Ruby and Liam AU

Chapter 19

A/N - hey, sorry this is soooo late. I'm hooked on another book series, and am reading it a lot. Also, I just had a debate meet a few days ago, and I spent most of my time preparing my case. And yes, I'm on the debate team, I'm that much of a geek. But don't judge because it was crazy fun☺️☺️
Enjoy!!

Ruby's POV

Vida didn't lie.
She made it out of my room before I even woke up, and made my bed.
However, I didn't hear my alarm, and got a very questionable glance from Grams after seeing me on my floor.
I hurriedly put on a hoodie and ran out the door, actually making it to math right before the bell rang.
But for some weird reason, everyone was looking at me funny while I sat at my desk...
Liam coughs beside me and I give him a questioning glance.
"Uh, your hoodie's on backwards" he says while trying to hide a smile.
I let out a nervous laugh, and turn it back around, with everyone watching.
Too be honest, it's a little awkward and creepy...
"Sooo, learning..-"
"Yes! Back to math..." my teacher says, then drones on.
I put my head in my desk to relax for a few moments, but accidentally fall asleep.
Oversleeping makes me very tired
......

I feel someone nudging my shoulder, hearing my name a couple times... then a hushed curse...
Bam!
And My head lifts up quickly, and I'm almost jumping out of my seat.
My math teacher knocked on my desk to apparently wake me up from my 45 minute "nap", and Liam is standing to my side.
I quickly scramble up to my feet, and say, "uhhhhhh.... sir-"
"Class has already ended Ms.Daly, and you have detention."
"But-"
"I expect you here right after your last class."
"But-"
"Have a pleasurable day" he says, then turns around and leaves the classroom.
Liam winces and gives me a sympathetic look.
"Are you alright? Did something happen yesterday?" He asks slowly, and I'm tempted to tell him about Vida.
About how I'm kinda really worried about her situation at home, and how I want to help but don't know how.
But this is Vida's personal life, and she should tell him herself, if she even wants to.
I shake my head, and head out into the hallway, Liam following me.
"Well, uh, since you fell asleep during class and all... want to come and work on homework at my place? It doesn't have to be just homework" he says with such a goofy smile, that I have to laugh.
"Sure" and I kiss his cheek. "See you at 5", and I head off to my next class.

Lunch

"Have your parents let you in yet?" I ask.
"Um, not exactly. No one was awake this morning, so I'll check later tonight" Vida shrugs.
"But what if you're locked out again? Where will you go?"
"Well, I would expect you to put out an offer, but if you don't want to boo-"
"Of course you can come to my place" I cut her off. "I just want to make sure that... that you have a, a home."
"I have a home" she says without her eyes meeting mine.
"Don't worry too much about it boo" she recovers unusually quickly.
"I'll survive."
I start to relax a bit, then see her frown at something behind my head.
I turn around, and see two things unusual with the picture.
1) Chubs is reading a book as always, but keeps on looking up every few seconds, then reddens. His eyes are looking in Vida's direction.
2) The red-haired photographer girl, Alice, is putting her face very close to Liam's. She's talking very animatedly and their noses are almost touching. I try to catch a glimpse of Liam's face, but he isn't turned towards me.

I turn back to face Vida, and see my own scowl mirrored on her face.
"Who?" Is all I have to say.
"Charles of course! He doesn't even talk to me about 'that night', and is taking these freakin' quick glances at me... he should just grow some balls and stop being one of those typical aloof guys" she says, steam practically coming out of her ears.
" 1) thanks for that image, and 2) 'that  night' only happened 2 days ago" I try to reason.
Bad idea.
"That is the shittiest excuse I ever heard-" then she goes on to complain about Chubs for the rest of the lunch period, using the most colorful language as always.
Yeah, she really likes him.

Off to detention

I trudge to detention, and flop down at my desk.
Apparently, staying at school for an extra hour to do, say, homework is punishment.
I hear the door open, and Nico walks in.
"Hey! I didn't know that... that-"
"Yeah, I was allowed into advanced math as long as I don't fall behind. They said it will help in coding" He takes a seat next to me, leans over and whispers "Hawk eyes over there caught me texting during class."
I nod in understanding and ask who.
He says just someone he saw at Mike's party.
Wow, that party hooked up a ton of people...
We make small talk until we have to go, and I'm kinda relieved.
Nico's nice and everything, but I never know what to say to him. It's unsettling how much he reminds me of this kid I briefly saw my first year at Thurmound.
They both have this same intense look in their eyes that you just can't forget.

I make it to Liam's right on-time, and knock on the door.
He looks a little nervous when he answers, but I don't understand why.
Taking one quick glance at the dining room table eliminates any confusion.
I walk to the table slowly, and take a seat across from Chubs.
He seriously needs to stop popping up wherever I go.
"Uh, hey."
He doesn't look up from his textbook, and I shrug his coldness off.
Liam takes a seat next to me and whispers,"I wanted to impress you with my brains and stuff, but I wasn't paying much attention in math either. But Chubs can help."
But I have a suspicious feeling that he isn't here to just help us out with math homework.
We quickly start on some questions, with Chubs giving the answers to Liam, and Liam explaining it to me.
It's like the most unreasonable game of telephone!!! I try talking to Chubs directly multiple times, but he keeps ignoring me, and the tension in the air is high.

And then I explode.
"Okay! I can't take this Chubs!" I say loudly, finally forcing his eyes to look at me directly. "I don't know why you hated me on my first day, but I can make an educated guess and say you aren't over... whatever it is". Then I take a deep breathe.
"And if this is about Zu, then... you don't have to worry. She loves you and if you think a girl she just met can replace all the fun times you guys had...then your being ridiculous! So can we just get past this already? I don't want to take your place, it's as simple as that." I end, hoping against hope that Chubs will abandon his stubborn ways just this once.
After a long time of silence, he finally speaks.
"Thanks" he mumbles.
"So... are we cool?" I really can't tell.
He nods, smiling just a little, "yeah."
"Ok, good" I sigh in relief. "So please help me with this question, I don't know what the hell I'm doing."

2 hours later

Our single, yes single, math worksheet took 2 hours to do, and I was almost too exhausted to follow Chubs to the door.
Almost

I followed him outside, and stopped him right in front of the door, closing it just a little.
"So, you and Vida..." I say.
He winces.
I punch him in the shoulder.
"What was that for!"
"You haven't talked to her yet! When will you?"
He scratches the back of his neck, "I'm not sure... it's not like I have copulated with girls often and never call them ba-"
I punch him again.
"I'm serious! It's not my business about how far whatever this is goes, but I have to make sure Vida's okay. Just don't mess with her heart alright?" I warn.
His face is flushed, and his brows are knit in deep thought, but he still nods.
"Good. This was actually my first 'you-hurt-my-friend-and-I'll-hunt-you-down' kind of talk. I think I did pretty well,don't you agree?"

A/N -again! Sooooo sorry for the long wait😥😥😅😅!!!
It actually amazes me that over a course of about 10 days, this story got 200 more reads!!!😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮
That may not seem like much for some people, but you guys make me feel like a bestselling author😜☺️
Keep being awesome!!!!
Panda out🐼