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“Hey,” Sophie greeted over the phone, sitting back on her cushion of pillows propped against the wall. “Why you callin’ so late?”
“What, you sick a’ hearin’ from me?” Ruby greeted back with a giggle that sent static over the line. “What are you up to? Busy much?”
“Just got done with chores, I got homework to do. Why?” Sophie looked to her backpack, hanging over the edge of her top bunk. The glittery horse-shaped charm dangling off the side glinted ever-so-slightly in the mid-afternoon light streaming through her window. She remembers now when Ruby gave it to her after two months of them dating; she had gone to some farmers convention. It still made her heart warm when Ruby thought of her in little ways like that.
“So, up to nothin’.”
“
Ruby
.”
“It's Homecomin’ Friday! You're not gonna be shut in your room tonight doing homework, nuh-uh!”
Sophie had to laugh--
quietly
-- at Ruby's almost comical assertiveness. She could see it now: Ruby with the phone to her ear, hand on her hip, with pursed lips and a cocked eyebrow. “Yeah... sorry Rub’. Mom and Dad kinda have me n’ Minnie on lockdown right now. You know how they get.”
Ruby sighed, sending another crack of static through the receiver. “Soph, you realize I couldn't care less about what your mom and pa think, right?”
“Yeah, but I do.” Sophie shifted her legs and crossed them, leaning on the bars of her bunk comfortably. “I'd love to go to Homecoming with you, honestly, but…” She sighed with a simple shrug, almost forgetting Ruby couldn't see her. “I'm sorry, hun. I can make it up to you on Monday, probably.”
“Sophie, c’mon. You think you can convince your parents to slack of for one night?”
“As if they ever slack off me.”
“Maybe you can sneak out the window. Just do a lil’ hop into the rose bushes.”
“Ruby! You of all people know it’s a horrible idea to jump into a rose bush! Especially out of a two-story house!” Sophie had to laugh at the absurdity her girlfriend was spilling; there was no way she’d be able to sneak out! She may have her own room, but Tenn and Minnie checked in often. And she had tried the ‘pillow under the blankets’ trick. Multiple times. It never worked.
“Maybe if you had a ladder… Or some help down?”
“Sure, you got everyone at school just piled onto each other ready to carry me out my window?” Sophie leaned back farther into her pillows, nearly laying down as she crossed one leg over the other.
“You’re decently dressed now, right?”
Sophie looked down at her black skinny jeans and bright orange graphic tee. “I guess. My hair might need some combing. Why?”
She heard something over the other end of the line. A stifled noise, maybe a snicker? And then the phone was handed over to someone else.
“Sophie Rockingham, will you look out your freakin’ window before Ruby spontaneously combusts? Or smashes a rock through it?”
“Louis?” Sophie sat up straight, head jerked to her window, and she caught a flash of a familiar coat just outside. “What in the hell…”
“How come Minnie’s made it out yet and you haven’t?” Ruby had taken her phone back now, but sent it Minnie’s way for a quick encouragement.
“C’mon, Soph! We're having fun tonight!”
Sophie slowly climbed down her bunk bed and lightly padded onto the floor, looking out the window. She gasped, stumbling back, almost unable to believe it.
Where her parent’s car should be, was Ruby, Louis, Minerva and Violet, all expectantly waiting for her.
“Well?” Violet called out as Sophie opened her window further, and Ruby ended the call, “Come on, we got a dance to go to! Get some shoes on, Rockingham!”
“Alright!” She laughed, her mind unable to process what she was seeing-- or what she was about to do. She hadn’t snuck out in
ages
, and she was always caught! Tonight, though… she had a good feeling about tonight. It was going to be great. She lingered for a moment to see Ruby, in a nice pair of slacks and a pretty, lacy green top that was partially hidden by a dark gray jacket.
“On the double!” Minnie rushed, prompting Sophie to pull her gaze away from her girlfriend and dart away from the window. She searched her floor quickly, trying to find some Homecoming-decent shoes, and ended up yanking on her black vans. She quickly snatched up her phone, portable charger, keys, and wallet and shoved them all into her small purse, which she slung over her shoulder and went back to the window.
Screw the hair, It’ll do whatever it wants.
“How am I gonna get down?” She called, sticking her torso out the window, leaning just far enough to tip over slightly. “No way in hell are you guys gonna catch me!”
“You weigh like, three pounds!” Louis jested, “Look, we got Minnie down easily, I think we can handle you.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Minnie asked, playfully turning to Louis with crossed arms.
“It means you weigh four pounds, so three pounds should be easy.”
