Chapter 10

Henderson, Nevada

December 1, 2005

"Sob... sob..."

A boy sobbed in the corner of the wall after he was teased for the umpteenth time by a naughty boy.

Two boys looked at him pityingly, but neither of them tried to calm him down. 

A girl who had just appeared and saw how the poor boy was crying alone looked very angry, as if she already knew who made the boy cry.

"Leo...!" She said calling the boy. The boy stopped crying and immediately turned to the source of the sound only to see the person he needed most right now.

"Ruby?" His eyes were wet and his forehead had bruises. He must have cried because his forehead was hurt like that.

This little girl approached the boy who immediately grabbed her body and hugged her.

"Did you get hit by Henry again?"

"Yes-" he answered while sobbing.

"Why are you silent? You should have hit him back!"

"I already replied to him, but he asked his other friends to join in beating me!"

"Outrageous! Unforgivable-"

"Who can't be forgiven?"

Suddenly, a boy who was the mastermind behind this problem appeared in an arrogant style.

"Why did you hit Leo? Why do you always bother him? What wrong did he do to you?"

"Why can't I hit him? His father just beat him, why can't you? Hey Ruby, don't you know that his father is a thief and a troublemaker? Why would you want to be friends with a boy like him?"

"That's none of your business!"

"Hahaha...I'm warning you, it's best not to get too close to him, otherwise, I'll bother you too, you know!"

***

Ruby opened her eyes, all the bad thoughts and dreams of her childhood filled her head all night and made her unable to sleep. Henry's annoying face still haunted her. She didn't understand why she had to dream of that annoying boy again after she hadn't seen him for so long.

She remembered that in high school, Henry confessed his feelings for her and asked her out on a date. However, she decided to refuse because she still couldn't forgive the bullying that Henry had done to her and Leo when they were in elementary school.

"Agh...that sucks! I hope I don't meet that bastard again here! Barbara said he already lives in Carson, which means he's most likely not in town. Damn, I really don't want to meet him. But Leo? I still don't believe what Barbara said. Leo couldn't possibly join such a dangerous group."  She thought.

Even though she feel believe that Leo, her best friend since she was five years old, could not possibly be a member of a mafia group. But when she remembered how Leo had been in their last years together, she started to feel worried.

"I'm fine, you don't need to keep worrying about me, Ruby! I'm not a child anymore and I'm not your son! So, stop treating me like your son!"

Her heart ached every time she remembered the last words Leo said to her before she finally decided to go with her mother to move to work in Alberta and cut off all contact with Leo.

Since then, she never knew what happened to her friends, especially Leo. She really loved Leo as a friend, that's why Leo's words at that time really hurt her feelings.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard a very strong knock on the door, she was sure someone was knocking on her door. She rushed down to the first floor to see which guests wanted to come to this haunted house. However, when she tried to peek through the door hole, she was surprised to see the face of a man behind the door.

"Who is that? I think I recognize his face? Have I seen him on TV or a magazine? Oh my God, how is this?" She muttered panicked. She was confused about what she should do now. If she has to shower first, she has to take 45 minutes to finish. Not to mention using routine skin care and choosing the clothes she will wear. It will definitely take quite a long time.

"There's no time left. Never mind." She decided to wear her nightgown cardigan and straighten her hair before opening the door and going down to the first floor.

Her heart was pounding, she didn't know who the guest was who came to her house so early? And how would anyone know that she lives in this house?

When she opened the door, three men looked at her from toe to tip of her dark brown hair that was flowing and blowing in the wind. Subconsciously, they focused on her thighs which were quite clearly visible and her seductive cleavage.

She was just silent and reluctant to look at their faces one by one. Meanwhile, the man standing in the middle, with an arrogant look in his eyes, made Ruby frown.

"Sorry, but who are you?

***