Dad and Alfie are pulling into the driveway at the exact time I am. I quickly check my reflection in the rear-view mirror before getting out of the car.
"Ruby, ruby!" Alfie says excitedly, getting out of the car. He's still in his school uniform. "Dad bought two kinds of ice-cream,"
"Awesome!" I say, helping Dad take the bags of groceries inside. It's the first time in months that I can remember my dad doing the food shopping. I start unpacking the cold stuff into the freezer first and frown when I see the two tubs. "You got rainbow and double chocolate."
"Is that not right?" Dad asks, also frowning and then shaking his head. "That's not right, is it?"
"I like rocky road. Finn likes double chocolate." This is what happens when you're the middle child. You're easily forgotten.
Dad's face crumples and I hear him swear under his breath. I get the feeling that he isn't swearing over getting the wrong ice-cream flavour. "It's fine," I assure him, because I know he's trying his best. I'm not talking about the ice-cream either.
I look past his head and notice the illuminated green time on the microwave, "I'll put the rest of this away. Go and get ready for work."
He gives me this weak smile and then disappears from the kitchen. That's when I notice Alfie has already grabbed the tub of rainbow ice-cream and is digging into it with a spoon.
"Uh, not before dinner, kiddo," I say, taking the tub away from him. He pokes his tongue out at me and then puts the spoon he was using into the sink.
"Can Luke come over for dinner?" he asks, leaning forward so that his elbows are resting on the bench.
"He's at a friends house." And I'm not sure if I can sit at the table eating dinner with Luke and Alfie without giving away the kiss that happened just before. I'm still a bit rattled by it, to be honest.
"What friend?"
"Calum's," I answer quickly and then change the subject. "Have you given any thought to what you want for your birthday?"
It's only February and his birthday isn't until April, but like most kids, Alfie likes to get a head start on writing his gift list.
"I want a dog," he answers, his face all round and bright.
"A dog?" I wonder if I could convince Dad. "What about a guinea pig?"
"No way. A dog. Actually, a puppy, to be more specific."
"Puppies are a lot of work," I tell Alfie. They're also a lot of fun, and they're cute and cuddly, and I suddenly I'm wondering how much trouble I'd get in if I just adopted a rescue dog without talking to Dad about it first.
"I can handle it. The work, I mean." My brother pushes his glasses further up his nose and stares at me. Even though he'll be ten soon, he still has those big eyes that babies have.
"You can't even get your dirty laundry into the basket," I point out, and then start taking out the vegetables to chop up for dinner.
Alfie goes to his room - he's nearly finished the first Mortal Instruments book, he tells me - and I think more about this whole puppy thing. We could get a boy named Rocky or a girl named Poppy. And Alfie and I could take him for walks after school, and to the dog park on weekends.
In between prepping dinner, I keep checking my phone. I finish cutting the vegetables. I peel the potatoes for the mash potato and then, as I'm putting the chicken into the oven to roast, my phone beeps.
From Luke: calums driving me home. see you in the morning ;-) x
After dinner, I call Joss. She's venting about Mikayla because she stole Joss's favourite white skirt and then ruined it by spilling red wine over it. "You're so lucky you don't have a sister," she sighs once she's finished.
"I guess," I say, even though I don't think it would be that bad. Sometimes it's lonely being the only girl in our family.
"Oh wait," she says suddenly. "Are you guys free on Saturday night?"
"I'm free. Dad's home that night."
"Mum and Dad are going away for the weekend so I thought I'd throw a little party."
"Yeah, sounds good. Who are you inviting?"
"Michael, obviously. You and Luke, Tess and Heath, Angie and - "
"What about Calum?"
"Calum?" I can hear her screwing up her nose. Oops. "Why would I invite Calum? It's a couples party, Ruby."
"Yeah, right. Sorry. I wasn't thinking straight." Yeah, no shit, Ruby.
"What would Luke say if he knew you wanted me to invite Calum?"
"Um," I shrug, trying to figure out an appropriate answer. "He's not the jealous type, actually."
"Really? I always had him picked to be one of those insanely jealous types. You know, so jealous it's sort of a turn-on. Like in that movie, what was it called? The one where the guy meets that girl at the bar and - "
I feel bad but I tune out then. Joss is going on and on about some romance movie and I'm staring out my bedroom window which faces Luke's house.
I'm still sitting there half an hour later, long after I get off the phone to Joss and then I see Calum's black car pull up out the front, and Luke climbing out of the passenger seat. I end up falling to the floor as I try to duck quickly, hoping neither of them see me. The last thing I want is Calum to think I'm some crazy girlfriend who stares at her boyfriend's house, waiting for him to come home.
My phone beeps and I unlock the phone to see a message from Luke: nice try but we both saw you. calum said it was cute you were waiting up for me :-) sweet dreams
YOU ARE READING
Hoodwinked | Calum Hood AU
Fanfiction"That's never going to work, you idiot." It's her senior year and Ruby has vowed to tell her long-term crush, Calum Hood, exactly how she feels. But when things don't go to plan, she skeptically takes on the help of Luke, the boy next door, who beli...
