AN: Izzie14, I do plan on having Rumple, but not for long. I'm not a big fan of his character. Thank you for the review, though! I really appreciate it!

Also, I'm currently attempting to write a Faberry story, but I've got no idea what the plot should be, so I'm open to prompts!

This book really is, what was the word… marvelous? Yeah, it was marvelous! This guy, Charles Dickens, must have been a genius!

Ruby sat up and looked at the clock. It read 2:57. "Damn it!" she swore, not realizing that she'd stayed up so late. She was almost done, only twenty pages left, but she desperately needed sleep. She had to be up and at the diner in four hours to help Granny with some boring finance stuff.

She decided to finish it anyway. It wouldn't take her long, and she was already going to be exhausted "tomorrow" as it was, so why not? Because you'll probably fall asleep during your breaks, and that got you a smack last time a voice in her head told her. Too bad, another voice said, it's a good book.

And yet a third voice said, I have to finish it for Belle.

(*)

"Ruby. Ruby! Get up!" Granny called from downstairs. "Will you go up and get her, please? I have to be at the diner… five minutes ago."

"Yeah."

Footsteps on the stairs. Unfamiliar footsteps on the stairs. Then a hesitant knock on her door. "Ruby?" a voice said.

"What?" Ruby groaned, eyes still closed.

"It-"

"Come inside," Ruby interrupted.

The door opened. Ruby opened her eyes for just a second, saw it was Belle, and then closed them again. "You're late for work," Belle said.

"What? No, I'm not. My alarm-" Ruby looked at the clock. The clock that said it was twelve minutes past seven. "Shit!" Ruby cried as she jumped out of bed and searched for her uniform.

Belle just awkwardly stood there, not being used to seeing another person in just their undergarments. Thankfully, Ruby quickly found her uniform and put it on.

" I swear I set my alarm last night! I- wait… maybe I was too busy reading and I forgot…"

" Did you really read it?" Belle gleamed as Ruby continued getting ready.

"Yup. Finished the entire thing," Ruby replied after a few seconds.

"Wow, I'm surprised," Belle laughed lightly, which earned her a glare from the waitress. "What?" She asked in an innocent tone, though she grinned.

"I can read a book."

"I never said you couldn't."

"You implied I couldn't," Ruby laughed.

"Sorry," Belle giggled. "It was a joke. I just didn't think you'd finish it. I've heard you express that you aren't particularly fond of reading."

"I wasn't, in high school. Or, I should say, up until last night," Ruby chuckled. "I really liked that book, though... so thanks."

"For what?"

"For ''making' me read it."

Belle smiled. "You're welcome. I can recommend some others, if you'd like," she jokes.

"Yeah, that'd be cool."

Belle lit "Really?" she beamed.

"Yeah," Ruby laughed as she stretched one of her arms. "How about I swing by the library at lunch?"

"Uh, yeah... Yes, that'd be good," Belle agreed nervously.

"Okay. I've got to get to work. I've already earned myself at least three smacks from Granny," Ruby chuckled.

Ruby and Belle walked out of the raven haired girl's room and then went down the stairs. "So, I'll see you soon," Ruby said.

"Yeah," Belle replied.

Ruby took off for the diner, as Belle walked toward the library.

As Belle walked, she realized she's excited. Excited to see Ruby on her lunch break. It's an odd kind of excitement, though...