Sophie’s throat swelled up, choking out a laugh as she leaned more forward. Already, her cheeks hurt from smiling. “Alright, alright! So, what, I just jump?”
“Away from the rose bushes,” Violet called up with a wave of her hand. It took them a moment, but they all got into position to catch her. “Let’s go, we’re burning daylight!”
Sophie rolled her eyes, but carefully positioned herself at the edge of her windowsill, gripping the sides with white-knuckle furiosity. “Okay… better not drop me!”
“We will,” Ruby joked, but even from far away, she could see the happy flame that danced in her eyes. “C’mon!”
Sophie took a breath, her heart in her throat as she looked down towards the ground, then to her friends, waiting. With a final deep gasp in, she held it and leaped…
… right into everyone’s arms.
“Aw, shit!” Ruby cursed as Sophie landed. It was more of a jolt than they were expecting, but they held steadfast. “I wasn’t expecting you to go face first!”
Sophie wanted to respond, but she was too busy laughing as everyone set her down. Even when she was laying on the grass, she curled up and held her stomach, letting the cackles shake her body.
“Uh, Soph?” Violet nudged Sophie’s back with her boot. “I think we broke her.” She fixed her bowtie, which was paired with a crisp white button up and black suspenders connected to just as black slacks.
“I jus’--! I jus’ jumped out a window!” Sophie exclaimed between fits of laughing. She managed to sit up, her giggles dying down as she wiped tears and bits of grass from her face. “I’m sneakin’ out!”
“Yeh, you are. Get up.” Minnie nudged her rougher than Violet did, effectively getting her to her feet with Ruby’s help. “We gotta wait ‘till Clem gets here. She’s bringing Aasim, James and Charlie too.”
“How are we gonna fit in the car?” Ruby asked, “Or is she bringin’ the truck?”
“Hopefully the truck,” Louis said, hands on his hips, “so we can all sit in the trunk with the wind and everything. That’s legal, right?” Though he had his typical coat on, he wore a nice blue button-up and black slacks with what Sophie knew was a clip-on black tie.
“It’s Georgia, anything’s legal but bein’ gay,” Ruby said, taking Sophie in her arms and pecking her quickly on the cheek. “And all a’ us are criminals, so.”
“Wait.” Sophie held onto Ruby's hands, wrapped around her stomach. “What about Tenn? Are we just leaving him home alone?”
“Nah, Clem's dad picked him up the second mom and dad left,” Minnie said, arms crossed after brushing her sideswept hair out of her eyes. “He's gonna have a playdate with AJ while we're out. Maybe sleep over there, since Mom and Dad aren't coming back ‘till Monday.”
“How did I not know about this?” Sophie asked, leaning into Ruby's hand running through her wild hair. “I thought Mom and Dad weren't leaving ‘till tomorrow!”
“Shock for me, too.” Minnie grinned as she looked down the road. “All I saw was Louis throwing pebbles out my window. Nailed me in the fuckin’ head, too.” She leaned over and uncrossed her arms to punch Louis in the chest. “Little fucker."
“Hey, who you callin’ little fucker?” Louis quickly lunged and grabbed her shoulders, wrestling her into a headlock. “Little fucker!”
“Louis!” Minnie squealed, pulling at her restraint and slapping at his shoulder. “‘Ey, lemme go!”
“Yeah, Lou,” Violet said, leaning over and slapping his opposite shoulder, “Save the rough housing for behind the bleachers.”
“Excuse me?” Louis looked to Violet, still keeping Minnie locked under his arm. “What's that supposed to mean?”
“I dunno, the fact you're going with Aasim?”
“
Vi.
We're
kids
. That's gross.” Louis released Minnie, then blocked himself from a flurry of her punches. “Ow, Minnie! It's ‘cos I'm gay, right?”
“You're literally surrounded by lesbians,” Violet reminded him, crossing her arms.
“Including me,” said Sophie, “the one who threw the first brick at Stonewall.”
“Oh, excuse me, Ms. Johnson.” Louis gave an exaggerated bow. “I didn't recognize you from how pale you look nowadays. Is the red hair natural?”
Sophie laughed and kicked her foot out at Louis. “Kidding, you dink.”
Then the light squeak of braking tires alerted the crew to the black truck that had pulled up next to Sophie and Minnie's house. The window rolled down, and Clementine slung her arm out of the door.
“Hey, you guys know where to find the Pretty People's Club? I'm looking to find a last-minute date to Homecoming.” She shot Violet a wink and fixed her cap. She seemed to he wearing slightly-better-than-normal clothes, as was directed for the Homecoming Dance, which just insisted that there were no blue jeans, holes or stains in clothes, or as Louis put it, “like you're going to a zombie convention.”
