.

With a proud look on his face, Ricky opened up to page one and began reading. Gina snuggled in, hanging onto every word until eventually she fell asleep. After Ricky was sure she was sound asleep, he walked over to her and kissed her head- giving her a gentle whisper good night. He followed this by turning off her lamp and making his way quietly out the same way he came in.

***************************************************

The next two weeks leading up to play felt like a whirlwind for Ricky. Every day more and more tabloids began to reach out to Ricky and Gina, trying to discover more ways to publicize errors in their relationship. Ricky and Gina both knew it was Dani in disguise, but she seemed invincible. It seemed like every time they shut one of her accounts down, two more popped up in it’s place. Luckily, the only time they had to see Dani was at rehearsal for High School Musical 3, because dance was on pause until January. And Ricky thanked his lucky stars “Martha” didn’t have much of a role in the play, so time with Dani was limited.

Ricky also found himself trying to make ends meet with other aspects in his life too. He was trying to knit his scarf for Gina, be available for High School Musical 4 scenes, rehearse on his own time, and see Gina. Another lucky star he was grateful for was The Chronicles of Narnia, because he had an excuse to see Gina each night. Every night for those two weeks started the same: he would finish up a small section of the scarf, scale the tree outside of Gina’s house, and then read her to sleep. 

After one particularly long day, a few days before the play, Ricky was putting on his pajamas after finishing another section of the scarf. He was planning on going over to Gina’s soon, but he received a knock at the door. 

“Gina?” he said, puzzled to see her standing at his doorway. It was 10 at night, her pajamas were on and her hair was up in a curly, messy bun. She looked adorable with her nose being slightly pink from the cold.

“Hey,” she said, giving him a soft smile.

“Hey! Come in, it’s cold out,” Ricky said, gesturing quickly at her to get in the house. “I thought I was coming over to your house?”

“I know that’s the plan, but plans changed,” Gina said eagerly. Ricky could sense she was up to something and he was right. “Get your coat on, I’m taking you somewhere”.

Ricky laughed saying, “your wish is my command”. He took his coat off the rack, zipping it up when he heard his car keys jingle. Gina was shoving the keys in her coat pocket with a scheming grin.

“Hey now, where are you going with those, young lady?” Ricky teased.

“You’ll see,” Gina said slyly. 

The pair walked outside before Ricky felt a little sense of panic. Gina had never driven his car before. She has her license, but this was his car. Red gave it to him when he got a new car, since Ricky drove it around so much. Red would kill him if it got wrecked.

“...are you sure you can drive my car?” Ricky hesitated.

“It’s an automatic, Ricky,” Gina countered, her voice dry.

“Right,” Ricky resolved. 

Once he saw Gina get into the driver’s seat, he felt his worry ease up. Someone that pretty couldn’t be bad at driving, right? Ricky thought to himself.

Wrong. Gina sped fast down the road, not taking care for speed bumps, ran at least one stop sign, and she forgot to turn her lights on until about five minutes in when Ricky reminded her. But even Ricky surprised himself when he realized he wasn’t mad or scared- he was exhilarated. Driving fast, not being sure if they would hit ice, defying every rule society had made for cars, the adventure felt wild and new. He liked not caring what others thought and just enjoying the moment with Gina by his side. It was an enlightening, thrilling, rush that he didn’t want to slow down.

But, alas, the couple made it to their destination, which meant the joyride had to slow down temporarily. Ricky looked at their surroundings of where Gina had pulled up. He saw trees, dirt, and no other sign of living. They were outside a forest. Ricky started to get heavy Déjà vu from the Woman in the Woods.

“Uh... Gi? What are we doing out here, exactly?” He said, slowly unbuckling his seatbelt. Gina was already outside her car door.

“Afraid of adventure, Ricky Bowen? Are you a chicken?” Gina mocked outside the car, now standing in front of the passenger side.

“In your dreams,” Ricky said as he got out. He rushed over to Gina, aggressively tickling her waist. Gina giggled and squealed under Ricky. Once she was able to worm her way out of his grasp, she grabbed Ricky’s slightly sweaty hand (she didn’t say anything) and led him into the woods with a “c’mon!”

