Eleven

***Ruby***


“It is just a rumor, but it seems Bryan Lockwood is a suspect in Maddison’s case. Someone saw him being questioned.” Abby looked my way after blurting out her statement in the middle of the Avengers movie we were watching. Truthfully, it was our third time watching it due to our inability to decide on movies.

“I always knew that guy was suspicious,” Jake added and I shifted on my seat, my mind finally touring towards the one thing I have been trying to not think about.

He had said he will punish me. No, he promised he would do it. That’s just a messed up statement.

“Do you guys think he killed that first girl? Uh… Melissa?”

“Melinda. It is very possible,” Jake replied my question after his earlier narrowed eyes relaxed.

A sigh escaped me and I crossed my legs. “It doesn’t make sense then. If he is a killer or what have you, why is he roaming the corridors of our school freely? Now that I think of it, when he was being taken away for the first incident, he was too calm for someone who was supposedly being arrested for murder.”

“What is going on with you Ruby?” Abby asked and I looked up at her.

“It really doesn’t make sense.”

“That my friend, is a result of the dirty games being played in this world.”

Jake reached for the last chicken thigh before saying, “Bryan walks with the likes of Celery because being in her company ensures him safety. Celery’s father has crazy connections you know.”

“He should have used his connections to put that girl in an exquisite boarding school,” I scoffed. “That would have definitely saved us from hearing tales about the Safari over and over again.”

Abby shook her head and snatched the chicken in Jake’s grasp. “That girl just never rests.”

“Thank God we will be graduating soon.”

“Speaking of graduation!” Abby’s voice perked the space up and sprung out of her seat. “I made us a bucket list.” She dug gracefully into the seasoned flesh in her grasp.

“That’s so lame,” Jake commented and reached for Abby’s special shake and I would like to guess that was his retaliation for his long gone chicken.

“Your face is lame. Anyway, Ruby…” I looked up at her with a smile. “The moment has come.”

“For you to party?”

“No! For us to party.” I groaned and slid down the couch.
Not the party topic. “Don’t moan like you are dying. We need to do this babe.”

I threw my legs into the air in protest. “Do we really have to do it?”

“We intentionally skipped mad ass parties because we wanted to do them in our last year of high school.” She wore a pout and fell to my side, her arm hooking mine instantly. “Please, don’t back out now. You promised we will do this.”

As I wore a frown while contemplating the situation, Jake let out a snicker beside us and I threw him a glare. “Is something interesting you Mr. Glacier?”

“Yes, Ms. Powers. It is very amusing to see you both acting this way over parties.”

“You talk like you know stuff, “ I replied dryly.

“I have been to more parties than you guys. Wait…” He struck an over confident pose where his shoulder seemed a bit higher. “You guys have never been to one.”

“Will you then take us to one?” Abby butted in.

“Uh…”

“Then, piss off.”

“Come on Abby.” I chuckled. “Stay calm.”

“Are we attending a party before graduation or not?” She looked so serious, you’d think going to a party will ensure her a place in her choice of college.

“Okay Abby, let’s go for one,” I said tiredly and let out another groan as she tugged at my arm excitedly. When she stopped, I was elated and was about to release myself from her hold when I became aware that she stopped to have a bite of the meat in her hand.

The girl is just so impossibly cute. As I unhooked our linked arms, she asked, "What happened though? I didn't see you in your English class."

Jake rested his elbow against the head of the couch and added, "That's true. Where were you? The new teacher asked of you."

My brows quirked.

"He asked of her? Why? Have you guys met somewhere before?" she quizzed me with that look of excitement that befalls her face when she is anticipating gists.

"No."

"So where were you?"

"Uh..."

"Do you have a boyfriend?"

"What?" I frowned at Abby's question and she immediately nodded.

"So, you don't have a boyfriend. Then what made you miss class?" Gosh, she was being like a mother and that sort of made me feel unsettled about telling them what happened with Bryan. Besides, it's not like he can actually do anything right? Especially if he is found guilty. He won't be coming back to the school at all, that I am sure of.

Our principal can't be so blinded, she will not allow a guy convicted of murder twice in the school. That is if he is found guilty.

"Ruby?" Jake's voice interrupted my thoughts which were about to figure out what could happen if Bryan Lockwood is found innocent.

