I Think I Like You - Weiss POV

Chapter 11: Enjoy the Little Things

"You What?"

I watch as Ruby's lip quivers, her whole body rigid. She stands with her fists clenched tightly by her sides and undeniable trembling in her legs.

She looks petrified, yet she somehow manages to hold her stance, unyielding, and her eyes bore into mine, unwavering.

"I- I think I like you." She repeats, sounding slightly less timid than before.

I blink - and a lingering silence is drawn between us.

"…You think you like me?"

Ruby meets my gaze and as soon as they lock on she dart her eyes away; I've noticed she does this a lot.

"Yeah?" she gives.

I cross my legs and gape at the girl standing in front of me.

"Is that a question?"

"No?" She begins pulling anxiously on her baggy sleeves.

"Do you mean that platonically, or…?"

In the dark of the night I have a hard time making out the exact expression she is making. It's probably somewhere along the lines of embarrassment and pure ambiguity.

She has that doubtful look a lot, like she's uncomfortable with the way she acts or how she holds herself sometimes. Despite that, she still manages to speak her mind, like now, which is always something I have secretly envied of her.

For some reason, maybe the shock I'm in from what I'm currently being told, my mind feels blank.

Ruby feebly shakes her head at me.

"I mean like-like, like the romantic kind of like."

"So, not platonic like?"

"Weiss." Ruby whines, holding her hands over her eyes to cover them. "Stop making me say it, it's embarrassing."

"Oh, sorry."

I'm not entirely sure how to process the information I'm being told.

Ruby, whom I considered to be my closest companion as of late, is admitting her… affections for me?

Is that it? Is that why she has been avoiding me like the plague for the past week? I'm not quite sure what to think. I have never really thought of anyone in that way before.

Though, I don't take myself for a fool, and I'm not oblivious to my surroundings either. I've been asked out numerous times, all ending in the same pitiful way, since none really piqued my interest. I tend to focus on my schoolwork and my father's business rather than trivial things such as dating.

But, this case was glaringly different. This was Ruby.

It's not often I get taken by surprise like this; normally, I can see it coming from the moment someone takes any sort of interest in me.

Maybe it's because she's a girl?

No, that can't be it. I'm very keen on noticing things like that, but I had never given it a thought that Ruby might be the type to swing that way.

"Weiss?"

I blink again and realize I must have been staring into space for much longer than necessary.

Ruby looks super nervous, that much is obvious just by looking at her stature. Her shoulders are slightly scrunched up, like she's trying to hide by curling in on herself, and her eyes are wide in questioning.

I open my mouth to speak, but close it again as I realize I have no idea what to say.

Ruby drops her gaze to the ground and starts kicking at some dirt with her sneakers.

"I'm sorry, Weiss. I didn't mean to make you feel u-uncomfortable or anything. I just… I wanted you to know I guess." She shrugs.

"No, no! Ruby, listen… I uhm…" I trail off awkwardly.

Although I don't want Ruby to feel even worse than she clearly looks, I just can't find the words to express myself. I have this problem a lot actually.

"I don't really know what to tell you…"

Ruby moves her gaze up at me, takes a deep breath, and lifts her head from the ground. She looks slightly less distraught compared to a few minutes ago, as though she gained some burst of new-found confidence.

"Look, you don't need to answer me right now." Ruby fixes her shoulders so she's standing up a bit straighter. "Just, whenever you're ready or whatever… tell me? I know you probably don't feel the same way, but I still want to be friends with you Weiss, regardless of what you say."

Ruby's confidence falters momentarily, and a borderline panicked look forms in her eyes.

"I-I mean unless you think I'm disgusting or s-something. I can just leave you alone if you really want me too."

My eyes soften and I stand up from the step I have been sitting on, dusting off my dress as I do so.

"Ruby, I don't think you're disgusting. I would never think that." I bite my lip after I speak. I know my face is probably flushed pink. It's been a curse ever since I was young, and it sure as hell isn't helping my case right now. "But, I'm pretty sure I do need some time to think."

