Chapter Sixteen
It’s time to rehabilitate.
Ruby
I’m a terrible person.
The worst sort of terrible person, actually, because it took me fifteen years to even realize how terrible I was being.
Will – stupid, annoying, irritating Will – went out into the snow to pick me up. When he was already at work. And then I yelled at him for being late.
Who does that?
Even if he wasn’t at work already, he doesn’t have to stop every day to get me. And I yelled at him . When he was doing me a favor.
Seriously, who does that ?
Terrible people, that’s who.
Ridiculous. And immature. And, in case you missed it, terrible .
Not to worry though. I’m going to fix it.
I’m going to make Will my… friend.
I grimace.
Yeah. Friend.
I’m going to bend my brain to my will until what was once annoying seems endearing, and what was once irritating is but a quirk of my friend Will.
And that will totally not be hard at all.
Obviously.
Because being nice to a person who consistently goes out of his way to help you is easy. Duh.
So easy.
Haha.
“Are you ready to go, Rubble?” my definitely-a-friend’s voice calls from my office doorway.
I jolt, then scowl.
“You didn’t knock,” I snap, like a good friend would, then round my desk to grab my coat, cane, and tote bag.
“Still mad, then?” he asks as we make our way to the elevators. “I was right on time!”
I sniff. Of course he was on time. But, for the record, even if he hadn’t been, I would have been chill about it. So chill. Like a popsicle.
I’m a changed woman, after all. No more terrible Ruby.
I don’t even snap at him when he starts whistling “America the Beautiful”, even. Talk about growth. We make it all the way to the lobby before I crack.
“Will,” I start, lips tipped up pleasantly. “Is there a reason for the incessant whistling?” There. That was good. Nice and curious, not rude and terrible. Someone give me a friend of the year award.
“The better to hear me with, young wolf,” he replies, as if anyone needs help hearing him. The man is noisy .
“Ah,” I respond, then bite my tongue. Blessedly, he leaves to get the car, and I’m left to myself in the lobby for just long enough to renew my resolve.
I will be nice to Will.
I will not be terrible.
I will not be rude.
I will be friendly .
Something I manage beautifully as he guides me to his car, even as he slips on a bit of ice and nearly takes me down with him. I don’t even curse or anything.
Talk about self-control.
“Incoming call from ‘Romeo Romeo, Wherefore Art Thou Brain,’” my phone chirps as Will gets into the driver’s seat, beginning our drive home.
“Answer,” I respond.
“Roman?” I ask. “Everything okay?”
I mouth his lines as he says them, having heard them several times a week for years.
“I’m going to be late.”
Yup.
Of course he is.
“There’s homemade pizza in the freezer. Have Will stay and make it for you, yeah?”
No, not “yeah.” I can manage a car ride’s worth of friendship and niceties, but it’s only my first day of not being the worst person on earth. There’s a learning curve.
“I can just-”
“No, you can’t ‘just.’” Roman interrupts. “Grocery day is tomorrow. We’re out of basically everything.”
I groan. “I’ll order-”
“Do not finish that sentence,” he warns. “Do not even think about it.”
I sigh. “A delivery pizza is not the end of the world.”
“It’ll be the end of your world,” he states.
I roll my eyes.
“Have Will make the pizza.” And then he hangs up.
I huff.
“Incoming call from ‘Roma Roma Tomata’,” Will’s car stereo blares.
“You have got to be kidding me,” I grouch.
“Answer,” Will says, a little too merrily.
“Will,” Roman’s voice comes through, loud, stern, and annoying. “I’m not going to be home. There are pizzas in the freezer. Need you to cook a couple for you and Ruby. There are instructions taped to them.”
Will coughs, poorly covering a laugh.
“I can do that, no problem. Anything else?”
“If you could stay tonight, I’d appreciate it. I’ll be here pretty late, and I worry about Ruby there all by herself.”
“I’m a grown adult, you know!” I bark, seething. “I think I can handle being home alone for one night.”
“Last time you were home alone for one night, you called me at two in the morning because you thought there was a burglar trying to break into the house. It was a raccoon in the backyard.”
“I’ll have you know, the police said that was a very easy mistake to make!”
“The police were being nice to the cute little blind girl. You want me to pacify you like they did?”
My jaw clenches. I hate that he’s probably right. Hate it with all that I am.
“Okay!” Will cuts in. “How about I make the pizzas, then I leave whenever Ruby is ready for me to?”
I sniff. “That sounds fine to me.” I’ll be ready about four seconds after the pizzas leave the oven, and we all know it.
“Fine,” Roman agrees, rather crankily. “But Ruby, you have to promise that you’ll ask Will to stay if you’re uncomfortable. Don’t let your pride be the reason you’re up all night, paranoid at every critter that runs through our yard.”
My molars grind.
“Fine,” I spit.
“Great,” he replies.
“Great,” I mock.
“Don’t be stupid,” he orders.
“I’m never stupid.” My arms cross.
He scoffs.
“Love you,” he says.
“Love you, too,” I gripe.
“Love you!” Will butts in.
“Love you, man.” Then the line clicks.
Cool.
Great.
I’ll just… hang out with Will tonight, then. No problem.
He starts whistling along to a song on the radio, and my eye twitches.
Yep. No problem at all.