the following week has been okay for ricky. his parents starts to show up to the hospital to visit nini, the parents had lunch together, ricky's and nini's friends hung out a lot more outside of school, the teachers know about nini's condition so they sent her lots of flowers, people at school starts to give them less attention about ricky and nini's relationship. knowing about nini, they keep sending ricky their support towards nini and it makes him realize the huge amount of support that nini got. he realizes many people care about her and this makes him happy, somehow he hoped nini can know how many people care about her, because he knows nini always feels alone when she literally has her best friends and most importantly him.

ricky knows he messed up by breaking up with her, he did it for her, for her future. knowing now their parents are back becoming friends, he hoped that she can be happy and want him back, because he knows how much she misses him and just wants to be by her side when she wakes up. he has a feeling that it won't go well when she finds out about her condition, which is why he promised to himself and her parents that he won't leave ever.

ricky's and nini's friends would take turns in taking care of nini and they gladly do that because they really hope when they are watching her, she will wake up. sadly, she hasn't even move a single part of her body.

garrett and alexis really postponed their business trips and prioritized nini. ricky was super glad because they really sacrifice their work for their daughter. if nini knows this, ricky can tell she will be super happy, and that's what he wants. nini had gone through a lot and he hoped that she will have her own happy ending.

and he hoped that he's one of her happy ending

it was just another friday and ricky is currently waiting for nini to wake up with alexis. none of their friends show up because they decide to go there on saturday morning. so here he is, sitting next to nini's left side while holding her palm tightly and pressing kisses on her palms. he kept staring at nini, as if waiting for her eyes to open up, or her fingers starts to move. call him desperate, he won't mind. he really is waiting for her to wake up. he wanted to tell her that everything is okay now and he wants to get back together with her again. this is all she wanted. he wants to see her beautiful and genuine smile, her cheerful side, the real her, a goofy and adorable person.

"honey, you wanna eat something and go get changed into your pajamas or something more comfortable? i know it's not even dinner yet, but i think it's uncomfortable wearing uniform." alexis tells him

"i'm good, alexis. thank you." ricky says without looking at alexis as his eyes stare deeply at nini

alexis watch ricky's desperate expression and she sighs. she sits on the bed as she rubs his shoulder, "honey, i know you're waiting for her, so do garrett and i, but you really need to stop this. please eat something, gina told me you really lost your appetite ever since she's in a coma. you don't want to be sick when she wakes up, right?"

ricky sighs as he kiss nini's palm softly, "it's just- i want to be the first person she sees when she wakes up. i don't want to leave her."

alexis sees the huge amount of love this guy has for her daughter and somehow she feels really happy that her daughter found someone who really loves her, "okay, i'll buy you something and you can eat here, okay?"

"alright," he sighs, "let me just go get my money."

"nonsense! it's on me."

this makes ricky moves his glance to alexis, "no, don't! i feel bad."

"do me a favor? just sit here and watch her. don't move unless you don't want to be the first one to see her wake up."

"fine," he sighs, "but i still want to pay you back."

alexis chuckles as she opens the door, "you can by taking care of her."

ricky chuckles, "don't have to ask me twice."

"oh, if garrett comes here, just tell him i'm at the cafeteria."

"will do."

when alexis is out, he's just alone with her. he glances around the room and see the amount of flowers and food that people give to nini. he lets out a small smile as he glances back at nini again.

"from all of these flowers, none of them are sunflowers. if you're awake, you must be disgusted." ricky laughs lightly, "but this means people care about you, princess. you should never think that you're alone. you have your parents, your friends, my parents, and me. we love you so much, please wake up. i hate seeing you like this."

he press a kiss on her palm and suddenly the door bursts open. he didn't bother to see who's coming because he was expecting either garrett or alexis. but then the voice of the person makes him turns his attention.

"hey."

ethan

with roses on his arms

ricky widens his eyes as he stands up to face him. he steps closer to him and sends him a glare, "you had the audacity to step here?"

"whoa, dude. slow down. i was just going to give this and say my goodbyes. i'm moving back to my old hometown."

ricky scoffs, "here's the thing. number one, nini hates roses. and two, you don't need to say goodbye because you're dead to me."

"whoa hey! that's not a very nice thing to say. i know you're angry, but i really am sorry."

"sorry for what? for almost raping her? for manipulating her parents? for harrasing her when she's driving? for making her in a fucking coma? sorry is not enough!"

