Ruby

S-She couldn't be.

There's nothing there, just an accident.

She got a little too excited.

Not about me.

The game.

That's it.

Nothing more.

Totally nothing more.

Weiss was just being Weiss.

Nothing to overthink about.

Absolutely nothing.

Cool it, Ruby.

"So Weiss," my mom decided to bring up some small talk now that we were assembled at the dining table. Today's lunch was pan fry chicken breast tossed in rosemary with a side of rice and mixed vegetables. "Do you share the same classes with Ruby?"

"I do not." Weiss answered back kindly. She and I didn't dare to bring up the accident that had happened in my room. "We actually don't go to the same school."

"Really? What school do you attend?"

"Beacon High."

"The one adjacent to Signal?"

"Yes, that's the one. Thank you for lunch by the way, Mrs. Rose. It smells wonderful."

"You're welcome!" With how much my mom's smile lit up, I could tell she took Weiss' compliment to heart. She rarely had the chance to come home and cook for me, let alone meet one of my friends. She motioned for Weiss to start eating in which she gladly dug into. "Sorry that it's nothing fancy."

Weiss promptly covered her mouth to hide the half chewed food. "No, no!" She replied. "This is absolutely fine. It's delicious, really."

"It's past noon so I thought I should whip up something quick," my mom said as she cut her own chicken into slices. "I didn't want you to wait long, and Ruby is a little monster when she's not fed."

I rolled my eyes and added a little scoff. That wasn't entirely true.

My mom then proceeded to cover the side of her mouth with a hand and whispered loud on purpose for me to hear.

"She gets hangry."

The rice went the wrong way and caused me to choke. Weiss smiled comically at my mom's usage of teenage slang.

"Who taught you that word?" I asked in an accusing tone.

"Careful, honey." My mom chided me for hacking on my food. Like a doting mom, she brought a napkin up to my face and dabbed the stray pieces and spit. I instantly pulled away wearing a scowl because she was treating me like a kid in front of Weiss. "These youngsters at work taught me," she then explained. "They were saying that's so savage! and how it's lit! and I'm shook! and —"

I dropped my fork to plug my ears. "Stop, stop stop!" I cringed in horror with a long drawn out whine. Images of my mom adopting hipster language killed me on the inside. "They're teaching you bad, very bad words."

"I'm just teasing you honey." My mom flourished a hand to give me assurance. It didn't because I was still dead on the inside. "Weiss, I hear an accent in your voice." There was an excited tune strung in her sentence, and Weiss slightly shrunk in her seat blushing. "You don't need to be embarrassed about it! I think it's rather lovely."

Weiss cleared her throat to prevent her voice from getting trapped. "I was born and raised in Atlas," she explained, already knowing the question implied behind it. "I moved to Vale a few years ago."

"Atlas?" My mom clapped her hands suddenly together and her eyes twinkled. "Atlas is such a beautiful place! Especially when the snow sets in."

"Oh yeah," I butted in, rolling my food around on my plate. "My mom temporarily lived in Atlas for work."

"O-Oh? She did?" Weiss seemed completely caught off guard, but I thought none of it.

"I switched to another branch in Mistral," my mom offered a short smile. "How do you like it here in Vale?"

"It's nice. I like it here."

"It's because of me," I piped in, jabbing her on the side with a teasing grin.

"Sure," Weiss humored me and reciprocated the elbow back. "Sunshine-And-Rainbow over here makes the day so bright that even she runs into poles."

I stuck my tongue at her and resumed eating. Mom quietly smiled when she wasn't sure what we were talking about.

"The atmosphere is very different," Weiss continued off before I had interrupted her. "It feels refreshing here, and Atlas is… Well… Let's say it's a little suffocating."

"Oh, huh, my mom said along the lines of that too…" I reached for my glass of water thinking I hadn't said anything wrong until I got a panicked look from my mom.

"I assume it's the people?" Weiss took a stab at it.

