Chapter 06: What a Woman.

To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest achievement.

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

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- Next day, Trailer Depot -

" Gifted and Talented. It's something I see and can only think of you, Maeve. You should sign up."

"Absolutely not. I'm not signing up." Maeve goes back to eating her toast with a wistful expression.

"Why?" Isaac asks Maeve, she sighs and says. "I can't afford it. Obviously."

"Try to get it from the school. If you can, I'm sure you can." Isaac says, looking into Maeve's eyes, a palpable sexual tension in the air. She leans towards him but then recoils at the arrival of Isaac's brother. Maeve clears her throat to get rid of the shame on her face and says. "Well. I'd better go, I don't want to be late."

"Right... Remember to sign up!"

"Never," Maeve says smiling as she leaves the trailer.

Isaac stands there, looking at the door Maeve has just left.

"When are you going to tell her?"

Isaac sighs in annoyance at the repetition of this question, due to his brother's insistence.

"What part don't you understand? I can't tell her." Isaac looks at his brother and says as if to explain the obvious. "There's no other way she'd choose me." He points to himself at the end of his sentence.

"You don't know that..." Joe insists again but is soon interrupted by an irritated Isaac.

"Yes. I know. I'm just an abandoned cripple who lives in a trailer. And I'm competing against an asshole who has everything. He doesn't understand her, he can't understand her. Not like I do." Isaac trembles with rage at the thought of Otis, he smiles a lopsided smile and says. "That spoiled son of a bitch had everything he ever wanted, but her... I'll do anything to have a chance with her. I understand her like no one else does. And I'm not going to let some asshole, spoiled brat get with someone as incredible as Maeve. She deserves better."

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- Milburn residence -

Ouch. I feel my ear burning a bit, is someone talking about me? Well, I don't know. And I don't care. Otis gets lost in his thoughts but then shrugs and continues wiping his hair. He quickly finishes, leaving his hair a little wet anyway, puts the towel around his waist, and walks to his room.

Arriving at his room, Otis sees Ruby rummaging through his closet with a serious face.

'She looks cute when she has a serious expression.' Otis keeps this thought to himself since it didn't go down too well when he said it the first time. According to Ruby, a child is cute, not a sexy 17-year-old.

"Hey, Ruby. Find anything 'acceptable' for me?" Otis asks his... friend.

Ruby finally realizes her arrival and looks at Otis. Her eyes widen in surprise for a moment when she sees her... friend. Only in a towel, and wet.

'Is it just me, or has it gotten warmer in here?' Ruby feels a familiar warmth run through her body at the sight of Otis's well-worked body. But soon her expression returns and she says mockingly. "Acceptable is too strong a word, I'd say it's less horrible than I expected. A bit too monochrome, but it's better than the usual beggar's clothes you wear."

"Hey, you said you liked my clothes," Otis says with an obviously feigned look of anger.

"OT, honey. I think I fucked with you too much and it's affecting your memories, I said they looked good on a nerd like you." Ruby "corrects" Otis in an exaggeratedly sweet voice.

'No, I remember the phrase perfectly: "That outfit makes me so horny." But... That doesn't mean much, Ruby even likes my cheap razor.' Otis thinks as he looks smilingly at Ruby looking for clothes for him.

'I like the way she... I... I like?! Is that right? That fast?' Otis thinks back and reasons why he feels this way about Ruby Matthews, he fears having her feelings grow on him little by little only for him to be hurt again. And he doesn't want that, not again.

His thoughts are interrupted by the person who fills them, Ruby. She turns around with an expression of acceptance on her face and some clothes in her hands.

"Well, it'll have to do. Today is purple dress day, so put this on and wear this purple scarf somewhere, it could be around your neck or in your shirt pocket." Ruby says in a tone as if there's no other way, and hands the clothes to Otis.

"Yes, my queen." Otis smiles and teases Ruby, who smiles arrogantly and says as she tosses her hair back. "Good thing you know your place, plebeian."

Ruby sits on her bed while Otis puts his clothes on the bed. He stares at Ruby for a few seconds and she notices his expression and asks.

"What?"

"Aren't you going to give me some privacy? So I can get dressed." Otis asks a little shyly, he doesn't really mind that much, but he'd rather get dressed without anyone watching.

