#folklore fic

"I have AC," you joked unlocking your door. An invitation.

Rue gave you a small smile as she approached your car. Opening the door, she slipped in settling into the leather seat. She felt strange being in your car, the slippery smooth surface of the seatbelt caressed her fingers as she buckled herself.

"You're not hot?" you asked referring to the hoodie.

Chuckling softly, she removed the sweater letting it fall against the seat. You rolled up the window allowing the AC to cool the car. Her hair softly flowed as the air hit her face.

"Thanks," she said.

"Where were you going?" you asked resting one hand on the steering wheel, the other on your center console. You'd noticed how her body had tensed when she entered the car, so you were trying to make small talk.

"Home," she said inhaling rubbing her hands on her thighs before placing her palms against the air vent. "Unless..." she cocked a brow turning to look at you as you halted at a stop sign.

"What?" you hummed tilting your head before you continued driving. She rummaged through the sweater now pooling around her torso, her hand digging in the pockets until she found what she'd been looking for. A blunt. You glanced at it as you drove, your face turning hot.

"My parents are away for the week," you offered your house and Rue smiled leaning back on the seat putting the blunt away.

The beat of your heart was accelerating. You knew Rue, but you didn't know Rue like that. She was a loner. Until Jules swept her off her feet taking with her any chance you had with her. Not that you'd ever make a move. Rue was intimidating with her blank stares and chill attitude.

But now she was sitting in your car as you drove to your house.

-

"You've smoked before?" Rue asked lighting the blunt as the two of you sat near your window. Your backs were against the wall, your legs curled against your chest as you watched her bring the rolled-up paper to her lips. She was smooth with her movements blowing the smoke she exhaled out the window before handing the blunt to you.

"Once," you admitted taking it from her hand. Your fingers brushed and you held your breath trying not to look like a total loser.

"You don't have to," Rue said biting the inside of her lip leaning back on the wall. Her legs were stretched out in front of her.

You brought the blunt to your lips inhaling it. She watched you eagerly. Her eyes were almost shinning as the smoke slipped through your lips and into the air.

-

That's what had started it all, you picking her up one random summer day. Maybe it was the fact that Rue felt lonely; the fact that Jules was out of town for the summer. Or maybe it was the strong pull Rue felt towards your warm presence. The butterflies that fluttered in her chest when she saw you pull up on her driveway.

Either way, you both had found yourselves spending almost every second of every day together. The bond only strengthened when Rue kissed you. It'd been a tentative kiss at first that quickly transformed into a fiery kiss. A kiss where hands roamed bodies and ended with the two of you on your bed.

"I can spend every day like this," Rue sighed looking up at your ceiling. Her arm rested on your pillow above your head while you tried catching your breath. She was captivating in every way. The only person who'd ever touched you and made you feel.

"Why don't we?" you asked turning to look at her draping a leg over hers as you molded into the curves of her body. You rested your chin on her chest. Her soft warm skin was coated with beads of sweat.

"Summer is almost over," she whispered looking down at you.

There was a weird pull on your chest when she said that. It felt like your days were numbered and though you hoped that you and Rue would make it through till you started school again, you weren't so sure anymore.

You rolled off her looking up at the ceiling. The tension in the room was thick now and Rue quickly brought her body closer to yours, her hand cupped your face, and her fingers spread across your cheek. Her thumb gently caressed your skin before planting a kiss on your lips.

"We'll just have less time," she whispered against your lips. You couldn't help but smile. You bit your lip as she pulled away brushing her nose on yours.

-

The first day back at school approached quicker than you had hoped. You'd picked up Rue and held hands as you entered your first class, which you happened to be in together. There had been no sign of Jules. Your anxiety was eating at you slowly. You fiddled with your thumb every time you thought about it.

Rue had didn't do anything to make you think otherwise, but part of you felt deep inside that if given the chance what would stop her from going back to Jules?

"You okay?" Rue snapped you out of your thoughts. You blinked out of your thoughts looking at Rue who was taking a bite of a baby carrot. She placed it back on the lunch tray with disgust.

"Yeah," your voice cracked so you tried smiling to reassure her.

"Okay," Rue smiled back placing a hand on your knee squeezing it gently before grabbing her juice. She was about to take a sip of it when she froze. Her face almost cracked, her smile dissolving transforming into a frown.

Following her gaze, you felt your heart shatter. Jules.

