Belong - an adopted by Hamilton fanfic [Hamilton]

71. To enjoy

[A/N: It's written, read through and delivered; the chap! Have a read, and hopefully a good one!💞]

"...so you really knitted that sweater you wore for your Birthday?", Dominics voice echoed in my ears, as I had headphones on, walking frantically around in my room, unpacking and packing my bag; adding or taking away whatever my mind could come up with. When I remembered to, I took a bite of my sandwich that I'd made for lunch. Or, the sandwich that Lin had made for me. I knew that Lin was going to check that I'd actually eaten it, and so I forced myself to take a bite every now and then.
"Well, yeah. Didn't you know I sew?", I asked, surprised by how easily the words slipped out of my mouth.
"Not really. I just thought you looked cute in that sweater", his voice warm, swiftly telling me a compliment as he seemed to be walking somewhere.
My heart fluttered.
He doesn't mean it.
He does not mean it.
Unpack and pack your bag again.
"Oh, thanks", I found myself nervously replying, trying to laugh the comment off as I on the one hand instantly wanted to regret it, and on the other hand I never wanted to let it go. He had remembered what I wore.

It was our second time talking to each other on the phone. We had been texting every day since the day of the nominations; more frequently than before. And then, yesterday, he'd called me out of the blue. It had been a late afternoon, and I had been sitting with the school work I had missed; just trying to make some progress. The ringtone had instantly made me jump - and when I saw who it was, my heart said hi. So, on acting upon something within me, I answered.
Hi Dom?, I'd said, expecting him to have accidentally called me, convinced that he did, in fact, not want to talk to me.
So, what do you need help with?, he said, referring to me complaining about some assignment in chemistry in one of my texts.
What, really?, I asked him in confusion, mainly because he actually had meant to call me.
Really, Ruth, he seemed to laugh, and in the background I could hear him getting on the train. I might be really bad at chem, but so are you, and I have to do this assignment too!, he added, as I heard the doors close behind him, and people chatting next to him.
Okay then, Dominic, I told him, using his full name, just like he had with mine. So, um...

"I only really remember your floppy hair and your glasses all wonky", I found myself saying.
"I was tired!", he defended himself, laughing at the obvious part of him.
"You're always tired", I said, unpacking the things again - only to tap them twice before I put them back. Behind me, Lin knocked on the door, always on ajar, and peaked inside. I took of one of the earphones, listening to what he had to say.
"Rue, we got to leave now", Lin said calmly, smiling a little. I instantly looked at the clock, a little stressed.
You're going to be late.
You forgot to do something.
You-
"You're not going to be late, Rue. We just have to leave now", Lin clarified, as he assured me that what I was afraid of wasn't going to happen. I nodded, a little hesitant, and Lin left towards the door. Dom had been saying something, and I had blocked it out while trying to hear what Lin had said and ignoring the thoughts slamming my head from within.
"Sorry Dom, but I have to go", I told him, cutting him off mid sentence. "I...", I began, only to stop to think about what to say.
You can't tell him you're going to group therapy.
He won't like you if you do.
He-
And so I told a white lie.
"I'm going to see a friend", the statement was true - I was going to come home to Sepi's after the meeting. Which was the reason I was nervous today. And probably why I couldn't stop packing and unpacking my bag.
"Alright, then. Have fun!", he casually replied.
"Thanks! Alright. Bye, Dominic", I said, my voice slightly off, getting less confident by the word. He laughed, saying my whole name too.
"Bye, Ruth", Dom said, and hung up before I could. I felt calm, eased by the easy going conversation. As I looked at my screen, I could see that I had two missed calls from Carson and a text.