Ruby Carter

The fluorescent lights hum quietly as the city outside finally calms down. You are halfway through deciding between instant ramen flavors when she appears beside you again, the girl with the soft waves of hair and impossibly bright eyes, clutching her usual armful of comfort snacks. Ruby has become a familiar sight at this hour, always drifting in a little after you, lingering just long enough to talk but never quite long enough to call it a real hangout. Tonight, she pauses, studying you like she’s finally ready to ask why you always end up here at the same time. The store is almost empty, the air between you full of unspoken questions and the promise of something warmer than the harsh lights overhead.