"Ruth" My best friend Rayna called from down the hall, “Where are you going?" she asked as she ran up to me and grabbed my wrist. “I'm ditching what does it look like?" I snapped "No, no you can't do that, it's only lunch and we have three classes left." She argued "Oh well" I replied walking out the school doors. I leaned against a dead tree slightly exhausted by my walk outside so I sat and lit a cigarette. I inhaled and felt my muscles relax. "Miss. Graves are you following me?" An all too familiar voice said in a teasing manner. "Hemingway how nice of you to assume I'm following you." I blew out the smoke that had previously inhaled. "Why ar-hey!" I was cut off by Luke taking my cigarette "sorry babe" he smirked. I blushed when he called me babe. I got up and started walking to my house. I heard him jog to catch up with me "You know it's rude to walk away from someone while they are talking to you?" He said as he slung his arm around my shoulders and pulled me into his side. I looked down at the ground and fiddled with my fingers, now finding them more interesting than anything else. Ruth pull yourself together you don't want to look like a softy I told myself. "As a matter in fact I do " I stated matter of factly, shrugging out of his embrace and turning the corner to my house. I could feel him watching me while I walked up to my house and put my key in my door. "You just going to stand there in the snow or are you going to come in?" I yelled leaving the door open for him to walk through. I walked in the house, and turned on the TV to watch American horror story. Luke sat down beside me a little too close for my liking. I scooted towards the arm of the couch and realized I couldn't move over anymore. Luke smirked and made it so that our thighs were touching. "Uhh...L-Luke" "What is it Charlette" he smirked "Y-your k-kinda of squishing me" I gasped as he put his hand on my knee. "You’re cute when you're nervous" Just then, I jumped at the sound of phone ringing. I looked at my screen and groaned. "Hello" "Charlotte Ruth Graves why aren't you at school!?" Her annoying voice screeched into the phone. "Calm down mom, I got sick" I lied and threw in some coughs so it would sound believable. "Oh okay then I need you to pick your brother and sister." Before I could even ask why, she cut me off "They let the kids out from school so they could play in the snow" We said our goodbyes and hung up "Hemingway get up we have to go pick up the devils" I yelled I waited by the door for a few minutes and impatiently sighed "Luke Hemmings I swear if you don't get your-" "okay okay I'm coming!" I says holding his hands up defensively and coming to my side. I grabbed my keys from the counter and shuffled the door. Once I reached my car, Luke put his hands around waist. I giggled on account of my nervousness and he smiled. He placed a chaste kiss on my cheek and sat in the car. I pulled out of the driveway and plugged in my phone. I started softly bobbing my head to the music and sang the words. "You like A Day To Remember too?" Luke asked "Yeah of course I do, who doesn't?” “Nevermind don't answer that" he said with a little giggle "So Hemmingway what’s your favorite song by them?" "If It Means Alot To You" he answered immediately. Maybe we have a lot more in common than I thought. "Really? thats my favorite too!" I said as we pulled up to the school and waited for my brother and sister to get in. "Hi Ruth!" my sister yelled as she got in the car, my brother didn't say anything, he just put his head down and sat there. I pulled out of the school parking lot and drove home. Once we were in the driveway, I parked the car "You guys can do whatever " I said on my way to the living room "Do you wanna watch a movie?" I say "Yeah sure" Luke muttered, I pulled out the big box of movies and we looked through them. "How about this one?" He said and held up paranormal activity. "Uhh yea sure" I say reluctantly. He put it in and pressed play. He noticed my nervousness and laughed. "Stop it" I muttered, lightly slapping his arm. "Come here" he held out his arm for me. "Uhh no I'm good" my voice gradually raising looking at the T.V. he didn't answer and just looked at me. "I'm not sitting with you" I said, being stubborn to make a point. we had the lights off and it was dark outside. Just then a person jumped out and in front of the T.V. and I screamed and buried my head onto Luke's chest. "I totally got you Ruth!" Brian said while highfiving Luke. I could feel his laughter through his chest. "I know where you sleep " I said even though the threatening phrase sounded anything but menacing.The phone rang and I jumped up and raced with my sister to get it. I grabbed it before my sister could. "Hello" "Hi sweetie I got snowed in at work are you snowed in to?" I walked to the door and opened it the snow was about up to my thigh, the only thing from blocking it from coming in was the glass door. "Yes" I sighed dramatically "Sorry honey I won't be making it home for a few days so will you please take care of the kids for me?" "Yeah whatever mom" I mumbled while watching Luke walk towards my brother in the kitchen and hit his head on the wooden column above the doorway we have. "What was that?!" My mom panicked "Luke brought me home from school" I said stifling a laugh and grabbing an ice pack "The Luke you always talk about?" She gushed "Shut up mom" I groaned. She laughs and says "okay I have to go now I'll call you later….make good choices" she says laughing more “MOM!” I shout causing Luke to look over. I shook my head and said goodbye. I walked back into the room and found Luke playing strumming my guitar to the little tune from Spongebob. My brother and sister laughed. "You know Ruth always talks about you?" My sister says when Luke puts the guitar down "Yea I think she likes you" My brother adds. I ran upstairs and shut my door. "Oh my God I can't believe them" I muttered I threw my phone down. There was a knock on my door. "What do you want?" I yelled into my pillow. I felt little hands poking me "Luke is looking for you" Brian says, still laughing at my expense. "Tell him I'll be down in a minute" he nodded and skipped down the stairs. I changed into sweatpants and a tank top and put my hair up in a messy bun. I reapplied my mascara and eyeliner. I stopped at the stairs when I saw my brother telling Luke to start a fire. I cleared my throat and walked in the kitchen. "Brian,Sam what do you guys want for dinner" I yelled I heard little footsteps enter the kitchen "can we have spaghetti?" My sister asked in a sweet voice. "Fine.." I said with a sigh.
