“Ruby,” Jacob called as his English class was filing out.
She stuck her head back in the door and he motioned with his head for her to come
back. “Yeah?” She smiled going back over to his desk.
“Listen,” he said quietly waiting until the last student left the room. “I don’t want
you to feel uncomfortable... about the other night. If I’m crossing the line, you let me
know.”
“No, it’s fine,” she assured him. “As long as you’re okay with it.”
“Yeah, completely,” he nodded. “I just hope I can keep from staring at you during
my lectures.”
She smiled and looked down. “Will you give me a call?” She asked tilting her head
to the side.
“Definitely. What are you doing tomorrow night?”
“You tell me,” she said.
“Let’s do something. I’ll call you tonight,” he promised.
“Okay. I’ve got class, but I’ll talk to you later,” she said backing up.
“Bye,” he smiled.
“Bye,” she said before leaving the room.
*******************************
After class, Ruby went back to her dorm room and Natasha hadn’t come home yet.
She laid her bag in her desk chair and check the answering machine - no messages. She
picked up the cordless phone and sat down on her bed. She had to call Zac and talk to
him. She took a deep breath before dialing his phone number.
“Hello?” Jessica answered the line she shared with Zac now that Taylor moved
out.
“Hey Jessica, it’s Ruby.”
“Hey, what’s up?”
“Is Zac home?”
“Um, no not yet. He’s at soccer practice,” Jessica said.
“Oh that’s right,” Ruby said looking at the clock. “Well just tell him that I called.”
“Sure, no problem.”
“Thanks. Bye.”
“Bye.”
Ruby hung up the phone and sighed as she layed on her back. She reached over
and pressed play on the tape Zac recorded for her last year. One of her favorite songs he
wrote came on and she closed her eyes as Zac’s voice and acoustic guitar filled the room.
I was wasted in the afternoon
waiting on a train
I woke up in pieces
and Ruby dissappeared again
I wish you were next to me
hope that you’re okay
hope you’re resting quietly
just wanted to say...
goodnight Ruby...goodnight
goodnight Ruby...goodnight
we couldn’t all be cowboys
some of us have guitars
and some of us are dancers on the moon
singing to the stars
I hope everybody finds their place
maybe i should just say my prayers
just light myself on fire
walk out on the wire once again
and say goodnight Ruby...goodnight
goodnight Ruby...good night
I will wait for you in Oklahoma
but you ain’t comin’ home
maybe tonight will be different
looks like I’m all alone
...again.
*************************************
“You live by yourself?” Ruby asked walking into the living room of Jacob’s
apartment.
“Yeah,” he said closing the door.
“Must be nice,” she said walking around the huge living room admiring his leather
furniture.
“It’s not bad.”
“You have a great apartment,” she told him.
“Thanks. Do you want anything to drink before we go to dinner?” He offered.
“Um, no thanks. Let’s go,” she said.
“Sure,” he said opening the door for her. “And you look great, I might add.”
“Thank you,” she smiled. “So do you.”
*************************************
“I actually have a couple pieces in a gallery opening next weekend,” Ruby said
sitting across the candle lit table from Jacob at the quiet restaurant.
“Really?” Jacob raised his eyebrows. “That’s great. I’d love to come see.”
“Sure. Do you want to come with me?” She asked.
“Definitely.”
*************************************
Taylor had a party at his apartment that night and let Zac invite some of his
friends. Zac sat around with Will and Daniel playing guitar and singing a few songs
everyone knew.
“Zachary,” Ansley said coming up behind him and playing with his ponytail.
“What’s up?” He asked trying to tune his guitar with Will’s.
“Are you still going out with that girl?” She asked hanging her arms over his
shoulders.
“Yes, I’m still going out with Ruby,” he answered.
“She’s never around,” Ansley said.
“She’s in college.”
“Why don’t you ever write any songs for me?” Ansley asked.
“I’ll write a song for you, Ans,” Will said strumming his guitar.
“Thanks babe,” she laughed.
******************************
“Well the night is still young,” Ruby said walking down the street after staying late
at a coffee shop talking with Jacob. “Do you want to go anywhere else? I don’t have
class tomorrow.”
“Um,” he said stretching his arm around her shoulders. “You know, I’d love to.
But I do have class tomorrow. And I should go home so I can finish up some work.”
“You teach a class on Saturdays?”
“Yeah, I know. It sucks. But next time, maybe we’ll make it back to my
apartment or something,” he said.
“Okay. I’d like that,” she smiled up at him.
“Me too. Well do you want me to get you another cab?” He offered.
“No, seriously. I’m like two stops away from the dorms on the subway,” she said.
“Alright. I’ll just give you a call tomorrow or something.”
“Sure,” she said as they approached the subway station.