Gina found a path that was actually meant for night hiking. It had lights leading the entire way up, with signs in neon colors that made it easy to navigate. It was cold, but surprisingly not so cold Ricky couldn’t handle it. Or maybe the adrenaline was keeping him warm- he wasn’t sure. 

Ricky and Gina headed up the trail together.

Most of the bushes and flowers were stick like, the last leaves hanging on. The trees folded around the couple, enveloping them like a heavy shadow. They heard an owl hooting in the distance, as well as the branches and spots of snow crunching under their feet. The two of them didn’t say much for awhile, as they walked together peacefully in silence. Being hand in hand with Gina made this adventure surprisingly easy for Ricky. His fear seemed to wash away each moment he was with her.

“Maybe this is what our characters felt like,” Gina remarked, finally cracking the silence.

“What do you mean?” Ricky could feel his brain scanning for any connection to the woods, cold, and Gabriella and Troy.

“Kristoff and Anna? When they went hiking in the woods it was cold. I wonder if this is what they felt like, Gina pondered. 

Duh, thought Ricky.

“Isn’t it funny we get to be leads again?” Ricky smiled to himself.

“Ricky, you’re the lead every year,” Gina said, her tone dry once again.

“I just mean with you, Gi. It’s so nice getting to be leads with you again. It’s making my senior year worth it...” Ricky couldn’t bare to finish his thought. He’d been trying to bring up that he might not stay close to home for college. He’d been thinking about the adventures being outside of Salt Lake might bring, knowing he had never really explored outside of his own home until summer camp. Ricky still wasn’t sure what he wanted to do, but every time he got close to talking to Gina about it, it was like his mouth was sewn shut. He just couldn’t get himself to speak... about any of it.

“...I’m glad,” Gina had waited a second before speaking, but when she did she stopped to look at Ricky, not releasing his hand.

“I’m a little worried about ‘Can I Have This Dance’, though”, Ricky said, thinking about how uncoordinated the practice attempts had been. Every time they practiced, either Ricky had two left feet again, Dani would try to intervene on Gina’s choreography (Gina got to choreograph this number), or Miss Jenn would stop rehearsal just as Ricky was starting to feel like he got the dance down.

“Maybe we should practice it one more time?”

“Out here?” Ricky said, his eyebrow once again positioning itself high on his forehead.

“Yeah, out here. No one else has been around since we started up this trail...” Gina noted, letting go of Ricky’s hand. She took her phone out of her coat pocket and set it on the ground nearby. She tapped it a few times before the music to “Can I Have This Dance” started to play. She stood back up, holding out her hand as she sang:

Take my hand, take a breath

Pull me close, and take one step

Ricky took a deep breath as he decided to trust Gina. The two began to dance along to the song, but Ricky couldn’t seem to trust himself. He began to fumble his footsteps, as Gina kept steady through the first verse. He stayed concentrated on his toes, watching his every move diligently.

When Ricky and Gina finally sang the line “wherever we go next”, Ricky took a major over step and almost messed up the entire dance. He had been paying so much attention to his feet, that they seemed to stop listening to him completely. 

Gina took Ricky’s chin and lifted it up to her face. “Ricky, trust me,” she quietly urged him before the chorus. Maybe he hadn’t been trusting her. He tried again.

They continued to dance, with Ricky now refocused only on Gina’s eyes. He was able to gather his thoughts more clearly which helped him to finally grasp the movement of the dance. It was like he had been seeing the steps the whole time, but now he was finally using them. 

Ricky was able to take the lead by the time Troy took the lead in the second verse. Around the end of the verse, Ricky saw a fleck of snow hit Gina’s cheek. He moved it away with his thumb and softly said, “snow” before the next bridge started.

The two danced and swayed around the forest, improvising moves around the trees and stumps in their pajamas and winter coats. It was like everything from the dance had finally clicked and they were moving together in harmony now. Every lift, spin, and turn were performed with grace; the dance elegantly twisting through the woods. The entire moment felt beautiful and simple, a metaphor for Ricky and Gina.

