Chapter 5
“Stop freaking out, I’m sure she’ll ask you,” Bridgette said, watching Nicole pace back and forth.
Nicole and Ruby had been dating for a few months now, and prom season was officially in full swing. Trick had asked Bridgette immediately—like, the second prom tickets went on sale—but Ruby still hadn’t asked Nicole.
And Nicole, who was normally so chill and totally not the type to spiral, was currently losing her mind.
“But what if she doesn’t?” Nicole groaned, running a hand through her hair. “What if I end up having to go alone?”
Bridgette gave her a look. “You wouldn’t be alone, Nic. You’d have me.”
Nicole shot her a deadpan stare. “You and Trick are gonna be all over each other. And have I mentioned I don’t like you dating him?”
Bridgette sighed, exasperated. “Multiple times. But focus. Why would Ruby not ask you?”
Nicole flopped onto her bed, staring up at the ceiling. “I dunno,” she mumbled. “What if she just… doesn’t like me anymore?”
Bridgette smacked her arm. “Oh my god, shut up. She’s crazy about you.”
Nicole knew that. Obviously, she knew that. Ruby literally missed one of her own classes once just because she insisted on walking Nicole to hers.
“Yeah, but still,” Nicole said, frowning. “There’s only a week left before prom, and she still hasn’t asked me. I don’t even have a dress yet! By the time she finally gets around to it, all the cute ones are gonna be sold out.”
Bridgette hummed. “Maybe she’s just trying to figure out how to make it special.”
Nicole sighed. “Yeah, whatever. Let’s just go to sleep.”
But even as she turned off her lamp, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off.
~
Ruby was also freaking out.
Her room looked like the aftermath of a conspiracy theorist’s breakdown. There were balled-up pieces of paper everywhere, crumpled notes full of scrapped promposals, and random art supplies scattered across her desk from when she briefly thought making a giant “PROM?” banner would be the way to go. Spoiler: it was not.
She was pacing, running a hand through her hair, muttering to herself like a madwoman.
“She likes stupid, romantic shit, right? But, like… not too romantic. Ugh, I hate this. Why is asking your girlfriend to prom so hard?”
And that was the moment Brandon walked in.
“Dude.”
Ruby jumped and whirled around. “Jesus, knock next time, you psychopath!”
Brandon raised an eyebrow, looking her up and down. “You good? Or are you finally having the mental breakdown we all knew was coming?”
Ruby glared at him. “I’m fine.”
Brandon stepped further into the room, taking in the disaster zone that was her floor. He crouched down, picked up one of the crumpled pieces of paper, and smoothed it out.
“‘Nicole, will you go to prom with me?’” he read aloud. “Wow. What a poet.”
Ruby snatched the paper from his hands and shoved it into her pocket. “Shut up.”
Brandon smirked. “Oh my god, this is about Nicole? You’re freaking out about asking your girlfriend to prom?”
“It has to be perfect,” Ruby groaned, flopping onto her bed.
Brandon blinked at her. “You know you could probably just ask her, right?”
Ruby shot up. “No. Absolutely not. It has to be good. She deserves something good.”
Brandon stared at her for a second before sighing and sitting on the edge of her bed. “Okay, so, what’s your plan?”
Ruby groaned. “That’s the problem. I don’t have one.” She covered her face with her hands. “Every idea I’ve come up with is either lame or too much or just not Nicole enough.”
Brandon thought for a moment, then smirked. “What about something public? Like, do it at school, in front of everyone.”
Ruby lifted her head just to glare at him. “Do you know my girlfriend? She would literally kill me.”
Brandon laughed. “True. Okay, what about something simple? Something personal?”
Ruby sat up, thinking. Something personal.
And then—
“Oh my god.” She bolted upright. “Brandon, you’re a genius.”
Brandon held up his hands. “I mean, obviously.”
“I gotta go,” Ruby said, already scrambling to grab her phone.
Brandon smirked. “Just try not to have another breakdown in the meantime.”
“No promises.”
Ruby had spent all night putting it together.
Once she finally figured out what she wanted to do, everything just clicked.
Nicole loved big, romantic gestures in theory but hated being the center of attention. So the idea of doing something at school—where the entire student body could gawk at her—was immediately out.
Instead, Ruby went for something smaller. Something just for Nicole.
