James decided to ditch school for the day and sleep all day. His excuse for Otis and Eric was that he had gotten sick over the night.

He told them he'd text or call if he wanted company after school. He wouldn't actually call them, he didn't wanna bother them with his life problems.

He let out a huff when he heard a lock knock on his door. His mother and father once again ran off.

He was glad because it meant he could be in his own home without feeling so terrified.

He got off his couch walking towards the door and pulling it open weakly.

He was surprised to see Ruby, she smiled at him as she held onto his hoodie he gave her last night.

"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at school bullying people who look at you".

She rolled her eyes walking inside making him look at her with a frown.

"Actually why are you even here?" She didn't say anything and sat down.

It was as if she had been here a thousand times, it was only once of course. But he wouldn't just burst out and say anything about it.

"Came to return this" she held the hoodie and he could tell she washed it from the strong spell of laundry detergent.

He grabbed it from her "you could've just put it in my mailbox or something. Or honestly kept it. I wouldn't have missed it".

"Maybe I just used it as an excuse to see you, I didn't see you at school this morning. With your little friends".

"Wasn't in the mood for school, it's just one day" he walked away from her going into his small kitchen.

"You want a beer or something" he opened his fridge watching her as she stood up.

"No, I'm not staying long" he grabbed a Diet Coke out of the fridge handing it to her before sitting down on the couch.

She opened it but she looked at it with a daze. She didn't think James was the type of person to just drink diet sodas.

He leaned into the couch opening a can of beer as she drank the soda in a fast manner.

"I didn't think you liked diet" he looked up at her. "I hate anything diet" she frowned.

"Then why do you have some in your refrigerator" he let out a slow breath setting his can down.

"Well I remember the last time you were here. It was the middle of the night and you woke up. Keep asking me for Diet Coke".

He laughed "I told you I didn't have any and you kinda just went back to bed. I got a case for you in the morning. But you were gone when I got back. it's just been sitting there".

He stood up "I didn't think you'd remember that, I always say nonsense when I'm drunk".

He remembered everything she ever told him, it was melted into his flesh.

It became apart of him in a way. And it didn't really bother him a lot.

He didn't blame her if she left at this point, he knew she wouldn't stay. She'd never stay.

She set the can down looking around his house "it looks different from last time".

She remembered everything too, even if she didn't actually admit it to herself.

She hated how much she wanted to be around James. She shouldn't like him, he wasn't someone she could be around.

Her friends would judge her and laugh, she didn't really want that for herself.

But for once she wanted to be selfish, she let the guilt slip away inside her brain.

She didn't think about her friends. They wouldn't even know she was here anyways.

She told them she went home sick, that she had thrown up after first period.

"I'll walk you out" he walked towards the door opening it and letting out a yawn.

He heard her high heels clicking away at the ground as she walked forward.

As he went to walk outside and make sure she actually left the door was slammed shut in his face.

He looked at her hand that rested on it for a second before it moved to her side.

He frowned "what are you doing?" She didn't say anything it was so silent.

He went to protest to ask again and make her say an answer but he didn't have time to form words.

She was kissing him his back pushed into the door. He felt frozen for a moment, his thoughts all over the place.

He didn't know what was happening, but it felt right having her body pressed against his again.

He let out a heavy breath when she moved back gripping his shirt tightly as he held onto her.

She pushed him down onto the couch, making him laugh lightly as he took his shirt off.

This moment felt right, but he knew when it was over, she'd leave. Things would go back to silence, he'd become numb without her.

He didn't wanna think about her leaving his life, it would make him break down into nothing.

He couldn't really stay away from Ruby. Ever since that night he couldn't stop thinking of her.

She was the first girl he let into his thoughts, he let her see him fully. He was exposed and yet in the end she left, not looking back at him.

It tore him apart day by day, but he never let it break him fully apart.

—

"This is the part where you run off and ignore me for the rest of the school year".

She didn't say anything, the silence was comforting. He leaned into the couch.

"Maybe not this time...." She paused like she was thinking really hard. It was so hard to figure her out when she didn't look at him.

"I understand if you run off, you have friends, who will judge you and make you feel shitty".

He wouldn't be upset if she just left, because he knew he'd always wait for her.

"No, I don't care about my friends right now" he knew his friends would welcome her with open arms. But hers on the other hand would likely murder him if they could.

Otis and Eric always wanted him to be happy with someone, but he didn't wanna just make Ruby feel exposed. That's why he never told them he slept with her before.

He respected her privacy, and her fears. She sat up and he was ready for her to leave.

A knock on the door made her sit up faster. "It's fine I'll distract them away so you can sneak out the back". He put his clothes on nearing the door.

"James!" he pushed it open lightly "hey guys" he leaned to the side so they couldn't see inside.

"We've brought you soup and medicine" he looked at the bag in Eric's hands.

"Thanks, I don't want you guys getting sick so why don't you come back tomorrow morning before school".

"Of course" he grabbed the bag smiling "I'll text with updates" he closed the door.

He didn't wanna turn around, because he knew she would be gone. He let out a slow breath.

His grip on the bag was tight as he turned around.
She was still here.