About the time the dance was ending, the snow began to fall heavier and heavier. It wasn’t rain. It was better. Richer, more vibrant, and more spectacular. The snow came down in large flakes, covering the bushes and trees quietly and quickly. Ricky placed his hand on Gina’s face, softly running his thumb back and forth across her cheekbone. He couldn’t think of a prettier sight as he watched the snow fall into her hair and down her face. Light snow dusted her eyelashes and nose, falling every time she blinked her large brown eyes. Ricky leaned in, his lips finding rhythm with Gina’s. It was soft, exhilarating, and wonderful as he felt completely connected to Gina. It felt like he had melted into one with Gina, thinking her same thoughts, feeling her same heartbeat, and letting gravity do the rest. In this moment, Ricky forgot about the rest of the world. Gina was what was right with his life and he never wanted to forget it.

********************************************

The night of High School Musical 3: Senior Year had finally arrived. Maddox and Ashlyn were helping each other get ready, Carlos was freaking out because he lost Chad’s basketball, Seb was trying help Miss Jenn calm down before the show, and Jet was combing out Kourtney’s hair.

Of course, Jet and Kourtney waited until the worst possible minute (as usual) to announce that they were now going to tell the world they were dating (”if Ricky can humiliate himself in front of the whole world, then I guess I can share my relationship with my favorite human” Jet said, standing protectively next to Kourtney). They shared their news right when Natalie gave the “ten minutes to opening” call. 

Jet and Kourtney were a sweet couple to Ricky, but Jet was definitely a male-wife. If Kourtney asked him to jump he would say, “how high, what building, and do I need to bring anyone?” It seemed ridiculous to him that anyone could literally drop their entire life for their partner with a single bat of their eyes.

“Ricky?” Gina called him from backstage. She was on one side adjusting her microphone while he was on the other, running lines with Emmy.

“Yes, dear?” Ricky said, running over immediately to Gina.

“Will you go get my dance shoes? They’re in the dance room. I left them there after our dress rehearsal the other night. I know we only have a few minutes until we start and you and I are on stage fir-”

“-Absolutely. On it.” Ricky interjected, running out of the stage with no hesitation. He bolted his way toward the dance room, which sat at the end of the hallway from the theater. As he approached the room, slowing down his sprint to a walk, he began to hear a familiar voice. 

“I know, Gina is so annoying. I’m hoping what we sent those tabloids will get rid of her for good,” the voice said coolly. 

Ricky walked up quietly to the door, edging his way, so Dani hopefully wouldn’t hear him.

“Well, I don’t care that the play is almost here. I want her finished,” Dani hissed. Ricky thought about how she really was a snake. “She is taking up too much space on my stage! She literally got Gabriella, a part I had been working on for so long. I hope this article hits her where it hurts... yes, of course I made it up! You really think she would have done half of that stuff? Please. I just want her gone”.

Ricky wished he had been recording. This was firm evidence that Dani was the one who had been sending in those fake articles. Dani sounded like a villain, voicing the next steps to her evil plan. Ricky decided that if she was going to be the villain, then he was going to be Gina’s hero- serving Dani some justice. 

He considered jumping in and catching Dani in the act, but Ricky realized that catching her would only be his word against hers. He checked his watch. He had about 2 more minutes until theater prayer circle. Dani walked out of the room, not noticing Ricky still pressed against the door.

Ricky skipped into the room, searching quickly for Gina’s shoes, realizing he didn’t ask her where they were. He thought that maybe in the process he might be able to find some incriminating evidence against Dani as well. Ricky saw some lockers stacked on the other side of the room, all without locks. He began to open the top doors until he got to the third one where he located Gina’s shoes. 

As Ricky went to close the door, his eye picked up on a polaroid of Gina and him holding Rina, next to another polaroid of the entire cast. Ricky realized no one at school knew they were together during Gina’s time rehearsing for dance, but she still risked it anyway with photos like this. Ricky couldn’t help but smile at the thought.

Ricky quickly grabbed the shoes and raced out of the room, only to bump hard into someone- nearly knocking the breath out of him.

“Zac??” Ricky said, puzzled. While the school had been... decent about being around a celebrity constantly, the play was open to the public. He thought for sure Zac of all people wouldn’t be there. He was genuinely surprised to not see a bunch of fans gathered around Zac in the hall.

“Little Zac!! What are you doing here?” Zac asked excitedly.

“Uh... It-It’s opening night? I’m playing Troy? Your character?.... Remember?” Ricky wondered how Zac functioned sometimes.

