cigarettes [Leighton Murray]

safe space

evening arrived. kayla and abigail were at a 'naked party' which sounded awfully a lot like an orgy to rue, she decided to stay back and work on her biochem homework before she headed off. 

she had been studying for 4 hours when she realised it was nightime and she started feeling a bit sleepy, she took off her glasses to rub her face. she then decided to take her guitar and make a quick coffee run. one hand in her pocket, the other holding on to her coffee when she saw the blon- leighton with two bottles of what looked like beer in her hand. 

"wait" rue approached the girl "you are alone on a friday night? didn't take you for a loser type" 

"...." leighton remained silent, trying to ignore the girl

"what? no insult? no petty comment?" rue sipped on her coffee looking for a reaction 

"i am alone and so are you" leighton reminded rue "you're in no position to judge me" 

"sure, but i actually have plans unlike you, who's gonna drink her sorrows?" rue threw her empty can in a trashcan nearby. 

rue stayed for a minute studying the blonde's expressions and sighed 

"you just can't help but run your mouth can you?" leighton's tone was sharp, she was now a bit irritated by rue 

"if you're so smart and observant, why don't you use it for something else other than being a condescending ass" rue snapped back 

"i doubt there's anything about you that's interesting to observe" 

"and yet here you are wasting your time talking to me" rue shrugged "what's going on with you" she spoke when leighton didn't respond for a minute 

"i don't have to talk to you about it" leighton's phone rang, rue took out hers to text jordan to let him know she won't be there for a while "hello?" leighton spoke on the phone, rue's phone buzzed, a call from jordan

"yeah, man" 

"don't 'yeah man' me, where the fuck are you?" 

"i told you, it's like an emergency, i need a couple hours" 

"a coup- i am sorry, did you say a couple hours?" 

"yeah, i just- i am dealing with something" 

"this is your chance, rue i am just sayin-" 

"you don't think i fucking know that" leighton's voice was heard by jordan

"wait, you're missing this because of a girl? rue? RUE CRAWFORD"  

"leighton wait-" rue's phone slipped from her grip when she tried to stop leighton from smashing her bottle into the statue but she was too late "what the fuck is wrong with you?" 

leighton turned around and yelled "I AM THRIVING" which honestly made rue more scared and confused than angry

"shit" cop sirens were heard when rue grabbed leighton's hand and started running off, she knew it wasn't the best idea but the only idea 

after running from a couple campus security guards rue and leighton ended up at the college  president's office the next morning, with leighton trying to bribe her way out of this and rue wanting to just get it over with. 

"thank you" rue grabbed the pamphlet from the man and walked out looking for the woman's centre when she was joined by leighton 

"dude what the hell? i could've gotten us both out of this" 

"yeah i saw you trying, good job on that" rue kept walking while she avoided eye contact with leighton 

"you're seriously not blaming me for that are you?" 

"of course i am, murray. you were drunk and now we both have 100 hours at the women's centre each. so thanks a lot for that" rue walked off leaving leighton 

"hi i am rue and i've been given 100 hours to work here i guess" rue stepped inside the centre 

"i am ginger, she her hers" 

"lindsay, she her hers"

"alicia, she her hers"

"tova, they them theirs" 

"i am she her, sorry i forgot to mention it earlier" rue said just when leighton walked inside 

"i was caught underage drinking and that's why i have to work here" leighton began 

"not off to a great start" rue mumbled before asking ginger if she can sit beside her to which ginger agreed. rue took a seat between lindsay and ginger "can i just say, i am in no way shape or form associated with this woman" rue pointed at leighton as she joked to everyone, lindsay laughing a little too hard 

"what are you here for then?" lindsay asked the her when alicia and leighton started conversing 

"oh, she was drunk, violently smashed a glass alchohol bottle on the statue, then belittled the guards who chased her, i was just standing with her at the time, thus me getting the service" rue explained to lindsay who just smiled the whole time. 

"it's a bell we hit when we feel like it'd be good to have a safe space" ginger explained 

"i thought it was already supposed to be a safe space?" rue asked as she looked over at leighton, seeking for her approval. rue smiled when she saw leighton smirk. ginger hit the 'safe space bell' again