Violet couldn't stop her grin taking over her face as she bounced to the truck, leaning on the window. “Sorry, looks like you'll have to settle for us.”
“We're the Less Than Pretty People Club,” Louis said, taking an exaggerated bow as she strolled up to the large trunk of the truck, with a lone Aasim sitting in the back with one leg hugged to his chest, grinning at Louis once he spoke. “Second best, but we're up there.” He deftly hauled himself up and gave his boyfriend a kiss before turning to the rest of the kids in the yard. “Get in losers, we're going dancing!”
Sophie and Ruby were next to climb into the trunk, followed by Minnie who took to leaning against the door of the trunk, while Violet clambered into the passenger's seat up front. A small window from the back of the truck opened, and James poked his head out with a smile.
“Hi, guys,” he greeted. “How's it going?” Being relatively new to Ericson, he had taken to just sticking with Charlie and whoever he hung around with, which ended up being Clementine, and Violet and her friends as a result.
“Well, we're going to Homecoming, so I'd say it's going pretty good,” Louis said, leaning into Aasim's shoulder as the truck started on its way.
“Hello to you, too,” Aasim said, shifting and putting his arm around Louis's shoulders with a kiss to his head. “Are any of you going to the game tomorrow?”
“Well, with the new knowledge of Mom and Dad being gone all weekend, hell yeah,” Minnie said, crossing her legs over one another with a smirk. “Can't wait to see Delta High's face when we kick the snot out of ‘em.”
Sophie nodded at that. “If Ms. Caul is still there at the game, y'all are gonna have to stop me from punching her in the face myself.”
“Yo, actually
fuck
Ms. Caul,” Charlie from the backseat said, leaning forward to be in on the conversation. “Punch her all you want.”
“Char!” James exclaimed, slapping his shoulder playfully.
“What, it's true!” Charlie held his arm and giggled, leaning his head towards James's affectionately for a moment.
Minnie shook her head, grazing the scar above her eyebrow with her thumb. “Give her a few extra licks for me.”
Charlie leaned forward for a sec, then poked his head out the window again; “Clem says break her arm for her.”
“Clem!”
James exclaimed in the same tone he chastised Charlie in. He was a known pacifist, taking no liking to this conversation, as was evident by his scowl, but his playful eyes let everyone know he wasn't being too serious.
“Violence ain't gonna solve nothin’,” Ruby said, squeezing Sophie's hand and looking back to James and Charlie.
“Thank you,” James whispered with a nod, but Ruby held her hand up.
“But, it makes shit a whole lot more fun.”
James slumped over and scoffed, swiping hair out of his eyes. “Whatever,” he muttered, closing the window, prompting a laugh from everyone in the trunk.
“Remember when she knocked out that news reporter a few years back?” Aasim said, shifting his posture to slump further into the trunk as the truck really started to pick up speed as it turned onto the main road. “It was all over the news and everything, people thought she killed her.” He rolled his eyes at Louis, who completely tumbled his head into his lap soundlessly.
“Oh, yeah!” Minnie's crossed arms tightened, voice raising with the wind. “Guess she's always been a violent bitch, huh?”
The group left the conversation at that, mostly because it was hard to hear each other through the wind. Louis produced his phone and a small, but loud, portable speaker and blasted tunes for them while they drove to school. Soon after, they stopped at a red light, next to a few other cars that seemed on their way to Homecoming as well.
“Hey, check it.” Minnie's gaze pointed to the car next to them, one arm leaned over the back of the trunk. “is that Marlon?” Her stand went from lazy to stiff, alert, at her realization. “Oh, my God, it is…!” She quickly moved from the back of the trunk to the front, leaned against the box of the trunk next to Sophie. “God, please don’t see me...”
Louis turned now, eyes wide. “No way… I thought he transferred far off! What's he doing back
here
?” He loosed himself from Aasim's grasp, scrabbling to the side of the trunk, waving his arms. “Marlon! Hey!” Typical Louis, he didn’t care about the several other cars parked beside and behind them that could see him flailing like a maniac, all he wanted was to catch his friend’s attention.
Sophie and Ruby had perked up, but Sophie was considerably less excited than Louis. She leaned back, her head on Ruby's collar as she looked forward to the glaring red light.
“Lou!” Marlon's voice cried out happily. “Hey, man, how's it going?”
“What the hell are you doing here? I thought you went back to Virginia!”
“I did, for a bit, but Brody really wanted me to come to Homecoming and prom with her, so…”
Sophie did her best to ignore him. She should have forgotten about him by now, she thought she had forgiven what he'd done, but… hearing his voice again--
Her brain stuttered when she felt Ruby's hand in her hair, lightly scratching her scalp. “Don't worry ‘bout him,” she murmured into her ear, “He ain't ‘bout to ruin tonight for ya, okay?”
