Hers (Ruby Rose)

44| Adults

MY PHONE BUZZED on the counter while I was packing my lunch for another workday. I dropped everything I was doing and grabbed it, unsure of who it could be.

The caller ID read 'Seth', Gemma's dad. I quickly answered it.

"Hey, how are you?" I said as I leaned my hip against the black marble counter.

"Oh, we're taking each day as it comes. What about you, Ellis?"

"Yeah alright, alright." My eyes wandered over to Gemma's bedroom door, and I wondered if I should tell him about our new roommate. But before I could, he spoke again.

"That's good, actually, I was just calling to see if you would like to celebrate Christmas with us, here on the estate. Nothing grand, just a small celebration and then you can sleep over the night."

"That sounds amazing, I'd love that." I said, smiling against the phone.

"Oh, and invite Ruby. I've always wanted to meet Gemma's roommate."

"Sure," I said, surprised that they never met.

I ended up talking on the phone much longer than I had expected, as I had started telling him about my new job. Finally, we said goodbye and as soon as I had hung up, I ran to Ruby's room. She had just woken up and was searching through her closet.

"Guess who just called,"

"Joshua's family after they found out about yesterday?" She said, smirking.

"No, Gemma's dad."

Ruby's smile diminished slightly as she prepared for the worst.

"How would you like to celebrate Christmas over at his?"

I expected her to get excited at the idea, but instead she just looked unsure.

"What about Gia? We can't just leave her here on her own." Ruby said, continuing to sort through her clothes.

"I mean, I'm sure it's no problem if she came..." I pulled up my messages to send one to Seth, asking if Gia could come along. Deep down, I wished she wouldn't come. I wanted to spend some time with Ruby alone, and I felt like Gia would just be in the way of that. After sending it I slid my phone into the back pocket of my jeans.

"I better get going. I'll see you tonight?" I slowly began backing out of the room.

Ruby nodded in response and I finally turned around and walked towards my bag, letting out a heavy breath.

WORK WENT SMOOTHLY, and Joshua still had not mentioned the incident from yesterday. We spent the entire day playing with the basketball and even when I was tired and wanted to stop, he insisted that we kept going.

When I arrived back home, I felt like I had just finished the gym. I walked into the bedroom and dropped my bag on the floor before falling face first onto the bed. I rolled over onto my back and closed my eyes, hoping to sneak in a little nap before dinner.

I felt the mattress dip beside me and I opened my eyes to see Ruby laying next to me, the back of her hand tucked underneath her cheek as she stared at me.

"You're so pretty," she mumbled. I thought I heard her incorrectly.

"What?"