"Yeah?"

"Is something wrong?"

Instantly deciding to hold off the decision of telling them what had happened, I gave a chuckle and pushed Abby to the side a bit, receiving a frown from her. "I went to the library and I just got carried away."

"Hmm." Abby suspiciously whipped my seated figure with her eyes. "If you say so."

"Is there something in the library that interests you that much? " Jake asked.

With a straight face, I replied, " Yes, books."

"You'll die single, my dear." I stuck my tongue out at him and faced Abby who gave me a kind of agreeing shrug.

"I hate you guys."

"We can't help but be worried about you Ruby. You haven't had your first kiss."

"And what if my baby hasn't had her first kiss?" My mom's voice entered the room and I instantly smiled. As she sat gently on the arm of a nearby couch, she faced us with a smile. "Are you guys enjoying yourselves?"

"Definitely." Abby gave a large grin that sort of looked creepy from an angle. "I have a question though."

"Ask away."

" Will you let Ruby attend a party if she wants to attend one? Will her father object?" I can't believe this girl.

" Hmm." I blinked towards my mother and hoped she was understanding my unwillingness to go for any party whatsoever. "Will she be going with you two?"

"We will make sure to protect her so well, she will not even get something to drink."

I threw my mom a pout as a smile grew on her face. " Very well then." How is she finding it easy to ignore the plea on my face? "She can go."

"Yay!" Abby got up and started doing some weird moves.

"How was school today? I heard about what happened two days ago."

Abby relaxed her moves and sat down. " It was a sad sight."

"I was surprised they asked you all to come to school the following day." Mom wore a very concerned look. " What if the sight traumatized someone?"

"I just hope they nab the killer if there is one," Jake added soberly. Then we all fell into silence and seemed to be thinking of one thing or the other.

"There should be a memorial for the student, right?" We all shook our heads and her lips fell apart in surprise. " Why is that? What kind of principal do you have? Such a program should have been announced already. It is the least the school can do. I should give her a visit because that is just bullshit."

"Mom..." I smiled in admiration. She is just so awesome.

"Mrs. Powers..." Abby got up and hugged her. "You are the best."

Chuckling as Abby went back to sit, she asked if we wanted some cookies and we all replied gladly. At that moment, a very quiet Zion tiptoed into the room and asked to join our movie night. It was then we actually took the movie watching serious as Zion began to ask questions.

After rewinding the movie and getting two batches of cookies, Abby and Jake left for their places and I also retired for the night which I hoped will be blissful.

It wasn't.

~

As the weekend flew past, lack of sleep tugged at my eyes and I cursed the day I met Bryan Lockwood at the entrance of the prison gates. I didn't think I would be so affected by what he said. I sincerely thought I was going to be good at ignoring it. But each time I closed my eyes to sleep, I could hear his voice and feel his strong breath.

Sighing as I wished for at least thirty minutes sleep to get rejuvenated, my ears picked the voice of the one person I wouldn't wish to see for the love of life.

"Hello Ruby."

"Celery." She didn't appear bothered by the name anymore. Good. It was about time.

Instead she scoffed and said, with her arms majestically crossed, "Who could have guessed?"

"Excuse me?"

"I know I have my way with guys but I don't go as far as you to get their attention."

What on earth is she rabbling about? "Is this some crazy tactic to get on my nerves?" I fully adjusted my stance and faced the girl. "It won't work Celery."

"One thing I know for sure is that you are done for. And I can't wait to see how that happens. See you around Powers." She smirked before walking away and I just stood there with a huge frown on my face as her words made absolutely no sense.

And her presence just gave me crazy headache. Argh!

"Ruby..." This time it was Abby. And I didn't want her to see my bleak face. She would probably think I spent the weekend trying to run away from some kind of monster. "We have a problem." Her voice carried such seriousness, I forgot about how I looked and faced her instantly.
As expected, her eyes widened a bit at my sight but she didn't comment on that. Instead, she asked, "Have you seen it?"

"What?"

Her lips gave a whoosh sound and she pulled at her hair a bit hard before taking her phone out. "Ruby..." She pushed her phone in my direction and heavily dropped, "Your nudes are being circulated everywhere."