Chapter 10
Sebastian
I TILTED MY PHONE AWAY from the afternoon sun streaming in through my office window. Ruby’s message sat open, the latest in a string of photo updates from Coral Bay.
I’d texted to ask about the progress since the last update, and she sent one wide shot of the cabins in scaffolding, a close-up of exposed beams, and now a blurry snap of a hand-drawn sketch with the caption: “This is what their structural guy wants to do for the main house.”
I zoomed in, angling the phone.
No scale, no proper notations. And ... was that a load-bearing post rerouted?
“Great progress on the cabins,” I texted back. “But can you ask Dave what size supports they’re planning to use, especially for the north corner? Also what grade the anchor bolts are.”
A few seconds later, a thumbs-up bubble bounced back.
I leaned back in my chair, rubbing my neck.
I swiped back to one of Ruby’s earlier pics—a selfie she’d taken in front of a nearly finished cabin. Most of the frame was the structure behind her, but I could still see part of her in yoga pants and an oversized tee. Her smile was half-exhausted, half-defiant. Gorgeous. Familiar.
I could trace the girl she once was—the one she’d tried to leave behind—under the current head-turning version of her. But she was a part of her. Just like the overweight kid with a collection of action figures lived somewhere in me.
Plus, I still had that collection, and these days, some of them were worth a fortune on eBay.
We hadn’t really talked since the morning I left. That was normal—we rarely spoke between visits. What wasn’t normal was the way she’d curled into me that night. Slept with me. Just slept. How natural it felt. Somehow, it left a deeper mark than anything else, and I still carried it.
I knew why.
I wasn’t twenty-five anymore, like when this had first started. Not even thirty.
I wanted something real. A life. A center of gravity.
And for me, that was Ruby.
I’d lived in theory for a long time, but Ruby—without either one of us noticing—made me want to live in practice.
But she didn’t feel the same.
We used to be on the same page, but now I was ready to turn to the next chapter, while she was content rereading the ones we’d written years ago.
My phone buzzed again. Another message from her.
“Dave says they’ll use the same support setup for the main house as the cabins. They want to start laying them Monday.”
The cabins were newer, lighter build. But the main house had two stories, heavy timber framing, and decades of layered renovations, and that was a whole other load-bearing animal.
And the engineer knew it. I’d spoken to him just over a week ago when we toured the grounds together.
I ran a hand through my hair, then typed a reply. “Tell him to show you his math.”
“Why?” Ruby typed back.
“Because these are different structures, different stresses.”
I wasn’t officially involved. But I was already checking my Outlook for next week’s schedule.
I dialed my project manager’s number. “Hey, quick one. Do you need me here next week?” His answer satisfied me. I then blocked my calendar for new invites, just in case. I could do the axial load optimization review from anywhere.
Ruby’s reply arrived soon after. “He just answered. Says he’s streamlining the process that way.”
Streamlining ... right. More like padding the profit margin. I didn’t type that. Instead, I wrote, “The engineer said that? Ask him to present his calculations in full.”
“No. Dave, the contractor. Will ask and send it to you once I have it.” A second later, another line appeared. “Thanks, Sebastian. I really appreciate this. You’re the only one I trust not to screw it up. Math, life, parallel parking.”
I chuckled quietly. Life was made of math. And somehow, no matter how I ran the numbers, they always pointed to her.
IT WAS THE END OF JULY, the final meeting of the Force Alliance before we’d all scatter to our different colleges. A month and a half had passed since our graduation and prom, to which we all went stag, partying together.
To this final meeting at my house, Brandon and Ellie arrived together, holding hands, kissing, and letting us all know they were officially a couple.
“It started at prom,” Ellie said when Ruby asked.
I’d prepared one final trivia game, mixing everyone’s favorite shows and movies, so no one, even the two who swore Babylon 5 was superior, would feel left out. There were snacks and sodas and chats about dorm assignments, and nervous laughter about life ahead.
When the meeting ended, Ruby stayed behind to help me clean before my parents and little sister got back from Six Flags.
“That was an interesting plot twist with Brandon and Ellie,” she said when we brought the empty snack bowls to the kitchen.
I smirked. “Classic for a season finale.”
Ruby chuckled. She then grabbed the last of the paper cups and dropped them into the trash. “Do you think they’ll last?”
“Maybe. Young love and all that. Stranger things have happened.”
The truth was, I’d never been in love. Not exactly. Crushes came and went. Some girls I liked for a week, a month. I liked Ruby—a lot. But I wasn’t sure if what I felt for her qualified as love. It just ... felt good.
She leaned against the kitchen table, grinning with a mischievous glint in her eye. “Do you think they’re doing it?”
“Who?”
“Who? Us!” she retorted sarcastically.
My brain stalled for a second. My heart did too.
There was a pause, and I knew the same thought crossed her mind, too, because Ruby hurried to add, “Brandon and Ellie, of course!”
“I don’t know,” I said awkwardly, my mind still calculating risks and chances and odds.
“They’re not doing it right this second.” She laughed. “I meant generally.”
“Probably. I guess,” I replied.
She helped me collect leftover character sheets and printouts of our last D&D session, and we brought them up to my room.
I put them back in a drawer, and when I turned around, I found her standing there. Watching me.
Nervous, I smiled.
She smiled back.
We just stood there for what felt like a very long moment, looking at each other.