I watch Ruby take a large gulp of air before she responds.

"Oh, o-of course!"

Ruby looks away from me again, not able to meet my eyes.

I take a moment to watch her features. The girl in front of me looks so unsure of herself. She's so afraid that the next words I might say could make her whole world come crashing down in a matter of seconds - and they probably could.

"Look, I'll see you Monday, okay?"

Ruby, still staring at anything besides me, sheepishly nods her head.

"Ruby." The tone I use calls for her full attention, and she composes herself once again, giving it to me willingly.

I feel an involuntary heat rise in my cheeks, and this time it's my turn to look away.

"T-Thank you. I'll be going now."

Ruby stares at me for a second before giving one of those signature coy smiles, assuring me she's okay.

I grab my purse off the step and hastily turn around.

As make my way through the backdoor I don't risk sparing a glance at Ruby. I was afraid it would make me want to stay.

Stupid, stupid, stupid!

I'm in one of the many bathrooms on the second floor of my house, standing on a footstool as I brush my teeth. As I look at myself in the mirror, I only grow even more aggravated with myself.

You should have said something - anything that would make Ruby not want to avoid you for another whole week!

All things considered, this past week I've been so out of it.

I don't know when I had gotten so used to Ruby's mindless chatter about absolutely nothing, or just her presence being with me in general. Most of the time, I don't even have to do or say anything and she just comes running on her own accord.

When she stopped talking to me, I realized I had been taking that show of companionship for granted. I felt like I must have somehow been the one who caused it.

Well, at least now I know that wasn't the case.

I finish brushing my teeth and rinse my mouth out with some water before stepping down from the short stool I'm standing on. As I Leisurely make my way back to my room, my socks making a soft thumping noise that echoes off the empty walls in my house.

My family is still away at Schnee Bank Headquarters. They have been there for some time, and I don't think they have plans on coming back anytime soon, which is fine by me.

The less contact I have with my father, the better off my mental health is.

Opening the door to my room, I slip my way in and close the door shut behind me. I walk over to my vanity and grab my hairbrush off the corner to begin my nightly brushing session. Hair this shiny doesn't come naturally; it takes a lot of grooming to keep up my image. Not that I mind it too much, I'm quite fond of personal hygiene regardless.

I glide the brush through my slightly damp hair to start getting out the small tangles and knots.

I wonder what it's like to like someone.

I would be lying if I said I don't want to feel that way about someone. Unfortunately, with such a tight schedule and the amount of work I have, I just don't see how it would be possible.

Of course, there have been countless opportunities for me in the past, but I've just never been able to understand people all that well. Sure, most of the time I can read them like an open book, Ruby being the easiest example, yet I feel like I still miss the most important important clues. Clues that would tell me she felt something like… that towards me.

It's so frustrating and I don't get it.

Continuously dragging the brush through my hair, I reach a particularly hard knot, making me scowl.

I'm… just a girl.

Often, I get called pretty, yet I seldom believe their praise is genuine. The fact of the matter is that most people are either after my money or my family name, and rarely take interest in my actual personality, which drives me nuts.

I'm not always right, but I do hate admitting when I'm wrong. Maybe it's a complex I developed when I was younger - come to think of it - it probably is. When I did do something wrong, father would often look down on me or tell me he was disappointed. I used to hate seeing that look on his face, but now I just hate seeing his face.

When I'm out in public, I try to put on as confident of a face as I can muster, making me not to be feared, but respected. A force to be reckoned with, if you will. Sadly, even if that look is present, it's not always authentic.

People tend to think they can read me like an open book; that much is obvious when visiting my father's banquets and everyone there sees my academics and musical achievements as my entire being. That being said, I oftentimes feel as though I hide so much. Only god knows what would come to my family if the reality of my condition were to get out.

I try to fix any problems in my path, any issues I'm faced with head on; I've learned that it's easier that way. But, I feel like I often don't deserve my praise for these acts.

And I most certainty haven't done anything to deserve the loyalty and adoration Ruby has shown me.

