Gen & Ruby

3. Ruby

The entirety of the following week wasn't much of an excitement. Day after day of mundane classes and the usual activities that happen on schedule every other day of the week. Maybe it was because it was May. Everyone was tired of everything and nobody had any motivation for anything.

Genevieve didn't go to our school, but it would of been nice if she had. It would be nice to see any new face at this place. But Genevieve was interesting. And for some reason my mind lingered on her.

It was rare that you found a decent human being these days.

"Do you want to go get some pizza?" my mom stood in my doorway biting her fingernails as she had been for about three or four minutes now.

"I don't care."

She sighed, "We could do this all day Lucas. Pick a place already."

"I. Don't. Care. Mom."

"You're about to get an 'I Don't Care' right across the mouth." she left and let the door shut behind her. "We're leaving in ten minutes!"

"UUUUUUUUUGH."

The entire ride to Joanie's Pizza, my mom reminisced and cried about my childhood and how she couldn't believe I was seventeen. She seems to be convinced that I will be wanting to move out and get married and have children within two days.

When we got to Joanie's, I jumped out of the car as quickly as possible. My mom stayed behind for a couple of minutes to compose herself. Eventually, she got out of the car without even looking like there was a problem. Her green dress was perfectly ironed, her makeup unsmeared, and her hair completely without frays. It amazed me how she always sucked up her problems and put on her family friendly face.

I took a seat on the bench right inside the Joanie's while my mom went to pick up our order. "We ordered in for Beatty."

"It will just be a second. I think they're boxing it." said a faintly familiar voice.

It couldn't be.

I stood up and walked over to my mom's side.

It was.

Genevieve Louise Garner. Working at Joanie's Pizza.

She came back to the counter. At the sight of me, her face turned bright red. "Oh. Hi Luke."

I smiled and laughed a little, "Well howdy Genevieve Louise."

She rolled her eyes. "I can't decide if fate decided I needed to see a decent human being today or if this is just a stroke of bad luck."

"A stroke of bad luck to run into me? Thanks Garner."

That got a smile. "No. A stroke of bad luck for you to see me wearing a pizza visor."

My mom looked back and forth between us with everything we said. Her face frozen somewhere between amazement and glee. "So you're Genevieve!" my mother cooed, "I've heard so much about you!"

"Mom, no you haven't?"

She nudged me, "Shut up it makes you sound nice!"

I felt my face get red. I couldn't imagine how awkward Gen must've been feeling. I dare not look at her. My mother rambled on and on about how great it was that Genevieve had a job and was making her own money. I looked at her and mouthed the words "I'm sorry", but it's like she wasn't even paying attention to me. She was smiling and listening to my mom talk. Looking genuinely interested. It surprised me. Even I couldn't stand to hear my mother talk for too long. I'd never expect someone else to.