Two Ghosts - Ruel Van Dijk (Completed)

Chapter 5 - Progress

We got back to the house around 7:15 at night. I started to walk to the front door but Ruel stopped me.

"If they see us come in they'll start asking questions. They don't know that we left," he attested, motioning for me to follow him. That was probably correct. My parents were usually quite nosy and I didn't really want to be questioned over the dinner table. I followed him, knowing he'd done this a million times before so he probably knew what he was doing. He led me around the side of the house, so I assumed there was a back door or something we could go through to get in unnoticed. But he stopped underneath a window to which was maybe 2 and a bit metres off the ground. So it would be easy for him to get up with his height, but for me, being my 5'3 self, I definitely would not be able to make it through.

"I think you are overestimating my height," I commented, turning back to face him.

"I was going to help you, but if you wanted to try to get up by yourself you could," he shrugged, showing no sign of having been saying that sarcastically.

"No thanks," I replied, moving out of the way. I watched as he effortlessly pushed his body up to the window sill, opened the window and climbed inside. I looked at him strangely. He just did it so...easily. I knew he had done it thousands of times before, but it was still weird to see him do it so easily.

"Come over here and I'll pull you up," he directed, pointing to the spot where he wanted me to stand. I did so, not really wanting to stand out in the cold much longer. I reached up to where his arms were hanging out the window. I grasped his hands, which were velvet warm, the sudden warmth hitting my icy hands taking me by surprise. I disguised the blush rising in my cheeks by looking down for a place to put my feet. I didn't have time to though, because before I could find a decent spot, he was already pulling my body up towards the window. He pulled me up so my stomach was over the window sill, then let me go. I put my foot on the window sill, moving my body so that my legs were hanging over the edge of on the inside. I looked up to see Ruel hadn't moved back. He was still standing close to me, just staring blankly at me. I stared back, mesmerised by his eyes. They were just so perfectly green, it was impossible not to get lost in them. There was a slight clunk as the window blew shut behind me, and we were both snapped back into reality. Ruel immediately stepped back and I slid off of the window sill onto the floor.

"Do you want this back?" I asked, holding out my arms to display the hoodie. He shook his head.

"Keep it, it's just a merch hoodie anyway," he said, walking in the other direction, leaving me standing there alone. I stood there, confused as hell. He just...left. I guess we weren't friends, so he didn't have to talk to me, but that didn't stop me from feeling a little bummed he just walked away.

I went back into my room, realising I should probably take Ruel's hoodie off. Otherwise, I would've looked like a fangirl, or Coco would guess the hoodie was Ruel's and murder me. So I took it off and chucked it into the cupboard, where all of my other clothes were. I immediately missed the warmth and smell of it. It smelled so good. Is that weird? Probably.

I didn't know what to do, because I couldn't just go down to the dinner table now. They would question why I didn't come to dinner, and then I'd have to say I was out in the cold 'by myself'. Then my parents would get mad at me for going out in the dark by myself, and I'd have to bear the punishment because I couldn't tell them Ruel was with me. It wouldn't be fair to throw him under the bus with me. He'd helped me get home and given me a hoodie to keep warm. If he hadn't helped me, I would've probably been freezing on the street, maybe even dead. So I let him be, not letting anyone in on what had happened that night.

"Sunday?" a small voice said from the door. I looked over to see Neveah standing there. Neveah and I had always had a close relationship. We had always been best friends, ever since the day she was born. We'd do everything together, comfort each other, hang out together, share secrets, everything. I was the first person she came to to talk about anything. Before mum, before her friends, before anyone. I was even the first one to know about her first period. But I usually wouldn't tell her my secrets much, because she had a habit of being a huge blabbermouth. She would tell mum about all my secrets.

"Hey, what's up?" I asked, turning to face her.

"Why did you and Ruel just climb through the window?" She asked, looking unimpressed. My eyes went wide. She'd seen us climbing through the window?

"Uh w-what do you mean? I didn't climb through a window?" I attempted to ask innocently, but it came out anxiously, and quite obviously a lie. But I had to make sure she didn't tell anyone about what she'd seen. Otherwise me and Ruel would be in deep shit.

"Don't play dumb, I literally watched you from the bottom of the stairs," she rolled her eyes. "Why didn't you just come through the front door?"

"Listen, you can't tell anyone about what you saw," I said, lowering my voice. She gave me a tilted glance and walked into my room, sitting beside me on my bed.

"I won't tell anyone. But only if you tell me the whole story, and do my chores for a week," she smiled cheekily. Of course. She had to blackmail me. What would a little sister be if she didn't?

"Fine," I grumbled, knowing I had to agree to it.

"Yay! Now start from the beginning," she smiled sweetly. So I did. I told her the whole story. From me leaving, to getting lost, to finding Ruel, to walking home with him, to climbing through the window. I left out the part about the hoodie, because I wasn't wearing it and she didn't need to know that part.

"Okay, you had your story, now leave," I sighed, pointing to the door.

"Geez okay I'm leaving," she replied, getting up to leave. I watched her walk out, and when she was gone, I collapsed back onto the bed. What a mess this day had been. I only really realised how tired I was when my head hit the pillows. I suppose climbing through windows took a lot out of you. I was almost fully asleep when I heard a knock on my bedroom door. Really? Just as I was falling asleep? I hopped up out of bed drowsily and opened the door. I was met with the same blonde bob I had seen earlier that morning. Except this time, her face didn't look quite as creased with anger. It was softer, seemingly more worried than angry.

"I just wanted to say thank you for the chocolate," she said quietly, looking down at her feet.

"Anytime," I smiled weakly, the tiredness really showing through. So she had gotten the gift. And she came to say thank you for it. Those two words (thank you) made me so happy to hear. Sure, It wasn't much, but it was progress. And I knew for people with trust issues, it takes time to warm up to people. So I was willing to give her time. "I was going to go thrifting tomorrow, did you want to come with?" I asked. Okay, maybe I wasn't going to go thrifting, but I did like thrift shops and it wouldn't hurt to have a look at some. Especially if it might help get to know Coco a little better.

"Sure," she replied, giving me a slight smile. She then turned around, her smile turning neutral and walked directly into her room. I went back to bed, feeling happier than I had while being here. I smiled knowing Coco didn't totally hate me now.

A/N

A bit wordy, but we gotta get this moving. Cya in the next chapter:)

As always have a lovely day,
Remember to nourish yourself with food and water
and do something that makes you happy!

- Bri<3

10/10/21

Quote of the day:

Forgive others, not because they deserve forgiveness, but because you deserve peace.

- Jonathan Lockwood Huie

Word Count: 1495