The corner of my mouth sunk when I caught on to why my mom looked so distressed. She didn't like Atlas, and Weiss was from Atlas. I figuratively threw dirt on Weiss' hometown.

I felt horrible.

"It's alright." Weiss had acknowledged the brief silence and apologetically smiled as if it was on the behalf of Atlas. "I completely understand. That's why I didn't stay. I agree, Atlas is difficult. The people are difficult. They think of themselves higher than everyone around them. The smallest mistake will make them belittle you."

"But not you," I blurted. "You're nothing like what you described."

"Thanks, Ruby," she said, her smile turning sheepish.

"I really meant it when I said Atlas is a beautiful place. It's just…" My mom scratched her cheek trying to juggle her words correctly. "The atmosphere wasn't a right fit for someone like me."

"It's okay to be honest." Weiss had already understood that my mom meant no harm. "If you're worried that I might be offended, don't be. Atlas was traditionally built to be a commercial city, and since then, society shaped the people's way of thinking. Everything is focused on money and business, and it really hardened the people's hearts."

"Yeah… Conversations can be draining," Mom reluctantly admitted. "But for one of the world's largest industrial power houses, the food is delicious. I always wanted to take Ruby there."

"Really?" I mumbled, chewing with food in my mouth.

"Only their high end delicacy is delicious," Weiss put her two cents in.

"Super high end," my mom couldn't stress enough as she nodded along to Weiss.

"I'm not sure Ruby would like Atlas other than the food," Weiss then mumbled. "The city doesn't really offer much to tourists…"

All of the things Weiss was saying about her hometown, I soaked it all in. I had never asked Weiss about Atlas. It never came to mind. My mom had mentioned a few things about the city, but most of it flew over my head. There were so many interesting things that I haven't learned about Weiss that I wish I knew more of.

"Hey mom," I called her for attention while I was staring at the silverware I had been holding. The phrase Made In Atlas was engraved on the utensil. "Didn't you say Atlas has one mega corporation that owns or has partial ownership with a lot of other companies over there?"

"Oh, hm, did I?"

Weiss averted her gaze away, poking her last bit of food on her plate.

"Yeah, you mentioned it a long time ago."

"Hm." My mom reached for her glass of water and gave Weiss a subtle smile. "I forgot the corporation's name. I must be getting old."

I scoffed and rolled my eyes at her. "I told you that you're old and wrin — "

She yanked at my ear again which left me hissing.

"Thank you for volunteering on doing the dishes, Ruby," Mom perfectly maintained her smile.

I sealed the rest of my mouth shut before my demonic mom sentenced me to do other house chores that I had been avoiding. After we finished lunch, we stayed at the table exchanging conversations.

The subject had been jumping all over the place. It started with Atlas and then to school and activities. The conversation rerouted itself to Weiss telling my mischievous stories she had promised earlier and we concluded in uncomfortable silence. I took it as a sign to start the dreaded cleaning before Weiss became more uncomfortable as she was.

"I can help clean the dishes," Weiss meekly offered. "It's the least I can do."

I was prepared to jump at the offer, but my mom shot her down. Weiss was our guest and it wasn't hospitable to put her on cleaning duty. To keep Weiss busy while I was preoccupied, my mom offered some of my baby pictures as promised. Just knowing that Weiss will be going through all my embarrassing photos made my stomach plummet.

And of course, Weiss couldn't say no to my mom.

"I'd love to, Mrs. Rose."

I mouthed the word traitor at her while I slipped on a pair of vibrant color dishwashing gloves. Weiss shrugged at me when it was completely out of her hands and mouthed a word of apology. My mom always had it her way, and I knew that.

"Fantastic!" Mom ushered Weiss into the living room. "There's an adorable picture of Ruby swimming in the toilet bowl that you must see!"

I groaned when my mom chose that picture to start with. When the two were no longer within earshot, I rolled up my sleeves.

"Okay, dishes." I dragged a long sigh. "Prepare to meet your maker."