For October Fest Special on the Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft and Wizardry Forum.
Otis and Ruby always seem to find their way back to each other. Ruby falls in love with him during their brief fling at Moordale Secondary. She promises to get over him when they leave Cavendish. Otis falls in love with her and when he visits home over a university break. She breaks his heart the next year. They try again when they both move back after graduating. And again, when that doesn't work out.
Now, Otis is thirty-five, divorced, and once again, he's on a date with Ruby Matthews.
The date itself is nice. She pries about his ex-wife. He asks if she likes the restaurant. By the time he's walking her home, they've fallen into their old patterns. She ribs him, and he blushes. He compliments her, and she flushes. It's easy, falling back into each other. After all, they've done this dozens of times before. But even though it feels like they've been on hundreds of first dates, Otis still gets nervous—especially when the date begins to end.
Otis and Ruby stand on her doorstep. She's looking up at him expectantly, her head tilted back and her lips slightly parted. And much to his horror, instead of leaning forward and kissing her like he knows he should, he reaches out and shakes her hand.
"Did you just…?" Ruby stares at him, utterly bewildered. "Milburn, you just shook my hand."
Somehow, it feels poetic. After all, isn't Ruby the one who has seen him at all his most awkward moments? Isn't she the one who taught him how to finger a girl? Never mind that. She was the one who taught him how to kiss, let alone enough else. Wasn't she there when he showed the entire school photographs of his flaccid penis? Of course she's here now, watching him—as an adult, for God's sake—stumble over the dating basics.
"I know." The words feel dry. "I don't know why I did that."
"I was going to invite you in." She pauses. "I don't know if I want to now."
"Right."
"Otis."
"Yeah?"
She sighs. "You haven't changed at all. Not one bit."
"No." His face burns because it's true. "I haven't."
His eyes are closed—because surely if he doesn't see her reject him, it won't be true—but he can hear Ruby's heels clacking away from him and the clatter of keys as she goes to unlock her door. When the door doesn't slam close, he squeezes one eye open. To his surprise, Ruby is smiling at him.
"I guess that's why I've never been able to get over you," Ruby says. It could be a sweet moment, if she let him dwell on it. Instead, she gestures at the entranceway and barrels on. "Are you going to stand there forever? Come on in."
That's all it takes. Once again, Otis says yes to Ruby Matthews.