Ruby and Liam AU

Chapter 11

A/N - last chapter actually got reads really fast (me squealing like crazy 'cause this is amazing!!!) so I'm starting this chapter right away. The above image is what I kinda imagine what Ruby looks like, except she's supposed to have green eyes. But, as always, the movie version of the characters are never going to be perfect, especially since everyone pictures them differently.
Enjoy!!!

Ruby's POV

So the rest of the summer was basically Average. I continued to tutor Zu, and let me tell you, 6th grade math is hell. I mean, it's not hard to learn at 16 years old, but as the "teacher", I'm supposed to know everything without having a review session or anything.
Most of the time, it's Zu who's teaching me!
I hate it when Chubs is semi-kind of-almost right.
And I was able to successfully avoid Liam for a good month and a half.
Too bad all my hard work will go to waste since school starts up again tomorrow.
Fingers crossed I don't see him until I figure out what to say.
It's almost 10 p.m, so I went down to the basement. My phone vibrated, and it was Vida sending me a text.

V: Mike's throwing a party at midnight. Want me to pick you up?
A party... That's not really my type of thing. And I thought Vida was the same way.

Me: uh, nah, that's ok. I'm not really feeling like it tonight.

V: Come on, it'll be fun!

Me: No thanks, maybe another time.
I add in that last part to appease her though i know it'll probably never happen.

V: Seriously boo, give me one good reason.

Me:I can list a million reasons and the only good that'll do is waste my time.
That was mean... I know...
V: Fine, be an asshole about it. Have fun snoozing on the last day before school

I kinda deserved that, but sorry for not wanting to have a massive hangover tomorrow!!!
Anyways, I went to sleep shortly after, not wanting to think about my disagreement with Vida, my complications with Liam, my hatred for Chubs, and frustration with 6th grade math.
Crap, this isn't helping

The next day

I miss summer.
Literally, the only thing going well for me was the excessive amounts of sleep I got. Now that's being taken away from me too!!!
I chose a casual outfit, obviously: a loose pastel green tank top and shorts.This was my kind of "fancy back to school outfit".
Since I woke up half an hour late (not surprising since there was a huge party going on down my block and these walls are as thin as paper) I didn't have time to fuss about my hair or eat breakfast.
Like I do that even when I do have time
But considering how the party started around midnight, and lasted till 5 am, I'm going to take a wild guess and say that Mike lives on my block.
Yay...
I shouldered my camo messenger bag, a gift from my grandfather before he passed, and walked to school. I got my schedule in the mail ahead of time, so I already knew I had AP math first period.
You might be asking, "what! And AP CLASS?!"
And yes, it was not a typo.
I guess with my good enough grades from Thurmound, and how I miraculously lasted three months here without failing, they decided to put me in an advanced class. In all honesty, it doesn't make much sense considering my SAT scores from last year, but hey, AP classes, even singular, look good on college applications.
I fought my way through the crowded hallways to my locker, which was blocked halfway by a couple making out. It was literally like a scene out of a movie, but instead of trying to open my locker, which we all know is practically impossible, I just walked to my math class, like an incredibly civilized person.
Three cheers for me for not getting too pissed off!!!
Seriously, I'm scared I'm going to do something stupid, like yell at a Freshman for breathing, just because of my lack of sleep.
I'm about to walk into my math class, when I hear a voice.
An annoying voice that I recognize oh so well from a certain conversation at the ice cream shop.
I take a deep breath, and walk in. He's near the back of the class with....
Liam
I'm internally cringing!! I really don't want to see Chubs right now, and the worst thing I can do is snap at Liam for no reason!
I search frantically for a seat anywhere that is remotely detached from their area, but it seems like I'm the last person who's arrived, and the only seat available is near Liam.
Why am I not surprised
I drag my feet along with me, and try to make minimal noise when sitting down.
Liam's back is turned toward me since he's talking to Chubs.
If he just stays like that for the rest of the year, maybe he won't notice me.
Hey! It's a possibility...
But, of course, Chubs gives away my cover by widening his eyes significantly.
Bug eyes, again
Liam turns around and gives me a smile that lightens my mood just a bit.
"Hey" he says.
"Hi" I say just a tiny bit breathless. Too bad I was so reliant on my cool composure.
"Why are you here?" Chubs asks bluntly.
I take it to offense. "Why are you so surprised."
"Nothing, just you do know this is AP math, right?" he says, exaggerating the pronunciation of the letters, like I'm a little kid who doesn't understand English.
"Of course I know that!" I snap. "What about you? Is this the oh-so special class that you dumped Zu for? Pretty pathetic don't you think."
"Just so you know, I'm taking MULTIPLE AP classes. Not that your small brain can comprehend-"
"Ok, settle down Chubsie" Liam interjects, looking very uncomfortable since we were shouting at each other over his desk. "I'm just so glad that you have...opened up to Ruby, and are friends NOW" he says, implying something.
Chubs just snorts in response, crosses his arms, and stares straight ahead at the whiteboard.
I follow suit, but Liam lightly taps my arm first, making me almost jump out of my seat.
"He doesn't mean any of it" he whispers. "He was crabby from the start, and bringing up Zu didn't help anything."
I don't agree, but I just shrug in response, staring straight ahead. But I can still see his crystal blue eyes in the corner of my vision, staring intently at me.
I sigh. "It's alright, I didn't take anything to heart" I try to assure him.
"Are you sure? Something seems wrong..."
"Nothing, I'm good. Did you go to Mike's party?" I ask, to change the subject.
He says yes, and I'm kinda surprised. I guess I never pinned him to be a party kind of guy.
"But I only stayed till 2 a.m since Cole swore that he would wake up Harry if I came back any later", he snorts. "Plus, I have to do his laundry for a month now."
"Well, you know what they say, a healthy brother to brother relationship contains love, laughter, and shameless blackmailing" I say.
"Darlin', you have no idea how accurate that is" he says, and we're both cracking up.
Naturally, this would be the perfect time for the teacher to start attendance, and force us to contain our laughter.
I swear Liam was turning an unhealthy shade of purple right before he finally breathed.
He was purple for Gods sake, and it didn't distort any of his features! He still looked... Perfect.
Thank you immense vocabulary
Turns out AP math will not be a piece of cake. Even my teacher described it as, and I quote, "hell before you even die."
I have no idea what that means, but obviously I should be worried.
Maybe Chubs wasn't so wrong to think I didn't belong here.
The bell rang, and I couldn't believe I went a whole 45 minutes without thinking about my kiss with Liam.
I'm still not sure if that's a positive thought or not.
But then he walked toward me, and I was cornered right outside the class.
My back pushed up against the lockers.
"We need to talk after school. Meet me in the senior parking lot" is all he said, then left me there, dumbfounded.
His eyes were actually dark then, missing the usual mischievous glow. That's how I knew he was serious.

