17 DATES

CHAPTER 1: the wrong way to start uni

The first time his fist connected with the white plastic of the fridge, she didn't move. It was all a dream, it had to be. What happened in the span of a few minutes for him to react this way? A dark hand wrapped around her throat, her eyes almost popping in their sockets. She flinched the second time he threw his fist into the fridge, cracking his knuckles. Traces of blood appeared by the postcard her mother had sent her from her last vacation. The situation reminded her of something she buried a long time ago.

What surprised her more than the sudden violence, were the tears in his eyes. The fourth time he punched the fridge, Ruby stood up with a flinch and tried to think of a way to calm the situation before the fist would turn on her. She approached him with slow steps, arms in the air as if he was a frightened animal, while feeling like one herself.

"Hey," her words were shaky. He turned around, eyes red and lips shaking. She was ready to jump back, but her reaction was delayed when he embraced her and sobbed into her shoulder. Wide eyed, she wrapped her shaky arms around him to attempt to placate him with comfort.

"I can't."

"What's wrong? Is this about the girl you like? You said that she wasn't ready for a relationship, right? You can wait for her if you like her this much. I'm sure everything is going to be fine." She thought quickly, something definitely wasn't right. He was shaking in her arms. As quickly as he grabbed her, he stepped back, walking toward the bathroom. Ruby followed him, only to arrive when he snapped his fist into the door of the bathroom and gasped in pain. His whole face was red from the lack of oxygen from the sobbing.

He turned around toward her again and jumped into her arms again. She immediately wrapped her arms around his shaking shoulders and tried to calm him down. He started mumbling about something, sounding drunk and devastated.

"It's okay," she whispered into his ear, shaky and unsure.

"It's not. It's definitely not." He shook his head against her shoulder.

Her hold tightened, pulling him closer. He was one of the only ones who stuck by her side through her situation with Mia, which was why she only wanted the best for him.

"If she's affecting you like this, maybe she isn't good for you," she spoke quietly, her toned arms warm against his skin.

"No. No, it's not about her," he mumbled. Ruby almost didn't hear him.

They stayed wrapped around each other while Ben Platt played in the background. He pulled back, his arms around her waist. Her lips slipped into a pout as she looked at him, eyebrows pulling together. Tears slipped down his textured cheeks, dripping from haunted eyes. It happened too fast for Ruby to react. She should have seen the signs or sent him home after the first two glasses of gin. The gin and whiskey pulled him toward her until his lips molded around hers. Her heart stopped. She didn't know what to do, so she closed her eyes and let it happen. As quickly as her mind shut down, it came back to life again. The kiss hadn't lasted a second before she pulled back and wrapped her arms around him again. It lasted an eternity for her.

Her eyes filled with tears. It was time for her to cry. While she adored love, it was still a stranger for her.

"I'm sorry." He cried against her shoulder, but she was numb. He kissed her. She was kissed. He pulled back and puckered up again. Rubysnapped out of her daze and pulled him back into a hug. It didn't matter to him, at least it didn't seem like it. His hands dropped to her backside, squeezing. Her eyes snapped shut, wishing away the night. He melted into the hug until it felt like it was only the two of them. For her, the isolated feeling felt like a nightmare. She was alone with someone who was violent and kissed her. She knew enough about relationships to know that Anton seemed like a troubled person who wasn't safe to be around.