Sophie blinked, trying to force back the tears welling in her eyes. “Yeah, um… I'll be fine. Yeah.” She swallowed hard, looking down at her arm, at the long, faint scars that she thought she had forgotten about.
“Soph.” Minnie’s panic had now melted away upon realizing her sister was slipping into fear. She laid her hand on her her wrist comfortably. “Hey, don’t worry. We’ll make sure he doesn’t get near you, alright? Even if I have to punch him myself.”
Sophie looked up to meet Minnie’s steely, determined gaze, and nodded. “Yeah… Yeah, got it.”
“Ruby!” Marlon called out, leaning back a bit to try and catch a glimpse of her. “Hey, who you going with?”
Ruby just rolled her eyes and planted a soft kiss on Sophie's head. head. “Ain’t none your business. You’ll see at the dance.”
“Hopefully not,” Minnie scoffed, crossing her arms and leaning back into the truck as the light finally,
finally
, turned green again.
“Hey, I’ll see you there!” Louis said, slapping Marlon’s palm as he leaned back into the truck, next to Aasim, as it started moving again. “Hey, don’t worry. I’ll make sure to keep him away from you guys,” He said to the twins, “I know how much y’all don’t like him.”
All Sophie could muster was a nod, and Minnie said a quick thank-you for the both of them before they lapsed into silence again, letting Louis’s music fill the gaps of quiet.
Sophie kept her head in Ruby’s neck the whole ride there, trying to force out all the awful memories of what Marlon caused out of her mind. She tried to think happy.
You’re going to Homecoming. With Ruby. At Ericson. Where nobody will judge you because everyone sees you in the halls all the time. You are normal at Ericson. You are normal. You’re going to be fine. Marlon will be there, but who gives a shit about him? You’ll have the house to yourself the whole weekend, too. You can have Ruby and your friends come over, watch movies, stay up past midnight. Have fun. Delta High is the least of your worries. We’re gonna beat them at the game so bad tomorrow they won’t wanna come back. You can even wear your face paint! You can be proud! You can be…
“Hey,” Ruby said, patting Sophie’s back to get her to sit up, “We’re here!”
“Wha-?” Sophie sat up, looking around and trying to brush her bristly hair out of her eyes. Sure enough, they were in the parking lot of Ericson High School. Clementine had parked (rather crookedly) in the faculty parking lot, but she could get away with it; her closest family friend (practically her second dad), Mr. Everett, was the history teacher. “Oh! Crap, that was short.”
“Just like my-- wait a sec…”
“Louis.”
Aasim crossed his arms as he stood up in the trunk, ready to climb over the side. “Really?”
“Aasim,”
Louis mocked with a teasing grin. “C’mere, let’s go make all the straight couples jealous at how good we look.”
“Even though Rockingham over here looks like she’s ready for Warped Tour rather than Homecoming,” Violet said, coming around the truck to help Sophie down. “I’ll let it slide. You had, like, thirty seconds to get ready.”
“And you know I never wear dresses,” Sophie added, accepting Violet’s and Ruby’s hand and leaping out of the truck, proud with how smoothly she stuck the landing. She looked up and still held onto Ruby’s hand to help her out next. “As if you guys would let me find my slacks and blazer in thirty seconds.”
“As if you even know where it is.” Clementine joined Violet’s side, taking her cap off to smooth out her curls before she stuck it back on. “Look at all the people here.”
“Yeah, I thought we’d get here early,” James said, him and Charlie now joining the crew beside the truck.
“Welcome to Ericson, where kids here take Homecoming about as seriously as prom,” Minnie said, reaching forward and patting his shoulder. “Where’s Louis and Aasim? They were just here a second ago.”
“Louis said he saw Marlon’s car pull in, so he’s gonna keep him occupied long enough for you and Sophie to get in and find a spot before he comes in. That’s what he said, anyway,” James replied, leaned against the truck. “Uh, do I look okay?” He brushed his hands over the sleeves of his button-up, then nervously adjusted his tie. “I’m not too sure about how exactly I was supposed to dress, and--"
“Don’t worry,” Ruby said, “You look sharper than some kids here, I can already tell ya.” Her gaze crossed the lot, where she saw a student in a baggy denim jacket. “Much sharper.”
“You look perfect,” Charlie agreed with a bright grin as he pecked James’s cheek. “I’m done waiting, let’s get inside already!”
