𝘙𝘦𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴-𝘙𝘶𝘣𝘺 𝘔𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘸𝘴

twenty one

James walked along the parking lot as he pushed the sunglasses over his eyes. "Dad, do we really need to bring... her with us? Can't she go with the students on that bus?". James smiled weakly "Daisy is just gonna be with us for a little bit, she's meeting with some friends and I'm dropping her off. So just behave and pretend to be nice when she gets here".

Andrew huffed as he climbed into the back of the car "she can't have any of my snacks". James chuckled slightly as he pushed the back door shut and walked towards the driver's seat "James can we talk?".

He grew tense as he turned around and looked at Ruby, she fixed her uniform slightly. "I sorta gotta get going, I don't have time to talk Ruby". Ruby looked at him "it won't take long, just a few seconds".

He sighed "alright fine, I gotta grab the last of the bags anyways". He walked inside his trailer as Ruby followed after him "look about yesterday, that kiss". James leaned into the kitchen counter "it doesn't have to mean anything, if that's what you're gonna say".

"No, it meant something to me, I was awake all night just thinking about it and I couldn't sleep which is really rare for me. I was up all night just crying and thinking about all the things I've done over the last year and I regret all of it".

"That's not my problem" he walked towards the couch grabbing Andrew's bags off of it. Ruby grabbed his arm and turned him so he was facing her "I know I messed up, everything I did was my own fault, can you just look at me and have an actual conversation".

"I have to go Ruby" she pushed the glasses off his eyes and he looked away from her as he walked towards the door. "You used again, your eyes are all bloodshot and red, James when did you…".

"Last night, but I'm trying to quit. It was just a vulnerable moment and I wanted everything to stop even if it was for a few minutes. It was the last of what I had anyways, I'm trying to distract myself with this trip, Andrew's been so excited for it all week".

"Then let me help you, I can just go with you and Andrew and we can talk about what's going on" James sighed deeply "just go with everyone else on the bus, you already paid for it. It's just gonna be me and Andrew until we drop Daisy off".

"Daisy, you're seriously gonna take her, she's the one who got herself suspended from school". James huffed "yeah we both got suspended together, so it's only fair I drop her off and then she goes with her friends to France. She can't drive that well".

"Neither can you, I mean you always used to get a ride to school with me and before that you would show up with that bike of yours".

"Look, just go, I don't have time for this Ruby. I'm sure you'll see me in France, even if I don't want that. I'm going and you can't stop me". Ruby grabbed his arm again "no! I'm not letting you go, not when you're still out of it. I won't let you".

He turned angrily "stop pestering me, I'm fine and I don't want your help, so just leave me alone". He opened the door "you know I'm right, stop denying it James, for once I'm actually right about this".

He huffed as he opened the trunk of his car and put the bags inside before he walked towards the driver's seat. Ruby was staring at him "fine, just get in the bloody car before I change my mine".

She smirked as she walked towards him and grabbed the keys out of his hand "see, I'm always right". He mocked her under his breath as he climbed into the passenger seat "I thought Daisy was coming with us dad?" Andrew looked up from his bowl of crisps.

"Change of plans, Daisy is hitching a ride with someone else. Ruby was kind enough to drive us since I'm feeling a bit under the weather". Andrew kicked his feet at the back of Andrew's seat as he smiled "I've brought snacks if you want any Ruby, I wasn't gonna share but you're way cooler than Daisy. She smells weird, I think she doesn't wash her hands".