Trivium (All Time Low Fic)

This Is A Double Update And You Had Better Like It Because It Was Hard To Write

[Word Count: 2151]

RUBY's POV

It's been a month. A whole damn month since Jack last tried to speak to me. I stopped avoiding him after the first two weeks. I had decided that the loneliness was hurting me more than I should allow it to.

But now I'm just alone.

Alex is always around, of course. He worries more about leaving me than he used to. He even stayed with me in the basement for the second week.

Except now a month has passed. Things are supposed to be back to normal-they even seem normal. But what was normal for Jack and I?

I wish he'd go back to picking on me. At least there would be some interaction or form of communication between us. 

My thoughts are broken apart as my focus moves to Alex barreling down the stairs. 

"Shh," I command. "It's too early."

"It is never too early for a shopping trip," he argues. He moves swiftly through the room to reach my dresser. "We're going to the mall."

"B- Al- I," I stutter, already fearful of the crowded place.

"Ruby, it's 8AM on a Thursday," Alex says soothingly and sits on the edge of my bed. He has a shirt of mine in his hand. "This is the best time to go. And if it gets too crowded then we'll leave. Easy peasy."

I don't move from my spot on the bed. Alex is way too cheery considering it's eight in the morning. Something's up.

"Please," Alex begs. "You can decide where we eat lunch." My eyes grow wide in horror of being there during the lunch rush. "If we stay that long," Alex adds with his hands raised in surrender. 

I wait for the stipulation, but no words come. After a minute of Alex staring at me, I throw my hands up.

"Fine," I give in. "I'll be ready in ten minutes."

Alex jumps off of my bed and throws my shirt up.

It lands on my head.

Once he leaves, I get ready quickly. The faster I'm done here, the faster we get there, which means we leave faster, which means I  can get home and watch Netflix from the dark of the basement. 

I grab my bag and my phone before dashing up the stairs. Alex waits by the front door. Once I reach him, he locks our arms together.

What is he doing?

"Don't me mad," Alex mumbles. 

He opens the door and pulls us forward, not letting go of me as he closes it behind us. I'm still looking at him when I ask, "Why would I be mad?"

Alex sighs and I look forward to see Jack sitting in his truck.

...

"So I'm just going to-"

"Don't even think about it," I huff as Alex tries to leave Jack and I alone again, for the third time. 

"At least act civil," Alex pleads in a whisper to me. I see him look over my shoulder at Jack. "I thought you guys were getting along."

"We were," I reply, emotionless.

"Then what happened?", Alex whispers exasperatingly. 

"We just aren't anymore."

I still haven't told Alex that Jack was there; that he kissed me. Nor have I let him know that Jack was the reason I had that panic attack.

"Just go," Jack snaps. "We'll walk around while you go do whatever you were going to while Ruby and I talked."