The sound of constant ringing echoed in the small room, receiving grumbles of dissatisfaction from the occupants inside. The moment the phone dialed out it started right back up with barley a pause in-between.
"Turn it off." The brown haired male on the bed mutters, patting the woman beside him in irration.
"It's not mine. Mine's don't sound like a strawberry shortcake theme song." The brunette woman slurs, rolling over to cover her face with the cover.
Rue mutters a queit apology, picking up his phone from across the room. He was oddly enough the only person with clothes on in the room.
One would have expected him to sleep with them, but that wasn't the case whatsoever. There was no way he would sleep with strangers. He needed that connection to sleep with someone. Sure he teases, but who doesn't tease who they want to kill. It's class 101 of Venus flytrap.
Even without sex he had a great night. He guided them during everything. They obeyed his every word. Their obedience was...gratifying.
Watching them listen to him without putting up a fight was everything to Rue. Getting another letter from Moon was the icing on the cake for his great night.
He didn't meant to let Moon down for not killing them. Now that he knows that was to be expected of him he couldn't just let them down.
When the time comes. Moon will receive his gift with a bow attached to it.
Rue releases a content sigh, settling back down on the couch where he slept last night, phone in hand. He didn't immediately unlock his phone, instead he stared at his lock screen of him, and a younger boy, both with a crooked smile, eyes holding untold secrets of kids.
'God. We were something. I miss that crazy kid.' He thought fingers brushing over the picture in reminisce.
Rue misses his friend. They both fell out of touch since everything happened. Both had their own lives. It's not that they grew apart. It was that they couldn't stay together with the pressure of the world weighing Rue down.
Quickly he unlocked his phone to a string of messages. The first few messages was from Fen, his worrying best friend.
Fen: Are you coming home tonight?
Fen: Tell me if you're safe. It's dangerous for you to be alone.
Fen: I'll clean up the house. Just get home safe. If you're not back by twelve I'm calling the cops.
The last message was sent just five minutes from four o'clock. Who cleans at four in the morning? Fen that's who. Rue wouldn't admitted, but he loves when Fen worries about him. He smiled in thought of the man, his smile was tender, and held endless warmth. Rue moved on to the following messages from an unknown number. It didn't take a rocket genius to guess who it was from.
Unknown: *image*
Unknown: stalker? You have to be more careful, Lyarsian.
Unknown: *image*
Unknown: I'm at your door. Knock knock.
Rue zoomed in on the first photo of him being followed into a hotel. The picture was clear, and taken at a very good angle. It highlighted the body of his stalker that was wearing all black. However the least his unknown stalker could do was send a picture of the other's face. Otherwise what would be the point of the photo?
"You're up early, Rue" the brunette woman Angelina? Cadence? Sarah? says looking at him with squinted eyes.
Rue closed his phone with a click giving the woman his full undivided attention. "Early riser."
"It's-" the woman looked at the clock, "near one o'clock."
He shurgs, moving closer to sit at the edge of the bed. "I'm an early noon-er. Rise at noon, sleep at dawn."
The woman laughed, her smile gorgeous. "Let me guest you're a shut in who never gets out?"
People with pretty smiles are naturally pretty people to Rue. He looks at someone, and his first thought is they have a pretty smile, or eyes if their not smiling.
"Don't put me out like that. I can't help I spend all my day reading." Rue chuckles, continuing on. "I'm sorry what is your name?"
The woman didn't look angry for him not knowing her name. Though he feels like Cadence feels right. Sarah feels too odd.
"Angelica."
"Your name's Angelica?" It wasn't Rue who spoke, but the man next to him, his arm wrapping around Angelica. Rue finds it cute that he's a cuddler.
Angelica nodded, pulling Rue down with them. He has never met people that wanted to cuddle the morning after sex, but he's loving it. He has never felt so love than he do right now with two strangers.
"I'm Aaron. On another note breakfast anyone? I'm paying." Offered Aaron, placing a kiss on both of their lips.