“I knew that, Little Zac,” Ricky took back his last thought. “I just meant outside of the dance room. Isn’t the show starting in like, five minutes?”

“Right. Got to go!” Ricky started to run again.

“Hey, Little Zac!” Zac called out behind him.

Ricky didn’t have time for this. 

“Yes?” Ricky said, slightly annoyed because he needed to go.

“Good luck out there. I’ve been really impressed by you. I couldn’t think of anyone else I would want to play Troy. I came to see you,” Zac revealed.

Ricky froze. A twinge of guilt hit as he thought about how he treated or thought about Zac. He didn’t realize Zac thought so highly of him. The whole moment caught him off guard.

Ricky turned around and gave Zac a quick “thanks,” before picking up his pace and running back to the theater. He rounded the corner to the backstage, nearly taking his arm off as he grabbed the door frame to swing him in.

“Told you guys he’d come back!” Gina exclaimed, before smiling softly at Ricky. “He always does”.

Miss Jenn ushered everyone into the prayer circle. Ricky handed Gina her shoes to which she neatly tucked under her right arm, and then used her left hand to lace her fingers with Ricky. Ricky used his free hand to grab Red’s on the other side. 

Ricky turned his face to meet Red’s for a second, they both smiled at each other understandingly. Red seemed in slightly better spirits tonight. Ricky just hoped it would stay that way.

The show went even better than Ricky thought. There was a massive crowd due to fans of the documentary and the new movie coming out, so much so that many people had to be turned away because there wasn’t enough room in the auditorium. Ricky and Gina perfectly captured “Can I Have this Dance”, Ricky’s acoustic version of Right Here, Right Now made Gina cry on stage, and each person performed their character as though the part was made for them. Miss Jenn felt bad about turning people away for the show, so she told the theater crew she was adding an additional show during intermission. Dani also surprisingly kept to herself the entire night- probably because she was so worried about her own performance she didn’t have time to harass Gina. Overall, Ricky was very happy about how the show went.

After the show was over, Ricky went to talk to his dad and get the red roses that he had been holding onto to give to Gina. Ricky grabbed the flowers and thanked his dad with a hug, making his way to the green room where Gina would likely be reapplying her makeup. 

Ricky’s intuition was right- Gina was sitting at a vanity, applying some lip gloss to her wide grin. She looked sophisticated, happy, and proud... the warm feeling Ricky had felt with her before was returning again. He just felt so good seeing her happy.

“Hey you,” Ricky said, wrapping his arms around Gina’s shoulders. She placed her hand on his, before Ricky reached his head around and gave Gina a kiss.

“Hi, Ricky Bowen... or should I say Troy?” Gina flirted back. She patted the roses. “What are these for?”

“My Gabriella,” Ricky said as he handed her the roses. He pulled up a chair and sat next to her.

“Thank you, Ricky,” Gina said with a satisfied head tilt, inhaling the scent of flowers in the plastic bag. She set them down on the vanity and began to reapply her lip gloss again. “Where to next?”

Just as Gina asked, Ricky heard a voice in the hallway. No- make that two voices? His head perked up as he sat in silence, trying to investigate where they were coming from. Gina could see that he was distracted by what was happening in the hallway. She leaned her head in a little to listen to the conversation was well.

“I’m sorry, Dani. We’ve been filming for nearly two months now, there’s not really a part we can give you,” Zac said, slightly irritated.

“But I worked so hard for this! You saw me up there, right?” Dani whimpered.

“What’s done is done. I’m sorry,” Zac settled.

Ricky gave Gina a suspicious look as he said, “I think the hallway?” 

Ricky grabbed Gina’s hand before they ran out to where Zac and Dani stood. Zac looked frustrated and Dani seemed distraught. Ricky wondered how long Dani had been begging him for a part in the movie. Something felt like this hadn’t been the first time.

“Hey guys!!” Zac perked up before hugging Ricky and Gina. “Great job- both of you- I am so beyond impressed. I couldn’t think of a better Troy and Gabriella”.

“Thanks,” Ricky and Gina said simultaneously.

Vanessa Hudgens walked up behind Zac, a slight smirk on her face. Ricky had no idea she had been at the play this whole time. He saw her a few times on set, but he spent so much time trying to get away from Zac that he never really talked to Vanessa. He was touched they both came out to see Gina and him reprise their roles.

