The Ineffable Ruth Rhodes

06 of course he did

ruth

This is going to go horribly, were the words replaying themselves in Ruth's head over and over and over. There's no way this is going to go well.

When Ruth agreed to the whole thing, she clearly wasn't thinking it over right. Because now that she was in her house, waiting for Vincent who was eighteen minutes late to pick her up for school, she regretted it. She was glad his teammates were kind-hearted people, some catching her eye, however, the hallways of class were completely different. It was like a suicide attempt.

Indeed. This was going to be a trainwreck.

She peeked out her window again, watching for Vincent's car.

At the time of her agreeing, she'd thought how bad can this really be?

That was a mistake. Oh, how it was an enormous mistake. Maybe handsome guys had some power over her she was unaware of, maybe her being an idiot when it came to him was part of his plan.

And that's when he pulled up in a silver honda civic, because of course he drove a silver honda civic.

"Hey," he said, grinning as she walked up, because of course he was. She eyed the passenger's seat, which had his backpack in it and a couple other trinkets. She gazed at the backseat.

"Um," she started, "Is it okay if I sit in the front?"

Vincent's brows creased hastily, before his eyes widened as if he should've known to do that from the start. His eyes flickered once to her hand which had latched itself onto the base of her throat quickly, before he tossed his bag to the back, murmuring a couple sorry's.

"Sorry," he said sheepishly, "It'd be weird to let your girlfriend sit in the backseat, right?" He let out a small laugh, and she got the sense he was trying to joke, but since the whole seat ordeal, there was a lump in her throat she couldn't quite get out. 

She didn't reply, strapping her seat belt over her chest and facing the front.

"You were late," she said after her voice had returned to her.

"Sorry," he said sheepishly, putting the car into motion, "Woke up ten minutes ago." 

Of course he did.

She observed him, relaxed with a hand on the wheel, honey locks blowing with the wind, looking as handsome as ever. How could he look like that when he woke up ten minutes ago?

She pursed her lips to keep from saying something she'd regret, watching cars pass through the window.

"So, girlfriend? How was your morning?"

"You seem to be enjoying this," she commented, finally looking at him. He snuck a brief glance at her and winked. Her lips twitched.

"Have you told anyone?" he asked her.

"No," she said, thinking about how Sumaiya would murder her for springing this on her, "You? Outside your teammates, I mean."

He lifted one shoulder up and let it drop in a shrug motion. "Same thing. I can't wait to see the expression on Charlotte's face when she sees us."

Ruth thought he'd been joking or being sarcastic, until as soon as they walked through the school doors, his hand was slinked around her neck. He nudged her slightly and she held his hand as it hung over her shoulder.

If she said she didn't want to shrink into a corner as the people in the hallways slowly turned and gaped at the new 'couple', she'd be lying. She wondered silently if God would take her up early.