Chapter 20

CHAPTER TWENTY

T omorrow Is a Big Day

Ruby

“Ruby, you clearly don’t owe me anything,” Charlie starts and I see how much I’ve hurt her.

“Please don’t do that. I know I’ve been acting weird and keeping secrets, but please don’t say I don’t owe you because you’re my best friend, and I want us to be there for each other.”

“But…” she says.

“There are no buts,” I reply, feeling so guilty. “Everything happened so fast. I told you about the guy I was seeing from my kin class. He was so good-looking, I thought he was my type but when we kissed, I wasn’t feeling it. I never feel anything and that scared me.”

“I don’t have a problem with how you were feeling. I have a problem that you’ve kept the most important parts of your life a secret, while I trusted you with my most-cherished secrets,” she answers.

“I feel terrible, Charlie. I didn’t expect Mack to even speak to me when I moved in. He’d barely spoken to me the last couple years I’ve been here and I hated his radio silence, but I got used to it. Then we were thrown into the situation in the house and. . .” I bite my lip.

“You don’t have to tell me, Ruby. You shouldn’t feel obligated,” she states. She isn’t trying to be mean, but she’s hurting and I’m at fault.

“I don’t feel obligated. It was one crazy thing after another. The first morning we were here, Briar drove you to the sports complex and I stayed behind. I took a shower because I was a sweaty mess after that whole mess in Campbell Hall. I was upstairs leaving the shower in a towel and heading to my brother’s room when I bumped into Mack. I don’t even know how it happened, but my towel dropped and I was mortified,” I explain.

Her eyes turn wide. “You’re kidding.”

“I was mortified,” I repeat. “The first boy to see me naked and it wasn’t intentional.”

“Oh, Rubes, I wish you would’ve trusted me with all this.” She sighs.

“I wish I would’ve too. I don’t know what I was thinking, other than it was very wrong for me to want Mack. He isn’t just my brother’s best friend. We were close when we were younger, and he is literally a part of my family. So many things could go wrong and, on some level, it felt like what was happening was some sort of crazy dream or fantasy. I was living in this Macklin bubble. I feared if I blinked wrong it would be over, and this feeling I have would end and I never want it to end.”

“Are you in love with him?” she asks.

“Yes,” I reply. I don’t have to think twice. “I’m pretty sure I was in love with him since I was fourteen, but it was so wrong of me to feel this way. He calls my grandma Abuela. He is hers like Hayden and me. I also didn’t realize he wanted me the way I wanted him. It was like that day my towel dropped things changed, and they could never go back.”

“So he took your V-card. Congratulations,” she says.

“He hasn’t. He’s being so frustrating. He feels guilty about Hayden, but now. . .I’ve kind of convinced him that it has to be this weekend. Hopefully, tomorrow.”

“Rubes, I’m seriously happy for you. I can see how happy he makes you and if I see it, I’m sure Hayden and Abuela will see it too,” she assures.

“I’m not expecting them to be so understanding,” I admit. “Mack has a reputation.”

“But he cares for you,” Charlie reminds.

“He does,” I agree, probably looking like I have hearts in my eyes. “He’s been completely amazing about this whole situation, but we’ve been lying to our family and friends. I feel like shit about it.”

“I think I know something about that.” She exhales.

“I hope you can forgive me,” I say to her.

“Of course. You’re my person, Rubes,” she replies, and I don’t know why I am so emotional today, but my eyes fill with tears.

“You’re my person too, Charlie.” I hug her. She hugs me back.

“Don’t worry, Finn and I will go somewhere tomorrow to give you guys some privacy. I’m super excited for you.” She yawns.

“Thanks, babe, it feels good and exciting. Only one problem. We need Aaron gone. He’s loyal to Hayden. I don’t need him calling my brother and being a snitch.”

“We can take Aaron with us. I want tomorrow to be special for you.” She smiles and yawns again.

I yawn too.

“Thanks, I don’t know what I did to deserve a best friend like you, but I’ll take it.”

“Back at you, Rubes, you’ve been so supportive of me and Finn all along,” Charlie states.

“I’m happy for you, Charlie,” I tell her.

“I’m happy for you too. Now let’s get some sleep. I’m exhausted.” she urges.

“Me too.” I yawn again since we are on a roll.

“Oh, I know, babe. We could hear how good your chemistry is with Mack.” She laughs.

I pause, my eyes feeling like they are almost popping from my head. “You could hear? I thought all the loud music would drown us out.”

“I mean, Finn’s room is next door to Mack’s,” she reminds. “But I think you were safe with everyone downstairs, and Aaron is drunk. Hopefully, he doesn’t remember you and Mack coming downstairs with ‘I just got fucked glowing faces.’”

“Damn.” I blush. I am glowing from Macklin.

“Okay, let’s go to sleep. Tomorrow is a big day.”

“Good idea,” I tell her. We hug one more time and then we head back into the main room. Finn and Macklin are talking quietly and Aaron is still asleep on the couch.

“It’s probably better I sleep in my bed tonight,” I say to Macklin.

“Night, guys,” Charlie says, and she heads upstairs with Finn, who gives us a small wave.

“Is Finn okay with everything?” I ask Macklin. He is Hayden’s captain.

“He thinks I need to be honest with your brother. It was my plan anyway. I’m not walking away from you, Periwinkle.” He leans in to kiss me.

“Is that a promise?” I ask.

“You bet your life it is,” he replies. “But you’re probably right about tonight. Best you sleep in your room just in case Aaron barges into my room, which he sometimes does in the morning.”

“Charlie said she and Finn will be scarce tomorrow to give us some privacy. She also said they’ll take Aaron with them,” I inform Macklin.

“That’s a relief,” he says.

“Yeah,” I agree.

“Get some sleep, beautiful. Tomorrow is a big day.”

“When you put it that way, it makes me nervous. I’ve waited a long time for this,” I confess.

He leans in to kiss me. “Me too.”