All Over Again

| Chapter Seven |

"What the hell was that?" Jana demanded as soon as the three of them got into Ruth's car.

Jana had done well holding back her questions until they back got to the car, and Terry was silent about Raffo altogether, but looked up to Ruth at the question. Terry's hazel gaze blinked up at Ruth through the rearview mirror and she chewed at the end of her lip, awaiting her answer to Jana's question.

Ruth's face grew uncomfortably hot, and she glanced away from the mirror, avoiding their scrutiny. Her thoughts scattered about as she backed her car out of the small parking space and then began driving straight for Uncle Rickey's house. She had no reason to have a jumbled mind, but she had one nonetheless. She was stuck on so many things, but that small basketball game with Raffo seemed to be at the forefront.

Not her overbearing mother, for once, or her school work that was making her pull at the curly strands. All of that she could deal with, though. She had dealt with those her entire life. But a boy? She didn't know the first thing about how to . . . handle one. Sure, she had her first kiss in 11th grade with a boy on the football team. Of course she let her prom date, Juan Rodriguez, hold her hand and kiss her at the end of the night like a typical chic flick film before dropping her off at her doorstep, and she maaaybe hooked up with Natasha Jennings before she moved to Oklahoma, but that was about all the experience she had. With an uptight mother and an overprotective father, she's never had the urge to pursue her feelings. Her crushes were fleeting, lasting only a few months at most.

Even now, she didn't understand what she was feeling. Jana and Terry wanted answers, but they were answers that she herself didn't know how to say. Ruth playing basketball with Raffo was nothing, and their short banter was nothing. She enjoyed the sport and was good at talking to people. Why did there have to be something more to it?

Raffo was attractive. Anyone with eyes could see that. Ruth wasn't immune to his beauty, just as any sensible human being wouldn't be. Why was this case any different?

"Why are you being so secretive?" Jana prompted, eyeing her suspiciously.

"I'm not being secretive," Ruth scoffed.

"Then why are you avoiding my question?"

"I'm not avoiding it. I just don't know how to answer it. There's a difference."

Jana didn't look convinced. "Hmmm."

"All we did was talk and play a little of basketball. I hardly think that counts as anything substantial, Jana."

"He didn't ask any of us if we wanted to play," Jana pointed out.

"He probably didn't want to interrupt your guys' conversation." Ruth dismissed. "I mean, c'mon! You, Mirana, and Terry were all talking. I'm sure he didn't want to be rude. We hardly know each other for it to be anything else."

"It's not too early for him to think you're cute," Terry added. Jana smugly turned in her seat and gave her the biggest, triumphed smile she could muster.

"For once, Terry's on my side? Is the sky falling right now? Is lightning going to strike tonight? ARE WE GOING TO HAVE A TORNADO?"

Terry shot her a loaded look. "Ha ha, very funny."

Jana smirked mockingly. She swiveled her calculating gaze back to Ruth and patiently waited for her to say more. Ruth shoved her tongue behind her teeth to keep from snapping in frustration and kept her eyes steady on the road. The only sign of strain was the tightening of her fingers on the steering wheel as her knuckles bled stark white. Her lips refrained from grimacing like she wanted to, and instead she just says, "We don't know each other. He's a cool guy who happens to share my favorite sport, and we were just talking. There's nothing more than that."