“Well once again, I had a good time with you,” he smiled taking both of her hands
in his.
“Me too.”
He leaned in a placed a kiss on her cheek, then one on the corner of her mouth
before kissing her lips. She closed her eyes tighter when she rememberd Zac used to kiss
her like that. She tried to shake the thought of her boyfriend and ran her hands up Jacob’s
arms as he pulled her closer by her waist and slid his tongue into her mouth. She pulled
away and cleared her throat.
“You sure you’re okay riding the subway at night?” He asked.
“I’m fine,” she laughed. “I do it all the time.”
“Okay. Goodnight.”
“Goodnight,” she smiled before going down the stairs.
Ruby got home and found Natasha putting her shoes on. “Where are you going at
midnight?” Ruby asked.
“Oh we just got back from a movie and me and Justin are going to a jazz club,”
Natasha said standing up. “You want to come?”
“No thanks,” Ruby said hanging her coat over her desk chair.
“How was your date?”
“It was nice,” Ruby nodded taking her earrings out.
“Have you told him yet?”
“Who? Zac or Jacob?”
“Either.”
“No,” Ruby said sitting on her bed. “I don’t know what to say to Zac.”
“Ruby, you have to call him. Now,” Natasha said picking up the phone.
“Fine,” Ruby sighed taking the phone.
“I’ll be back late. See ya,” Natasha said taking her purse and leaving.
Ruby remembered Zac had told her he’d be at Taylor’s party so she dialed Taylor’s
number. She played with the ring Zac gave her until someone picked up the phone.
“Hellooo?” Taylor answered.
“Hey, Taylor?”
“Yes.”
“It’s Ruby.”
“Ruby-licious. How are you this fine evening?”
“I’m okay,” she laughed. “Is Zac there?”
“He sure is but he’s making out with some girl, can I take a message?” He asked
walking into the living room where Zac was. “I’m just kidding. Here he is.”
Zac laughed and took the phone from his brother. “Hello?” He asked holding his
other ear with his finger.
“Hey,” Ruby said.
“Who’s this?”
“Zac, it’s me.”
“Ruby,” he shouted trying to find his way outside. “How are you?”
“Fine. What’s going on? How’s the party?”
“It’s not bad. We’re playing quarters, and I suck. So I’m pretty fucking drunk,”
he told her. “But I’m cool. It’s gonna be alright because you know why?”
“Why?”
“Because I love you. And you and me are okay. You know what I’m saying?”
“Yeah,” she said confused. “Well I’m sorry I interrupted your drinking game.”
“No it’s okay,” he said sitting down on the steps. “It’s cool cause I was thinking
about you and stuff.”
“Mm hmm.”
“And I was thinkig about what you look like naked and it was cool. And then I
wanted to talk to you and then you called,” Zac explained.
Ruby laughed. “Yep.”
“So you must’ve been thinking about yourself naked and we were like, on the
same brain waves thing, you know?”
“We must’ve been,” she smiled resting her head in her hand.
“So did you call because you wanted some phone sex? Because that can be
arranged,” Zac informed her.
“No,” she laughed. “I didn’t. I just wanted to say hi.”
“Well hi,” he said, lowering his voice, suddenly becoming sober.
“Hi,” she said quietly. “I miss you.”
“I miss you too, baby. When are you coming home?”
“Not for a while,” she said.
***********************************
“I couldn’t tell him,” Ruby told Natasha the next day.
“Why not?”
“I just couldn’t.”
“So what are you going to do? You can’t keep going out with Jacob and not tell
Zac,” Natasha said. “You seriously have to figure out what you want.”
“I know,” Ruby said as the phone rang.
“Now’s the perfect time to tell Zac,” Natasha said as Ruby picked up the phone.
“Hello?”
“Ruby?”
“Yeah.”
“Hey, it’s Jacob,” he said.
“Oh hi, Jacob,” she raised her eyebrows at Natasha. “What are you up to?”
“Not much. I was wondering if sometime this week you wanted to come over and
eat dinner at my place. We’ll just kind of stay in for the night,” he offered.
“Sure. I can handle that,” she agreed.
Natasha rolled her eyes and returned to painting her nails.
***********************************
“Hey this is Zac and Jessica. Leave a message and one of us will call you back,”
Jessica’s voice on the answering machine said. ::Beep::
“Hey Zac. Gosh, I hoped you’d be home but I guess not. Um, I was just calling
to say hey and let you know I’m thinking about you. Me and Natasha had chinese food
last night and it made me think about how when we’d go out for chinese, you’d always let
me pick my fortune cookie first. So I thought I’d give you a call. Anyway, call me back
when you get a chance. Love you much, bye.”
Ruby had figured it out. When Zac called her back she was going to tell him.
*******************************
chapter 19.