She is undeniably childish and the most naïve person I have ever met. She's unreasonable and unpredictable at times, almost like a landmine, where if you step on it the wrong way, it could go off.

However, despite all of that, she can be surprisingly comforting. She more often than not knows what to say at just the right time to make me feel better.

She's endearing in a way that somehow makes her shine. I can always spot her in a crowd of people because it's like her honest personality just… glows.

It's obvious to me now that she's cared for me since the beginning, since she found me in that bathroom. Why she cares, well, I'm honestly still not sure about that.

I'll admit I can be difficult and maybe a little bossy when we really need to get things done. Yet, she somehow manages to look past all of that. Ruby is more than willing to look past my worst faults, keep my biggest secret, and ask for nothing in return other than my companionship.

I stop running the brush through my hair and set it down on the vanity in front of me. I might not have come to any conclusions tonight, but there is one thing I am certain about.

When you find someone who is willing to stick by you, regardless of how difficult you are, you keep them. You keep them because finding someone who cares enough to look past your flaws isn't something that happens every day.

I call one of my drivers to drop me off at school Monday morning.

Sometimes I walk, but for the most part I prefer to relax and take it slow so early in the day. I'm not particularly amorning person either, unlike a certain someone I know.

As I exit the black SUV and give a thanks to my driver, I notice a certain brunette waiting anxiously in front of the schools entrance.

Ruby squints her eyes over in my direction, and through the crowd of students entering, I watch her give a shy wave.

I feel an uninvited blush creeping its way up my face and give a stiff nod back.

Goddammit, why am I the flustered one!?

I'm surprised to see her waiting for me, not that I'm complaining, it's better than her avoiding me again.

As I near her she pushes herself off the gate, falling into step beside me. She's wearing her usual uniform and her hair looks like its usual short and scruffy mess. She's also gripping her poor backpack's straps so tight you would've thought she's trying to suffocate them.

"Good morning, Weiss."

"Hello."

I thought there would be some sort of awkward air between us, but that doesn't seem to be the case. I find myself comforted by her presence, relieved that I won't have to relive last week.

"D-Did you have a good weekend?" She asks.

Her stutter doesn't go unnoticed, and even though it makes my face heat up even more, I decided I'll let it slide.

"It was fine. I caught up on some work and did some of my history project."

We start walking up the stairs of the school. I'm planning on going to my locker before classes start. I'm not quite sure where Ruby is heading though, since her locker is in the opposite direction, so I just let her follow me.

I see her tilt her head slightly.

"Do you ever do anything… I dunno, fun?"

That earns her a thump on the forehead.

"Owie! Hey, that's not fair! It was a legitimate question." She whines.

"And you're a legitimate dunce."

We push through the front doors and enter the halls. When we enter the main hallway, Ruby speeds up her pace, so that she's in front of me, and turns herself around so she's also walking backwards.

"C'mon Weiss, seriously, what do you do for fun?"

I think for a moment.

"Hmm, read? Watch television? What any normal person does I guess."

Ruby's eyes light up and she beams at me.

"Really? What's your favorite show? I've got a few suggestions I think you might like."

I shake my head, showing how little I care for the subject.

I actually rarely watch television. Normally, I spend my day organizing notes and working on business related projects, but if I had said that I know Ruby would probably call me lame or one of her other juvenile terms.

"I don't know, Ruby. Please turn yourself around, you're going to fall walking like that."

She ignores me and continues her unsteady strides backwards.

"How about books, hmm? Your favorite book?"

"Ruby, please turn around."

"Aww, Weissy's concerned for my safety?" she mocks.

"Ruby, serio-"

Bang!

"Oof."

Ruby runs smack into a pole positioned in the middle of the hallway. The back of her head hits it with a loud clang and a few students standing around us turn their attention toward the noise.

She rubs the back of her head and groans. I watch for a second to make sure she's okay before figuring I should make my exit. I hate being the center of attention.

Ruby glances up at me, looking embarrassed, and I decide I won't make this too painful for her.

Walking past her, I offer an overly sarcastic pat on the shoulder.