"Luke guess what!" My sister yelled, "Sam you don't need to yell he's right in front of you" I said. "What?" Luke asked, "We’re having spaghetti for dinner!" She squealed and ran off, "Are you ok with that, if you’re not I can make something else," "no it's fine" he said while sitting on a stool at the bar. "Look there's snow on the ground!" Brian yelled jumping up and down. Brian sat down on my foot and hugged my leg "Really Brian?" I looked down at him and raised my eyebrow. "Can we please go out and play in the snow?" he pouted and stuck his lip out with wide eyes. I tried not to smile "No sorry it's up to high it would cover you " I sighed "Now get off my leg it hurts" I opened the back door to the deck, it wasn't as bad as the front, so they could play out here I thought. Brian and Sam ran out and I tripped and fell on my face. Of course, you just had to be clumsy and fall on your face in front of the boy you like. “Ruth are you ok?" Luke said giggling, "Yeah I’m great" I said sarcastically getting up and brushing myself off "Wait you got a little something...." he trailed off as he got the snow off of my face. My breath hitched when I looked into his eyes. I just now noticed how blue they were, but not like my blue, pale and almost grey. His eyes seemed almost like stars, and they were dark with so much emotion that I couldn't decipher. They stood out against his pale complexion. I couldn't decide weather i wanted to look away from his intense gaze or just stare at his eyes all night. "Uhh, we should probably go inside now," He said breaking the silence. I snapped out of my trance and head went back where the kids were waiting. I had finished dinner,gave Sam a bath, and put the kids to bed when I decided to go down and talk to Luke. I went in the kitchen to find Luke making hot chocolate. "Hi" I said shyly "Hey I made hot chocolate for you." "Thanks" I say blushing and taking the scalding mug. We walked to the living room and sat down by the fire. We fell into a comfortable silence, I glanced over as he spoke."I know " he randomly blurted and looked down at his hands. "You know what?" I asked confused he turned to look at me and said "What your brother and sister told me. I know you were listening, I saw you," "Oh...sorry" I said as I looked down and played with my fingers. He put his finger under my chin and lifted it so our eyes could meet. "Ruth, I-I like you…..I like you a lot. I adore you, you're crazy, gorgeous, wonderful, but you can also be quite a weird person" he whispered as he began to blush. I just sat there and played with the hem of my shirt. "Now would be the time for you say something" I looked up and searched his eyes for any sign of him lying but all I got was the same look he always had but it was like, but there was something else in them. I was overwhelmed by the immediate closeness of him and the feeling was almost...breathtaking. His thigh brushing mine, and his breath hitting my face. "Luke," I choked out, while playing with the hem of my shirt. I looked up and felt his lips on mine and froze. It happened so fast I couldn't process it. He moved his lips against mine "please Ruth" he murmured against my lips. I was still frozen it was like I couldn’t move. he pulled away. "I don't understand why did-" before he could finish his sentence I smashed my lips on his. he smiled into the kiss. He pulled away and rested our heads togrther, both of us breathing heavily. "That was amazing" he breathed. "Shhh, be quiet, Brian and Sam will hear us." I whispered. “I told you he was going to kiss her!" Brian shouted for the whole world to hear. Luke looked at me and laughed.
"Go away you're supposed to be in bed" I groaned putting my head in the crook of Luke's neck. All I know is that I was happy for once in my life. Don't get your hopes up he's probably just playing you. I thought before feeling my eyes shut and letting the darkness take over again.
