Ruby's POV:

"My suite or yours?" Matt asked as we walked into the hotel foyer.
"Wait, what, you're staying here too?"
"Yeah, you lot aren't the only rock stars in Vegas, it's just a regular spot for us folk." He laughed.
"I'm not a rock star."
"Oh I don't know about that." He smirked, his eyes dark.
"Down boy." I giggled. "And to answer your question, yours."
"Alrighty then." We took the elevator up to his floor, and he led me to his suite. "You want a drink ?" he asked, walking toward the fridge.
"Won't say no." I smiled, following him and taking a seat at the bar.
"What's your poison?"
"Vodka, mix it though, weakly, I don't like to taste it." I smiled.
"Oh, you're one of those girls." He teased. "So how long you guys in town for?" He asked as he poured my drink.
"A week." I answered. "You?"
"Till we run out of money." He chuckled. "Any reason why you're here? Or did the guys just wanna party?"
"They're filming a video later in the week, Brian dragged me along for the ride."
"Where's he right now?" Matt asked.
"Who knows, I kinda ran off on him." I admitted, hanging my head.
"Everything okay?"
"Yeah." I shook my head and forced a smile. "Yeah, it's fine, don't worry." I licked over my lips, meeting his gaze again.
"You're sure?" His crystal blues looked sincere.
I bit my lip. "Yeah, yeah I'm sure."
"Here." He said, passing me his drink.
"Thanks."
He rounded the bar and sat down beside me. "So, where are you from?"
"Chicago originally, moved to Huntington when I was Sixteen." I explained. "I kinda ran away from home with my best friend."
"Brian?"
"No." I shook my head. "Demi."
"How old was she?"
"Fourteen." I sniggered.
"Wow." He chuckled. "That's pretty young, how'd you get by?"
"Pooled all our savings, we'd been planning the escape since she was Twelve, was always just a joke, and then one day-"
"You did it." Matt answered for me.
"Yeah." I grinned. "Wouldn't have it any other way though, Huntington's beautiful, and I never would've met the guys."
"Or me." He smirked.
"Very sure of yourself, aren't you?" I challenged.
"Just a little." He winked. "Why? Is there a reason I shouldn't be?" He asked, locking his eyes on mine and inching closer.

His fingertips grazed my bare hip, and I felt similar stirrings to what I'd felt earlier with Brian. I pulled away abruptly and got up from my chair, rounding the bar and busying myself in the fridge. I heard Matt get up, and felt his arms wrap around my waist.

"You okay?" He asked, gently kissing my neck.
"I'm sorry..." I sighed. "I guess I'm not ready for that... I just got out of a really rough relationship."
"I understand." He said, squeezing me.
"And I wasn't completely honest about why I ran off from Brian." I admitted, closing the fridge and turning around to face him. "Things got a little... intense."
"Come here." He grabbed my hand and led me into the living area, sitting down on the couch with me and pulling me into his side. "Go on."
"We've kinda been a little close for comfort a lot lately." I said, nuzzling my face into his chest. "And I'm not sure I'm okay with it, he's my best friend."
"You're worried it'll ruin your friendship?"
"Exactly." I nodded.
"Understandable." He noted. "Although, it may peak your interest to know how just how things were after you left Huntington."
"What're you talking about?" I asked.
"Brian was a mess Ruby."

Flashback, Matt's POV:

I stood in the hallway of a filthy, wretched Motel, crawling with rats and plagued with the stench of rotting food, cigarettes, marijuana, and semen. The wallpaper was peeling and the only light the hallway came from flickering halogen tubes overhead.

"Brian!" I called, banging on the door of his room, doubting he would hear me over the music he was blasting. "Open up!"
"FUCK OFF!" He yelled, and I heard a thud against the door, assuming that he'd thrown something.
"I'm not going fucking anywhere until you open this fuckin door, man!" I persisted, banging a second time. "Now haul your sorry ass up off that rotten mattress and let me in!"

The music was turned down and I heard a scuffling of footsteps before Brian's tired, pale face stared out at me through his hair, damp with stale sweat and the stench of too much alcohol consumption.

"Gates, you gotta come home, man." I sighed.
"There's no home for me out there." Brian groaned, nodding down the hallway.
"If there were no home you'd have nothing to come back to, and you have us." I reminded him. "Jenna's worried sick."
Brian chuckled darkly. "Oh, I doubt that."
"And why's that?" I challenged.
"That dirty little slut's half the reason I'm in this state, or didn't she tell you?" He smirked.
"Tell me what?"
"We're through, the filthy bitch cheated on me." He informed me. "My Girlfriend's fucking betrayed me, and I don't even have my Best Friend around to fucking pick up the pieces." He sniffled, and for the first time, I saw tears fall from Brian Haner Jr's eyes.
"You have a lot of other people who care about you and wanna help." I reassured him.
"Nobody gets me like her..." He croaked. "She knows me better than any of you." He pointed a finger. "I need Ruby." He slurred.
"Ruby's in Chicago." I frowned. "And I don't think she's coming back."
"Dammit!" He punched the doorframe, wincing at the pain. "You don't think I fucking know that?!" He spat. "You don't think I know she's not coming back? The one fucking person I thought I could rely on, fucking abandoned me!" His voice cracked again. "Good to know how much I fucking meant to her." He smirked, taking another swig from the beer he was holding. "And now, she'll never know what she meant to me..." He scoffed, shook his head, rolled his eyes, and shut the door...

"And what did I mean to him?" I asked.
"I think you should ask Brian that yourself." Matt grinned. "And remember, you're not the only one too afraid to find out if you could be happy again."
I hung my head. "I'm sorry I led you on tonight." She mumbled.
"Ruby, I love sex, don't get me wrong." I chuckled. "But some things are more important, like Human Emotions." I lifted her face between my thumb and forefinger. "I would rather you value your self worth, than get me off." I smiled, taking her hand. "Now c'mon." I said, lifting her off the couch. "Let's get you home..."

Notes