Have loved reading all your comments lately, sorry this has taken so long.
140 votes for chapter 21 :)
Lots of love xx
ask.fm/rubyhannah
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I got up earlier than anyone else in the house, taking advantage of the free pool and kitchen. Once the boys were up we got changed and made our way to the gym.
"I'll drive," Beau declared. No one disagreed, just followed him to the car where Jai bagsed front seat. As usual, traffic at this time was congested and painfully annoying- especially witnessing Beau's road rage. I scrolled through my newsfeed as we came to a halt for the thousandth time.
"You seeing Ruby today?" James asked.
"I'm not really sure. She's working but I might go over there tonight." I answered looking up.
"Suprise her to dinner or something?" James attempted to mock me and my romantic streak.
"He'll suprise her to something alright." Beau joined in on the fun.
"Shut the fuck up." I told them both, hiding my smirk. We arrived at the gym finally and piled in getting started. It was arms day for me today so I headed straight for the heavy weights, putting in my earphones and turning up the volume. I was in my own world when my music cut out and my phone started to ring. Jumping slightly, I turned the volume back down and looked at the caller ID, it was Ruby.
"Hello," I answered automatically smiling.
"Hey," she sounded distracted- almost upset. This wiped away my smile.
"Rubes, are you okay? Has something happened?" I worried.
"I don't know, I just need to talk to you."
Sitting down on a bench I blocked my other ear so that I could hear properly.
"I've got forever,"
"No. In person. I need to see you today." Ruby stressed. I never got calls like these and I was starting to freak out too.
"Okay babe,relax. When are you free?" I ran my spare hand through my hair.
"Now- or whenever, just as soon as you can get here. Please."
"I'm on my way." I got up, starting to walk towards Beau. I hung up and walked briskly towards my brother on the other side of the gym.
"Beau!" I called before even reaching him. "Can I have the keys?" I asked trying not to show my anxiety.
"To go where?"
"Ruby's." I answered as simply s possible.
"And how are the rest of us going to get home." he was being a smartass and I didn't have time for it.
"Beau." I took a deep breath and briefly pinched my eyes together. "It's urgent." Beau snapped out of it and dug through his pocket, handing me the keys.
"Send her my love." He told me before I walked briskly to the car. My attention was diverted away from the road the whole way to Ruby's. The sick feeling in my stomach grew as I got closer. There was only one thing it could be that she had to tell me, and I dreaded hearing the words come out of her mouth. My fear of losing Ruby was so fierce that it almost took over me.
Arriving at her apartment, I rested my head on the steering wheel taking deep breaths. I knew what was coming. I wish I didn't. Once I had somewhat collected myself I rushed up the stairs to Ruby's level as though I was running out of time- I knew I was.
Knocking loudly on her door I stood trying to collect my breath. Ruby answered the door looking frazzled and displaced.
"You're going home." I said softly facing the harsh reality and hoping to god she would say no. Instead tears welled up in her eyes and her head bowed down as she tried to hide her tears. There was my answer. Walking in, I wrapped my arms tightly around her, feeling Ruby lean against me. Brushing her hair to the side, I kissed her cheek as she cried into my shoulder. As much as I tried to comfort her, I couldn't hide the crys that escaped from my lips as we stood there in each others embrace for what could've been one of the last times. I wanted Ruby. I wanted her goofy laugh. I wanted her sleepy confused look when she woke up and the smile that followed. And most of all, I wanted to be the one that filled the space in her bed.
"You can't leave." I begged.
"I don't have a choice." She replied, wiping away the tears that cascaded down my cheeks.
"Ruby I need you here. I need you with me- always. Please." I managed to cram the words together. All she could do was purse her lips and shake her head sadly. I was in denial. She couldn't just leave. Not now when eveything was so perfect. I saw my future with this girl and now I sould see it fizzling away before my eyes.
"We had plans-"
"Plans change." Ruby said. "Maybe we just weren't meant to be together."
"Then how come I feel like a piece of me is missing when you're not with me. Why do I crave you so badly?" I was struggling to even stand upright.
"Luke stop." Ruby took a deep breath and walked towards the dining table, me following closely behind.
"This isn't right you know it isn't." I tried reasoning. "We have to be together."
"Then come home with me." Ruby's voice softened. I thought about it.
"You know I can't do that." I sighed. Considering it again, I shook my head.
"Lets not make this harder than it already is, Luke." she said, exasperated.