She made sure everything was ready before school. She barely paid attention in her morning classes, too distracted by the nerves buzzing under her skin. By lunch, she was practically vibrating with anticipation.
This better fucking work.
~
Nicole had barely sat down at their usual table when she noticed something was off.
For starters, Ruby wasn’t there, which was weird because Ruby was always at lunch before her, stealing her fries and pretending it was cute.
Instead, there was a black backpack–ruby’s backpack she takes with her when she skates–sitting in Ruby’s usual spot.
Bridgette wiggled her eyebrows. “Looks like your girl left you something.”
Nicole rolled her eyes but picked up the bag anyway, peeking inside.
There was a plastic-wrapped cookie from their favorite bakery, a folded-up note, and—
Nicole frowned, pulling out the item at the bottom. It was one of Ruby’s hoodies.
The hoodie. The oversized black one Nicole had stolen weeks ago and refused to give back.
Bridgette made an exaggerated awwww sound, and Nicole ignored her in favor of unfolding the note.
It was a simple piece of lined notebook paper, torn at the edges. Ruby’s handwriting was shit, but Nicole could still make out the words.
Nic,
Meet me on the roof after school. Wear the hoodie.
- R
Nicole blinked.
Bridgette was fully leaning over her shoulder at this point. “Okay, that’s kinda hot.”
Nicole snorted. “Shut up.”
But she was already pulling the hoodie over her head.
~
Nicole didn’t even know how Ruby got access to the school’s rooftop and she wasnt sure she wanted to know.
The door was supposed to be locked, but when she got there, it was slightly ajar. She hesitated for a second before pushing it open.
And then she saw her.
Ruby was standing at the edge of the roof, leaning against the metal railing, her skateboard propped up beside her. She turned when she heard Nicole step out, and the second their eyes met, Ruby’s face split into that dimply, stupid smile.
Nicole crossed her arms. “So, uh… should I be concerned about how easily you broke onto the roof?”
Ruby smirked. “I have my ways.”
Nicole rolled her eyes but walked over anyway, coming to a stop beside her. She realized then that Ruby was holding something behind her back.
Nicole raised an eyebrow. “Okay, what are you up to?”
Ruby fidgeted, looking uncharacteristically nervous. “Okay, so, I know I took forever, and I know you were probably waiting for me to just ask—”
Nicole snorted. “Oh, you know?”
Ruby shot her a look. “Anyway.”
She took a deep breath, then pulled her hands from behind her back.
Nicole blinked. “Is that… a mixtape?”
Ruby held out the cassette tape, looking almost sheepish. “Well, technically, it’s a playlist. But I put it on a cassette because I know you’re annoyingly obsessed with your stupid vintage tape player.”
Nicole took the tape, turning it over in her hands. It had a strip of masking tape on the front with the words “Prom?” written in sharpie.
Nicole stared at it.
Ruby shifted next to her. “I, uh—I made it for you. It’s got all your favorite songs, and the last one is, like… a message from me.”
Nicole slowly looked up at her.
Ruby rushed to keep talking. “I just—I know I could’ve just asked, but I wanted to do something that actually meant something, y’know? And, like, music is kinda our thing—”
Nicole cut her off by grabbing her face and kissing her.
Ruby made a muffled oh sound before melting into it, hands finding their way to Nicole’s waist.
When Nicole pulled back, she was smiling. “So you do like stupid romantic shit.”
Ruby groaned. “Shut up.”
Nicole grinned and looped her arms around Ruby’s neck. “Yes.”
Ruby blinked. “Yes?”
Nicole rolled her eyes. “Yes, I’ll go to prom with you, idiot.”
Ruby grinned so wide it looked like it hurt. “Good. ‘Cause I already got a suit.”
Nicole laughed. “Of course you did.”
Ruby squeezed her waist. “I love you.”
Nicole’s breath hitched.
Ruby froze.
Nicole pulled back just enough to look at her. “What?”
Ruby’s entire face flushed. “I—I didn’t say that.”
Nicole just stared at her.
Ruby cleared her throat. “Okay, yeah, I did say that, but, like—”
Nicole kissed her again.
This time, she lingered, pouring everything she couldn’t say into the kiss. When she pulled back, Ruby looked dazed.