Ruby smiles at Otis' shyness, she finds his shyness surprisingly attractive and charming, even though he's becoming more and more confident. Something she likes too. There are so many surprising things about Otis that Ruby wonders which she likes best.

' Likes. Of the many boys I've dated, I never imagined I'd end up liking someone like Otis Milburn. If someone had said that to me a few months ago, I would have fucked their life up.'

'But there's something about Otis that's different from everyone I've met, I don't know if it's his kindness; or his understanding; the fact that he's good in bed is also a very positive factor, but not the most important one. I've had sex with people who are good in bed and I've never felt that way about them.'

'Maybe it's a combination... My God, haha, who would have thought that I, Ruby Matthews, would be reflecting on which part of Otis Milburn I like the most.

Ruby looks back at Otis who is waiting for her answer, she gets up from the bed and says. "All right, nerd. I was thinking we could have some fun before we go to school." Ruby says as she runs her hands over Otis's chest and bites her lips as if she's holding herself back, she holds his cheeks in one hand and continues. "But since you want privacy. Fine."

Otis then realizes the opportunity he's missed and tries to make amends.

"Ruby!"

But Ruby doesn't stop walking and leaves her room, all Otis hears is her distant voice saying. "I'll wait for you in the kitchen."

The blue-eyed boy then stands still for a few seconds and then notices the large bulge showing through the towel, he sighs as he curses softly.

"Damn."

Little does he know that she was just teasing him, she loves to see his reactions.

.

.

.

Otis quickly gets dressed and goes down to the kitchen, Ruby quickly notices him and whatever his mother and Ruby were talking about is over.

"It's about time, I thought you were going to be there all morning," Ruby says as she gets up to fix her collar where her scarf used to be.

"How am I doing, Mom?" Otis asks his mother when he sees her expression. Jean quickly tries to cover it up, but it's too late.

"You look... Nice. The scarf gave it a modern touch." Jean tries to appease Otis but gets the opposite effect.

"I told you Ruby, I look stupid." Otis looks at Ruby, who makes a sullen expression and a slight pout.

"You're not stupid, OT. But if you want, you can put it in your jacket pocket, it'll be fine too."

"OT?" Jean is confused by Otis' nickname, even though Ruby says their relationship is only casual, she's even given him a nickname.

"Yes, Otis is a bit of a cheesy name. I prefer OT." Ruby naturally responds to the mother of her... Friend.

"Well, as much as I'd like to continue this wonderful conversation. I think we should go." Otis tries to get out of that awkward situation between his mother and Ruby since he doesn't want to see his mother analyzing his... friend.

"We'll be a minute, OT. I need to touch up my makeup."

"But what for, Ruby? You look beautiful!" Otis tries to avoid spending more time than necessary in a space with his mother and Ruby together, but, this is Ruby Matthews we're talking about, she always does her own thing.

"I always look beautiful, Otis," Ruby says and rekindles Otis' hope of leaving the house. "But I'm still going to touch up my makeup." And it's destroyed soon after.

Ruby heads upstairs to the bathroom, and Jean is finally able to question her son.

"So she's your girlfriend?" Jean takes a sip of tea as she waits for his son's answer.

*Sigh* "No, Mom. She's not. It's just casual sex." Otis looks at his mother and decides to open up to her a little. I don't even know why she wanted to have sex with me in the first place, but I'm sure she wouldn't date me."

"Are you sure?" Jean raises a single eyebrow in doubt.

"Yes," Otis says with determination, which results in another sigh from Jean.

"My God, you men are really stupid. Have you seen the way she looks at you?" Jean asks incredulously.

"Like I'm shit to be walked on? She only doesn't look down on me when we're... You know." Otis tries to explain, but there are certain things a son will always be embarrassed to say in front of his mother. Jean, seeing her son's shyness, smiles and says.

"I don't see you complaining, my son. Maybe... Do you like it? It's super normal and I hope you know it."

"My God, Mum. I'm not a masochist, okay? I... I admit I like her bossy ways, I... I just like the way she is." Otis admits his feelings for Ruby out loud for the first time.

"So you admit that it's not just casual and that you like her?" Jean finally gets to the point she wants to make. Otis sighs, he knows he could never win an argument with his mother, not on this score.

"Yes, Mom. I like her. As much as we're very different, I... I don't know how to explain it. I just like her." Otis remembers the speech he gave at the prom, about love being luck, just one of the clear examples of this.

