All Over Again

| Chapter Thirty-Four |

Ruth swore Monday was going to be the only bad day of her week. Tuesday and Wednesday went by a little smoother, though she still wasn't talking to Emily and went as far as sitting elsewhere in class to avoid her, and she hadn't seen Mirana either. But when Thursday came, her patience for people were at an all time zero as she listened to bigots complain about their lack of getting to decide for themselves whether or not they should be allowed to dress up as a culturally insensitive asshole.

She rubbed tenderly at her temples, trying to prevent the rise of anger from taking control of her tongue.

She hated the holiday for that exact reason.

Trying to explain to idiots why Blackface and Native American costumes are offensive was exhausting. She cringed every time she thought about the time of year and seeing celebrities get away with promoting cultural trauma. And the ignorant kids in her class weren't any better.

You'd think they would understand something after being in the Choctaw language class all semester, but she thought wrong.

"I just don't understand why people are so sensitive about it," one girl complained. "It's just a costume."

Ruth rolled her eyes, wishing her teacher would come in already so she could stop listening to the class' nonsense.

"You don't see us complaining when people dress up as cowboys and cowgirls," another girl chimed in.

Because only White people were cowboys? And since when was that part of someone's ethnicity?

"Oh, shut up. It's not just a fucking costume," Ruth couldn't bite off the response. She didn't have a patient bone in her body that week, and she was ready to release her frustration on everyone who pissed her off.

The first girl spun around in her seat, her bright blue eyes narrowed challengingly. "Got something to say?"

The ten other students in the class, some native and some not, looked over at the two of them, their eyes wide and curious about what was going to transpire between the girls.

"You heard me," Ruth snapped back, her fingers clenching into fists under the table. A spark of rage was threatening to boil over in the pit of her stomach. "We aren't a fucking costume. It's our culture and you have no say on whether or not if it's offensive to someone."

The girl scoffed. "And what the fuck do you know?"

"More than you, obviously. Keep our shit out your mouth," another student piped up before Ruth could. She turned her head, making eye contact with a tall boy whose dark brown eyes connected with hers in solidarity. Eddie, she recognized with a start.

The girl's cheeks flared up and she looked to the second girl to back her up, but said girl was already facing forward. "Whatever," she finally scoffed, turning back to the front.

Ruth should have felt proud that they collectively shut her up, but she was still feeling funky about the topic and didn't feel any better. When the teacher finally came in and begun teaching, she found herself spacing out instead of paying attention to her favorite class. The dreadful holiday was still stuck heavily on her mind, even after the situation.

She avoided the two girls after leaving the classroom, ignoring their heavy glares on the way to her favorite picnic table. Raffo hadn't gotten out of class yet, so it was just going to be her for the next five minutes or so, so she used the time to check her email. So far, there still wasn't a decision for the winner of the contest, and she hadn't heard from any of the colleges she applied to just yet either. Granted, it was still too easily, even for early decision, but she knew it was coming soon. Anytime in early December usually, but that didn't stop her from checking just in case.

Ruth answered her mother's text about it, telling her she hadn't heard anything, and then pulled out her textbook full of post-it notes and highlighted phrases. With a depressing sigh, though she didn't know why she was feeling so off that week, she began studying away. She added little notes in the margins, and it wasn't until a shadow had fallen over her book that she looked up into the familiar pair of brown eyes.

"Hey," she smiled, putting her pen down. She glanced down at the time on her phone. "You're later than usual."

An amused smirk played at the edges of Raffo's lips. "Ran into Eddie."

"I'm guessing he told you about what happened in class?" Ruth grimaced.

"Actually, he wanted to tell me how much of a badass you are. Then, he told me about what happened in class."

Humor tugged at her grimace, transforming it back into a small smile as she stifled a groan. "Glad to know he enjoyed it."

Raffo tilted his head at her. Unable to help himself, he reached out and rubbed at the tired crease between her eyebrows until the skin smoothed out. "I'm not. Not if what happened bothered you."

"I mean, it bothered me, of course. But what can you do in a situation like that?"

"Nothing," he agreed. "Sipokni used to say you can't fix stupid."

That one made Ruth giggle. Raffo smiled back in response and sat straddling the bench beside her, facing the side of her body. She gave up on studying momentarily as she fell into his chest and allowed him to wrap his arms around her, tucking her into him securely.

"This holiday frustrates me," she murmured.

"I sort of gathered that," he chuckled, his chest vibrating beneath her ear. "You and your cousins aren't doing anything for it, then?"

"Terry and Jana are going to the bonfire, but I'm not. I think I'd rather watch scary movies at home."

"You're not going to the bonfire?" She could hear the frown clear in his voice, even if she couldn't see it.

"Not this time. Staying home sounds like a better idea, I think. At least for Halloween."

There was a brief pause between them. Raffo tugged her back a little until they were eye to eye and she saw how serious he was.

"You're gonna spend it by yourself?"

Ruth casually shrugged her shoulders, trying to appear inconspicuous but failing miserably. "Well . . . I don't have to spend it by myself."

He rose his dark eyebrows. "Oh?"

"I mean . . . if you don't want to go to the bonfire . . . you're always welcome to come over and spend Halloween with me. If you want to."

Gee, real smooth, Ruth.

Raffo, pleased with the offer, pursed his lips and took a moment to playfully consider it. "You don't think the girls would mind?"

"Nope," she said, popping the 'p'.

"So to be clear, this is you inviting me over?"

Ruth's cheeks colored. "Only if you want to. I'd understand if you wanted to go to the bonfire instead."

"Hmm," Raffo murmured. He moved one of his hands to capture the curl falling on her cheek and wrapped it around one of his curious fingers. "Go to a bonfire with my asshole friends or spend a few hours with a beautiful girl watching scary movies?"

"Decisions, decisions," she teased dramatically, rolling her eyes.

His grin highlighted his pretty features. "Good thing a bonfire has nothing on you, aiukli. I'll take the trade any day."

She brought her hand up to his chest and gripped the black t-shirt underneath his leather jacket, pulling him closer. Her excitement for the holiday that she despised made her boldly draw him to her as she puckered her lips against the cut of his strong jawline. He quickly turned his cheek and captured her mouth with his before she could move away, coaxing her into a short, but sweet kiss that made her toes curl and her heart soar.

Halloween couldn't come soon enough.

*****

notes: translation (from choctaw to english)

♡ aiukli - beautiful

♡ sipokni - my grandma