☄. *. ⋆ LOST LIVING, J.W

TWENTY-SEVEN

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Maybe she's not the one for you.

RUBY TWIRLED HER FORK in her hand awkwardly as she ate dinner with the Wheeler family, the table oddly silent until Logan brought up conversation.

"So I have some good news. I made a few phone calls. Thanks to a favor owed, Junior, you're still going
to nationals next month." He shared the news with excitement, a large beaming smile on his face.

Juniors mother only frowned, "Is that really the best idea? The doctor did say that Junior was‐‐"

"I missed regionals 'cause I was in the hospital." Junior interrupted the woman, looking at his father with furrowed brows, "I didn't qualify for nationals. Isn't that kind of unfair?"

Logan folded his hands, elbows propped up on the table as the thunder roared loudly in the background, "Let this be a teaching moment, kid. In life, when you get advantages, you have to take 'em. So in a week or two, you're gonna‐‐"

Jakes phone vibrating loudly on the table had him pausing, watching as the boy picked it up quickly and turned it off.

"In a week or two, we're gonna have you back out there running. I even got you a trainer. That guy, Dobbs. He's the best. That's okay, right?" Logan continued, narrowing his eyes at his hesitant son.

"Logan—" Bree began to protest, pausing as the boy across from her phone buzzed again, "Jake, please,
no phones at the dinner table."

Junior peeked a glance at his phone, brows furrowing with annoyance as his girlfriends contact caught his eye, "What's she doing texting you? She hasn't returned my texts all day."

"Okay. Phone, now." Bree demanded, sticking her hand out.

"Sorry, I‐‐I can't do that." Jake stuttered, leaning back into his seat, clutching his phone tightly.

Bree pursed her lips, "You can have it back after dinner."

"Yeah, hand over the phone, Jake." Junior taunted lightly, narrowing his eyes at the curly headed boy with anger.

Ruby flicked her eyes between them, not sure if she should speak up or not, she stayed silent as she formed her lips into a flat line.

After Jake scoffed at his cousin, the two began to wrestle over his phone, hitting each other while yelling obnoxiously loud.

"Boys, seriously!" Bree yelled, watching them fight.

"Give me the phone, you assbag!"

Logan slammed his fist on the table with so much force, Ruby jumped at the loud noise that made her shake, she glanced up at the angry man.

"Hey! Drop it."

Junior dropped his hold on the phone, Jake quickly standing up with a loud groan, rushing up the steps.

Ruby awkwardly excused herself from the table, "Thanks for dinner, Bree. I should probably, um, go check on him. Sorry."

She hurried up the stairs, approaching his closed room door as she slowly opened it, peeking her head inside to see him typing on his phone.

"Jake? You good?" She asked as she shut the door behind her, leaning against it as he glanced up at her with a small nod.

She bit the inside of her mouth as they stood there in silence.

"How do you feel about all of this? I mean we're literally plotting to murder your uncle basically." Jake asked out of the blue, taking the girl aback as she'd never really thought it out.

She raked her hands down her clothing as she sat on the bed beside him, parting her lips, "I guess I really never thought of it that way. I mean, it's for the best, right? He can't kill people anymore or ruin our lives."

"Still. If your not on board with it then you don't have to do it. But we still have too. He's gonna kill one of us eventually if we don't." Jake explained, playing with the loose threads of his bed sheets.

"Yeah. I understand." Ruby smiled gently, averting her eyes from his.

She heard a loud door slam coming from across the hall, knowing immediately who it had been, she looked up at the boy, "I'm gonna go check on him. I'll be back."

Ruby shut the door behind her as she left Jakes room, bringing her knuckles to softly knock on his closed door instead of barging it.

He groaned, "Leave me alone."

"It's Ruby. If you don't wanna talk it's fine." She swallowed, stepping back from the door.

His footsteps echoed throughout the room as he opened the wooden door, stepping out of the way allowing her to walk in, he shut it roughly behind her as he slumped over to his bed.

"What's bothering you?" She asked, sitting on a chair in the corner of his room with a concerned look.

He shrugged, "Nothing. Just states and stuff."

"You're a bad liar, Junior. If you don't wanna tell me what's going on i'm not offended. I just need to make sure you're okay." She brought her knees to her chest, tucking her chin on her knuckles.

"I don't wanna bombard you with off my issues, Ru. You've been through enough yourself and trust me, you don't need my problems piled on top of that." He shook his head, resting his elbows on his knees.

She glanced down before looking back up at him, "That's what i'm here for. I wanna help you but I can't if I don't know what's going on."

"Just Lexy and stuff. I feel like we're so separate, like we aren't even in a relationship. After Oliver and stuff she's like fine total ghost mode on me. Maybe that's her way of breaking up with me?" His face fell.

"I don't think that's it. I think you both have different things going on and don't have time for communication. Which is one of the most important things in a relationship. But, um, maybe she's not the one for you." Ruby advised, catching his eyes briefly as he looked at her.

He bit his bottom lip, "I think you're right."

junior and ruby coming soon...