“Alright,” Walker said holding Zac’s jacket out so he could slide his arms into it. “I’ve
given this speech twice before with your brothers so I think I’ve got it down. Now I
know you and Ruby have been dating for a long time-”
“Dad,” Zac laughed looking at himself in the mirror. “You gave me the sex talk
like two years ago.”
“I know,” he said sitting on Zac’s bed. “And I know you’ll be a smart man when it
comes to tonight. You have to promise me that you absolutely will not drive if you’ve had
anything to drink and you cannot get in a car with someone who’s been drinking.”
Zac nodded. “Okay.”
“I’m serious. That’s a parent’s worst nightmare to find out your child’s been killed
in a drunk driving accident,” he warned him. “I don’t even want you to come home. You
stay at that party so even if you’re falling down drunk you can just stay the night there.”
Zac laughed at the fact that his father said “falling down drunk.” “I promise. I
won’t come home until tomorrow. And I won’t get in a car with someone who’s been
drinking. That’s just stupid.”
“Good,” Walker nodded. “Well that’s all except um... don’t get Ruby pregnant.”
“Dad,” Zac laughed. “We’ve got it under control.”
********************************
“You guys will have so much fun,” Holly said painting Ruby’s fingernails with
clear polish. “It’ll be just like high school. Except you’ll get laid this time.”
Ruby laughed. “We’ll see about that. Apparently there’s this girl coming with us
who doesn’t like me.”
“Who?”
“Zac’s first girlfriend. I think she’s still bitter,” Ruby told her shaking her hands so
her nails would dry.
“So Zac was like 14?” Ben asked.
“Pretty much,” Ruby laughed.
“She’ll get over it,” Ben told her. “Now stand up.” Ruby stood up and moved her
hair in front of her shoulder so Ben could fasten her ruby necklace around her neck.
“My dress looks so much better on you,” Holly said referring to the red strapless
dress Ruby was wearing.
“Cause she’s got boobs,” Ben said.
“Shut up,” Holly laughed and slapped Ben on the arm.
“I don’t know,” Ruby said looking down. “Is it too... like...”
“Too what?” Holly asked.
“Would his mother approve of it?” She asked putting her hands on her hips.
“Who cares? As long as Zac approves of it.” Ben said.
“You look fine,” Holly told her. “His mother will think you’re beautiful.”
“Here,” Ben said taking the hairspray from her bathroom counter.
“No,” Ruby held her hand out. “No more hairspray. My hair looks fine.”
“Okay, well then I say you’re ready to go,” Ben said fluffing the long loose curls in
Ruby’s dark hair.
***********************************
Zac heard the shutting of the front door and feet pounding up the stairs. “Is
Taylor here?” Zac asked his father.
“Of course I’m here,” Taylor said swinging his head in the doorway of Zac’s
bedroom. “Like I’d miss this opportunity. Oh man, you are so money and you don’t even
know it,” he teased messing up Zac’s hair.
Zac jerked his head away. “Stop,” he laughed.
“Oh my God,” Taylor mock cried. “My little brother’s all grown up,” he said
throwing his arms around Zac.
“I need to go,” Zac said trying to free himself.
“Zac,” Jessica called fom downstairs. “Daniel and Callie are here.”
“Okay,” he shouted back. “I’m gonna run across the street and get Ruby.” He
jogged down the stairs with Taylor. “Hey man,” Zac greeted when he got down the stairs.
“Oh my God, Zac you’re so fine,” Daniel shouted jumping on top of him to give
him a hug.
Zac laughed and hugged him back. “So are you,” he said patting him on the back.
Taylor jumped skipping the last couple of steps and landed right in front of Callie.
“Hi,” he greeted her in his scratchy voice.
Callie nervously tucked her hair behind her ear. “Hi.”
Daniel raised one eyebrow and looked over at his date while he continued his
conversation with Zac.
Taylor looked down Callie’s body clad in a long champagne colored dress. “Hi,”
he repeated.
Callie smiled and looked down. “Okay,” Daniel interrupted putting his arm around
Callie’s shoulders. “I think we’ve established a proper greeting. Taylor seems to know it
very well. We’re wanted on the front lawn,” he pointed before leading Callie out the
door.
“You’re such a dork,” Zac laughed patting his brother on the back.
“Dude, where was she when I was in high school?”
Zac shook his head and went to the door. “I’ll be back. I’m going across the
street.”