“Did you ask her yet?” Vanessa prompted Zac, nudging his arm with her hand.

“Ask me what?” Dani must have concluded that the question was about her.

“Not you,” Vanessa said- the tone coming off more aggressive than Ricky expected. “Her,” she nodded her head to Gina.

“Me? What about me?” Gina seemed puzzled.

“Well, you know how we have that one last dance number for the movie? The one where we are thinking we’ll need two choreographers because it has so many parts?” Zac asked Gina.

“Yes. Have you guys found another choreographer yet?” Gina asked, still clueless. Ricky knew where Zac was going with this though and he felt like he was going to burst from the seams; he was so excited.

“We want you to be the co-choreographer,” Zac said with a massive grin.

“Me?” Gina’s eyes widened as her face lost some color. She shook her head, as though it would snap her out of the fantasy. “Me?” She repeated.

“Yes! Will you do it? Please?” Vanessa pleaded.

“Are you kidding me?!” Dani exclaimed furiously. Ricky could see the red filling her face. “I have been begging for a month now to have a part in this and you give it to her? She’s not even the captain of the dance team! I am! The youngest one to date!”

“The youngest one to date because you blackmailed Gina for the part?” Zac asked, cocking his head to the side.

“Wha-What are you talking a-about?” Dani stuttered.

“You see,” Zac began, pacing around Dani, Gina, and Ricky. “I overheard Ricky and Gina talking about you when they were carrying in waters to the dance room one day. They thought they were alone, but I had just finished practicing a dance for one of our numbers, needed to use the bathroom, and was making my way back to the dance room. I didn’t go in, figuring it was none of my business, but Gina seemed upset so I made it my business. After hearing their conversation, I started to put pieces together and had a little chat with the dance teacher. She said she chose Gina for dance captain, but then for some ‘strange reason’, Gina gave it up and decided to take backstage? That seemed odd. Then I realized the entire conversation between Ricky and Gina was about you Dani. And you want to know what? Blackmail sucks and so do you”.

Ricky thought Zac would stop then because he took a dramatic pause, but Zac continued to talk and pace. 

“But then, I thought, why not give you the benefit of the doubt? Maybe they were making it up or maybe I was overthinking the entire thing. Until I literally heard you confess what you’ve been doing in the dance room before this show.

“So, not only did you mistreat Gina for months and cause her to be overly exhausted at our movie rehearsals, but you also mistreated Ricky”. 

Zac took one more pause and then gave Dani the same eyebrow raise Ricky does and said, “And didn’t you know Ricky’s nickname?”

Ricky could see the sheer panic in Dani’s eyes as she replied, “No”.

Zac’s face turned callous. “It’s ‘Little Zac’, meaning I have a responsibility to him and his name. You’re done, Dani”. 

And with that, Dani stormed off down the hall.

Ricky had felt so annoyed with Zac for so long, that he was surprised how appreciative he felt for Zac. Maybe he wasn’t such a nuisance, after all.

Vanessa beamed with pride at Zac’s monologue. She turned to Gina and asked again, “so, will you co-choreograph for us? Please?”

“Absolutely,” Gina said with massive grin on her face. Vanessa squealed and gave her a hug before the two started talking nonstop about the details of choreographing the dance.

While the two girls chattered, Ricky walked up to Zac and gave him a sheepish “thanks”.

“No problem, Little Zac,” Zac said with a wink and arm tap.

“So...” Ricky lowered his voice so only he and Zac could hear. “How long have you been rehearsing that?”

Zac looked a little embarrassed but was willing to admit, “since after I overheard Dani in the dance room”.

“Did you at least watch the show?” Ricky asked, not surprised if Zac hadn’t.

“Of course I did! It’s called ‘Intermission’. I needed something to do while I waited,” Zac laughed. Ricky couldn’t stay mad at him, no matter how annoying he got sometimes. Zac felt kind of like an older brother. Ricky couldn’t help but laugh back.

Later that day, the theater crew for the play (excluding Dani, who understandably wouldn’t be there, and Miss Jenn, who was with Mike on their own date), went to the same Denny’s they had earlier to get some after-show milkshakes. A few people stopped the cast to get pictures and say hi, but the nothing that overshadowed their night out.

