"What do you mean they're coming over for dinner?" Sarah Ruth breaths heavily, nerves taking over her. "Honey, it's just Corey and his parents, nothing new." Sarah Ruth huffs at her moms words, "But you know what happened the last time I talked to Corey!" For the past month Corey and Sarah Ruth haven't said a word to one another. It's just been blank stares and loud thoughts. Corey can't seem to get Sarah Ruth off his mind, seeing her in everything he does. Surprisingly, Sarah Ruth has learned to distract herself, trying everything she can to not think about him. And the fact him and his family are coming for dinner is going to throw that off track. "Yeah, and Corey's parents know too. But they asked to have dinner with us, and I said yes." Sarah Ruth closes her eyes and takes a deep breath trying to calm herself down. She walks upstairs and into her room, shutting the door behind her.
Sarah Ruth throws on a long sleeved t-shirt and shorts before throwing her hair into a messy bun. As she walks back down the stairs there's a knock on the door, and she freezes. Her mother opens the front door and in comes Mr. Haim, Mrs. Haim, then Corey. He also stops, but he stops to look at Sarah Ruth. Finally the eyes that have been avoiding him are actually looking at him, and he smiles. She sends him a small smile back before walking down the stairs. Sarah Ruth was going to watch past him and into the kitchen but her grabbed her arm and pulled her towards him. The rest had already gone to the kitchen, leaving Sarah Ruth and Corey alone, "I miss you." His words just cause Sarah Ruth to stare at him in confusion. Why would he miss me? "Why," she asks him. All Corey does is shrugs his shoulders, not wanting to really tell her. She pulls away from his grin and walks to the kitchen, and he follows close behind her. The two stand in the doorway of the kitchen with blank expressions. Instead of setting up the table Sarah Ruth's mom is chatting about random things.
Sarah Ruth huffs, they'll talk for hours before deciding to feed Corey and Sarah Ruth. She turns around on her heals and walks into the living room, and of course Corey follows. "Go back to the kitchen," Corey shakes his head, "No." she takes a deep breath and sits on the couch. He sits next to her, but she ignores his presence. Corey did nothing to hurt her, she knows this. But the more she sees him the more she hurts, so this isn't helping at all. "Can things just go back to the way they were?" Corey asks her. His hand rests on her shoulder and she wastes no time to push it away, "No Corey, it's can't. You know that I love you, and I can't keep pretending." She hears him take a deep breath through his nose, and then let it out through his mouth. "At least talk to me more," he begs. She looks into his blue eyes, seeing the pain she is also feeling. "No Corey, I can't. I'm trying to get over you," she says to him.
Corey feels a sting, be he doesn't know why. When she said that it, it hurt him. "Don't get over-" "Dinner is ready!" He gets interrupted by the sound of Sarah Ruth's mother. They both get up and head to the dining room where the food sits upon the table. Everyone makes conversation expect the two teenagers, no words from them at all. And the adults decide not to try and push it any further, but then something happens that makes Sarah Ruth dizzy. "Yeah, he died from a bombing. It's been a month and they're still trying to figure it out," her mom goes on about Luke. Saying how great of a kid he was, how he deserves to still be here. Sarah Ruth feels the tears build up in her eyes, and they fall as she blinks them away. Corey hears her sniffle, then sees the tears making their way down her face. Their eyes meet and she becomes embarrassed, and without thinking, she runs up to her room. Everyone at the table stays silent, and her mother knew she made a mistake. "I shouldn't have brought him up," she says to them. Corey wasn't listening, so he has no idea who he was.
Corey ignores his mother as she tells him to sit down, but he makes his way up to Sarah Ruth's room. He rattles her door knob, but it's locked. "C'mon Sarah Ruth, open him," she whimpers in response. But to his surprise, the door opens, and there stands Sarah Ruth with the tears. "What?" She asks him annoyed. Corey ignores her questions and steps into her room, shutting the door behind him. He wraps his arms around her waist and pulls her towards him, she hesitates at first, but then wraps her arms around his neck. She cries into his chest, but it's all muffled. "You cry far too much," Corey says to her. She nods, knowing that it's completely true. "They were talking about Luke, I don't like talking about him." Corey becomes confused, not sure why talking about her brother is a touchy subject. She always loves talking about Luke, saying how much of a hero and sweet guy he is. "Well, why not?" "You don't know?" Corey just becomes more confused, then it clicks in his head.
His expression falls and his mouth stands open, "I had no idea." He hugs her tighter, and she feels safe in his arms. "He's watching you, thinking how pretty his little sister has gotten," she smiles at the thought. "I hope so," she whispers. Flashes of her blonde headed blue eyed brother make her smile and cry at the same time, mixed emotions all around. Corey and Sarah Ruth decide to watch a movie, snuggling close together. As they start their third movie, Sarah Ruth's door opens and Corey's mom pokes her head in. "We're leaving now, be home in the next hour or so," Corey nods as she shuts the door back. The movie goes by, and he decides to go ahead and leave. He stands at the window hugging Sarah Ruth, and she hugs back. He pulls away and opens the window, stepping out. Then something tells him to not, to stay and do something that he'd never thought would ever happen.
Sarah Ruth looks at him with confusion as he steps back into her room, then looks at her. He takes a step towards her, and she takes a step back. His hand reaches up to rest on her cheek, then push a piece of hair behind her ear. "You know Sarah Ruth, you're beautiful." Her cheeks heat up at his words. Why was he acting like this. "T-Thank you," she chokes out. His thumb brushes against her bottom lip, pulling it down, then letting it snap back up. Her breath hitching, becoming completely stunned. "What's happening," she whispers. She didn't mean to say it, but it just kinda came out. "I don't know," Corey says to her in all honesty. Her eyes widen when his soft lips are pressed against hers. But she soon relaxes, closing her eyes as their lips move against each other's. This is Sarah Ruth's first kiss, so she has no idea if she's doing it right.
He pulls away and there's a quiet pop, and Sarah Ruth stares at him surprised. "See you tomorrow," he says to her with a smile. Corey climbs out the window and into his room, leaving Sarah Ruth in a daze.
What just happened?