-

"Just talk to me please," Rue begged as she knocked on your door. Maybe you should've told your parents you weren't speaking to Rue, that way they wouldn't have let her enter your house. She was persistent, her lips almost touching your door as you heard her loud and clear.

Not wanting your parents to hear, you slid off your bed opening the door. Your eyes were red, your face puffy.

"Were you crying?" Rue asked taking your face in her hands so she could take a closer look. Her thumb lingered near the corner of your eyes as you felt the tear well up again. Your lip quivered and you sniffled. "What did I do?" She asked again her voice cracking. She hated seeing you like this.

"Do you still love Jules?" you asked. You needed to know.

"What are you talking about?" Rue asked, her shoulders slumped as she searched your face.

"Just answer the question," you whispered.

"No, why would you ask that?"

"I saw you with her yesterday," you mumbled. It suddenly clicked in Rue's head why you'd been avoiding her and how you'd completely misinterpreted the situation. She had been with Jules, but it wasn't what you were thinking.

"I told her about you," she said running a finger along your face until she was cupping your cheek again. Her thumb brushed along the side of your lip. "I think she should know about my girlfriend," she whispered.

"Your girlfriend?" you asked as you felt your heart skip.

Rue nodded pressing her forehead against yours. Your lips were centimeters away, you could feel her warm breath on your skin. Without a doubt, you closed the gap wrapping your arms around her body never wanting to let go. Rue kissed back hard.

Summer may have slipped away, but she wouldn't let you go with it. She was holding on tight.

"Are you sure?" she asked again. Usually, she would've given up, but this time she was persistent. There weren't many nights left.

"I'm sure," you said blankly not looking at her. You turned your back towards her bringing the covers over your shoulder. You heard a small sigh followed by the door closing. You felt your throat tightening, the familiar knot making it difficult for you to lay in peace.

The warm tears started forming and it wasn't long before they were streaming down your face.

"I don't understand what the big deal is," his voice echoed as you walked down the hallway. Your hands were fists at your side and all you wanted to do was disappear. "I'm talking to you," he called out again hoping you would stop.

But you weren't stopping.

"Tell me why that's wrong?" he asked again. His voice settling into a softer tone realizing that raising his voice wasn't going to help. He was quickly walking now in the hopes to catch you. His fingers wrapped around your arm gently and you stopped.

"What's wrong? I told you I didn't want to go public, you went against what I specifically told you I didn't want. Why would you do that to me?" you asked the hurt in your voice piercing through his heart.

It hadn't been his intention. It'd slipped. It wasn't something he could take back now.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have-" he rambled, but you jerked your arm away shaking your head. The last words you spoke directly to him rung in his head.

"It's over. We're done."

Sinking deeper into the mattress, you held on to the comforter tighter. The tears had dried, but the pain was still holding on tight. You'd seen Tom since then. Obviously, you had to. There was no way of escaping him while you promoting the film, but you hadn't spoken to him. Not directly. Not intentionally.

There was a knock again. This time you didn't react so you were surprised when the door opened slowly and in came the familiar figure again.

"It's not the same without you," Zendaya said sitting at the edge of the bed. She wasn't leaving this time. "Why don't you talk to him?" she asked. She knew everything. She was the one person you ran to, but recently you'd started to slowly isolate her too only leaving the hotel room when you had an interview or special appearance.

"He doesn't want to talk to me anyway," you mumbled. Your voice was muffled by the comforter.

"How do you know? Has he told you that?" Zendaya flopped on the bed, she rested on her side watching the back of your head. Her hand came up to the covers trying to them from your face.

You groaned pulling on the cover.

"He doesn't want me back. I was awful to him," you said remembering how everything went down. The look of hurt he had on his face. The way he'd tucked his hands into the pockets of his trousers and slowly backed away like you'd just accused him of the most horrible crime. The way he turned around and didn't look back. Not once.

"Did he say that?"

"No, but I know." That was the end of the conversation. And the last time you really spent time with her. Or with anyone no the cast for that matter.

"He's not here tonight, just come down for a bit." She pulled on your arm. Finally, you gave up. You let her lead you to the rest of the cast. Sitting down on one of the couches you pulled your sweater sleeves down so your hands saved in the fabric.

There was laughter and talking, but you spaced thinking of the times when you were on this very couch with Tom making jokes with everyone. Back before the world knew about the two of you. Before your world seemed to come down in flames.

