Love Bites

E is for escape plans

8.

She had decided to skip dinner that evening.

Why would she want to sit down to an infamous Vanderbilt dinner with stilted conversation and awkward silences while they continued to lie to her. She didn't like to admit out loud how much that piece of information was hurting her. The way Fox so carelessly dismissed her and her questions. He didn't have to answer to her and he knew it.

And then Rose with her knowing smirk and pure excitement at the idea of having the upper hand against Ruby.

The whole Vanderbilt clan were getting on her nerves tonight. She didn't even want to be here with them. How could these people take her into their home and lie blatantly about the whereabouts of her parents? Especially when she was so clearly worried.

Ruby collapsed onto her bed, her head buried into the pillow as she let out a small scream of frustration. Then a louder one. She kicked her legs against the soft covers for good measure before sighing in defeat. Sitting up she picked up one of the photo frames from her bedside table throwing it across the room, horrified to realize she was crying. Now the stupid photo frames reminded her of Fox... and his family. They had no idea how she was feeling, her whole world was tumbling around her at this moment. Was she even going to see her parents again?

Ruby held in another sob, trying to control her breathing. She wasn't even sad, she was furious. Fuming... Livid with them.

Fumbling for her phone she dialed the only person who could make her feel better, or the only person who would ask no questions and help her forget.

'Tilly?'

'Hey Rubes, what's up? I feel like I haven't seen you in ages.'

'Do you remember when you told me your dad said you could use his car in emergencies?'

'Yeah...?' Tilly was sounding a little worried now.

'Well this is one,' she said softly. 'Can you please come and get me? And can we please go and get blind somewhere?'

'Say no more,' Tilly hung up the phone after promising to text Ruby when she was outside the gate. She wasn't going to tell anyone she was going out, she wasn't even sure if it Miles and Annette would allow her to go out to a bar. Even though she was practically eighteen, some people were funny about it.

When Ruby got the text from Tilly she snuck out the front door, knowing everyone would be at the back of the house near the kitchen she figured it was safe. She had changed quickly while she waiting for Tilly. Slipping into a little black dress she kept on hand for emergencies, even thought the night air was particularly chilly she opted to leave her jacket. The backless dress looked better this way.

'So do you want to talk about it?' Tilly peered over at her friend only slightly worried, she'd seen Ruby fly into moods plenty of times over the years.

'Not really,' her eyes narrowed as she stared out the front window of the car as they sped towards familiar territory. 'Well maybe later, after we've had a few drinks?' She smiled at her friend sheepishly.

Tilly grinned back, 'Oh so it's going to be one of those nights! Awesome.'

The truth was how could she ever confide in her friend about all of this? First of all Tilly would think she was insane. Completely lost the plot, a long time coming Tilly used to joke. Secondly, she didn't want to drag her into this stupid mess.

'Well lucky for you some of the guys from school are going to be in Delilah's tonight,' she was referring to their local bar. Delilah's was just enough off the beaten track for the owners to turn the blind eye on some of the seventeen year olds who drank there.