It's you I'm thinking of > Patrick Feely

Ruby

It had been a week since the incident on Halloween night.

I know Patrick was itching to know what happened, I could see it in him any time somebody mentioned something to do with it.

But, I didn't even know what happened so how was I supposed to tell him. And I don't even know if I would if I did remember, it's embarrassing and I'm ashamed he found me there.

Other than that, everything was normal. Or as normal as it could be considering he had been sleeping in my bed since last weekend and driving me to and from school. I tried to tell him I was alright on my own, I always had been, but Patrick was having none of it. He was a good roommate though, didn't snore or hog the covers.

And then we would part ways in the mornings at school while I walked towards Erin and Katie and he walked towards Hugh, Johnny and Gibsie. I didn't know his friends very well but they seemed to be fans of my dad and Oscar, I'd been seeing them more and more frequently on Fridays at Cubs. Patrick told me coach forced them too because nobody else had volunteered. I don't blame them, I wouldn't have volunteered either, Oscar and his friends are a handful.

And with numerous late shifts at the hospital and locking herself in her bedroom, Mam hadn't even noticed Patrick was staying at the house. Oscar did though, he enjoyed not having to trek all the way to school in the mornings.

I enjoyed that too, I very much enjoyed having Patrick to stay.

"Hello, earth to Ruby." Erin laughed, "Sometimes I think you'll just float away and we'll never see you again."

"Well then you'll regret every time you gave out to me for not listening." I shrugged, holding in a smile.

Erin feigned a gasp, "How dare you believe I'd ever miss you."

"Oh yes, that's right, I forgot. You don't have a heart." I laughed.

"No, you're mistaken. She has one, it's just two sizes too small." Katie added with a giggle, suddenly joining in on the conversation.

"Like the grinch, awh." I began, "How ironic because her boyfriend is identical."

Katie gasped and covered her mouth with her hand to hide a laugh, "That's very mean." She hummed.

"I'll get you back for that, Ruby O'Reilly." Erin shook her head.

I opened my mouth to apologise for my bluntness but then the lunch bell went and everyone else scattered out of study hall, though not much studying was being done because the teacher had disappeared five minutes into class and not returned. "I'll buy you a coke, yeah?" I asked, bumping me elbow into Erin's side.

"Buy me two."

~ ~ ~

On the odd day, Erin and me were requested by Katie to sit on the rugby table. We didn't mind much because lunch was the only time she got to see Hugh and god knows those two were inseparable.

Erin sat across the table from me with her two cokes, looking very pleased as she chatted to a girl sitting beside her. Katie was sat on Hughie's lap and looked very happy as Hughie whispered sweet nothings in her ear. I was sitting by myself on the opposite side, where Patrick usually sat.

Patrick only arrived to the canteen at twenty passed one looking dishevelled with his bag hiked on his shoulder. "Are you okay?" I asked, once he had sat down in the chair beside me. 

He didn't have time to answer before Hugh leaned across the table, "What did your dad want?" He questioned with a frown.

"Nothing, just wanted to ask about the cattle." Patrick murmured, stretching his arms over his head. When they rested back down, he settled his left arm on the back of my chair. I tried to remind myself that this boy slept in my bed every night and wasn't a school girl crush. The butterflies in my stomach weren't convinced.

"What happened?" I asked, lowly, turning slightly in my chair to face him better.

"Dad's having a row with Mam so he's just distracted or something, he didn't know what field the cattle needed to be in." He shrugged.

I pursed my lips, "You should go home tonight if you need, I'm sure we'll survive without you."

"You might, but I wont." He said, which slightly caught me off guard. "I don't want to go home."