"Why don't you ask her to be your girlfriend? I understand you've been seeing each other for three months, haven't you?" 

"No, I'm not planning to ask her to date me, and yes, we have been dating for three months."

"Why don't you ask her to be your girlfriend? She clearly likes you, and you've just admitted that you like her." Jean asks and this seems to have touched a sensitive wound in Otis who decides to bite the bullet and say it once and for all.

"Because I'm afraid, okay? I'm afraid of being rejected again, I know I can't generalize and that each case is different. But I'm scared." Otis sits down and puts his hands on his head as he stares at the ceiling.

"I'm afraid of this feeling that grows in my chest every day, I'm afraid that I'll end up hurting myself again. I stopped thinking about Maeve a while ago and I don't want to go through that again." 

Jean sighed, she already suspected the reason for her son's distress. She just didn't know that this fear had a name.

"I'd like to tell you to take your time, but I'd also like to warn you that women don't like to wait too long. So don't keep her waiting, Otis." Jean smiles at her son, who seems to be deep in thought.

"I'll think about it, Mum. I'll think about it."

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- Moordale College -

"We'll see you at lunch, OT. After PE class." Ruby takes her bag back as she speaks.

"Are we having lunch together?" Otis asks innocently, he didn't imagine it, he just asked them not to hide anymore, but it seems they've become... almost like a couple.

"No, silly. You're having lunch with us. And remember, we only drink Coke Zero."

"Okay, then I'll go." Otis goes ahead and soon sees his best friend almost entering the changing rooms. "ERIC!" Otis waves to Eric who sees him in an instant.

"Oatcake, good to see you buddy. You're the one I wanted to talk to. I... Otis, what's with the outfit? That scarf looks a bit out of place, don't you think?"

"Well, it was either that or wear Anwar's clothes."

"Hey, Anwar's got style!"

"I didn't mean he didn't have any. It just wasn't my taste. By the way, back to the point, what did you want to talk to me about?"

"Oh, that's right. Otis, guess what." Eric pokes Otis several times in the chest to the delight of his best friend.

"Guess what? There's no way I can guess anything, I have no idea what it could be. It could be anything from a meteor killing everyone to you winning the lottery. But seeing your joy, I can tell it's a good thing." Otis holds Eric's hands as he speaks, exasperated.

"Okay, fine. I haven't given you any clues as to what it might be. But come on, Otis. Guess who's going all the way tonight?"

Eric does a mini dance while waiting for Otis' reaction, which doesn't disappoint him.

"My God, Eric. It's you. You're the man." Otis says in a sing-song voice.

"I'm the man!" Eric replies in the same way.

"You're the man!"

Otis and Eric dance together in celebration and the blue-eyed boy is genuinely happy for his friend, even though he's worried about Eric's relationship, he doesn't let it show on his face.

"So... You and Adam, is it going to be at his place or yours?"

"Well, I was planning a picnic. You know, in the middle of the forest, just me and him, it'll be amazing." Eric glows in an almost literal sense with his joy.

They walk back to the changing room side by side.

"Well, now those lessons from Rahim can be put into practice," Otis whispered to Eric, who had a momentarily blank expression before speaking.

"Yeah, you can always get something good out of anything, can't you?" Eric replied and Otis now understood that his friend really had outgrown Rahim.

Over the summer, Eric shared some of his concerns. One of them was his choice to leave Rahim the way he did, he was really sad for him. But throughout the summer, little by little that feeling was pushed aside, what's done is done.

A mistake doesn't define a person. But what you do with it is what matters.

Otis and Eric's conversation is interrupted by the gruff voice of your coach, announcing what are they going to do in class today.

They're going to play...

Basketball.

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(Unknown)

What she saw in him, what she saw in Otis fucking Milburn. A skinny, awkward nerd. He can't even run properly.

Someone explain to me what the hell is going on in Ruby's head for her to want to be with this guy. Even worse, after breaking up with me like that?!?

How is someone like him somehow better than me? I answer, he's not.

And I'm going to prove my superiority today. In basketball. That's why I asked the coach to play basketball today. Because I, as captain of the basketball team, am going to prove to Ruby how pathetic he is.

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- Moordale Hospital -

"Mr. Groff, I'm Officer Rose, can you answer a few questions for me?" The brown-haired policewoman sits down in her chair next to the hospital bed and waits for Michael's answer.