Ricky couldn’t help but think about last December, when he chose Nini over Gina. He felt a wave of regret for the past year and everything he and Gina had been through. So many times it felt like they would never be together, whether because of his choosing or hers. It was like the universe tried to throw every wrench it could into their relationship. But now, here he was, his arm around Gina Porter, clinking milkshake glasses with his best friends. His dad was in a good relationship, he had a chosen family, and somehow Zac Efron wanted to be his best friend? Ricky reminisced, feeling proud of last December’s show and how much it changed his life. He almost didn’t do that first show, but because of Gina, his life was entirely different in the best possible way.

Ricky watched his friends, happily relishing in the moment. He watched as Jet fed Kourtney a bite of his milkshake, Red talked excitedly to Ashlyn and Maddox (who Ricky felt like were going to date any time now), Seb fixed Carlos’ hair, and Emmy and Natalie were playing a game with the salt packets. Ricky kissed the top of Gina’s head.

“What was that for?” she asked, snuggling her head into his chest.

“I just can’t believe this is my life. I’m so happy”. And he really, truly meant it.

******************************************************

The next week, Christmas had finally rolled around. Ricky spent Christmas Eve with his dad and Miss Jenn playing games, watching movies, and eating more food than he cared to admit. On Christmas Day, Ricky went to Gina’s house. Unfortunately, Ms. Porter got called into work that day, so Gina was going to spend Christmas Day alone if he didn’t. Mike had Miss Jenn at his house, so Ricky didn’t feel too bad leaving his dad for the day.

Ricky gave Gina’s front door a few taps. She opened up the door gleefully. She was flaunting a matching t-shirt and shorts set of Christmas pajamas with gingerbread men dotting them. Her fuzzy slippers accented her slight bedhead (pulled back with a red hairband) nicely. Ricky couldn’t stop staring at how beautiful she looked.

Gina interrupted his daydream with, “so you chose the front door this time?”

“Neighbors don’t care during the day time,” Ricky sassed.

The two had made quite a bit of progress into the Chronicles of Narnia. Ricky was still sneaking over every night to read to Gina, so they were over halfway through with the book. Last night Ricky went over to read to her, but decided not to stay long since it was Christmas Eve and he assumed Gina wanted to be with Ms. Porter. Ricky was thrilled to be back with Gina again, finally seeing the Christmas pajamas she had been bragging about the night before.

Ricky and Gina spent the next few hours baking gluten-free Christmas cookies, watching The Grinch Who Stole Christmas (with Jim Carrey), and making paper snowflakes with kind messages to give their friends. Later on, while they were icing the cookies, they were listening to Christmas music. The song “Winter Dreams,” by Kelly Clarkson came on.

Ricky held his hand out for Gina, “Can I have this dance?”

Gina gave Ricky a dimpled half-smile as she placed her hand in his. Ricky spun her into his arms and then reversed her out, before readjusting her so that they were slow dancing in the kitchen. Ricky placed his hands around her waist, pulling Gina in close and then flopping her arms around his neck. She gently laid her head down on his shoulder as she played with her fingers in his hair. The two swayed back and forth like this for the majority of the song.

Once the song hit the second chorus, Ricky felt like he wanted to tell Gina how he felt about her. How warm she made him feel and how perfect and right every moment with her was. How every time she walked in a room, the room seemed to be showered with light and how she made even the dimmest ray of sun feel like it could brighten the entire Earth. How she made his darkest days feel like his brightest. How she had this ability to entrance him back to her over and over again. 

“Gina, I-,” Ricky started to speak. 

Gina lifted her head back to look at Ricky and pressed her lips softly on his. The room suddenly became quick sand, making him fall faster and faster within. He couldn’t steady himself from the rush he felt from her kiss. One touch from her was enough to make him lose focus.

“Yeah?” She asked as her face parted from his.

Ricky stared into her large, dreamy eyes. It was like they were swallowing him in. He couldn’t find the words to say. Again. He could only wonder what his inability to speak meant.

“I- I want to give you your Christmas present,” Ricky changed the subject. Gina seemed like she might have been expecting more, but she smiled as she nodded her head in agreement.

