The Ineffable Ruth Rhodes

42 dream

vincent

Vincent was dating Ruth.

Vincent was dating Ruth.

And this time, it wasn't fake.

He looked down at her with a grin on his face, grinning wider when she stuck her tongue out at him.

"I love you," he told her.

"I love you." She kissed him on the cheek.

And he thought wow. So this is what it's like to be loved by Ruth Rhodes.

"Wow, that gets old quick," Sage murmured, taking his arm away from around his girlfriend's neck as he opened his locker.

"Right?" Sumaiya walked a little further down the hall, opening hers. "I feel like we need to start charging them, especially because I'm suffering this much when it's partly my fault they're even together."

Ruth rolled her eyes, but she still smiled as she patted her friend's arm. "Thank you, Sumaiya."

"So sorry you'll treat us to Tims after school?"

Vincent smiled, locking eyes with Ruth. "Sure."

Sage looked between his girlfriend and his friend, dark eyes widening. "You got us?"

Vincent nodded.

Ruth gave him a look, and he rushed to wrap his arm around her, resting them beside her head on her shoulder and around her neck. He'd promised her they'd go to her house after school to hang out because she said she had to tell him something, but it didn't seem too urgent.

"We can go to yours after. Is that okay?" he asked her quietly, resting his forehead against hers.

She pursed her lips, doe eyes looking up in contemplation. "Alright," she said quietly after a while.

---

Vincent casually but slightly formally strolled around Ruth's room, eyes roaming over her walls.

Her room was simple-- simpler than his, with a light violet and cream colored desk in her corner, textbooks and loose papers splayed haphazardly on the floors and by the desk. Her feather-patterned bed was made, albeit messily, and there was an open noodles cup on her bedside table.

"Sorry it's a bit messy," she said, moving to throw away the cup.

"A bit?" he murmured jokingly, following her.

Ruth pushed him lightly with a laugh, perhaps expecting him to fall back on the bed, but he stepped out of the way before she could. She fell on the bed herself, flipping over to find him leaning over her with his arms caging her, a grin on his face.

"Gotcha," he said with an impish grin, which slowly faded the longer he stared at her.

She really was stunning.

Her eyes met his steadily, and slowly, she smiled. "Hi."

"Hi." He kissed her cheek, nose, forehead. She grabbed his face and planted one on his lips.

Then, as if she remembered something, the smile faded just as it came.

She took a deep breath, and his heart started picking up. Did something happen?

He suddenly regretted ever treating his friends to coffee and donuts. He should've taken it more seriously when she asked. He backed up off her, sitting on her bed and waiting for her to do the same, trying to calm his nerves.