"I... Yes, I can, Officer." Michael takes a deep breath with difficulty; some of his ribs, although healed, still cause pain when he breathes.

"Thank you for seeing us so quickly, Mr. Groff. I thought I'd have to wait a few days to talk to you." The pretty policewoman smiled in encouragement at Michael, she was genuinely surprised to be able to talk to him as soon as possible. Even more so at the request of the patient himself.

"I want to sort this out as quickly as possible, not that I remember much. Anyway."

"Even the smallest detail could be enough to help us solve the case and find the culprit. Well, can we get started?" Rose takes a notebook and pen in hand as she waits for Mr. Groff's answer.

"Yes."

"Mr. Groff, do you remember any details about the person who assaulted you?"

"Yes, he was wearing several black items of clothing. Hooded sweatshirt; black mask; gloves; shoes reinforced with..."

"Sorry to interrupt you, sir, but how do you know the shoes were reinforced?"

"From the kicks I took, he broke my fingers with a light kick," Michael replies a little angrily, memories of that night making him very angry.

"Got it. Please continue." Rose says neutrally.

"... I think he was wearing something on his hands because I felt like it was metal against me. I'm not a fighting man, but that wasn't normal."

"Some kind of English punch or something?"

"I think so."

"I see, can you tell me if there are any feuds; rivalries; or enemies that you think might have done this?"

"I... I may have irritated some people because of my attitude as Director. But I don't have anyone who would have reason to be so angry with me. Not that I can think of."

"Right. Mr. Groff, can you tell me any striking characteristics of the person who assaulted you? The color of their skin; thin; some characteristic to help us look for."

"I couldn't see his height, since when I looked at him, I was already on the ground. Nor could I see the color of his skin as it was well covered."

*sigh* "So, unfortunately..."

"But... I remember, there's no forgetting it, the color of his eyes. Two indifferent blue eyes looking at me as if they saw my soul." Michael trembles a little as he finishes saying it.

"Blue eyes..." Rose writes down the only information she has about the attacker.

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- Basketball Court -

"... Otis, why is Bryan looking at you like you fucked his mom?" Eric whispers to Otis who looks at Bryan and realizes he's really staring at him.

"Well, apart from the standard bullying he did to me. I've got nothing on him, maybe he thinks I'm still an easy target." Otis shrugs his shoulders in indifference as he would never allow himself to be bullied again, neither he nor Eric.

"He'll be disappointed if he'd seen what you hide under your baggy shirts, he wouldn't think anything of it. By the way, are you sure you're not taking anything illegal? Those muscles are wonderful." His best friend can't resist touching his hard chest. Otis just smiles removes Eric's hand from his chest and replies.

"Yeah, I'm sure. I told you, it's just puberty."

"Yeah, yeah. As if everyone at puberty gets a body like yours."

*Whistle*

"Come on, little women. Let's split up the teams. Bryan, Bob. You split up the teams."

.

.

.

The team was being organized and soon we saw the girls arriving in the stands, their classes had finished early, but they couldn't be released. That's why they're here watching the boys' basketball game.

Bryan looks around and quickly locates Ruby Matwes, who is there.

'I'm going to humiliate your boyfriend in front of you, and you'll see that I'm much better than him.'

Ruby was also looking for someone, and she locates him easily, I mean, there's no one that attractive to her at the moment except Otis. She sees him on the opposite team to Bryan, wearing the standard school shirt.

Allowing everyone present to discover how his body has changed over the summer.

'How he's changed this summer. I used to find his skinny, pale look strangely attractive, but these changes he's made are good too. Mom likes it, Mom likes that wonderful six-pack... I can't let him know that. His arrogance would be higher than it already is!' Ruby is still suffering the consequences of allowing Otis Milburn to be good in bed. 'Men.' She rolls her eyes with a smile on her face when she sees Otis' serious face.

The first few minutes of the match were normal, with both teams scoring regularly. And everything was as normal as a basketball game could be.

But every time Otis had the ball in his hands, Bryan knocked him down. I mean, the more correct word would be trying. Most of the time it was just Otis dodging Bryan or pushing him out of the way with his superior strength.

Until Otis realized that the venomous looks he was getting from Bryan weren't a one-time thing, he realized that Bryan used too much force when he was going to try to take the ball from him. If it had been anyone other than Otis, they would have fallen a long time ago, either because they couldn't dodge Bryan in time or because they weren't strong enough.