-

It'd been almost a month. A month without Tom. You'd think a month would be long enough to forget about him, but time did not heal your wounds. You'd tried texting him. You missed him. But he never replied. You had no idea where he was or what he was doing. Did he go back home for a break or did he stay in the country to work?

He hadn't posted on Instagram. It was like he'd vanished into thin air, just like you'd wished for when you broke up with him. Which you had to remind yourself, you broke up with him. It didn't make it any easier.

Have you heard anything from Tom?

You'd given in and texted Zendaya, with who you'd patched things up. You couldn't bear to lose her too.

He's actually in town.

The reply was quick and it almost caused your heart to jump out of your chest. He was in town and you didn't know. She hadn't told you without prompting. Had he asked her not to?

The address to the hotel he was staying in flashed on your screen and your heart started jumping again. Thumping loudly, so loudly you could hardly hear yourself think.

It was late. Late enough that paparazzi wouldn't follow you. Late enough that Tom would probably be asleep. Late enough that maybe he wouldn't even want to talk to you if he was awake.

After pulling a few strings, you were standing outside his hotel room. Your hands cold in the pockets of your jacket. Taking out a hand, you formed a small fist knocking on the door gently. No response.

You waited, biting your lip and debating whether you should just go. Shaking the defeatist attitude, you knocked again. This time with a little more force.

It took a few seconds, but the door opened slowly and a shirtless Tom peaked his head through the small crack.

"Hi," you exhaled. You hadn't realized you were holding your breath until you saw him. There was a warm fuzzy feeling in your chest. Your heart was happy to see him.

"What are you doing here?" he asked rubbing his eyes. He had been sleeping.

"You didn't answer my text," you almost whispered. It was as if you'd forgotten how to speak, how to put words together to form a cohesive thought.

"What?" he said furrowing his brows, he still hadn't opened the door completely and you were standing outside his hotel room awkwardly playing with your fingers.

"I text you-"

"You broke up with me. Am I obligated to respond? I've been busy..." he added almost as if to soften the blow.

Stepping back at the sound of his raised voice, you nodded. "You're right. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have come." Walking backward, you apologized again turning on your heel, walking back towards the elevator. You heard the door close as you walked away cupping your hand over your mouth to block the ugly crying noises that were desperate to escape.

Pushing on the elevator button aggressively, you waiting for the ding. It felt like the longest seconds of your life. When the doors finally opened you stepped in. Again, the wait felt like an eternity. They were finally closing, but you saw an arm stop the doors.

It was Tom with his disheveled hair and a shirt. He'd put on a shirt.

"I didn't reply because it hurt too much," he confessed standing in front of you as the elevator doors closed. Your bodies shook as the elevator moved down and you held on to the railing to hold your ground.

"I wanted to. I wanted to reply, but you broke up with me." His voice cracked. You wiped some of the tears that'd started falling from your face. He was right.

"I'm sorry," you said finally looking at him. The tears were back, but you weren't wiping them this time. "I want to-" your voice cracked and your chest tightened. You stopped and inhaled deeply watching Tom stand in front of you with confusion.

"I want to try again. Please." Stepping forward you tried reaching for his hand, but he retracted it quickly running both hands through his hair and cupping one over his mouth.

"We can't-" he said softly the elevator doors finally opening. This was your queue.

"It's fine," you smiled forcefully shaking your head as he tried approaching. "It's okay. I'm going," you said pushing past him quickly leaving him dumbfounded on the elevator.

The air was cold as you stepped outside. Your tear-streaked face was faced with the cold wind and tucked your hands into your coat again silently sobbing as you aimlessly walked down the street.

"Wait!"

Were you hallucinating? Turning you saw Tom standing by the hotel entrance. He was walking towards you. Your feet worked quicker than your brain, you started walking towards him too. Each step quicker than the one before and soon enough you were face to face.

His breathing was heavy, his hands cold as they made contact with your cheeks.

"Let's try again," he whispered as he brushed his nose against yours. His lips only centimeters away from yours. Wrapping your arms around his body, you closed the gap. The tears that pooled on your cheeks coursed down your cheeks as you closed your eyes. Losing yourself in the kiss, you tightened your grip around him and his thumb gently wiped the tears.

You didn't know how things would work out, but you knew you wanted to be with him. Publicly or not. You'd never stop trying.