Local Rina Trash

And then in this ep, we get a flashback scene that solidifies everything. 

“I wouldn’t quit on us if I wasn’t moving away.” — that line is a summary of every moment from Gina in regards to Rina that we’ve gotten this season. It explains what we’ve seen from her. Gina hasn’t moved on from Ricky because she doesn’t quit on things. She keeps pushing and pushing (that also ties into her larger arc and not wanting to quit on East High but that’s another post). This moment services the direction of the love triangle, the fact that Gina is the right person for him. That everyone quits on Ricky but she hasn’t. The writing in this is a little insane…

The absolute poetry that is the contrast in this ep. We get the flashback scene that ties all of her actions in 2a together and also the first moment where she starts to question that statement. She pushes away from Ricky and is considering leaving and doesn’t know what her heart’s telling her. It is beautifully tragic that just as it’s beginning to come together for the audience (and for Ricky), at the same time, Gina’s beginning to question it.

She wouldn’t have phrased it that way if she didn’t think there was an ‘us’ in some capacity. He would have said something or looked confused if he didn’t think there was an ‘us’ in some capacity. Y’all can’t have it both ways. Either there was a something that was explicitly romantic, and they both understood and agreed w/ that, or there was a something and they hadn’t exactly defined it. 

Personally, i’m more in the second boat. Some ppl saying gina poured her heart out in that scene…the only thing she said that even remotely hinted at what was between them was “i wouldn’t quit on us if i wasn’t moving away” and this is coming from a diehard rina. This was more ‘don’t say anything’ than the ‘don’t say anything’ moment in my opinion. So much left unsaid, but quiet understanding + a need to make sure he knows that she cares about him + to leave it on her terms. Not oh I’m madly in love with you but I need you to know that what we had going, whatever this was, mattered to me. And I wasn’t going to give up on it if I didn’t have to. The writers didn’t have them truly admit to anything. They just solidified the value of that relationship for the audience. 

1) Ricky honestly could have interpreted Gina’s ‘confession’ as her saying she wouldn’t quit on their friendship.

Gina made it clear in season one that she didn’t want friends and pushed people away with her attitude to protect herself. I think that was obvious. However, Ricky unintentionally broke through that barrier with Gina and they were forming something deeper than a surface level friendship.

I mean you have friends and then you have friends. Like an episode before thanksgiving Ricky was talking to Nini about his parents separating and he says something along the lines of being able to talk to only her about it. Then an episode later Gina manages to get Ricky to open up even after he resisted. Gina really was becoming his confidant, someone who understands what he was going through.

And when Gina is leaving Ashlyn’s thanksgiving party, Ricky days he will call her and Gina says something like, “I don’t think there’s a point in calling anymore.” Meaning why bother continuing whatever they were anymore.

So I think when Gina says she would quit us, it’s not a stretch to believe That Ricky took that us their friendship.

Ricky had tunnel vision for Nini, he wanted Nini back and Gina knew that. It’s not wrong for Ricky to think his relationship with Gina is friendly and be unable to recognise it’s different for her (and himself if he opened up to it)

2) but I can also see him acknowledging that Gina was admitting to feelings.

From the little FaceTime clips on Instagram, he was worried she wouldn’t come back.

Then she does end up coming back and Ricky looks to actively be trying to be friendly but Gina pretty much ghosts him until Valentine’s Day.

Which is not at all surprising why Ricky was so confused as to why she’s there at his house.

He’s being kind when he says she’ll get her sweet gesture too. If he did buy her chocolates that would have been more cruel.

I think the jokes are an awkward coping mechanism for both teens.

And during the Storm Ricky tried to stop Big Red from pulling her into the text Drama with what he wants to send to Nini but Gina affirms it’s okay and was happy to help… so as much as I don’t like it, Ricky could think Gina is okay with it.

Then after she makes it clear she’s not at Carlos’ party he’s fully trying to over compensate at rehearsals.

He’s next to her for the noodle exercise and tried to partner up with her even using a nickname. She rejects him and he even says “got it” out loud so he knows he’s messed up.

After the rejection he spends the rest of the rehearsal being a wounded puppy. He’s off to the side texting and continues to slowly unravel.

in regards to the first one: we as the audience know ricky is a bit dumb and oblivious sometimes so it’s not that far of a stretch.

and for the second one: i don’t think ricky actually began going to gina for advice about nini until the storm when big red asked her for it about the text and she gave an answer. of course ricky is a dumb boy still for not noticing how it made her feel bad but like i said, he’s oblivious. also on the topic of the chocolates: he only continued to joke about them because gina joked back, so while it does suck and is hurting gina he isn’t intentionally being horrible and spiteful toward her. and for 2x06 we saw after gina snubbed him he seriously fell apart and had some issues playing out sooo do with that what you will….

The major thing that East High has that North High doesn't is emotional connections to each other (and to the show, as seen with Ash singing Home). I know no one in that scrambled together North cast actually cares about each other, they just care about winning (particularly their directors).

But I have a feeling East High will get to that only after they've put the show above all else and messed their relationships up a bit... Looking at you, 2x10