The Notorious R(uth) B(arakat) G(rimaldi)

Chapter 33: Untouchable

"We can just go for a little while, then leave, okay?" Ruthie said encouragingly. She was carefully applying mascara, and needed most of her concentration for this task.

"If we're just going to leave, why go? Let's just spend the eveninghere at your house," Elliott responded, turning from the mirror. "Wouldn't you rather just stay in and play with Liam?"

Samairah and Liam had spent a very fun five days at Ruthie's, at her dads' insistence. They were leaving in two days to fly back to England, since there was nothing more to be done here. Elliott's grandparents wouldn't let him return to England, even if he would take her money and use it for school, which he said he wouldn't.

Elliott had begged his grandparents to let him go back to England, in a stormy meeting at Ruthie's kitchen table the day after Sam had arrived, but they had been immovable, implacably firm.

"Please, I'll go to church every week, I swear," Elliott had pleaded.

His grandmother shook her head. "It's not about attending church, it's about accepting the lord into your heart, as your savior," she said.

"Elliott, we're worried about your soul, don't you understand that?" his grandfather added, putting an arm around his wife. "If something happens to you and you aren't right with god, you could end up in hell."

"Why don't you go ahead and finish that sentence?" Elliott had said, his voice quiet with anger. "'Like your mother,' right? Isn't that what you mean?"

The Nicholsons had looked away then, and Elliott felt small to mock them in this way and throw their beliefs in their faces. It wasn't their fault they believed this, and that fact was probably causing them immense pain without him rubbing their noses in it.

He'd spent that night on Ruthie's sofa alone, though she'd snuck down in the night to cuddle with him by the light of the dying embers of the fire.

So, the only thing decided was that Elliott was remaining in Warren for now.

Ruthie was happy about this, though she knew she shouldn't show it.

Even now, nearly a week later, it was still on her mind, even as she tried to convince Elliott to go to a party being thrown by a drama club friend.

Maybe if he made more friends, he wouldn't want to leave.

"Elliott, I'm glad you and Sam made up, and I'm really glad you're getting close to her, and to Liam," Ruthie acknowledged, though "close" was hardly the word.

As if making up for the preceding, lost months, Liam and Elliott had really bonded, to the point that Elliott had begun to call him "baby bro," which she thought was absolutely adorable.

Elliott grinned at her. "Me too," he said, boosting himself up on the bathroom counter. "I never thought about having a sibling, but it's amazing."

"I know," Ruthie answered, unable to resist his enthusiasm. "But he's always up late, at least until midnight, so we'll come home early and you can still see him tonight, okay?"

Elliott sighed. "Fine," he said, giving in at last. "I'll go with you to the blasted party. But we leave no later than eleven, yeah?"

"Yeah," Ruthie said, mimicking his accent as she said the word.

"You look right incredible tonight, by the way," Elliott said, pulling her between his legs as he sat on the counter. "Though for the sake of my peace of mind I wish your dress were a bit, erm, looser, you know?"

Ruthie laughed. "Yeah, it's a little tight. That's what happens when Dad tries to 'help out' by doing a load of laundry. I almost cried when I saw it, because it's one of my favorites," she told Elliott, smoothing the soft, purple fabric around her hips. "But I can still pull it off, at least until swim season."