Then, Ruby suddenly crossed the room, stopped right in front of me, rose to her tiptoes, and ... kissed me. On the mouth.
It was soft. Unsure. Real.
I could taste the cherry cola on her lips.
She pulled back just slightly, her cheeks flushed. “I’ve never done this,” she said quietly.
“Me neither.” I swallowed.
Another pause.
Then, even softer, she added, “Do you want to?”
I nodded, because I really, really did. And because I couldn’t imagine a safer person to want it with.
A few heartbeats later, we leaned in and kissed again. It was longer this time. We gripped each other clumsily, not quite knowing what to do with our hands and too concentrated on what was happening with our lips.
We fumbled our way to the bed. I shoved aside my 3D model of the Apollo Lunar Module and yanked off the Millennium Falcon comforter.
Ruby’s hands trembled slightly when she took off her shirt, and I followed by peeling off mine.
My breath caught. She wore a simple, pink cotton bra, and her skin was pale in the soft afternoon light. She was beautiful and sexy. She reached out and brushed her fingers down my chest, and for once, I didn’t feel awkward about my body.
We kissed again. Deeper this time. Wetter, bolder. We still clashed teeth occasionally, but it didn’t matter.
We were a scramble of limbs, unsure palms, and ragged breaths. I didn’t know where to touch first, what would feel good for her—or how to keep from finishing before we even started. As it was, my jeans were already straining and sporting a huge tent.
When my pants were unzipped and her hand moved down and touched me, I almost came in my underwear.
“Wait, I need to ...” I managed, reaching for the condom I’d hidden in my drawer months ago—optimistic, just in case. I held it up like it was some kind of rare artifact.
“I think we better ...” Ruby said, slipping out of her shorts.
Kicking off my jeans, I ducked my head under the blanket to try putting the condom on. I couldn’t see much, just more skin and shadows.
“You need help?” Ruby asked from above.
“They taught us this in health class,” I said, wrestling with it. “I’ve just never had a girl around before.”
I cringed a second too late, realizing I’d basically admitted I’d practiced solo.
When it was finally on, I pulled my head out from under the blanket and looked at Ruby. She was lying there, eyes wide but fixed on mine.
“Are you sure?” I asked.
She nodded. “Yeah.”
I shifted to lie on top of her, bashful and careful, and we kissed, my hand braced beside her head.
It felt amazing to be naked with her. All that sweet, scented skin and warmth and softness of her body.
I touched her breasts while kissing her. I wanted to kiss them too, but knew I’d fill that condom now if I even tried.
Just lying like this with my body fitting between her legs was enough to make my year, but I wanted to be inside her. It didn’t work the first time—I was too off-angle or too nervous—but on the second try, everything aligned.
I heard myself groaning at the warm, tight slickness I was pushing slowly into. It was ... amazing.
Ruby gasped slightly, and I froze.
“Are you okay?” I whispered.
She nodded. “It just stings a little. I’m okay.”
“Sorry,” I whispered, wondering if I should have done something differently. I moved slowly, trying to remember everything I’d ever read, every locker room conversation I’d overheard. The pleasure and excitement and nervousness were so acute that I exploded far too fast—two minutes, maybe less.
I stayed there for a moment, stunned by the rush of feeling, and also not quite sure what I was supposed to do now. Eventually, I pulled out, rolled to the side, and took care of the condom, still catching my breath.
I looked over at Ruby. “You okay? Should I ... do something to, um, pleasure you?” I asked, the words clumsy in my mouth. I wasn’t even sure I was using the right verbiage.
She smiled, warm and a little dazed. “No. I’m okay. I’m just ... glad.”
“Me too,” I said.
Wanting to do something right, something grown-up, I slid an arm around her and gently tugged her closer until her head rested on my shoulder, like I’d seen them do in movies.
Besides, I wanted to feel her close. I didn’t want this to end.
Ruby let out a soft breath and settled in.
Something expanded in my chest.
She shifted a little on my shoulder, her voice muffled against my skin. “So ... was it what you imagined?”
I let out a breathy laugh. “Kind of? I mean, it was amazing, but I thought it’d last longer.”
She grinned and tilted her face up toward me.
“What about you?” I asked, wincing inside, because it couldn’t have been great for her.
“It didn’t hurt as much as I thought it might.”
I looked at her, serious. “Good. I was worried about that.”
“I liked everything before and now, and even the ... thing itself. You were sweet,” she said. Then, smiling, she added, “And considerate, and also, like, really earnest.”
“Thanks?” I wasn’t sure if that was a compliment or not.
“No, it’s good,” she said, skimming her fingers across my chest. “I’m glad it was you.”
My throat tightened. I wanted to say something back, something smart or romantic or unforgettable, but all I managed was, “Me too.”
We kissed again, soft, long, more sure. I was starting to get hard again.
A car door slammed outside.
Ruby sat up fast. “That’ll be your parents.”
I shot upright. “Crap.”
We jumped off the bed and started dressing fast, laughing under our breath.
“The condom!” I grabbed it and stuffed it under my pillow for now, then yanked the comforter straight.
Right before we left my room, we kissed again—quick, smiling.
We passed my sister on the stairs and said hi to my parents on the way to the front door.
“See you, Sebastian,” Ruby said.
“See you, too,” I replied with a smile before the door clicked shut behind her.
She left for college a few days later to start an early summer semester, and the next time we met, we were twenty-five, experienced, and looking different.