"I can't believe this is fucking happening again. " I cursed, sitting down angrily. Ruby took a step back and held her hand to her head.
"How long?" I couldn't meet her eye.
"One month." She replied. "It was confirmed this morning." Ruby added. I didn't know how to hold myself together any longer. Distinct cries left my mouth as I held my head in my hands. I could hear Ruby sniffle as she watched me but didn't have any strength to fix that. Before long she left the room still in tears and leaving me devastated
I hadn't cried like this since I can't even remember.
It killed me that my nightmare of Ruby starting a family with someone else would become a reality and I would be left behind. Love wasn't supposed to hurt, and right now it was torturous. I lifted my head and wiped my face, calming myself down.. Footsteps approached, I looked up find Ruby walking towards me. Unexpectedly, she hugged me close to her, kissing the top of my head before sitting on my lap.
"Maybe I could do something to make you hate me. Then you won't miss me so much." She joked. I laughed at her ridiculous 'plan' and tightened my arms around her back.
"Try as hard as you can. I'll never be able to hate you." This time it was her turn to laugh.
I held it together for the next few hours I was there, trying to find some positivity out of the situation and cheer us both up- not that it really worked. It wasn't until I got home where, despite the yells from the boys, I made my way upstairs to the shower and cried. Feeling completely numb, I set up my computer and started to watch whatever disc was in. A small knock sounded at the door.
"Come in," I croaked quickly wiping my face. It was my twin brother that walked in.
"Hey," Jai said awkawrdly. "Just seeing if everythings alright." I shook my head as he sat cautiously at the end of my bed.
"She's going back to Melbourne." I explained bluntly.
"I'm sorry." He said, waiting for my reaction.
"Whatever," I took a deep breath, sitting up pulling my hair though my fingers. "Wasn't meant to work out I guess."
"What happened to never letting her go?" Jai protested.
"I don't have a choice. She can't stay and I can't follow her." I bit my lip to stop it from trembling.
"You can. If you want her badly enough."
I scoffed. "Yeah, and just tell the others, 'I'm out boys- cya'"
"What do you want more. This?" he said, gesturing his arms to the side referring to my LA life, "Or Ruby?" As close as I was to Jai I couldn't bring myself to tell him that I'd give this up anyday for Ruby, not after working so hard to get here. I didn't answer.
"I know I'm not that great at advice," Jai said getting up and walking towards my door, "but follow your heart, it'll get you where you want to be." And with that he left.
Except my heart was with Ruby, going somewhere I couldn't follow.
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"How was your last day at work?" I asked, adjusting the phone so I could hear properly.
"Sad. But fine." she sounded stressed out and upset.
"Are you going out?"
"Yeah, Paige has organised something for me with the girls at some club nearby."
"That should be good," I tried to encourage her.
"I'm sure it will, I'm just not really up for a big night." Ruby sighed.
"You'll have fun once you're out." I assured her. "Go get ready and I'll talk to you tomorrow."
"Alright, love you." she told me.
"Love you too," I said before hanging up. The boys were downstairs with Kaitlyn but I wasn't really in the mood to socilize, I was just going to have a quiet night. Going through my twitter and tumblr, I tried to notice as many fans as I could. I felt kinda bad, with everything happening in my personal life, I wasn't really paying much attention or being to enthusiatic about the Janoskians. Now that we were getting that bit older, maybe I was realising that this just wasn't for me. I never imagined falling madly in love so young but I knew with all my heart that I wanted to spend my future with Ruby. As I was drifting off to sleep, the doorbell rung and I heard muffled voices downstairs. The sound of high heels clicked up the stairs until there was a soft knock on my door. I sat up to see Ruby, peeping her head into my room. Once she saw I was awake, she smiled and walked in.
"I thought you were out tonight?" I asked, confused.
"I was." She said indicating to the way she was dressed. "But I didn't really want to be there after a while, so I figured, why would I waste my time when I could spend it with you." Ruby sat next to me on my bed, leaning over to kiss my lips.
"Not a bad choice." I smirked.
"Not at all." Ruby replied, snuggling closer, her head on my chest.
"And what are you up to?"
"Distractions," I half chuckled, tightening my arms around her. Silence filled the room. Not an awkward silence, but the kind of quietness where you can just enjoy one another's company without a single word spoken.
"You know, until I step on that plane, I want to spend every moment with you" she broke the silence.
"Are you sure?" I joked, playing with her hair, "no one else?"
Ruby shook her head. "Every last minute. Just you."