Love Bites

N is for new developments

5.

'So are you going to the ACB?' Serena asked her as they headed out of the school's double doors that Friday afternoon.

'Of course she is silly,' Alicia threw her head back in laughter. 'It's held at her house, you'd have to really go out of your way not to attend it wouldn't you?'

Serena giggled, 'Oh right.'

So Ruby was starting to think this council ball thing was kind of a big deal. And apparently the Vanderbilt's host it every year in their ballroom, which doubled up as a library with long walls of books covering the entire room. An old fashioned rolling ladder sat in one corner, it had no dust on it and the ladder moved easily so Ruby deducted at least one member of the family liked to read.

'I don't really have anything to wear,' Ruby confessed as she searched the car park for Gideon's car. 'Plus to be honest, I don't plan on living with the Vanderbilt's too much longer.'

'Oh yeah?' Alicia cocked an eyebrow slightly and Ruby was second guessing just how happy she was at that piece of information. Rose was getting in her head again. 'Where are you going to live?'

'Well I'm hoping my parents rock up pretty soon, they've kind of disappeared on me.' She tried to shrug it off lightly, but this had been bothering Ruby over the last week. It was the longest they'd ever stayed MIA on her, no texts or phone calls. She'd even asked Tilly to go and check the mail but there was nothing. The police had contacted them last night to say their phones were traced but both were switched off so there was nothing they could do. Her parents didn't use social media either so she couldn't trace them that way.

'We heard about that,' Serena winced sympathetically. 'I hope they come home soon, it must be horrible not knowing where they are.'

'Hey I have a good idea, why don't we all hang out tonight?' Alicia grinned. 'We can watch some movies, I've got some great dresses I could bring over to try on for the ball?'

'Oh me too,' Serena nodded. 'I've got heaps, just in case you're still here.'

'Hi Ruby,' Gideon walked up to the girls shooting them a smile, 'Ladies.'

'Hey Mr. V,' Alicia smiled at him.

'You ready to go? Rose is heading to a friends house tonight,' he turned to Ruby.

'Awesome, Ruby we'll see you at your house in an hour or so?' Alicia said already heading off in the direction of her car.

Ruby tried to stop her mouth from dropping open in pure surprise, she wasn't sure how it even happened but apparently she was hosting a girls night tonight.

Serena rolled her eyes and shot Ruby an apologetic grin.

'Do you think that will be ok with Annette?' She asked Gideon as they headed toward his car. 'I'm barely living with you guys a week, it would be totally rude to invite friends over wouldn't it?'

Gideon shook his head, 'No way, she'd love it, and it might settle her nerves about you being happy to be here. I suppose Fox would be the only one who might care...' he chuckled.

Ruby winced, 'Oh right, the special friend. How awkward, and he already hates me as it is.'

'Oh Fox doesn't hate you, wherever did you get that idea?' Gideon was laughing at her now.

'Oh you know, just the way he looks at me like I'm the biggest inconvenience he's ever had to deal with...' She shrugged. 'That kind of gives him away.'

++++++++++

'I love that one,' Alicia smiled from her spot perched on the edge of Ruby's bed. She tucked her hair behind her ears and Ruby wanted to hate how pretty she was.