His title of Captain of the Basketball Team doesn't come for nothing.

As captain of the basketball team, Bryan was a strong and agile guy. Moordale's best in the sport, his college scholarship was guaranteed if he kept this up.

So how could he understand that Otis Milburn, who he thought was just easy prey. could sidestep and take him down so easily?

But there was no time for Bryan to think about it. Otis got tired of dodging.

The blue-eyed boy, with the ball in his hands, runs across the court in the last seconds before the end of the game. He crosses the entire court without anyone being able to touch a single strand of his hair.

There was only one person left for Otis to pass: Bryan.

The captain of the basketball team then decides to change his tactics. He was confident in his skills and experience to beat Otis, since he couldn't beat Otis in physical strength, he would beat him in skill.

But things don't always work out the way we plan. As Mike Tyson said, plans fall apart the first time you get punched.

Just as Bryan had a plan in mind, so did Otis, but unlike Bryan, Otis knew he couldn't beat the Basketball Team Captain in skill. So he would use his best weapon, good old sports violence.

However, violence is never the answer to anything... It is the question, and the answer is always... YES!

Otis runs towards Bryan with no intention of dodging, and the Basketball Team Captain waits to take the ball from his hands.

Something Otis wouldn't allow, the blue-eyed boy moves like a train without brakes, and just like a train, he runs over Bryan.

The captain of the basketball team is thrown to the side when Otis collides with him, Otis then accomplishes his goal and leaps towards the basket...

The crowd takes a deep breath...

Complete silence pervades the court...

The coach is shocked by what he's seeing...

Otis buries the ball perfectly in the basket as he hangs on.

Time runs out...

The crowd goes wild, women's screams fill the court, and then Otis'

team seems to realize what has happened and runs to hug him.

The score ends 51 - 49.

Otis wins, relatively easily.

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- Cloakroom -

In the changing room, Otis meets Bryan, who is changing his clothes with a certain sadness in his actions. Curiosity gets the better of Otis. Since he can't remember doing anything to justify this persecution in the match, Otis finally questions him.

"Bryan, buddy. It was a good match." Otis extends his hand for a handshake with Bryan, but at first, it looks like he's not going to shake his hand. But the captain of the basketball team sighs and finally shakes his hand with a small smile.

"Of course, Milburn. You were amazing there, I never imagined you had so much strength in that skinny body. I mean, not anymore... Man, how did you change so much over the summer?"

"Haha, I'll tell you what I tell everyone, puberty!" Otis laughs and Bryan doesn't believe a word Otis says, but leaves him to his "secret".

"Do you mind if I ask you something?" Otis asks Bryan when they both stop laughing.

"You're already asking, but I don't mind." Bryan becomes a little more comfortable with Otis, he doesn't regret what he did, but he realizes that since Otis hasn't noticed anything, he can sweep this matter under the rug and finally forget about Ruby.

'Or try to. He's actually a nice guy.'

"Why were you trying so hard to bring me down in the match?" Otis has an expression of curiosity on his face, no anger or anything like that on his face. Just curiosity.

*sigh* "Milburn, I don't regret what I did. I just wanted to prove to Ruby how pathetic you are. Or more precisely, I was." Bryan mumbles the last part of what he is saying, looking genuinely embarrassed.

"But what for? Didn't you break up, like, five months ago?"

"BECAUSE OF THE WRONG SOCK I WORE!" Bryan explodes in frustration as he vents to Otis.

Otis jumps back exaggeratedly startled by Bryan's shout, his classmates looking at the two boys with annoyed looks on their faces.

Bryan sighs again and then looks at Otis: "Milburn, I don't know why she wanted to be with you. But I advise you, don't get attached to her. She'll dump you at any moment when she gets sick of you, or if you don't wear the color of clothes she agreed on that day, she's shallow like that." Bryan says as if he's the master of the subject.

"And why would you want to go back to her?"

"Because she's Ruby Matthews? Man, her breasts..." Bryan gestures as if he's going to grab the air.

"Bryan..." Otis interrupted him with a neutral expression, but his blue eyes promised him pain if he continued talking about her.