************************************
“Oh my God,” Zac said in Ruby’s ear as they stood out on the front lawn waiting
for everyone. “Could like, more of my family members be here?”
“Jay and Ansley need to get here so we can locomote,” Will said looking over as
Jessica snapped a picture of all of them.
“There they are,” Callie pointed to Jay’s red Jeep coming down the road.
“Finally,” Zac said as they pulled up.
The four couples stood on the lawn while everyone took pictures until the limo
arrived.
“Alright, we’re going,” Zac said picking up Ruby’s bag packed with stuff to
change into and tossing it in his car before they left. “See you tomorrow.”
“Bye, have fun,” various people shouted.
They all climbed in the black limo as people continued to take pictures. Zac and
Will stood up out of the sunroof and waved as they pulled away.
**************************************
“So Ruby,” Will said leaning forward to talk to her on the other side of Zac in the
limo.
“Yes?”
“What’s the status on the beverages for the evening?” He asked.
“Alright here’s the deal,” she said as everybody listened. “I’ll buy you guys stuff
after Prom. But not before. Because if you guys get caught, it’ll be my fault. So
afterwards, before the party I’ll buy you guys whatever,” she explained.
“Cool,” Will nodded.
“Good deal,” Callie approved.
“But after I give it to you, it’s out of my hands. I’m not responsible for anything
that happens while you’re under the influence,” she said.
“Alright,” Will laughed. “We won’t tell who we got it from.”
Ruby removed her arm from underneath Zac’s and slid her hand down his leg.
“Hey,” she whispered in his ear.
He turned to look at her. “Hey,” he smiled.
“What’s wrong?” She asked.
“Nothing. Am I being weird?” He asked taking her hand in his.
“Just quiet,” she said squeezing his hand.
Zac shrugged his shoulders. “Just thinking about you.”
“Good things?”
“Mm hmm,” he nodded twisting the silver and ruby ring around her ring finger.
*********************************
“This song is so frightening,” Ruby laughed when the DJ started playing Vanilla
Ice. “Your school is so weird.”
“Hey this song’s a classic,” Zac said pulling Ruby’s body closer around her waist.
“Right,” Ruby smiled. “Well I need to go to the bathroom. So dance with Callie,”
she said pulling Callie over to replace her before she excused herself.
“Callie,” Zac said wrapping his arms around her shoulders from behind. “Have I
told you lately that I love you?”
Callie laughed and rested her head back against Zac’s shoulder. “Zac, what are we
gonna do when we graduate?”
“Leave Oklahoma,” he answered.
“Damn right,” she agreed. “So you think you and Ruby are going to get married?”
“Yep.”
“Aww,” Callie turned her head to look up at him. “That’s so sweet. I like her. I
think she’s cool.”
“Well I’m glad you approve,” he said. “You can be in our wedding.”
“Okay,” she smiled. “As long as you come to me and Taylor’s wedding.”
“Deal,” Zac laughed. “Because after your series of Hi’s, I’m sure you’re in love.”
“Yep. It’s fate.”
“I’ll give him your number,” he told her.
***********************************
“Thank you for being here with me,” Zac said giving Ruby as kiss on the cheek.
“Hey, no problem. I have a surprise for you,” Ruby said running her fingers along
the back of Zac’s neck as the music switched to U2’s “With or Without You.”
“Right now?” He asked tightening his arms around her waist while he positioned
his forehead against hers.
“How badly do you want to go to Preston’s party tonight?” She asked.
“Depends,” he told her. “Got something else in mind?”
“Mm hmm,” she nodded.
“Like what?” he smiled.
“Like a hotel room I reserved a few days ago,” she said.
“Really?” He raised his eyebrows.
“Yes sir.”
“You’re such a rad girlfriend,” he said before giving her a kiss on the forehead.
“Did I ever tell you that?”
“I mean, we don’t have to go if you’d rather go to Preston’s,” she said.
“Are you kidding?”
******************************
“Here,” Ruby said putting the bag of Vodka bottles in the trunk of Daniel’s car
along with the case of beer. “Now you didn’t get it from me.”
“Thanks Ruby,” Jay said. “You’re the best.”
“No problem.”
“So we’ll see you guys at Preston’s,” Daniel said getting back in the driver’s seat
of his car.
“Mm hmm,” Zac said going back to his car. He tossed his jacket in the backseat
and climbed in next to Ruby. “Not really,” he said as he started the car.
Ruby laughed. “They’ll never miss us.”
