Chapter Eleven
Tuesday
Ruby:
Why he has text me halfway through our lecture, I’m not sure, but I don’t want to risk becoming known as the girl who pays more attention to her texts than she does her course, so I decide I’ll reply when we’re out and we can hash over the details then.
Except the idea goes straight out of my head when I leave the building and see Josh leaning against the brick wall opposite.
I duck around the corner before he sees me, my heart violently pounding at the mere sight of the boy. It occurs to me, in that moment, that Oscar should be questioning me more, because I literally arranged to see Josh for lunch, yet I’m hiding from him just to get the chance to look at him.
He’s wearing blue jeans and a sea-green T-shirt beneath his grey hoodie, the zip left open even though it’s cold.
The T-shirt is tight enough across his chest that I can see where the fabric stretches over his pecs, then narrows at his waist, and when he folds his arms it pulls harder across his shoulders and bunches into little creases beneath his armpits.
His sleeves cut across the thickest part of his upper arms, making them look bigger, and there’s a strip of skin between the cuff and his wrist where the veins in his forearm stand out when he grips his phone.
God.
He is so, so hot.
My phone vibrates in my hand.
JOSH (13:00): Hey, I’m outside your lecture. Thought I could walk you to lunch x
I suck in a breath, my entire body so painfully aware of him that I don’t know what I’m supposed to do with it.
My heart is going mental, I can’t stop looking at him, and there’s this restless, fizzy feeling running through me that makes me want to get over there as quickly as possible while also staying hidden for another five minutes just so I can keep staring.
I like seeing his name on my phone and knowing he’s waiting for me, even though fancying someone who looks like Josh feels a bit like setting myself up for failure.
I’ve seen the girls looking at him when we’re out, I know Brooke thinks he’s gorgeous, Abi practically has a running commentary on it, and if I’ve noticed him this much in less than a week, other girls are going to notice him too.
Girls prettier than me.
Girls who don’t have to hide the worst parts of themselves behind fake university societies and long sleeves, who could let him fancy them without wondering how long it would take before they had to explain everything deep, dark secret.
In the grand scheme of things, I don’t stand much of a chance.
Doesn’t stop a tiny, hopeful part of me from thinking that maybe him waiting outside my lecture means I have one anyway.
RUBY (13:02): OMW x
I wait another few seconds so there’s no chance he’ll work out I was hiding around the corner staring at him, then walk out with what I hope is a normal expression on my face.
“Hey.” I grin up at him when I reach him, not stopping until I’m close enough to see the flecks of gold scattered through the green of his eyes.
“Hey.” His grin comes straight back, his phone disappearing into his back pocket while his eyes move over me, from my face down towards my clothes and back again, and every bit of skin they pass over seems to know he’s looking. “You hungry?”
For you? Unfortunately. “Yeah. You?”
“I’m always hungry.” He pushes himself away from the wall. “Want to go and get some lunch?”
“Yeah.” I fall into step beside him. “Sure.”
We make it halfway down the path before his shoulder knocks into mine. “I was thinking we could get Wing Sing and go back to my room to finish off that episode of Fargo?”
And there goes that tiny, hopeful part of me again, my lips curving upwards a little bit. “That sounds really great.”
The rest of the day disappears faster than it should, and at some point between lunch and me ending up back at his flat with everyone else, I abandon my jumper in his bedroom.
I don’t even realise until he texts me after I’m back in halls.
JOSH (17:00): You left your jumper in my room, want me to bring it back? X
RUBY (17:05): No that’s okay, I’ll get it at lunch tomorrow x
JOSH (17:12): You sure? I can drop it round later. X
RUBY (17:18): I think I can survive one night without it x
JOSH (17:25): Alright, alright. Just didn’t want you accusing me of stealing it tomorrow x
RUBY (17:31): I wasn’t going to, but now you’ve mentioned it I’m suspicious.
JOSH (17:39): Bit small for me unfortunately.
RUBY (17:42): Unfortunately? Been wanting a little blue cropped jumper, have you? X
JOSH (17:48): Would really bring out my eyes x
RUBY (17:52): I actually think it would. You should try it on and send me a picture x
JOSH (18:03): Nice try.
RUBY (18:05): Coward ;) x
JOSH (18:11): That’s twice you’ve called me that in the last few days. Even though it was YOU who dragged me into a bush to hide from Bernardo yesterday.
RUBY (18:16): I DID NOT drag you into that bush. I ran and you followed!
JOSH (18:24): Pretty sure you grabbed my hand and PULLED me, Ruby Hollis.
RUBY (18:28): Pretty sure you were grateful.
JOSH (18:36): Maybe.
RUBY (18:42): See you at lunch tomorrow, Grumpy x
JOSH (18:49): I’ll bring your jumper. Try not to leave anything else in my room next time or I might be tempted to keep it x
RUBY (18:55): I’ll do my best ;) x
I bite the inside of my cheek and fall back against my pillows, grinning up at the ceiling of my dorm like a twelve-year-old who is finally getting attention off that one boy she’s always liked.
OSCAR (21:00): You doing okay?
RUBY (22:00): Yeah. You?
Oscar doesn’t reply, but my phone goes again nearly an hour later.
JOSH (23:30): Night, Ruby xx
RUBY (23:31): night, Josh xXx