Hoodwinked | Calum Hood AU

29.

I'm not even surprised when Joss cancels our shopping plans for Saturday. Her text says she doesn't feel well. Morning sickness, I'm assuming.

I still haven't said anything to Michael. I made up a lie saying that I think her parents have been arguing and she's worried about them getting divorced. That should buy me some time until I figure out what to do next.

Now that I have the entire day free, I text Luke: Do you want to come over? My dad's not home.

I reread over the message after I've pressed send. It sounds much more provocative than I meant it to be. At this point though, I think all of my subtlety and dignity has flown out the proverbial window, and yet I still don't think Luke realises that I've developed a fully-fledged, stomach-full-of-butterflies, want-to-kiss-him-until-I-can't-feel-my-lips crush on him.

 He writes back: I can't right now. I'm helping Mum clean out the garage. Later?

Okay :-) I reply.

Instead of sitting around by myself, I decide to go shopping as planned. I should probably get used to doing things like this on my own. There's no way Joss will end up at the same university as me next year, and especially if I move away, it's unlikely anyone else I know will either.

The USU course catalog sitting on my desk catches the corner of my eye while I'm fixing my hair. The more I think about it, the more drawn the psychology I am.

I get to the shopping centre and head straight for the book store to find a copy of Psychology: from Inquiry to Understanding. It's from the USU recommended reading list and maybe the first book I'll ever voluntarily read that hasn't been for school.

Lots of people think that being smart means I automatically love reading which is so untrue. I'd much rather listen to music or watch movies than read. Maybe it's a patience thing. I can get the same story out of a movie that takes ninety minutes to watch, rather than slaving over endless pages to eventually come to the exact same ending.

In the book store, I find the one I'm looking for almost instantly. It's brightly coloured cover stands out amongst the other books in this section and I know they say never to judge a book by its cover but it does look far more appealing than the others. There's mild panic when I go to pay for the book and the boy behind the counter tells me it's $126. I regretfully hand over my card, reasoning that it will be a useful textbook for next year and hoping that Dad will pay me back for it, seeing as its for my education.

There's a small cafe located on the upper level of the book shop so I take the escalator up, order an iced mocha and then take a seat at one of the cushiony red chairs by the window.

I imagine that this is what next year will be like: me, caffeinated beverages and books. I'll find cute cafes that will become my local study spots to pass my days and maybe I'll spend my nights going to watch bands in tiny, dirty pubs or take an art class or something. Isn't that what uni is all about anyway? Finding yourself?

Lately I feel like I hardly know myself at all. Part of my life is one giant lie, and the other part has been playing mother to Alfie.

"Ruby?" Calum smiling face peers down at me. He's holding a book in one hand and a cappuccino in the other.

"Hey," I smile, the pitch of my voice high in surprise and delight.

"Mind if I sit?" he asks, gesturing to the empty seat opposite me. I nod, and he sits down, setting both his drink and the book on the small coffee table between us. "I didn't expect to see you here."

"Yeah, this isn't usually my scene," I smile. "I'm usually more of a lay in bed all day watching Netflix kind of girl." 

"I come here a lot. I like it," he looks around the cafe. "The people, the noise, it's easier for me to concentrate here than at home." I look at him questioningly, wondering what he means but not feeling comfortable enough to ask. "Picture Ashton's house, but achingly quiet. Sometimes it's so quiet I can hear my own heart beating."