Blake sat quietly sipping her tea and staring out at the rain. She hated the rain, just thinking about it made her shudder subconsciously. She clutched her tea a little tighter, the paper cup denting where her thumb dug in. The rain pounded against the window and Blake burrowed deeper into the scarf around her neck. Seeing the rain brought memories back that she'd rather ignore. The squeal of tires on wet pavement, a scream. The sickening crunch, she was so lost in thought she failed to see the young woman wobbling her way.
The young brunette wobbled forward, her dripping wet hair falling in her eyes. Another patron of the small café stood, pushing his chair back, inadvertently, straight into her path. Reduced to near blindness she stumbled into the chair, and straight into Blake's lap, spilling her tea everywhere.
"Ah!" Blake yelped, flinching back automatically.
"Oh my gosh I am so sorry! I couldn't see where I was going oh gosh, I'm so so so sorry I totally spilled your drink! Let me buy you a new one! What were you drinking?"
"Uh…" Was all she could manage in reply, her head still swimming from the rapid fire way the smaller girl talked.
"Oh I'm sorry, I'm Ruby!" Wiping her sopping hair from her eyes revealed brilliant pools of silver and a genuine smile. Blake couldn't help but stare. This girl had quite literally just fallen in her lap, and she was the most adorable thing Blake had ever seen.
"Blake" She finally managed, along with a small smile.
"Blake…. That's a really pretty name. You're pretty too, like, super pretty. Are you a model or something?" Blake flushed and shook her head. "Oh, well you totally could be!" There was that bright smile again, and again it pulled a smile to her own lips. "Anyways I was serious about replacing your drink, what were you drinking?"
"Uh, chamomile."
"Okay! Chamomile for Blake!" Then she was off, bouncing up to the counter and ordering drinks. Blake sat glued to her seat, staring after, unable to move. This vibrant young girl had quite literally landed in her life and already she was working her way into her heart. Not something anyone had done in…. a very very long time. Unable to help herself Blake smiled and watched as Ruby bounced on her heels as she waited impatiently for their drinks.
When Ruby eventually (And very slowly and cautiously) resettled herself at the table, she passed the steaming drink to Blake with a wide grin. "Tada! Good as new! Well, actually new because if it had been the old one just poured back in a cup that'd be gross…" Ruby's rambling pulled a small laugh from the quiet girl and she beamed at her. Her smile faded though and Blake was instantly worried she'd done something wrong and shrank back instinctively. "Uhm, I don't mean to be rude or anything and you really don't have to talk to me or anything but… you looked really sad before I fell on you. Are you okay?"
Her concern caught Blake off guard. Eyes widening she stared at the girl with the red highlights. It'd been a very long time since someone had asked her if she was okay, much less said it so sincerely and with genuine worry in their eyes. It brought tears to Blake's eyes.
"Oh no! I'm sorry! Please don't cry! Hey!" Without thinking Ruby darted around the table and knelt before Blake, taking her hands in her own. "Hey, Hey, It's okay! Whatever it is it can't hurt you now! I know we just met and this is gonna sound crazy but I really like you and really wanna be your friend and stuff and as your friend it's my duty to get you to stop crying. You know why?"
Ruby actually paused, like she was expecting and answer. When Blake shook her head and rubbed her eyes against her shoulders, unable to use her hands due to the tight grip Ruby had on them.
"Because pretty girls shouldn't cry and you're the prettiest girl of all." Ruby leaned up and pressed a small barely there kiss to Blake's cheek, flushing a deep scarlet. Blake's tears dried and she blinked down at the girl on her knee's clutching her hands. And she smiled so widely it almost hurt because it had been far too long since she'd smiled like this and she slowly bent down and kissed Ruby's cheek back and squeezed her hands.
"Thank you." Ruby would never know what she was being thanked for, but for the rest of her life, she would remember the crooked smile and pure happiness radiated in golden eyes.
