Castiel's POV
"Ruby, I'm so sorry, but I can't"
"Just trust me, Castiel."
"It's not that, please Rubes" I gently push her shoulders away from me. She keeps trying though, trying to kiss me when I really can't.
"Why then?" she mutters against my lips, smiling.
"I... just... um," I stumble on my words, racking my brain for some sort of excuse before my cheeks spontaneously combust. "You see- I have a girlfriend!" I blurt out.
Ruby raises her eyes to mine, then looks away as soon as they meet. She glances to the side, gently climbing off my lap, and I sigh inwardly with the relief of the loss of that uncomfortable weight, but then I just get angry at myself for getting any amount of joy out of someone else's pain. After all, this is all my fault.
She's muttering something to herself and I strain to overhear. "I'm so stupid, so so stupid. You idiot, Ruby. Why would he ever fall for you." The murmurs are saying, and they get to me, so much, because she's blaming herself - and it's my fault. I look up from the floor, which I've been staring at in an attempt to not look her in the eyes, only to see her chuckling. For a small moment I think it's fine, that she didn't really care and trying to get with me was just a prank, or a dare, or something that wouldn't make any of this matter. But then I look closer, and see her shaking her head, and I recognise those laughs. It's not out of humour… it's self loathing. You screw something up, and you laugh at yourself, your idiocy, because it's all you can do. I've been there.
I'm not sure I've ever felt as guilty as I did right then in years. There's so much hurt in all of her actions, because she's a gorgeous girl, and I'm a lucky guy, and the thought of us not hitting it off tonight would physically shock pretty much anyone over the age of 17.
"I'm sorry-" I begin before she cuts me off.
"This girl got a name?" She asked suddenly, perhaps wondering if its someone from our school, if it's someone she can blame. But I'm burdened with the knowledge that Ruby just wants to know so that she can compare herself to her. Not that 'her' is even more than a figure in my mind.
Panicking, I skim my eyes over her bedroom, which, except for the radio quietly playing in the background, is silent. I catch my eye on a cold mug of coffee, and in a moment of distress, I tell her, "Mug".
Her shoulders collapse and she breathes out, I realise she was subconsciously holding her breath in wait for the answer. Evidently, she no longer believes in the existence of my mysterious, and yes, imaginary, girlfriend. Almost sympathetically she says, "Your girlfriend is called mug?"
"What?! No no no," I try to redeem myself. "Marg, that's what I call her, it's short for Margaret." I mentally high-five myself. I really am pathetic. Heck, I'm legally an adult, and I'm making up girlfriends based on beverages.
In a fraction of a second, her whole face has dropped all over again, her posture shrinking and her head bowing. Her hands hang by her side, limp with a loss of purpose. So of course that sense of guilt, the annoyance at myself, and the torment of knowing what I've done to her succumbs me. I wish there were something I could do. Really. But I don't like her in that way, and I never will, even if I wanted too. Sometimes I wish I could.
That evening I'm sitting on my bed, re-watching the empire strikes back, (because why the hell not?) when there's a knock at the door. I realise Gabriel should have been home around 5 minutes ago; he must have forgotten his keys, the imbecile. I murmur something to myself about little brothers as I reluctantly make my way to the door.
"Oh, hi." says a boy who's most definitely not my brother. He looks about the same age as Gabe though, with long brown hair and a sheepish smile. "Is Gabriel there?"
"No, sorry. He should be back any time now though." I say, putting on the politest voice I can muster up for the stranger at my doorstep. Just as I'm about to invite him inside, and ask who he is, he starts speaking again.
"Um, my bad, it's just he said he would be home around this time. Thing is, I decided to come a little earlier because I really couldn't wait to see hi-" The boy covers his mouth, as if just realising what he's said.
I'm about to reply to his comment, suddenly massively intrigued by the wavy haired kid, who's name I don't even know yet, when Gabriel, without warning, slams through the old wooden gate and brings an abrupt ending to our conversation.
"Heyyyy Cassie." he grins at me slyly as I scowl at his most recent nickname for me. Then, glancing at the youngster to his right (and did I see his cheeks turn a bit red? no, I must be imagining it) he says to me, "I see you've met my… friend, Sam. He moved here a few weeks ago with his brother."
"Nice to meet you, Sam" I say with a nod, still keeping as adult as possible whilst my mind buzzes with questions and ideas.
"You too..." he pulls a questioning look.
"Castiel" I say.
"Nice to meet you too, Castiel." He says, flashing another toothy grin - and this time I swear I see Gabe's cheeks light up. I am definitely confronting him about this later.