Rue shook his head silently denying the offer. "No. I have to prepare for college in three weeks." The moment the words was out his mouth it was like everything stopped. Tension that wasn't previously there was now there.
"Don't tell me you're eighteen." Angelica now looked disgusted, and horrified with her previous actions. Aaron wasn't fairing any better.
Before they could go into a downward spiral he spoke up not wanting to make it more awkward. That didn't mean he stayed in bed with them. That would be just more awkward for their current situation.
Rue stood beside the bed, patting his pockets for his few sparse items. Only when he confirmed all his belonging did he speak, placing a hundred dollar bill on the table. "No. I'm twenty. I took time off before going."
"Oh. Thank goodness. I didn't want to be arrested for being with a child." Aaron says, still judging Rue for the truth as if he lied.
Rue didn't care for his, or her suspicion on his age. They could just look it up, or simply do the math. For now he had better things to focus on: like getting home to his worried friend. He said nothing more excusing himself altogether.
The walk home was slow. It gave Rue plenty of time to think back to last night. As much as he seems oblivious to his surroundings he wasn't. Only a fool would think he was oblivious to the person following him. The last thing Rue could afford to be is oblivious to his surroundings.
Briefly he stopped for breakfast for him, and Fen in a small coffee shot hidden amongst other buildings. The moment he opened the door the smell of snickerdoodles and lemon smacked him directly in the face.
To him the smell was overwhelming, but the earthly smell leveled everything out. Rue liked how everything was hidden away. It would be a nice place to go with Fen.
"Welcome to Sunny In Name Only. I'm Ripley I'll be taking your order." Ripley smiled so brightly, Rue face hurts for them. Still their electric blue hair, and face piercings was cool to him.
He was almost tempted to get his own piercings.
"Um...can I have a five orchid muffins along with a butterscotch coffee, and peanut butter cookies."
"Coming right up." Ripley got to moving fixing his order, doing everything with efficiency.
"Are you hiring by any chance. I'm looking for a part time job for college." Rue questions, following Ripley with his eyes.
Ripley laughs. "Funnily enough we are. Our other part timer just quitted recently, so things have been kind of strained. If you feel out an application we can get back to you."
In the next few minutes he received his application along with his food, making it home before two-thirty. The first thing that greeted him when he entered was the smell of a clean house.
"I'm home." Rue shouted, locking the door behind him as he walked farther in, taking in the place like he's never seen it before. The house once filled with dust and combewbs was now spotless. It didn't have a stale smell to it either.
"Kitch-" Fen words got cut off when he turned around to meet a smiling Rue.
One thing Fen hated was coming home without Rue. Now that he was back he couldn't feel anymore relieved than he does now. There was something about Rue that made him want to protect him. To keep him safe from the vile world. He didn't care for what Rue possibly did, or didn't do I'm his past. To Fen no one should go through what he has been through especially not a child.
Rue sat the breakfast down, jump into Fen's waiting arms. "Missed me Fenlan?"
"It felt like my heart got ripped out that how much I missed your crazy self."
Rue placed a kiss on Fen's cheek as he got settled down on the cole countertop. "Aw. You can't tell, but my heart is beating really fast at your caring words."
Fen shoved him, glaring at him in mock annoyance. "Shut up."
Both ate their breakfast discussing different tops ranging from college classes to jobs to best food they had while traveling. It was the most peace they had since arriving back in Calloway.
"Your turning twenty-one soon how will you celebrate?" Fen asked, chewing his last orchid muffin.
"I have plans. I'm going somewhere." Rue said, later clarifying so there will be no miscommunication. "Alone. I'm going somewhere alone. We can celebrate the next day together."
"Okay. I'll make plans for the next day." Fen held back his dissatisfaction with Rue's choice. It wasn't his birthday so it wasn't his choice.
That's what he told himself at least as Rue went to freshen up to go Calloway University to change his college to there. As Rue walked away Fen stared at him with an unreadable gaze, smiling when Rue looked back at him.
What a fun year it's going to be.