Page 11 of Almost Ours

"No.”

"Josh—"

"I said no."

"You never let me explain."

Josh pushes back his chair and gets to his feet, angling his whole body towards her. "I'm not doing this."

"If you let me explain—"

He moves toward her, close enough she has to tilt her chin up. His eyes are blazing, all the quiet tension gone. "There is nothing to explain. You did what you did. You should fucking own it and leave me alone.”

I study Josh. He’s livid. Clearly not as unfeeling as he comes across.

She reaches out to touch his face and he recoils before her fingertips get anywhere near him. “Don’t touch me.”

“Josh,” she begs, voice thick with emotion. “Come on. It’s me.”

“Is that supposed to make me feel better?”

“It doesn’t have to be like this.”

“You made it like this, Bonnie.”

“I didn’t mean to,” she chokes out, reaching for him again. This time he pushes her hands away from him, a grimace forming on his face.

I’m desperate to ask what she did. Shit in his cereal? Fuck his dad (I’ve been there—not fucking someone’s dad, obviously, but someone fucking mine).

Did she cheat on him? How long were they together? Was it a recent breakup? None of these things should interest me but they do.

A sudden feeling of protectiveness washes over me. No one should be touched without their consent. "I think you should go.”

All eyes turn to me. Every single pair failing to mask their shock and surprise.

"Who are you?" she snaps, placing her perfectly manicured hands on her hips.

"Uh, Ruby. And you are?"

"No, I don't care who you are." Her eyes flick over me once, dismissive. "Who are you to tell me to leave?"

Uh? Firstly: rude. Secondly: I think the fuck not.

"I'm his girlfriend," I boom, ensuring everyone hears it. "Who the fuck are you?"

Bonnie's jaw drops so far she’ll probably need someone to come and locate it. She looks between me and Josh furiously. Ewan makes a choking sound. Brooke smacks him in the chest.

Bonnie recovers first. "You're his what?"

“Girlfriend," I repeat, some kind of instinct driving me deeper into this madness.

Josh finds his voice. "Ruby—"

But I cut him a look that basically says: go with it or die. I can’t wait to tell Oscar I did a ‘him’. That I’m fake-boyfriending someone on the first day I met them. He’ll find it hilarious. It’s exactly what he did with Emma.

Josh wisely shuts his mouth.

Bonnie scoffs, letting out a breathy, humourless laugh. "Right. Sure. Since when?"