"Okay, okay, I get it. But seriously, Milburn. I don't know if it's some kind of challenge, like she once did, you know. She had to stay with Tom Baker for a week last time." Bryan says and Otis remembers the day he was helping Maeve find out whose photo was leaked.

He remembers when Ruby commented that she had been with Tom Baker for a while, but didn't think much of it at the time. He was, shall we say, focused on another matter at the time.

Otis nods to Bryan who speaks again.

"She's like that. She never made a point of really dating anyone." Bryan puts his hand on Otis' shoulder and continues. "Good luck, Milburn. Enjoy it while you can, and think about what I said."

Otis then stands there, thinking deeply about Bryan's words.

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(Otis)

"Tomorrow is the green day, we all have to wear green. So please pack something."

"I don't have anything green, I threw some clothes away, green included." I take a deep breath as I try to catch my breath after some completely amazing sex.

"I figured, I'd leave something for you to wear tomorrow." She says as I spot a military green T-shirt on the counter.

I see Ruby, although she's just as out of breath as I am. She's hurriedly getting dressed, which is strange, she usually stays a while.

"Are you going? Don't you want to stay a while?"

"I can't, my mom's working today and I have to make my dad's dinner," Ruby tells me as she puts on her high heels and heads for my bedroom door.

Before she can go, like the gentleman I am, I offer to help.

"Do you need help?" Actually, I just want to spend as much time with her as possible.

"What? Do you want to have sex again? Otis, please, as much as I like this high libido, I..."

"No! Ruby. I... I just want to help you. if you want." I quickly correct her before she gets the impression that I just want sex with her, well I do. But that's not all.

"Strange." I hear her mutter softly. What's strange is that I can hear her so well from this distance, because I've always had terrible hearing. But I'm getting used to it since it's not just my hearing that's improved, several of my senses are getting better and better.

"I don't need any help, thank you. Be ready on time tomorrow, and dressed in green. See you." Ruby closes the door to my room and I only hear her high heels as she descends the stairs.

Damn. What a day, what a day.

Ruby gives me highs and lows all day long.

Starting with lunch.

Fucking Misophonia. I felt like an idiot the whole time. Okay, okay. All right, Misophonia is something you can have and it's quite common actually.

But I feel like I'm walking on eggshells every time I'm with Ruby and her friends. They make a point of keeping things as uncomfortable as possible for me.

And... holy shit. Bryan's words don't leave my mind. Is Ruby as shallow as he says? She seemed that way to me too.

But during that time I spent with her, apart from that sarcastic attitude of hers. Which I admit to liking a lot. There's more to her than meets the eye.

She's very kind and makes a point of always putting her family first. No matter what they're doing at the moment if her mother calls her, she goes.

That's not the attitude of a bad person.

But deep down, what I fear most is that she won't feel the same way about me. I want to believe that she would like me, with me being me. But I'm realizing that she's changing me to fit her standards.

And I don't want that. I don't mind if she wants to fix me up, or fix my hair, or do something to me that she thinks will make me look better.

But I hate being put against the wall. I hate people imposing their will on me.

On the other hand, I really like Ruby. I admit it. But I'm not going to change myself completely just to be with her. Or be with anyone.

From what little I know of myself, I don't recognize myself in this position.

Dressed like this, acting like this.

Yes, sex is incredible. But it's not the most important part, at least it shouldn't be. There's more to Ruby than I currently see, I feel it. And I want to find out more about her, her family, her personal tastes.

But first, I need to set boundaries, if that's not possible, then the relationship between me and Ruby will be over before it even begins.

Because for me, respect and trust are the most important part of a relationship.

I am Otis Milburn and I will act like it. Now, let me make this very clear... maybe not now. But tomorrow for sure.

But right now, I need to sleep. My bed is more attractive than usual.

.

.

.

I start my day like everyone else. I wake up very early, do my morning run, and exercise.

I return to my house and take a quick but well-deserved shower. I pick up the clothes Ruby left for me on the counter.

"Right, let's start here. My clothes, I'll take the 'best' combination I've got."

I grab my old lucky shirt, simple black jeans, and brown sneakers. And of course, my favorite jacket.

I'm at the height of the affectionately nicknamed, Beggar's Look. Nicknamed obviously by Ruby and her friends.

I go downstairs and smell fried eggs. Oh oh, that's never a good sign.

"Hi darling, sit here. I. made. eggs." My mother says in a sing-song tone.