Nicole smirked. “You’re lucky you’re cute.”
Ruby huffed. “I hate you.”
“No, you love me,” Nicole teased.
Ruby groaned. “I regret everything.”
Nicole just laughed and tugged her in for another kiss.
~
Nicole had spent hours on her makeup and hair, making sure every detail was perfect for prom. She already knew she’d be the one driving, but she didn’t mind. It was going to be a good night. The plan was simple—head to Ruby’s house, let her mom take pictures, and then finally, prom.
What Nicole wasn’t expecting was the sleek black Mustang parked in Ruby’s driveway. She rolled her eyes, assuming it was just Ruby’s brother wasting his money on another ridiculous purchase.
She knocked on the door, hearing a flurry of Spanish on the other side. Nicole had picked up enough to understand most of it—something about upstairs, about needing to be surprised.
Eventually, the door swung open, and Elena was standing there, eyes shining like she might cry.
“Oh, wow, Nicole… muy bonita,” she gushed, ushering her inside.
Brandon was standing nearby, arms crossed, a rare grin on his face. “You look nice, hermosa. Ruby’s gonna lose her mind.”
Nicole swallowed hard at the word—hermosa. It did something to her, the way it felt so familiar, like she belonged here, like this wasn’t just high school, wasn’t just prom—like maybe this was forever.
Her dress was a deep red satin with a slit up the side—sexy, but still comfortable enough to dance in. The neckline dipped just enough to be flirty, a hint of cleavage visible but not too much. And, of course, it was the same red as Ruby’s hair. Of course it was.
“You keeping her hostage upstairs?” Nicole asked, grinning.
Elena nodded to Brandon, and he jogged up the stairs. A few moments later, he came back down, giving her a nod.
Then Ruby appeared at the top of the stairs.
Nicole felt her breath hitch.
It wasn’t just that Ruby was wearing a suit—it was the suit. A perfectly tailored black one, hugging her frame just right, with a red tie that matched Nicole’s dress exactly.
Ruby froze halfway down the stairs, eyes locked on Nicole like she had forgotten how to function.
“Wow,” Ruby muttered, finishing her descent as if in a daze. She stopped in front of Nicole, gaze sweeping over her like she still couldn’t believe it. “You look… wow.”
Nicole’s heart stuttered. Ruby had actually put effort into her hair—still a little messy the way Nicole loved, but tied back, with a few loose strands framing her face. She was beautiful.
And Nicole was in love with her.
The realization should have freaked her out, should have had her running for the door, but for the first time in her life, she wanted to stay.
“Before you two start making out in the living room, can we please take these pictures?” Brandon interrupted, trying to sound annoyed, though Nicole could see the pride in his expression as he looked at his little sister.
After several minutes of Elena snapping photos, each time insisting “Just one more!” Nicole finally grabbed Ruby’s hand and tugged her toward her car.
“Actually, we’re taking this,” Ruby said, gesturing toward the Mustang.
Nicole chuckled. “Your brother’s car?”
Ruby smirked. “Actually…”
Brandon tossed Ruby the keys, which she caught effortlessly. “My car.”
Nicole blinked. “Since when?”
“Got my license last week.” Ruby shrugged, grinning. “Surprise.”
Nicole stared, momentarily speechless. After months of begging Ruby to finally get her license, she had actually done it?
“You little shit,” Nicole said, breaking into a huge smile.
Ruby laughed, squeezing Nicole’s hip before opening the passenger-side door for her. “Get in, princesa.”
Nicole rolled her eyes but slid into the seat anyway. Ruby got in beside her, starting the engine with a low purr that made Nicole press her thighs together—though she’d never admit it.
Ruby shot her a knowing look. “You ready, mi amor?”
Nicole’s breath caught for a second. Then she smiled, lacing their fingers together.
“As ready as I’ll ever be.”
And with that, Ruby pulled away from the house, her grip warm and steady in Nicole’s hand.
~
The school parking lot was packed with students in flowing gowns and sharp suits, but Nicole barely noticed.
Inside, the gym had been transformed—string lights draped across the ceiling, the DJ blasting pop hits as groups of teenagers shouted along.
Nicole spotted Bridgette almost immediately, her best friend having ditched her usual glasses for the occasion. She was wearing a sparkling purple ballgown, her curls styled to perfection. And Trick… well, Trick actually cleaned up nice.
