stars || Joe Sugg

24.) itsy-bitsy, teeny-weeny

joe

"Hey, babe." I mutter, nudging the black-haired girl sleeping on my shoulder. "We're almost there." She mutters something incoherent before lifting her head from my shoulder. She later replaces it, snuggling up closer to me. "Ruby, come on. You've been asleep for almost an hour."

Zoe honks the horn of her car, scaring everyone in it, especially Ruby, who wakes up immediately. "Zoe!" Alfie scolds, turning around to look at Ruby in the backseat. The younger girl sits in the middle seat holding her head in her hands as she wipes her eyes vigorously.

"No, it's alright. I needed something to wake me up." She stretches, almost hitting Josh in the face next to her. He swats her hand away at the last minute, and she mutters an apology sleepily.

I look out the front windshield to see the driver in front of us flipping us off. Zoe probably wouldn't have done it back if she didn't know it was Conor. We were all on our way to a beach somewhere in Brighton. Zoe and Louise had planned it, in hopes that it would "loosen everyone up a bit". Basically meaning, Zoe invited Ruby and Maddie, and she is going to try to mend their relationship. Ruby doesn't know that, and I have no intentions of telling her. It'll just be a surprise for her.

Once Zoe parks behind Conor's car, Ruby nearly pushes me out of the car. She told me about how she used to attend bonfires in LA with Regina a lot, so I'm sure this one is way over due. There's already so many cars and so many people here. Ruby doesn't seem anxious, though. She also hasn't been to a beach in about two months, so nothing is probably going to be able to ruin her mood.

Standing at the back of Zoe's car, Ruby pulls her sweater over her head, revealing a bright yellow bikini top. It had gotten way warmer in the past few days. Ruby is so happy about that, and I don't think I could've kept her inside the house tonight, bonfire or not. I reach inside the trunk beside her, pulling the large case of alcohol that I agreed to bring. Beside me, Ruby pulls her sandals off before throwing them in the boot as well.

"Maddie bailed on Caspar." Josh says, looking down at his phone.

"What? No." Zoe says, pulling at the hems of her jumpsuit, which Ruby calls a romper. "Is Caspar still coming?"

"Yeah, he's just having to call a car." The redhead answers, shoving the phone down into his back pocket. Zoe huffs annoyingly as she begins walking past me. I grab her by the arm and kiss the top of her head.

"It's alright, sis. You can figure it out later." I mutter to her. She nods before smiling as Alfie grabs her hand to pull her to the crowds of people.

"I didn't know Maddie was coming." Ruby says, pulling down her shorts in attempt to cover as much as possible. I see the top of her bikini bottom right above the top of her faded blue jean shorts.

"What happened between you and her?" I ask, reaching up to close the boot of my sister's car. Josh walks ahead, meeting up with Mikey and the Maynards, leaving Ruby and I to slowly walk over to everyone else.

"It was nothing. Just a misunderstanding." She shrugs. "Turns out Maddie is very protective of her boyfriend." Before I can question her about it further about it, Oli walks up, holding one beer in one hand and two in the other.

"How long have you been here, mate?" I ask, taking one of the bottles he offers. When he stands, he sways slightly as if he is about to tumble over.

"Um, I don't know." He laughs. "Can I steal Ruby, though? Just for a small second?" I look at Ruby, making it her decision. She nods her head head before grabbing me around the neck. She kisses my cheek quickly before taking a sip of the bottle.

"I'll catch back up with you, alright?" She mutters, taking Oli's outstretched hand.

It takes a lot to make me jealous. I just know how much I can trust Ruby and how much I can trust my friends with her. I know that none of them are going to try anything with her. Sober, at least. When some of them get drunk, the story changes a bit. I love Jack, but I would never trust him when they are drunk. Jack has the absolute worst judgement when he is drunk, and Ruby's isn't the best. I think I trust Oli that most out of the buttercream gang. Oli's too scared to try anything over on Ruby, and she wouldn't let him do anything anyways.