“So where’s the hotel? Downtown?” He asked pulling out of the parking lot of
the park they met at.
“No, they were all full. It’s like three or four exits away,” she told him.
“Cool.”
“Oh my gosh. You know where we so have to stop?” She asked.
“Where?”
“Dunkin’ Donuts.”
Zac laughed. “Alright.”
***************************************
“I’ve never been in a hotel room with you before,” Ruby said following Zac into
the room.
He set their bags down and took her hand leading her into the room. “Hey, this
place is sweet. Wow, big bed,” he said jumping onto the bed and falling on his back.
“Okay, the strapless bra has got to go,” Ruby said walking over to the bed.
“Unzip me, please.”
“Sure,” Zac sat up and unzipped the back of her dress.
“Oh man,” she said unhooking her red bra and pulling it out. “That was painful.
Here, Merry Christmas,” she dropped it in Zac’s lap.
“Thanks,” he picked it up examining it. “I’m gonna go change.” Zac changed so
he was left in his boxers and a white t-shirt and Ruby changed out of her dress and into a
navy blue satin tank top and little matching shorts.
*******************************
“Here,” Zac said holding a powdered donut in front of Ruby’s face.
“No,” she turned her head. “I don’t like powdered.”
“Taste it,” he smiled backing her up towards the bed.
“No,” she laughed.
“Taste it,” he laughed as she fell on her back onto the bed and he fell on top of her.
“Stop,” she giggled trying to sit up from underneath him. He touched it to her
nose and kissed it off.
“Yummy.”
“Did we finish all the wine?” She asked.
“Um,” he got off of her and picked the bottle up off the nightstand. “Not yet,” he
said before taking another sip out of the bottle.
******************************************
“Okay here’s one for you,” Zac said examining the personal ads in the newspaper.
Ruby leaned against him on the bed and read over his shoulder. “Okay.”
“Single white male, 45, seeks dominant mistress for spankings when I get
naughty,” he read.
Ruby laughed. “Seriously?”
“Yeah,” he laughed.
“Sweet. Give me his number,” she said. “Okay, let me find one for you,” she said
scanning through the ads. “Ooh, young couple seeks bisexual female to join our fun. Must
be wild and crazy,” she read.
“Hey, that sounds like fun,” Zac said taking the paper from her.
Ruby raised one eyebrow. “What do you mean that sounds like fun?”
Zac looked at her. “What? So you’d never do it?”
“Do what?” She asked. “Have a threesome with another girl?”
Zac shrugged his shoulders. “Sure. Why not?”
“You’d want to have sex with me and another girl?” She asked sitting back.
“No. I didn’t say that,” he said. “I was just wondering.”
“You worry me,” she narrowed her eyes at him.
“You never answered me,” he smiled.
“No,” she giggled. “I couldn’t share you with another girl.”
“Well, what if I just watched?”
She laughed and leaned against him. “You’re a weirdo. Hand me the wine,” she
reached out her hand.
“We finished it,” he held up the bottle.
“Oops. So basically you just want to watch me make out with a girl?”
“Sure. I mean, just like once,” he said.
“Well I highly doubt it would happen,” she told him. “You’d have to get me really
drunk.”
“Alright. I was just curious.”
“Would you make out with a guy?” She asked.
“No,” he laughed.
“So there you go,” she said. “I think it’s just you and me, kid.”
“I can handle that,” he said kissing the side of her head.
“Do you realize we have to check out tomorrow by noon?” She asked.
Zac looked over at the clock which read 4:45 a.m. “Shit. We better go to bed
then.”
“We better,” she said giving him a kiss on the lips.
**********************************
The phone rang for the 10:00 wake up call the next morning and Zac picked it up.
“Hello?” He sleepily answered. “Mm hmm. Thanks,” he said and hung up the
phone. He rubbed his eyes and turned to look at Ruby who was on her stomach sound
asleep. He crept out of bed and made his way to the bathroom.
He came back after he brushed his teeth and crawled onto the bed beside Ruby.
She shifted beside him and he watched her eyes flutter open. “Hi,” she said quietly.
“Morning,” he smiled brushing her hair back behind her shoulder.
“No,” she groaned wrapping her arm around his waist. “I don’t want to wake up.”
“Come on,” he laughed and leaned in to kiss her neck. “Get up.”
She opened her eyes and stretched her arms over her head. “I love you,” she told
him.
He lifted his head up and looked at her. “I love you too,” he said before kissing
her lips. “Now get up.”
Chapter 8