“Damn, Bridgey, you look good,” Nicole whistled.
Bridgette grinned, twirling her dress. Trick slung an arm around her shoulders, smirking. “And I’m the one who gets to take her home.”
Nicole wrinkled her nose. “Gross.”
“Speaking of gross,” Trick said, “are you two gonna keep the PDA to a minimum tonight?”
“No promises,” Ruby chimed in, her hand already dangerously low on Nicole’s back.
They danced—well, Nicole danced. Ruby mostly stood there, grumbling, until Nicole dragged her onto the floor.
They made out in a dark corner for a while.
Ruby pouted when Nicole left her to dance again after a song she loved came on.
At some point, Nicole kicked off her heels, partially because they were killing her feet but also because she wanted to be shorter than Ruby for a slow dance.
They sat at a table with Bridgette and Trick, and Nicole hated to admit it, but she was slowly warming up to the guy.
Then the DJ played that song.
Nicole’s breath hitched as she recognized the melody—the last song on the mixtape Ruby had made for her, the mixtape she had given her when she asked Nicole to prom.
“How many more surprises are in store for me tonight?” Nicole asked as Ruby took her hand, leading her to the dance floor.
“That’s the last one,” Ruby promised, smiling as she pulled Nicole in close. Her arms fit perfectly around Nicole’s waist, Nicole’s hands resting easily on Ruby’s shoulders.
They swayed in silence for a while, Nicole resting her head against Ruby’s chest, listening to the steady rhythm of her heartbeat.
Then, barely above a whisper, Ruby murmured, “I love you.”
If Nicole hadn’t been pressed against her, she might not have even heard it.
She lifted her head, meeting Ruby’s gaze.
“I love you too,” she admitted, voice quiet but sure. “I know I didn’t say it back earlier, but I do love you.”
Ruby’s lips parted slightly, like she hadn’t expected to hear it. Then she smiled—really smiled, that real, dimpled grin that made Nicole’s stomach flutter.
And then Ruby kissed her.
Slow, deep, and filled with everything neither of them had said before.
Nicole kissed her back, her fingers tangling in the strands of Ruby’s hair.
She loved her.
And that was okay.
~
As the last song of the night faded, Ruby and Nicole were all over each other, the weight of the night—of weeks, months of build-up—pressing between them. They knew where this was leading. Nicole’s stomach was twisting with anticipation, but there was no hesitation, just a nervous kind of excitement that made her fingers twitch.
Her mom was out of town for the week, which meant she had the house to herself.
Nicole had texted Ruby as soon as she found out, a teasing, flirty message:
"You're coming over after prom night ;)"
Ruby had, of course, replied with an entire list of things she planned to do to Nicole, things that had made Nicole burn with both embarrassment and something else she wasn’t quite ready to name. She’d thought about it all night.
Now, in the Mustang, the air was thick with tension. The drive was quiet, save for the low hum of the radio and the way Ruby’s hand kept drifting up Nicole’s thigh, fingers toying with the slit of her dress.
Nicole swallowed hard, shifting slightly. “You’re being a menace.”
Ruby smirked. “And yet, you’re not stopping me.”
Nicole rolled her eyes, but her breath still hitched as Ruby’s fingers traced just a little higher.
The second they stepped inside, the door had barely clicked shut before Ruby pressed Nicole against it, their bodies flush, hands already tangled in fabric.
Nicole let out a breathy laugh between kisses. “We could at least pretend to have some self-control.”
Ruby hummed, nosing along her jaw. “I don’t want to.”
Nicole’s hands fumbled with the lapels of Ruby’s suit, tugging her closer. Ruby groaned against her mouth, hands roaming over her hips, her waist, the dip of her back.
“You sure about this, princesa?” Ruby murmured, voice softer now, her breath warm against Nicole’s flushed skin.
Nicole nodded, but then, realizing Ruby might want more than that, whispered, “Yeah. I want this.”
Something in Ruby’s expression shifted—her usual cocky smirk softening into something more sincere.
Still, for all the heat between them, there was an undeniable clumsiness to the way they moved. Ruby’s hands trembled slightly as she tried to unzip Nicole’s dress, and when she finally got it, the fabric pooled too fast around Nicole’s feet, nearly tripping her in the process.
