All Over Again

| Chapter Twenty-Four |

The court was surprisingly empty for a Friday night.

Flickering street lamps, mildew-collecting picnic tables, and swaying basketball hoops was all the court had to offer on such a quiet evening. The sun was still setting in the cotton candy sky, painting a pretty backdrop behind the pacing boy whose hands were stuffed in his pockets. There was no guitar attached to his back that time or a basketball at his hip under muscular arms. She didn't mind it though; she was too busy being distracted by everything that was him, starting with the wavy hair dark hair spilled out from the loose bun to gather over his broad shoulders as he absentmindedly brushed the strands back.

He caught her eyes as soon as she started making her way over from the parking lot. Her Uncle hadn't lived very far from the courts, unsurprisingly. Maybe five minutes tops, which made her two minutes late. Not bad for a girl whose heart felt like it was going to burst the entire ride over. Her fingers were still trembling from holding onto the wheel so tight.

She stopped walking once she was near enough, choosing not to get any closer. She wouldn't be able to think if she was too close. Not when her mind was already struck by how pretty he was under the fading pink and orange colors.

"Thanks for coming. I know you were with your family," he started, then paused to furrow his eyebrows. "But you were avoiding me at school, so I thought you'd prefer some sort of middle ground where we can meet on your own terms."

The corner of Ruth's lip caught her teeth. She hesitated to lie again, trying to convince him that she really wasn't avoiding him, but she was tired of lying about it. But how do you tell someone you're avoiding them because you're jealous of the girl on their arm?

Ruth didn't know.

She didn't know anything other than how fucking amazing it felt to be able to see and talk to him again.

She missed his friendship, as much as she hated to admit it. She missed hanging out with him at school and having their secret moments. But Mirana caught on, and as much as Ruth wanted to be mad at her for intruding, she couldn't blame her. Mirana had him first and she's loved him for who the hell knows how long. It wasn't her place to step in between that.

But what if he's not into her? Like Jana said?

Should she even entertain that thought?

"Why did you want to see me?" she asked quietly, her gaze falling to his wringing hands.

Despite the short time apart, he was starting to look better. He didn't look as sick as he had when his body was fighting nicotine withdrawals, and life started to swim back into the depths of his brown eyes.

But there was something that caught her eye about him that time Something she hadn't noticed before, at the bonfire.

A white bandage wrapped around the upper part of his muscled bicep with a bruise blossoming beneath it was enough for her to try and forget about Mirana. Raffo, for the moment, was more important.

"What the hell happened to your arm?" she gasped before she could stop herself.

Raffo's expression darkened, his eyes briefly flittering to the bandage peeking out beneath the sleeve of his black t-shirt. "It's nothing."

"It doesn't look like nothing," she scoffed, walking closer to him. Just when she was going to reach out for his arm with her open arms, he pulled it back towards him, moving that side of his shoulder away from her curious touch.

"Damn it, Ruth. That's not why I fucking texted you," he growled under his breath, frustration leaking into his dark gaze.

"Don't curse at me!"