Shape of My Heart

Chapter 2

I woke up the next day with a confirmation number for a flight to L.A., to say I was pissed was an understatement...

It made me feel like a charity case because I didn't have the money they do, and I didn't want them to spend it on me. I'm nothing special so it was odd to me that they went out of the way to do such a thing. Nevertheless, I guess I was going to L.A. for a month.

I worked extra hours at my job, saving up every dime I could so I'd at least have spending money while I was out there. Unfortunately, I was not once of those kids that could have their parents pay for college. Mine also made just barely over the line to receive any kind of assistance, so I was burdened with attending school full time and working full time.

It was a lot on my plate, but I really wanted to see Rudy and of course my other friends. I hadn't really been able to talk to them since my hours at work had started picking up, but Rudy managed to always send me little messages to make me smile throughout the day.

Rudy❤️:Hope your days been going well!

Princess👑:I'm working a double tonight 😭

Rudy❤️:They don't get other people to cover the shift?

Princess👑:No one else would come in so I offered to stay...

Rudy❤️:What a hard working woman you are.

Princess👑:More money for L.A. is how I look at it 😛

He called me after that message, his handsome blonde head appearing on my screen.

"You caught me just as I was taking my break bub, what's up?" I asked, walking out to sit in the break room.

"Did you get your confirmation stuff for your flight?" he inquired.

"Yes," I grumbled, a smiling appearing on his face.

"If it makes you feel better, we all split the ticket cost." he shrugged, flopping down on his bed.

"That in no way makes me feel better, you all shouldn't have done that." I sighed, unable to meet his eyes through the camera.

"Well it's already done...we want to see you...I want to see you." he murmured, our eyes meeting at the same time.

"I want to see you too, but I didn't want you to waste your money." I stated.

"It's not a waste, stop overthinking it." he chuckled.

"Anyways, what are we going to be doing? What's our itinerary?" I asked, eager to hear what all there was to do in such a big city.

"Well, I think the Maddies are wanting to take you shopping for sure, um I know a few lakes I'd like to show you, and there are some great bars you have to try out." he rambled.

"I need someone to take me to the Hollywood sign." I laughed.

"Oh for sure, Elaine could probably take some pictures if you wanted to." he offered, my heart sinking.

"You talk about her a lot Ru, anything going on there?" I asked, fake smiling.

"Nah, she's just a good friend. What about you, any men out there Chase and I need to interrogate?" he questioned, raising his brow.

"Are you kidding? I haven't had the time or energy to even think about that kind of stuff." I laughed, hoping I was faking it good enough to get me through the rest of the conversation.

"Same here, you're really the only person I talk to regularly." he confessed.

"I feel honored that THE Rudy Pankow takes time out of his day to talk to little ole me." I teased, both of us laughing hysterically. "Alright, I gotta get off here, my break is up." I sighed, Rudy pouted.

"Don't work too hard since they're makin' you pull a double." he said, raising his brow.

"Trust me I won't." I giggled, loving his protective nature.

"Call me when you get off ok?" he said more as a statement than a question.

"Ok, bye." I smiled.

"Bye babe," he smirked, hanging up.

I stared at my phone for a what felt like hours....why was he calling me that all of the sudden? I mean sure we had nick names for each other, but nothing intimate like that. It confused me more than anything....

I questioned everything he said during our call...was I really the only person he talked to? Why? Why was I so interesting to talk to when he was in LA for god's sake! He had models surrounding him, probably tons of girls that fall at his feet. The whole thing made no sense...

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On my walk home, I gossiped to Maddie B about what went down with my phone call to Rudy earlier...

"GIRL! HE-IS-IN-TO-YOU!" she said, clapping her hand over the camera between each word.

"Friends are allowed to miss each other M..." I grumbled.

"Friends don't call each other babe intentionally." she quipped.

"Well, he brought up Elaine again...he says nothing's going on there, but I don't know." I sighed, reaching my apartment complex.

"She just takes pictures, she has a thing for Drew anyways." she shrugged.

"I'm ready for a break, I've been working so hard lately...I'm just tired all the time." I whined, throwing my bag on the couch.

"I know, and we're all SO proud of you. I'm excited for all of us to get together again!" she exclaimed, shaking her hands excitedly.

My phone beeped, Rudy was calling.

"Hey, Rudy is calling. I'll talk to you tomorrow." I said, both of us bidding goodbyes.

"Why the fuck haven't you been answering my calls!" he yelled, startling me.

"I...I was on the phone with Maddie B." I said, confused why he was so angry.

"I've called you like 20 times in the past hour! I thought you were dead!" he informed me very angrily.

"This is the first call I've got from you, I'm sorry." I whispered.

"You really fucking scared me babe, I thought something bad had happened and I....I wasn't there. You didn't call me when you got off, and I thought the worst." he said, calmer now.

"Well I'm fine, Maddie called and I got talking to her." I admitted.

"Don't do that to me again, I was so close to calling the police and filing a missing persons report or something." he muttered.

"That's a bit dramatic Ru," I giggled.

"Well, I am an actor." he teased, the both of us laughing now.

"Are you ok now?" I asked.

"Now that I got to hear your voice, yeah." he confirmed, my heart hammering in my chest at his words.

"How sweet of you," I cooed, a chuckle from his side.

"I know you must be tired so I'll let ya go...don't forget to call me tomorrow!" he demanded.

"I won't, I promise."I replied, butterflies crowding in my stomach.

"Alright, good night babe." he sighed.

"Night Ru," I whispered.