All Over Again

| Chapter Fifty-Six |

"So," Ruth drawled, her lips pursed teasingly in thought as she laid out with Raffo on a decently warm late May day.

Though it was the day before her big flight to her new home, she knew she wanted to spend most of her time in the one place they shared throughout their time knowing each other. There was something bittersweet and magical about laying out on the grass by their favorite basketball court where so much had happened. Introducing themselves to each other, Raffo agreeing to giving up smoking and Ruth agreeing to join a writing contest she ended up winning, listening to Raffo play the guitar for her, kissing each other for the first time, everything magical one could think of.

There was nowhere else on earth Ruth would rather be.

And by the ache in the pit of her stomach, she knew she was going to miss it desperately.

Raffo, who was currently laying beneath her, lifted his head slightly to look down at her as she took her head off of his chest. He rose an eyebrow. "So?"

She smiled warmly and traced her fingers over the bare skin peaking out the top of his basketball jersey. "How does it feel to be Oklahoma's favorite graduate?"

He chuckled and playfully rolled his eyes. "Favorite graduate?"

"You graduated with one of the highest GPAs in the entire school. And you were absolutely gorgeous doing it, so that makes you a favorite graduate."

"I'm pretty sure that's the craziest thing I've ever heard you say," he grinned, pinching her scrunched up nose between his thumb and forefinger. "But thank you for bringing Ava and Phoenix. I really appreciated that."

Ruth affectionately kissed his hand. "It was no problem. I know you didn't want your mom or Roger to go to the ceremony."

Ruth still had yet to meet Raffo's mother, but she understood why he didn't want her around his home until they successfully moved away from the abuse. After meeting that drunk first hand, Ruth had no desire to return to that house, which resulted in not meeting his mom. Maybe one day. But for now, she was just fine with knowing Raffo and his sweet little sisters.

Raffo had told Ruth a few days before graduation that he never told his mom about the date of his graduation because he knew she'd bring Roger. It was Ruth's idea to bring his sisters with her to the graduation, and it meant all the world to him. For Raffo, it was the little things that really mattered to him. And seeing that sweet little face glow with excitement and adoration when she brought Ava and Phoenix to the ceremony made her suggestion worth it.

Especially when she got the longest (and hottest) kiss out of it.

"Yeah, that would have been bad," he winced.

Ruth frowned. "You know I never would have let him ruin your special day, right? I'd Jiu Jitsu his ass before I'd ever let that happen."

Raffo brushed a small bunch of curls that escaped from her braid and pushed the strays behind her ear. His smile was small but warm and left familiar tingles moving throughout her body. She'd never tire of that little grin that did so well at rocking her world until she was practically breathless.

"I know. And I hope you know that I'm never letting him get that close to you again."

"I didn't get to show off my best moves," she deflated.

He kissed the corner of her pout. "Sorry, but it's not gonna happen."

"Fine," she huffed, laying her head back down on his chest as he fixed his arms tighter around her. She listened comfortably to the slow beating of his heart beneath her ear and briefly wondered how she'd be able to adapt without hearing it for the next few months. She and Raffo had decided that he would fly out in August before the semester started to see her, so it would only be three months until they're reunited. Three awfully long months, but she knew they would be worth it.