Ruth's Magpie

Chapter 31: They Were Them

RUTH:

"When are you two going to kiss?" Susan asked one day. I nearly dropped the book in my hands.

"Excuse me?"

She glanced around the library, empty except for the two of us. Our shared love of books had contributed to many hours spent together in the spacious room, even when we weren't helping Lucy with her research. We typically talked little, each withdrawing into the world of the story we read, but today was different.

"You know," she whispered. "You and Peter?"

"Us? Kiss?"

"Yes silly, you. Kiss. When will you kiss him?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," I said quickly.

She rolled her eyes. "It's so obvious you two are in love. I'm surprised you haven't kissed already. Or have you...?"

"What? No, we haven't kissed, we-"

Susan laughed. "You don't have to play dumb, Ruth. I see the way you two look at each other."

I flushed. Things had been different in the weeks following our talk on the beach. Summer was giving way to fall, and I had felt our friendship giving way to something more. My nightmares hadn't stopped, but whenever I had them, Peter would shake me awake and go down to the kitchen with me, usually fixing me a cup of tea to soothe my mind and talking to me until I stopped shaking. I had never trusted someone as much as I trusted him, not even my own mother. But I knew he did not love me the way I did him. It was impossible.

"You're lost in thought."

"Oh, sorry," I stammered. "I guess so."

She smirked. "Thoughts of Peter, no doubt."

I cleared my throat awkwardly, not offering further information.

"I can't blame you, you know. I've known since the beginning you two would fall in love. I just knew it!"

"What do you mean?"

"The way you two always did things together. You hid together playing hide and seek, he always wanted to include you in family things. Not to mention the way he smiled at you like you were the only person in the room."

"We're just friends. We're the same age, and the oldest child in our families. We're just good friends."

"For now, perhaps," she said smugly, returning to her book with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.

I tried to focus on my book, but my mind wandered. Peter and I were just friends. Just friends. He didn't think of me as anything more. We were just good friends. We couldn't be anything else. It was impossible.

And yet... I couldn't deny the way he made me feel. His smile could brighten even the darkest nights. Whenever I caught him staring at me, my stomach erupted into hundreds of thousands of butterflies. Even after my worst nightmares, the sight of his face could bring me comfort.

"You're doing it again," Susan teased.

"Doing what?"

"You're thinking of Peter."

I didn't deny it this time. I smiled. "Yeah."

"Say, Lucy's birthday is coming up pretty soon. Have you had any ideas? It's-"

"September 30."

She cocked an eyebrow. I blushed.

"I asked Peter for everyone's birthday a couple months ago."