cigarettes [Leighton Murray]

cory

"so how was first day for you?" rue tried making casual conversation with leighton as they were walking towards their dorm 

"don't start" leighton grumbled making rue chuckle 

"that bad, huh? you seemed to be enjoying with alicia" rue kicked a stone that was in her way 

"and you were flirting with lindsay, did i say anything?" 

"someone's jealous" rue teased. 

she knew leighton was never the kind of girl rue would or could have, even if she was gay. leighton came from a functional rich family with loving parents, she was rich, pretty and arrogant. leighton was everything that was out of rue's league. never in a million years could rue dream of being with someone like leighton. 

"you wish" leighton scoffed rolling her eyes. every once in a while rue stole a glance at the girl when she wasn't looking. just taking it in. 

"damn you look pretty" rue thought to herself without realising she actually said it out aloud 

"what?" leighton asked 

"you look very shitty right now, you should get some sleep" rue smiled mockingly 

the next day was off, rue still woke up early and decided to do a quick morning run, she had coffee for breakfast. when she was n her desk, working through her computer applications homework, she thought about last night and leighton, her watery blue eyes, her- 

rue sighed when her phone ringing disrupted her chain of daydreams bout the blonde, she looked at the screen and it was jordan. 

"dude what the actual fuck" 

"stop yelling"

"don't tell me to stop yelling, you were supposed to be at the club. if there was the slightest chance of them chosing you, it's gone now" jordan stressed "look i know you since middle school and this- this was your fucking dream, what happened to it rue?" 

"look, jordan. i know this was pretty much the only thing motivating me or whatever but, thinkgs got out of hand. i have a 100 hour community service on my list now. i am fucking everything up" 

"okay" he spoke in a regrettive tone "i wasn't gonna let you know till you apologised but, there was a bust. the campus security showed up and everyone ran off." he sighed "look rue, i know how this sounds coming from me but be careful, this is an underground band, they are involved in some illegal shit" 

"i know jordan, i know the risks" she reassured the guy "but don't you see? the most successful band players were involved with 'the extacy' in some way or the other" 

"yes i know, i know. i am not gonna force you since i know this is your only way out but just be careful that's all i am sayin" 

"yes thanks, and i gotta to, women's centre" she hung up and got ready to head to her destination 

"ooh are you going to see leighton?" abby teased when rue was putting on her shoes 

"i am going to get my hours of community service in, i will run into leighton not that i can control it" rue answered 

"but if you could, you'd totally be spending every waking moment with her" kayla chimed in with her notebook in hand 

"shut up" rue fake smiled at the two "i-" she stuttered "just for the record i do not like leighton like that, absolutely fucking not" she got up and walked outside 

at the centre there was just leighton, restocking tampons. seeing the blonde girl rue thought back on what kayla and abby had said. their words stuck with her, she shrugged it off taking a moment

"are you gonna get your ass over here and help me or not?" leighton grunted when she saw rue just standing at the door 

"yeah, yes 'course" she started working alongside leighton. 

did she love it? nope. 

would she rather be here than anywhere else? yes.

"anything new or interesting with you?" rue asked arranging the bookshelf 

"well yeah, i am rushing for kapa" leighton finally decided to give a decent answer to the girl for once

"of course" rue chuckled 

"what do you mean?"

"i mean, it's just obvious. a girl like you rushing kapa. it's by the books, murray" 

"yeah let me guess, you are not rushing any sorority" leighton walked closer to rue "because you think that they're shallow and pretentious" she put a finger on rue's chest, making the girl smirk 

"got quite a mouth on you, don't ya?" rue tilted her head, she put her hand above leighton's "someone should teach you what to do with it" she whispered loud enough 

"yeah-"

"leighton" alicia walked inside making the two girls abruptly part. rue cleared her throat. 

"hello to you too" rue greeted the short haired girl 

"yeah" she turned to leighton "did you buy a chair?" 

"yeah, i figured if i am gonna spend a hundred hours here, i am not gonna spend it on a chair that's older than i am" 

"you know.. you can't just-" alicia was starting to voice her disappointment 

"and before you jump on my dick, my shift is over in ten minutes and i've done a bunch of work" leighton started 

"yeah i can account for that" rue made a brief eye contact with leighton, smirking. leighton cleared her throat 

"anyways, i could really use your help tonight" alicia asked leighton 

"yeah, i can't i have a.. thing" the blonde said making rue look at her 

"a date?" alicia speculated 

"yeah" the blonde replied. rue tuned alicia out, focusing on the bookshelf. 

10 minutes later when leighton left, it was just alicia and rue in the room, alicia working on a register while rue was packing up 

"hey are you leaving?" alicia stood up 

"yeah, my shift's over" rue stopped in her tracks 

"yeah i know" she picked up a phone from the table "leighton forgot it i guess, could you give it back?" 

"yeah!" rue, without missing a beat, exclaimed. then she realised she might've sounded a bit too enthusiastic based on alicia's raised eyebrows "i mean" she spoke in a lower voice, taking the phone "yeah sure, i'll give it to her i guess" and she walked outside, rather sprinted. 

rue walked through the campus looking for leighton, she thought back on alicia asking leighton for help, and not rue. maybe she just wanted to spend to spend time with the blonde-. 

rue's chain of thoughts was disturbed when she finally spotted leighton with the guy she was on a date with. rue  smiled to herself thinking of a petty comment to give the blonde when returnug her phone. 

her smile was immediately replaced by a frown when she saw leighton pull the guy in and kiss him. she froze. when she regained her composure, she reached into her pocket and took out her phone calling the only person she would at this moment.

the line rang twice before it was answered.

"hey rue, been a minute since you called" 

"yeah, i know. can i come over, ashley?"