“Yeah,” Ruby said, feeding off his energy, “”I’m ready to start dancin’!”
“I swear to god,” Violet said, her and Clem starting to lead the group, “If you start doing the Cotton Eye Joe dance to every song that comes on like you did last year, I’m gonna break your ankles.”
Sophie had to laugh along with Clementine. “What if it comes on?” She quizzed, hands behind her back and fiddling with her finger.
“Then
all
of us are legally required to do it,” Clementine said, a playful smirk on her face. “Georgia-born or not, Cotton Eyed Joe requires that you dance.”
“God, you’re spending too much time with Louis,” Violet groaned, leaning her head on Clem’s shoulder for a moment before perking up at the sound of the bass flooding through the gym and shaking the sidewalk. “Wow, they have the music loud.”
“The perfect volume to boogie,” Ruby said, starting in line behind a group of girls. “Prob’ly gonna be the same ten songs we hear every day, but…”
“I’m sorry,” Charlie said, stepping in behind her and Sophie, “but did you just say ‘boogie’ unironically?” He giggled a little bit, covering his mouth with his hand. “Out of any word to choose for a dance?”
“Ain’t nothin’ wrong with a little hoedown,” Sophie said, adding a more comical southern accent to her tone. “A nice lil’ hoedown throwdown.”
“Now it sounds like you’re about to fight someone,” Charlie countered.
“That’s just a dance off,” Clementine said, arms crossed and linked with Violet’s as they inched forward in the line. “We have to give them our names, right? When we go up to the door?”
“Yup,” Ruby said, “If you bought a ticket you’re on the list. I’m sure they’ll remember they put you down though, Clem.”
“You
are
pretty popular, what with the team and all,” Violet agreed with a nod. “Me, on the other hand…”
“Are my plus one, and I’m not going in without you.” Clem finished, tilting her head to look Violet in the eyes, serious. “Even if it means we don’t get in ‘till the last few minutes.”
“Aww,” Charlie cooed, leaning into James’s side, hand pressed to his cheek. “You guys are so cute!”
Violet shot him a look, her cheeks tinting pink. She just stuttered and leaned her head into Clem’s shoulder with a happy sigh. Clem giggled and wrapped her arms around her, holding her close as they came forward in line again.
Sophie took the silence to look out into the packed parking lot, at couples and loners who came with their friends feeding the line longer, starting to wrap around the gym. The bright sun had started to sink over the edge of the trees, yellow turning to a light orange, giving the clouds a purple-pink hue. She didn’t even realized she was spacing out until Ruby nudged her forward, and they had come to the doors.
“Names?” The doorman asked, keeping a stapled stack of paper flipped in his hand.
“Violet Paul and Clementine,” Clem stated firmly, tilting her cap back to smile at him.
The doorman flipped through the papers, eyebrows raised. “You got a last name, Clementine?”
“Sure don’t.”
He grunted. “That makes this a lot easier,” he murmured sarcastically. “Okay, uh… Oh, here you two are. Go on in.” He nodded and gave them a smile as the couple sauntered into the doors. Then he looked at Sophie and Ruby. “Names?”
“Sophia Rockingham and Ruby Houston,” Sophie said, arms crossed as she kept her gaze on him as he flipped through the papers.
The doorman sighed once again, rubbing his forehead. “Why can’t I get just one couple with last names close to alphabetical? Such a headache.”
“Well, sorry, but we ain’t married yet,” Ruby said, leaning on Sophie’s shoulder with a smirk. “Maybe in a few years.”
Sophie whipped her head to her girlfriend, mouth agape. She wanted to say something, but… can you really say anything after that?
“Aw, was that a proposal?” Charlie called from behind them. James elbowed him with a roll of his eyes, but he did have the beginnings of a playful smirk on his lips. “What, James? It’s cute! They’re cute!”
“Whatever, just go on in,” the doorman muttered, “I saw Houston, just go on, you two.”
Sophie had to practically be pulled in by Ruby, but the second she felt the bass in her chest she relaxed from Ruby’s statement.
It was just a joke,
she reasoned with herself,
A very witty, funny joke.
A joke that involved our far future.
Our. Future.
Ruby Houston, I love you.
She looked up from her thoughts to see Ruby already gravitating towards the dancefloor, a large smile on her face. “Soph, c’mon!” She cheered,”They started the Cha Cha Slide!”
A staple song for any high school dance, for sure. “Coming!” She called, looking back to see James, Charlie and Minerva walking in as a trio, Charlie already looking like the life of the party. Then, she joined Ruby, Clementine and Violet as they all started the upbeat, synchronized dance along with the rest of the people at the dance.
This weekend was going to
rock.