Chapter 45: That Was Close
The mac and cheese was starting to congeal on my plate, while Nina was still grinning at Ruby’s question about us dating, her foot nudging mine under the table again like she was daring me to react.
Ruby was staring at her sandwich, probably wishing she could disappear after accidentally setting off that conversational landmine.
I cleared my throat, desperate to move past the awkwardness. Ruby’s question had thrown me, but it also reminded me of Jake’s hopeless crush. This was my shot to gather some intel for him—carefully, without looking like a total creep.
"So, uh, Ruby," I said, keeping my voice casual despite the nervous twitch in my fingers. "You got any big plans for the weekend? Like, hanging out with anyone special or...?" I trailed off, hoping it sounded natural and not like I was fishing.
She looked up, her ponytail bouncing slightly. Her cheeks went pink again, and she fiddled with her water bottle cap.
"Oh, um, no. Just... studying, probably." She gave a small shrug, her voice soft. "My grades have been kind of rough lately, so I’m trying to catch up."
Nina nodded, poking at her salad. "Ugh, I feel that. Chemistry’s been kicking my butt. You got a study group or anything?"
Ruby shook her head, her eyes dropping back to her tray. "Not really. I just... study alone. It’s easier that way."
’That’s something. She’s not out with some mystery boyfriend.’ I leaned forward a bit, trying to keep the conversation going without pushing too hard. "What’s the toughest subject for you right now?"
"History," she said instantly, her voice a little sharper, like she was relieved to talk about something normal. "All those dates and names... it’s like my brain just nopes out."
I remembered the history project Jake had mentioned, the one where Ruby had gotten really into the Egypt stuff. "Didn’t you ace that Egypt project a while back?" I asked, hoping I wasn’t misremembering.