tuesday || irwin

[ four ]

[ four ]

-

Just let me touch your lips today,

Just let me stop the clock,
I will paint the universe blue again,
And I will make all of this just a dream.

-

 by the next week, ashton still wasn't feeling well enough to go.

"will one of you go with me?" he asked his mates. "i don't think i can do this alone. not today."

"we'll both go." luke suggested. "maybe we'll get to meet her."

the three of them walked to starbucks that morning, heads held down for two reasons. they didn't want to be recognized and their mood was still faltered due to the death of their loved friend. it felt so unreal that it could happen so suddenly.

calum opened the door, stepping inside the warmth of the small coffee shop on that cold morning, with luke and ashton trailing behind him.

ashton's hazel eyes darted to ruby's usual spot to see her sitting there, with her drink and her laptop setled on top of the table. "you guys go order our drinks, i'm gonna go sit with ruby."

luke nodded. "okay." 

she got up from her seat to greet him as he approached her. "hey ash."

"hey ruby." he told her with a half-smile.

"are you doing okay?" she asked him.

he shook his head. "not so well. but i brought my mates with me. i've told them so much about you and they said they really want to meet you."

he gestured towards them, but he realized she couldn't see them because there was a pillar that blocked off some of the table. she seemed to be hiding behind it. "oh, that's lovely." she said, nervously biting her lip. "the things is...i need to get going. class at the university is starting a bit earlier today."

"it'll just take a second." ashton assured her with a smile. "i'll just call them over."

"no. i really need to leave right now." she said, her brown eyes widening in shock.

ashton eyed her suspiciously, noticing her uneasiness. "you don't even have just a couple of minutes to meet them? that's unfortunate. my mates will be bummed out."

"maybe you can invite me over to your flat some time?" she suggested, clearly faking a smile.

"sure." he nodded. 

gathering her belongings quickly, she pecked him on the cheek. "text me though, bye." 

and she rushed towards the exit. ashton stood there motionless for several seconds. by the time he turned to watch her leave, she was already gone.

"where's ruby?" calum asked, walking up to ashton with his drink in hand.

ashton shrugged. "she said she had some things to do so she left."

"aw, did we scare her off?" luke joked.

ashton chuckled. "probably."

"are you sure she was here though?" calum asked, remembering something. "luke and i were practically standing by the front door just now while we waited for our drinks and we didn't see anyone leave."

"yeah," luke agreed, adding, "and you said you were talking to her...but we saw no one with you."

"that was because she was standing behind the pillar. it blocked her from view, that's all." ashton explained. "just what are you trying to say?"

"nothing." calum assured him.

"she said we can invite her over whenever and she'll meet you." ashton said, taking a sip from his warm drink. "so i'll invite her over next week and you guys can meet her then."

calum and luke smiled. "finally, we'll get to meet ruby tuesday."

"yeah." ashton sighed.

it was the fourth tuesday.

-

SHE'S BEING ODDLY NERVOUS ABOUT MEETING THE OTHER BOYS.

OOOH.

ANYWAY, I HOPE YOU ENJOY THE UPDATE.

THANK YOU FOR READING AND SUPPORTING MY STORIES.

I LOVE YOU.

-CLARY xx