Chapter 94 Tensed
CHAPTER 94
Tensed.
JANE'S RESIDENCE
The atmosphere is warm and lit. Ruby sat curled up on the couch, a cup of tea resting gently in her hands. The steam rose slowly, brushing against her face as she took a small sip, her shoulders finally relaxed after days of emotional strain.
Across from her, Jane sat cross legged, watching her with a mischievous smile.
“You’ve been smiling at that tea for the past five minutes,” Jane teased.
Ruby blinked slightly before letting out a soft laugh. “I have not.”
“You have,” Jane insisted, leaning forward slightly. “You’re not even drinking it properly.”
Ruby shook her head, still smiling faintly as she took another sip.
“I’m just… thinking.”
Jane raised an eyebrow. “About Leo?”
Ruby didn’t even try to deny it. “…Maybe.”
Jane immediately burst into laughter. “I knew it!”
Ruby groaned softly, leaning back into the couch. “It’s not like that.”
“Oh, it is exactly like that,” Jane replied, grinning. “Just one day Leo leaves, and you run off to my apartment like you can’t survive without him.”
Ruby’s eyes widened slightly. “I didn’t run off!”
Jane gave her a look. “You packed a bag.”
“I was coming to see you!”
“With snacks and your favorite blanket,” Jane added.
Ruby tried to hold back her smile but failed. “Okay, maybe I missed Nora and Carl too.”
Jane laughed.
“Ah yes, Nora and Carl. Of course. Totally not using them as an excuse.”
Ruby lightly threw a cushion at her. “Shut up.”
Jane caught it easily, still laughing.
“I’m just saying you’re down bad.”
Ruby covered her face briefly, her cheeks warming slightly. “I’m not.”
“You are,” Jane insisted. “And it’s actually cute.”
Ruby lowered her hands, her expression softening.
“I just… got used to being around them,” she admitted quietly. “The house feels… different when he’s not there.”
Jane’s teasing expression softened slightly.
“That’s because you care about him,” she said.
Ruby didn’t respond immediately but her silence said enough.
Jane smiled gently. “And that’s not a bad thing.”
Ruby looked down at her tea, her fingers tracing the rim of the cup. “I know.”
Ruby looked up at her again and called. “Jane”.
“Yes” Jane turned towards her.
“I'm happy to have you,” Ruby said, smiling.
“I'm happy also” she said hugging Ruby, and then she whispered to her ear, “you're leaving this Channel bag for me” they both laughed.
For a moment, the room grew quiet again, comfortable, and calm.
Until the door suddenly burst open.
Both girls jumped instantly. “Ahhhhhhh!”
Jane nearly dropped her phone. Ruby clutched her cup tightly, eyes wide.
“Who—?!”
Before they could even react properly a familiar figure stood at the doorway. Breathing slightly hard, like he had rushed over. For a split second everywhere went quiet, before they could realize who he was.
“VICTOR?!” Both girls shouted at the same time.
Jane was the first to move, jumping off the couch.
“Where have you been?!”
Ruby quickly placed her tea down and stood up too.
“You disappeared!”
“We’ve been calling you!”
“Your phone wasn’t going through!”
“Do you know how worried we were?!”
They both started talking over each other, voices rising as they rushed toward him, completely overwhelming him within seconds.
Victor raised his hands slightly.
“Hey…hey slow down!”
But they didn’t. Jane crossed her arms, staring at him.
“You vanished!”
Ruby nodded immediately. “No calls, no messages, nothing!”
Victor sighed, rubbing the back of his neck slightly. “I know… I know.”
Jane narrowed her eyes. “So?”
“So what?” he asked cautiously.
“So explain!” Ruby said.
Victor hesitated, just for a second.
“My mom,” he said finally. “She’s been sick.”
The words landed, and immediately the tension shifted.
Ruby’s expression softened. “Oh…”
Jane’s brows furrowed slightly. “Sick?”
Victor nodded. “Yeah. It got worse suddenly, so I had to stay with her. Things were just… hectic.”
Ruby stepped closer. “Is she okay now?”
Victor gave a small nod. “She’s better.”
Jane studied him carefully, her eyes narrowing just slightly. She noticed something immediately, he came in breathing fast, like someone being chased or scared of something, he hesitated before he answered and the Victor she knew wasn’t like this, the Victor that has been her friend for years would have called and told her things.
“That’s why you couldn’t call?” she asked.
Victor nodded again. “Yeah. Hospital visits, medications… I barely had time for anything else.”
Ruby immediately reached out and held his arm gently.
“You should have told us,” she said softly.
Victor gave a small, apologetic smile.
“I know. I’m sorry.”
Jane sighed, her shoulders relaxing slightly.
“We were seriously worried.”
“I can see that,” Victor said, glancing between them.
Ruby let out a small laugh..“You have no idea.”
Jane smirked. “She tried calling you like a hundred times.”
Ruby frowned. “That’s not true.”
“Ninety-nine times?” Jane corrected.
Victor chuckled softly. “Wow.”
Ruby rolled her eyes but smiled. “Well, you deserved it.”
Victor raised his hands in surrender. “Alright, I accept my punishment.”
Jane shook her head. “You’re lucky you showed up when you did.”
Victor glanced around the apartment. “Looks like I interrupted something.”
Ruby shook her head. “No, we were just talking.”
“About Leo,” Jane added immediately.
Ruby turned sharply. “Jane!”
Victor smirked slightly. “Leo, huh?”
Ruby groaned. “Don’t start.”
Jane grinned. “Oh, I already started.”
Victor walked further into the apartment, dropping his bag near the door.
“So… what about Leo?” he asked casually.
Ruby crossed her arms. “Nothing.”
Jane leaned closer to Victor, lowering her voice dramatically. “She misses him.”
Ruby’s eyes widened. “I do not!”
Victor laughed softly. “Sure.”
Ruby sighed, giving up. “Can we not talk about this?”
Jane shrugged. “Fine… for now.”
Victor walked over and sat down, stretching slightly like he finally felt at ease. “I missed this,” he admitted.
Jane tilted her head. “Being interrogated?”
Victor smiled. “Being here.”
Ruby sat back down, picking up her tea again.
“Well, you’re not disappearing again,” she said firmly.
Victor raised an eyebrow. “Is that an order?”
“Yes,” both girls said at the same time.
Victor laughed. “Alright, alright.”
Jane walked toward the kitchen. “You’re staying,” she said. “No arguments.”
Victor didn’t even try to protest. “Got it.”
Ruby watched them, a small smile played on her face, everything felt… normal, simple, warm and complete.