"i-"

"hey, what's going- ethan?" garrett suddenly barges in with wide eyes

"mr. roberts, hi. i was just sending these for nini and-"

"ricky, throw the flower away. we don't need gifts from a rapist." garrett growls with a death glare

"but-"

"go. leave. we don't want to see you again. and tell your mom my gratitude but i'm cancelling the investment. i don't want to be associated with someone who's son used to be in juvy and rehab for drugs."

"mr. roberts i'm really sorry-"

"LEAVE. DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND ENGLISH? SHOULD I SAY IN SPANISH? FRENCH? LATIN? KOREAN? JAPANESE? LEAVE. WE DON'T WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN."

ethan looks frightened so he steps away and gets our from the room. ricky's jaws drop after seeing what just happened. he glances at garrett who's breathing is shaking uncontrollably as he tries to calm his nerves down.

"do you want water?" ricky asks concernedly

"it's okay, kid. i'm good." he sighs as he sits on the sofa, "i haven't yell like that for a long time. it's really fun."

ricky laughs lightly, "have to admit, though. it was scary yet entertaining."

"you'll get that too if you break my daughter's heart." garrett says sternly

"oh shoot, i'm gonna behave nicely then."

"nah, i trust you for taking care of her." he laughs, "so, i've been meaning to ask you this but alexis is always with me."

ricky raises his eyebrows, "what is it?"

"you two use protection, right?"

ricky widens his eyes, "w-what? what do you mean?"

"oh come on! you know what i mean."

"i uh- y-yes." he stutters

"good." he pats ricky's shoulder, "as much as i want a grandchildren, i don't want it to be from an accident that you two didn't use protection."

"o-oh, y-yeah of course. we use protection." ricky says nervously, "why are you asking me that?"

"just an overprotective dad asking a question." garrett shrughs

ricky laughs but then he realized he had some thoughts for awhile which he's afraid to say, but his heart keep telling him to just say it.

"can i ask you something?" he asks and garrett nods

"last week, when you told me to take care of her, you sounded so desperate. why is that?"

"i knew you would ask this." he mutters

"is it something bad? are you sick?" ricky asks worriedly

garrett glances at him, "leukimia."

ricky swears he feels his heart drops, "what?"

"i just found out two months ago, but it's nothing bad, yet." he tells him, "which is why i'm asking you to take care of her."

"i-i don't know what to say."

garrett gives him a smile, "you don't need to say anything, just promise my request."

"i will, before you even ask me that i have promise to myself."

garrett laughs, "good then."

"is that why you really consider letting her to be with me? i thought you and alexis would still be mad even though gina, sarah, and ej probably annoy you by saying i'm good for her?"

garrett smiles at him, "that's pretty much it. the night before we talked, alexis and i did a pillowtalk until 3am, introspecting ourselves. then i remembered about my leukimia, all i wanted is to see my daughter happy before god knows when i will be away from this world."

ricky sighs, "i'm really sorry about that."

"ah, it's okay." he waves him off, "but can you please don't tell her? or anyone? alexis is the only one who knows. let me be the one to tell her myself."

ricky looks at him with a doubt expression, "i-i don't know. i can't keep anything to her, unless you tell her as fast as you can."

"i will, don't worry. when she's stable enough."

alexis suddenly came into the room with three boxes of dinner on her hand.

"god, the lines are too long!" alexis groans, "here's your food, ricky. eat it, okay? i don't wanna see any leftovers."

ricky chuckles, "you sounded like my mom when i was 5."

garrett snorts, "she's like that too with me."

they bursts out laughing, "thanks for this."

"no need to thank me, you have to get used to me buying you food or cook you something. you're gonna be my son in law anyway." she winks at him

"now i suddenly can't wait for that." he grins

alexis shoo him away, "now come on, eat beside her."

he returns to the seat beside nini's left side and he starts to eat the food. it wasn't that delicious, but at least he eats something.

"i told him about me." he could hear garrett whispers to alexis

"really?"

"yeah, he asked. don't worry. he won't tell."

about ten minutes later, ricky is done with the food so he decides to follow alexis' order to change his clothes into something comfortable. he takes out his sweatpants and hoodie while folding his uniform neatly. when he's done, he returns to his seat again.

he brings his right hand to stroke her hair softly while rubbing her palms with his left thumb, "i love you, please wake up. i want to tell you that i love you so much and i regret breaking up with you. please, wake up. everything is going good now, i bet you will be really happy when you know what happened the past few weeks. please, wake up. you're a strong person. i love you."

ricky doesn't know if he's dreaming, but he sure does know that nini's fingers start to move slowly.