Ruby caught her by the waist, laughing into her shoulder. “Okay, that was almost really bad.”
Nicole snorted, covering her face. “So much for sexy.”
“Hey,” Ruby nudged her, grinning. “I think you falling on me naked would’ve been kinda hot.”
Nicole swatted at her, but her cheeks were burning. Still, she was grateful for the ease of Ruby’s teasing, for the way it calmed the nervous energy buzzing under her skin.
When Ruby reached for the buttons on her own shirt, Nicole moved to help, only for them to fumble over each other’s hands.
“You wanna—?”
“No, you—”
“Okay, wait—”
They both paused, then burst out laughing.
“God, we suck at this,” Nicole muttered, running a hand through her hair.
Ruby pressed a kiss to her cheek, then her nose, then the corner of her lips, voice quieter now. “We don’t have to be good at it. It’s just us.”
Nicole exhaled slowly, something in her chest unclenching. “Yeah.”
As they settled onto the bed, Ruby hovered over Nicole, both of them taking a moment to just look at each other.
Nicole had never really noticed how fit Ruby was before—her toned stomach, the soft curve of her waist, the way her muscles tensed slightly under her skin. There was another tattoo along her ribs, half-hidden in the dim light, and Nicole had the sudden urge to trace it with her fingers.
Ruby, on the other hand, was completely transfixed. Nicole looked ethereal beneath her, blonde hair spread around her like a halo, skin flushed, chest rising and falling in shallow breaths. Ruby wasn’t religious, had never been, but suddenly she understood something—what it meant to devote yourself entirely to someone. To surrender, without knowing if you’d ever get that devotion back in full. To believe in someone more than you believed in yourself.
Her grip on Nicole’s hips tightened, an irrational fear creeping up that if she let go, Nicole might disappear.
"Can I?" Ruby murmured, her fingers tracing down the soft skin of Nicole’s thigh.
Nicole swallowed hard. “Y-Yeah.”
Her voice came out shaky, and Ruby’s heart clenched at the sound. Not out of hesitation—but out of sheer anticipation.
Ruby smiled at her then, a warm, soft smile that didn’t match what they were doing, what they were about to do. It was almost too intimate, too gentle.
Nicole felt her breath stutter when Ruby’s fingers found the waistband of her thong, sliding it down with slow, deliberate care.
Ruby let out a quiet, awed “Holy.”
Nicole blinked at her. “What?”
Ruby exhaled a laugh, shaking her head. “Nothing. Just…” She glanced back up, voice lower now, reverent. “I think I wanna fucking pray to you every day.”
Nicole flushed a deep red, burying her face in her hands. “You cannot say things like that right now.”
Ruby smirked, leaning down, pressing a teasing kiss to her cheek. “Why? Am I wrong?”
Nicole groaned. “You’re insufferable.”
“Yeah, but you love me.”
Nicole hesitated. Then, quietly, “Yeah. I do.”
Ruby froze. The words settled between them, thick and heavy in the air, more intimate than anything they were about to do.
For once, she didn’t have anything cocky or teasing to say. Instead, she just nodded, as if acknowledging something sacred.
Then, in a voice so soft it barely filled the space between them, she whispered, “I love you too.”
Nicole let her hands fall from her face, looking up at Ruby like she was the divine thing in the room.
And maybe, just maybe, she was.
Still, for all the emotions swirling between them, neither of them really knew what they were doing.
Ruby tried to be smooth, lowering herself back down, trailing kisses down Nicole’s stomach—but miscalculated her balance and nearly slipped off the bed. Nicole yelped as Ruby caught herself just in time, her palm smacking against the mattress.
A beat of silence.
Then, they both burst into laughter.
Ruby dropped her head against Nicole’s stomach, shaking as she laughed, and Nicole ran a hand through her hair, still giggling.
“This is going so well,” Nicole teased.
Ruby groaned. “Yeah, yeah, I got this, okay? First-time technical difficulties.”
Nicole smirked. “You sure? Because—”
Ruby shut her up with a kiss, deep and lingering.
And just like that, all of the awkwardness, all of the nerves, melted away.
They weren’t in a rush. There was no need to be perfect.
They had each other.
And that was holy enough.