Learning To Love - Ruby Rose -

**Part eight**

"Where the hell are we?" I asked Ruby as I heard running water nearby. We were deep into the trees and were getting quite close to a clearing.

The sky had cleared up and there was a tint of blue peeping out from behind the fluffy clouds and I could feel a slight warmth on my face, which was mostly blocked out by the cool breeze that blew my long hair back (A/N: sorry if you don't have long hair, that's just how Alison is. Imagine you do.). Light rays shone through the trees so it looked like more like a fairy tale and less like a Monday morning. It was bittersweet; cold but refreshing.

I felt Ruby slow down in front of me and loosen her grip on my wrist as we got nearer the clearing. It was the I realised that this wasn't a clearing, it was a lake with a miniature island in the centre. I felt my breathing pick up, just seeing the water was bringing back bad thoughts. I pulled lightly on Ruby's hand, not wanting to go any further.

She turned to me smiling sweetly. "Look, Ali, I know the water scares you but you'll never get over it if you don't try. And I'll be with you the entire time." She said reassuringly. Wait, what?

"What do you mean you'll be with me, we're staying up here, aren't we?" I asked with worry taking over my voice.

And before I could say anything else Ruby started stripping. She lifted her top off revealing a blue lace bralette with a small bow in the centre and she pulled off her trousers to show matching pants (or underwear if you're American.) yet she didn't look out of her comfort zone. She looked so at home and that was something I seriously admired about her. Before I could say anything, she had cannonballed into the lake.

"Nope, nope, nopedy nope, there is no way I am getting in there." I argued. No matter how good Ruby is as a friend there was no way I was going in there with her.

"C'mon, Ali, you only live once. There's no way you can survive by following society's pathetic rules, live a little." She answered back convincingly. The worst part is...she was right. All my life I've been hiding under the safety blankets that society provided for me, but the blankets got old and itchy and they shrunk in the wash. It's time to leave my comfort zone the fuck alone.

So, I started to strip. "If I get hypothermia and die, it's your fault." I said whilst stripping my shirt and trousers from the comfort of my skin.

"That sounds fair enough." Ruby laughed. Ugh, her laugh makes me die a little inside.

I ran to the edge with all the energy I still had from the run up to the lake and jumped. I closed my eyes and felt cold envelope my body. When I emerged from the water I opened my eyes and felt warm hands wrap around my waist.

I looked Ruby in the eyes and smiled. She was stunning. Everything about her was perfect. Even her personality was beautiful.

She smiled back at me and my heart fluttered. My breathing steadied and I felt comfortable, even though I was almost naked in a lake with my closest – and only – friend's arms wrapped around my waist, I felt truly at home.

"Ruby I-I" I started but was cut off by her soft voice.

"Have I ever told you how beautiful you are. I mean, you are seriously fucking gorgeous, and I don't think you really realise how fucking amazing you are." She said and removed one arm from my waist and bringing it up to meet my chin.

"Ruby, I'm not..." Closed my eyes, trying to block out the toxic thoughts that had threatened to enter my mind.

"Yes, Ali, you are." She continued, "Alison McDonald, you are the single most beautiful woman I have ever had the pleasure to lay my eyes upon."

"You clearly don't own a mirror." I said to her, and I would have continued, had something particularly soft interrupted my lips. Something that smelt comforting, like chocolate and cinnamon. Something that went by the name of Ruby Rose.

And as our lips parted I heard her mutter something under her breathe, before attaching our lips again.

"You should really learn to love yourself, but if you can't, I will happily take over the job."

I think I'm going to change the name of the book to 'learning to love' so be prepared for that.

~le author