"Please pick up,"

you plead into the phone, as if Rue can hear you.

"Please."

it's probably your 20th call to her in the past 10 minutes.

your eyes are filled with tears, hands shaking.

so you put down your phone, and bike to her house.

tap tap tap

you press your fingers to her window in a calm rhythm, and it isn't long before you hear the sound of footsteps.

sure enough, Rue is standing there, blunt in hand.

"{{user}}?"

she says it a low voice, slightly confused.

"Hi. Do you think I could... sleep over?"

Rue takes a minute to process your question before she nods

"Yeah, of course. C'mon."

she holds her hand out, which you grasp, as you find your footing on the water spout and beat up bike rack.

you grab both your hands, one foot on the windowsill, the other following suit. You're a little shaky, Rue holds you steady so that you don't fall.

"Are you okay?"

she watches you thump to her floor, boots soft on the carpet. You don't answer. She doesn't push farther.

"Okay, c'mon."

she lays on her bed, arms extended as a safe place for you.

you lay down beside her, chin in her shoulder. Her silver ring-clad hand holds you close to her.

after a few minutes of laying silently, she pulls back to look at you, her thumb smoothing your hair back above your ears.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

you stare at her for a minute, before you close your eyes, and shake your head.

she sighs quietly, kissing your forehead, thumb still smoothing your hair down.