Yes, something is definitely wrong.

"Good morning mom, I thank you for giving me this lovely breakfast. But I'd appreciate it even more if you'd tell me straight away what you have to tell me." I sit down as I say it in an exaggeratedly polite tone.

As I finish my words, I see my mother's expression change a few times before she sits up and looks at me and then finally begins to speak.

"Otis, dear. I talked to Jakob, and then he and I decided. Try to make it work... As a family." I see my mother squirm a little in her chair, whether from the discomfort of pregnancy or the conversation, I don't know.

Yes, I still don't understand, Mom. I'm afraid she's taking too long to get where she's going.

"Yes, so..." I say, seeing her silent.

"Otis, I want Ola and Jakob to come and live with us." My mother finally says.

Shit.

"I know it's a lot to take in. And if you're not okay with it..." I see my mother flinch as she notices my lack of response.

I'm certainly not okay with it.

"... It's fine. We'll try to find another way to make it work somehow. But it would mean a lot to me if it did, not just for me. But for Joy." My mother keeps talking and talking, trying to convince me.

Shit, Ola as my stepsister? I hope she doesn't get stuck in the washing machine.

"All right, Mom. Whatever you decide is fine with me. After all, I'm not going to stay here forever, am I? I want to see you happy, and if that makes you happy. That's fine with me."

Not really, I've never had to share my space with anyone. And I'm not too excited about sharing space with Ola of all people. But I do everything for my mother. Everything.

"Thanks, Otis. That's very mature of you." I see my mother's eyes fill with tears as she says it, and I go over to her and hug her, kissing her forehead.

"I love you, Mom."

"I love you too, darling."

.

.

.

After finishing my breakfast, I get up and say goodbye to my mother to wait for Ruby to pick me up.

Before I can get all the way up the stairs, I hear Ruby honking her horn from upstairs. And when I arrive, she's already out of the car waiting for me, impatient.

Her expression of impatience changes to one of confusion when she sees me and notices my clothes.

"Um, hello! Why are you wearing those beggar's clothes again?"

Okay. The time is now.

"Ruby, these are MY clothes. And I don't want to change who I am to go out with you."

I approach Ruby and she approaches me too.

"And if you're so ashamed of me. And you're such a shallow person, we should break up."

Ruby, contrary to her possible reactions. Start laughing.

"I thought I made it very clear to you, Otis..."

And here it comes.

"That people don't break up with me. I've already made that clear to you." Ruby says and I remember what happened in the bathroom, I hope she doesn't have the same reaction.

"Maybe they don't break up because there's nothing to break up about. Since you keep everything casual."

*Badump* I feel my heart in my throat, anxiety really is a bad thing.

"But I'd like to get to know you better. If you'll allow me." I move a little closer to Ruby as I say it.

Ruby trembles a little before looking into my eyes with less confidence than I usually do and asking me. "Why?"

"Why, Ruby. I find you... Very interesting. And I like you. Not even though I'm having sex with you. I like you."

Ruby averts her eyes from mine for a moment before looking up again, that confidence of hers returning in full force.

"Does that mean... That you want to be my boyfriend?"

"Yes, Ruby. I want to be your boyfriend."

And then all my nervousness falls away as I see her smile.

She leans in and kisses me, and I take her around the waist and kiss her back. She was on tiptoe so she could kiss me, even in heels. I lower my face a little to make it easier for her.

Ruby had been the reason for my anxiety and her cure. She pulls away from me and looks at me again, now, in her eyes, I see an affection as great as the one I feel for her. I wait.

"Yeah, maybe I can make people think this jacket is cool," Ruby says as she straightens my shirt.

She then turns and heads for her car. A charm in her walk makes me feel butterflies in my stomach, and her perfume is all over my clothes.

Oh my God. What a woman. What a woman.

-------•×•--------•×•--------•×•--------•×•------

Hi guys, how are you? Yes, I know, I'm late. But I have my reasons.

Remember the poll I did a few chapters ago?

Well, I bought an S Series and got hooked on Elden Ring. I've almost finished it and I got a game called Baldurs Bate 3 from my friend, so I hope I don't get so hooked on that one.

But that's it, I've already got half the next chapter ready. So I hope I'm not late.

This chapter was more difficult than usual since it has all this original plot, I hope you like it. Bye.

From your favorite punctual author...

-AbelWizard.