All Over Again

| Chapter Thirty-Eight |

"Ruth- Ruth, please," Emily pleads Friday morning, the last day of classes before Fall break, after Ruth sped walked away from her after class.

Ruth rolled her eyes, scoffing under her breath as she tightened her fingers on her backpack and continued to strut forward. She it was hard to ignore someone so desperate to talk to her, but she had somehow managed to do it all morning. Now that class was over, she made it her ultimate mission to talk to her, even if it was against Ruth's will.

"Ruth would you please slow down?" Emily huffed. "I'm trying to apologize!"

"Well I don't want to hear your apology," said Ruth with obvious frustration.

"Well that's too bad," she snapped. "Because you're gonna hear it."

She ignored Ruth's hot glare and jumped in front of her path, stopping her from moving any further. "All I need is two minutes to explain and then you can get on with your life being mad at me forever."

Ruth said nothing. If it were up to her, she could stay silent forever. And she made sure her face said that as she pushed her hip to the side and balanced her weight on her left leg. She tightened her grip on her backpack for emphasis in irritation.

Emily took this as a win nonetheless. Pushing her beautiful dark strands out of her eyes, Ruth subconsciously watched her take in a deep breath through the small parting of her dewy lips and tried to remain indifferent to her.

"I'm sorry for being a bitch to you the other day," Emily said, her eyes round and pleading. "Raffo's a good guy and I . . . I didn't mean to insinuate otherwise."

"So why did you?" Ruth demanded. She crossed her arms over her chest and rose an eyebrow suggestively.

Emily hesitated now, her eyes fleeting to the ground as if seeking shelter between the cracks of concrete. A battle raged across her soft features.

"I-I don't know. I just thought we were friends is all and you never said anything," she muttered, wringing her hands together.

Ruth wasn't convinced. "You were upset because I didn't feel like we were close enough for me to mention something so personal?"

Emily winced at that. "Ouch."

"I'm not saying it to be mean. I just didn't think it was fair of you to be upset over something that was my business to tell."

"I know. I just thought that . . . that I-" Emily struggled, her eyebrows furrowing. "I'm just really sorry."

The remorse in her voice was convincing enough to make Ruth consider her words. She looked away from Emily briefly, mulling over her apology and sorting through the words in her head to truly make sure she was sorry before making a decision to forgive her. Emily really did look like she missed her friendship and that she was sorry she reacted so strongly about her and Raffo's blossoming relationship.

Would it be foolish of her to be friends with Emily again?

Ruth didn't know.

But she wasn't the type to hold grudges against anybody. Even when she wanted to, it took so much extra work to stay mad at somebody forever, so she would eventually succumb to forgiveness after making them wait too long.

She did, however, make one thing clear to Emily.

"Fine," said Ruth. "I'll forgive you this once. But Raffo's off limits. He's a really good guy and I don't want to hear anything negative you have to say about him."

Emily bit the corner of her lip, but nodded in understanding. "That's fair."

"It's more than fair. And I'm serious Emily if you want to be friends-"

"I do!" Emily interrupted firmly. "I promise I won't say anything bad about Raffo."

"Good."

Ruth nodded in satisfaction. She glanced at the time on her phone's screen briefly before looking back at a relieved Emily. "I have some time now if you want to study."

Emily's answering grin was bright and lovely. A sight that flooded Ruth with warmth as a part of her did miss having a friend around, even if they still needed to get to know each other more.

"Let me buy you a chai tea latte first," Emily suggested. "It's your favorite right?"

"You don't have to buy me anything. I already forgave you."

"Just let me treat you. I was a jerk before, the least I can do is get you a $3 drink, Ruth."

Ruth tapped her finger on her chin and pretended to think about it. "Hmmm. Fine, just this once."

"Deal," Emily grinned.

*****