The two walked over to the fireplace, sitting down in front of it. Ricky handed her a misshapen package of Christmas paper and too much tape. Gina opened it excitedly to see a crooked scarf that matched the same hat Gina made him, which Ricky was now getting out and putting on his head.

“We match, see?” Ricky joked. Gina’s eyes began to water as she held the lump of scarf half-hazard in her arms. “I love it, Ricky Bowen. It’s perfect”. 

Gina placed the scarf around her neck before she said, “I’ll be right back with yours”. Ricky gave her an “ok” in agreement as he waited patiently downstairs, batting the tassels on his hat like a cat.

Gina came back down the stairs about five minutes later, Ricky’s guitar in hand and a small blue package wrapped with a neat white bow.

“What’s this?” Ricky asked, equally excited and puzzled at what Gina could be up to.

“Well, remember all of the times I’ve been coming over and learning guitar? I wasn’t just learning for fun. You seem to understand people best through song... so I wrote you one,” Gina replied with a shrug. 

Ricky’s heart played a disappearing act as he waited to hear her sing. Gina adjusted the guitar on her lap and began to strum a few chords. Gina then said, “This song is called ‘Never Let Go’” before she began to sing in a soft, melodic tone:

I’m wrapped in your arms,

tonight I hold tight, never letting go.

A feeling I can’t fight,

a soldier losing sight, it’s beginning to show.

I wished upon stars,

birthday candles left me scars, until I met you, oh.

You’re where I begin,

My favorite win, my stage at the show

So give me your hand,

I’ll take every chance, to never let go.

Ricky’s head felt empty, words felt useless- there was no matching what he just made for her. He found his heart again when he felt it in his stomach right as Gina exclaimed, “oh! And one more thing!”

Gina handed Ricky the small blue package. He studied it as his hand slowly pulled the ribbon off the box. Inside were two small silver rings, with leaves and branches engraved around the entire band. They seemed to loop infinitely. They seemed a bit... small? For his fingers.

“Gina, they’re great... but I don’t know if they’ll fit...?” Ricky hesitated as he stared at them.

“Ricky, read what’s written on the inside,” Gina nudged him with her head.

He picked up the small metal band and looked closer at the writing etched inside.

Pinky Promise

Gina, now on her knees, reached over to grab Ricky’s hand and gently slid the ring on his pinky. Then she grabbed the other one and slid it on hers.

“They’re promise rings. That we pinky promise to always come back to each other. I got the idea after the fair,” Gina explained.

Ricky studied the ring on his finger, now feeling like he was the one with tears. He rolled the ring around his finger again and again, admiring how beautiful such a small silver band could be. Simple, but beautiful.

“Is that ok?” Gina asked, probably trying to gauge Ricky’s expression.

They’re perfect. “They’re perfect,” Ricky echoed his thought out loud. 

Ricky reached across the guitar and wrapping paper and gave Gina a long kiss in front of the fireplace. Sometimes it seemed like Gina knew him better than he knew himself. Gina was his serendipity.

[rinaweek]

and with that, rina week is officially over! we are so sad to see it end, but so happy and grateful for anyone who participated, and for all who enjoyed the content posted by our wonderful rina creators and helped celebrate their work with us

please remember that the rina week account will be reblogging content up to a month after this week - so if you have any late submissions, please still post them (and tag us)! we would love to help promote them for you and keep the party going for a little longer

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[glitterjuj]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (TV) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Ricky Bowen/Gina Porter Characters: Gina Porter, Ricky Bowen (HSMTMTS) Additional Tags: Rina Week 2022, day five: oh? oh, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Enemies to Lovers, Fluff Series: Part 5 of steambend's rina week 2022 Summary:

Gina Porter truly, wholeheartedly felt that whoever touched her and gave her a soul mark for the first time would be her person for the rest of her life. It was why she was so sparing with who she touched skin to skin. She was a hopeless romantic at heart, and she wanted her soulmate reveal to be perfect. She just didn't think accidentally touching Ricky Bowen in gym class would be that moment.

for @rinaweek day five: oh? oh

[cryoshia]

time is taking its sweet time erasing you

~ a rina oneshot ~

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hesitation befalls gina . . . and ricky is left to pick up the pieces.

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➵ READ NOW

@rinaweek