𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐮𝐛𝐲 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬

THIRTEEN.

TRIGGER WARNING: MENTIONS OF ABUSE

(I'd also like to apologize for not adding these sooner and will go back to fix that. I'm so sorry for anyone who read something that triggered them...)

The moment Ruby saw Ben staring at her neck, her hand flew up to cover it and readjust her scarf. The soaked scarf had sagged because of the water and now revealed her neck. Ruby knew her attempt to cover her scar up again would be in vain, judging by the look on Ben's face he had seen enough, but she did it anyway in the desperate hope that Ben would let it go. She knew he wouldn't. Ben was a sweetheart and would honour anyone's wishes, but not when it came to something like this. With something important like this, Ben would become the most stubborn person you'd ever meet. 

Ruby hesitantly looked at Ben, her hand resting on her neck in a weak attempt to look casual. Ben's expression was a combination of horror and worry and when his eyes locked with Ruby's, she saw the resolution in them.

Slowly, Ben raised his hand up towards her neck. He gently pulled her hand away and Ruby didn't have the courage to fight him off. Ben was very deliberate with his movements and he started unwrapping Ruby's red scarf, undoing the bobby pins with delicate fingers. By now, Ruby had averted her eyes away in shame. She felt tears built up in her eyes, but pushed them down stubbornly. This whole situation was humiliating enough for her and crying would only make it worse.

From the corner of her eyes, Ruby could see Ben putting her scarf to the side. The cold breeze that ran past her exposed neck contrasted with the burning stare of Ben. His fingers carefully grazed the jagged skin on her neck and she flinched, making Ben drop his hand immediately.

Ruby didn't dare look up at Ben. She didn't want to see his reaction. Maybe he was disgusted by her now, she knew she would be. Anytime she looked at the scarred-up tissue she felt disgusted, so why wouldn't he? Maybe he saw her scars as a weakness, like she did. If she was stronger she wouldn't have those scars. If she was better her neck would be untouched.

But Ben didn't feel any of those things. He felt worried; worried about what could've happened to the girl he loved. He also felt angry, angrier than he had ever been before. Someone had done this to her, and the thought alone was enough to make his blood boil. 

But despite his immense worry and anger, he mostly felt upset. Upset that Ruby had gone through such a thing, and upset because he had seen and recognized the look on her face. Ruby was ashamed and Ben couldn't understand it. She had nothing to be ashamed of. If she was angry, upset, resentful, Ben would've understood, but he couldn't understand why she felt ashamed. The idea that she felt ashamed upset him because it wasn't fair for her to go through that and then end up feeling ashamed for it. Ruby didn't deserve that.

So, he gently reached over and lifted her head, forcing her to look him in the eye. Ruby tried averting her eyes even when she was facing Ben, but Ben was adamant.

"Ruby, look at me," He said gently. Hesitantly, Ruby did. Her coffee brown eyes met his hazel green ones and Ruby felt like crying when she saw the soft expression he wore. She didn't see all those expressions she'd feared. She found sympathy, and while she usually hated that, it was exactly what she needed right now.

Ben scooted closer and cupped Ruby's cheeks with both hands. Ruby didn't know what he was doing, she wasn't sure what would happen. He rubbed his thumb across her cheeks in a comforting way and Ruby fought her urge to put her hands on top of his. It wasn't right. He wasn't supposed to sit there and look at her like she was still beautiful, he should've made a disgusted comment by now.