"I'll see you later."

It's now the last period of the day, science class.

After this period we have our meeting, and according to Mrs. Goodwitch there's something special in store for us today. Knowing the vice principal, it's probably either filing some papers as usual or cleaning out some old classroom.

It's weird, I feel like I've been on edge all day. Ruby's been acting close to normal, which isn't normal.

I mean, she told me she liked me just this weekend didn't she? Shouldn't she be acting all shy and nervous like she usually acts?

Yet, for some reason, it seemed to be the exact opposite of that. Ruby seemed more confident; I would even go as far as to say cocky. It's almost as if telling me her feelings triggered something that made her act bolder.

And honestly… I kind of like it.

Even if most of her attempts get her the same results as this morning, ending with her looking stupid or somehow second guessing her right to talk to me in certain ways, it's been kind of humorous watching her attempts at breaking the ice.

Everything she does is so earnest and just, well, Ruby. It's hard to take her seriously when she messes up every not-so-subtle flirting technique found on Wikipedia.

I click the back of my heels against the floor, a habit I developed when I'm spacing out. Usually, I don't let my mind wonder so much, but all day it feels like it's been preoccupied elsewhere.

Resting my elbow onto my desk, I place my chin in my hand, only halfway listening to Mr. Ooblecks lecture. I bite my lip and spare a glance at the girl a few rows over. To my surprise, I find her already peeking at me from her desk.

As soon as our eyes meet we both look away. Ruby blushes furiously at being caught staring.

A few seconds later I slowly lift my gaze back over to her and I notice she does the same.

We share a smile.

I set my backpack down on the floor, right next to my chair positioned at the head of the table. The student resource room isn't too far from my last classroom, so Ruby and I are generally some of the first people there.

However, today Blake and Yang have come in a bit early. Yang is sitting in her normal spot playing some game on her phone, and Blake is propped up on the counter near the filing cabinets, going through some papers.

I grab the student council binder off its designated spot on the shelf and as I pick it up, I notice there is a loose paper sticking out of the top.

When I bring it back over and set it on the table Ruby immediately takes interest.

"Ooh, what's that?"

I give her a slight hum to indicate I didn't know what it was either. I sit down and open the front cover, picking up the few pages of stapled paper neatly laid out.

Ruby practically breathes over my neck as I try to read through the mysterious pages. I try rolling my shoulder a few times to shrug her off, making her squint her eyes at me and slowly back away. She crosses her arms over her chest and slides down in her chair, pouting at me while doing so.

Honestly, how childish can she be?

I sigh and rub my temple with one hand.

"They're just our assignments for the basketball game later this week. I think Mrs. Goodwitch must have dropped them off."

Ruby's face lights up.

"Really? That's so cool, I wanna see!"

She tries to snatch the paper from my hand, but I rear myself back before she can get it.

"I'll announce it once everyone gets here. Surely you can wait just five more minutes."

She lets out a disappointed whine and places her chin on the edge of the table, pouting again.

"Aww, it's so sweet to see you two back to normal!" Yang decides to chime in, having looked up from her phone.

I roll my eyes and focus my attention back on reading the sheet in front of me. Ruby's eyes widen and she gets a slightly irritated expression on her face.

"Yang!"

Yang holds her hands up in mock surrender, letting out a slight chuckle.

"What? This is good for me too, you know. Now I don't have to watch you mope around anymore."

"Y-Yang!" Ruby's voice seems to rise a few octaves.

"She has a point." Blake quietly chimes in from where she's sitting.

Ruby's face turns bright red and Yang bursts out laughing.

"Blake you're not helping!" Ruby complains, nervously glancing in my direction.

I just shake my head slightly and try to ignore the commotion going on around me, instead trying to focus on filling out the attendance sheet. Over the years, I've gotten better at tuning things out. Anything that doesn't require my immediate attention isn't a priority, and this pointless talk about my current status with Ruby certainly qualifies for that.

The other members soon enter and I check off their names as they do. I notice when Ren enters he's alone, which is odd because he's normally with Nora. He doesn't say anything as he comes in, just sets his bag down and slides into his chair like usual.