........
I managed to get through all my classes with normal people, not freaking geniuses whose minds don't turn to mush when they see an equation.
Lunch was my freedom.
My haven, my paradise.
Too much?
Anyways, I brought my own food since those mashed potatoes from last year started turning kinda green near the end of the semester.
I'm not a potato expert, but when the milk started to get lumpy, I had to put my foot down.
However, the brownies at the snack stand looked edible, so I got two.
After eating for five minutes, I saw Vida walking towards my almost empty table.
Her mouth was in a thin line, and her oversized sunglasses hid most of her face.
When she sat down, I  said, "Wow, uh.. You look -"
"Like shit. I know" she interrupted. "I don't need the lecture, and all this talking is giving me a headache."
I didn't want to point out that I didn't even finish my sentence, seeing that she's in a bad mood.
This is why you don't get hangovers right before you have class.
I'm surprised she's even allowed to wear sunglasses indoors.
I showed her the brownie. "Truce..."
She didn't say anything, but took the brownie anyways.
The rest of lunch, we were quiet. She didn't want to talk, I didn't want to pry.
I got what she was feeling.
Yeah, I've been drunk once.
But that's another story for another time.
My eyes atarted to wander around the cafeteria, and landed on Liam.
He was smiling with Mike and some other guys, each of them trying to juggle three milk cartons at a time.
It's not surprising that Liam is the first to drop the cartons, and gets soaked with a bunch of milk at his feet.
Why would they juggle FULL milk cartons you might ask? Like I even know.
I stifled a laugh when Mike dropped one of his cartons, and the milk splashed all over Liam instead.
I also I had to stifle my choking when Liam started blowing milk out his nose.
I turned back to Vida, and I barely saw her eyebrow raising suggestively  under her sunglasses.
"Don't look at me like that" I said weakly, my cheeks reddening.
I guess i was staring a little too long.

....

The rest of the day went by pretty quickly. I only had one subject class left, and gym at the end of the day.
I walked in the gym, and saw tons of people sitting on the bleachers, and Vida was at the top.
When I got toward her, I noticed that her eyes were actually closed under her glasses.
Plus, the sharpie mustache drawn on her face was very interesting indeed.
I wanted to laugh, but I also wanted to tell her about it.
I mean, what would you do in this situation. This is Vida I'm talking about. She can take care of herself, and making her aware of the problem too early will just upset her.
Then, when I thought about what she'd do to the culprit, it made me smile.
I woke her up at the end of "class", considering all I did was sit and read from my phone, and it was time for me to go home.
Or so I thought.
'Cause then I remembered what Liam said.

A/N - hey!! Thanks for all the comments and recommendations. I seriously might add them in for later chapters😄😄can't wait!
Make predictions for next chapter, or not.
Just read☺️
Panda out🐼