Still ignoring Ruby and Yang's bickering, I decide to question him.

"No Nora?"

"Nope." He shakes his head.

"How come? Is she alright?"

Ren rubs the back of his neck hesitantly.

"Well… you saw her at the party."

"That was three days ago." I raise an eyebrow.

"I know."

I give him an understanding look and cross her name off the list. It was obvious from the moment I had stepped into her kitchen during the party that the drinks had been tampered with. It's a shame Nora was too wasted to enjoy her own party. I've never understood the appeal of alcohol, all it does is make you act like an absolute imbecile.

I decide it's time to start the meeting, so I stand up in my chair and clear my throat.

The sisters bickering stops, ending with Ruby sticking her tongue out before sitting back down in her chair. Everyone turns to me and I take a deep breath, picking up the papers in front of me as I do so.

"Mrs. Goodwitch has informed us of our positions during the game this week." I flip to the second page of the packet. "Apparently, not all of us are needed, but she has most of us doing something or the other before the game."

I look up and everyone nods excitedly. This is one of the more fun events we get to work during the year. Pyrrha leans over and waves her hand slightly, I make a motion for her to speak.

"Do we know what the mid-year event will be yet?"

I scrunch up my nose and silently debate in my head.

I have been keeping that information a secret for a while now, so maybe it's time to let them know. Even if it is a while off, the mid-year event is always something fun the council gets to work on for a few months before Christmas break.

Last year we put on a play that brought a lot of money to the school, and the year before that we had students sign up for a trip to a theme park the school had rented out.

"I guess now is as good a time as any to reveal the event." I say.

Eager eyes all look my direction. I push my shoulders back and let my eyes slowly move across the members, who are watching me expectantly.

"This year the student council is proud to be presenting a music festival." Everyone's eyes widen and I can see the anticipation in their faces. "It will be hosted at the school and we are going to be in charge of getting everything prepared and advertised."

There is some excited murmuring among the members and I realized we have been getting off topic. I clear my throat again.

"Anyways, our assignments for our current event are as follows: before the game all of us, except for Pyrrha and Jaune, will be handing out tickets at the entrance. The two I called out are to be managing the table where people will be buying the tickets."

Blake pipes up from the back counter where she's still sitting.

"I don't mean to be that person, but you do remember the last time we let Jaune help with the money, right?"

I do remember, causing me to re-think the arrangement almost instantly.

"Hey," Pyrrha interjects. "I think we all know accidents happen. He simply dropped the bag at the wrong time is all."

Blake looks skeptical.

"He literally dropped over four hundred dollars down a flight of stairs."

Everyone turns to the boy in question, who's sitting at the end of the table. He sighs and hangs his head into his hand.

"She's not wrong."

I decide I'll switch Jaune's position at the beginning of the game with mine and move onto the next part of the event.

"Okay, during the event even less people are needed. We'll have me and Ruby standing at the entrance during the game for anyone who comes in late and Yang and Blake will help supervise inside." I scan the paper making sure I covered everything. "I think that's it, any questions?"

I spend the rest of the meeting answering the members various questions and going over more specifics of what we'll be doing.

Meetings like these are always tiring and everyone is exhausted by the end of it. Even after I dismiss everyone, I can feel a heavy fatigue hanging in the air. Although I will admit some of it might be from me thinking too much today, and not just from the events of the meeting.

When I dismiss everyone, Ruby makes sure to tell me goodbye.

She seems to have regressed back to her normal awkward self and not some cocky know-it-all.

We stare at each other for what feels like a moment longer than necessary. Those wide grey eyes I felt so familiar with look at me with unspoken words. Words that can't paint a clearer picture of what she is feeling than what her expression shows me.

The moment is interrupted when Yang calls for her from the hallway, snapping us out of a trance. She abashedly makes her exit, leaving me alone in the resource room.

I stare at the door after it closes behind her - and from somewhere deep, deep, inside of me - I feel an ache.

I'm really losing it aren't I?