5

     Ruby sprawled on the couch in the living room, eyes closed in deep thoughts. She was in so much trouble. Who knew I would eventually run into him again? She thought.

  She was aware Nate had different business enterprises but no one told her he owned Wesley construction company. 

   She sighed as she turned over. After her emotional outburst at the restaurant, she drowned herself in alcohol, hoping it was going to push the image of Nate looking shocked as she dumped hot chocolate on him.

    “Ah” she groaned. “How stupid can I be?”

      A sly smile played in her lips, whoever thought she would have the opportunity to sit with Nate Jacobin? Even though she ruined her chances. Whoever thought she would give Nate such a remarkable memory?

She pinched herself as she screamed into a pillow, even when she was in a lot of trouble, she still had the ability to think of silly things.

Her dream job was in the hands of a man she had loved and loathed for years.

Growing up, she was never bothered about her looks or how she dressed. She always had one goal which was to study hard in order to get into a good school. She was well aware of her parents financial status, getting into school on a scholarship was her main goal.

    She sighed as she stared at the TV, it was all a blur. Without her glasses, she could see nothing. The same glasses made students make fun of her back in high school. 

   About thirteen years ago, she had just started high school. She always had her nose in a book and was focused. 

She didn’t mind that she was referred to as a nerd or that some of the rich kids called her ‘the scholarship girl’. 

     Her life was a triangle, from home to school, to her parents' restaurant and back home. She was content with everything she had until she met Nate Jacobin.

Nate, just like her, was on the debate team but no one saw him as a nerd. 

The team had groups of girls signing up for the team almost everyday, not because they were interested in their topics but because they wanted to be next to Nate.

    Ruby had to admit she was fascinated by Nate’s eloquence and versatility. Not only was he a straight A student, he was the best quarterback and had coaches scouting for him each game.

He was the picture perfect high school teenager who had a pretty blond cheerleader on his arm.

 Did she wish she was on his arm? Yes.

 Did she try? No. She came to accept that he was totally out of her league.

The popular kids had nothing to do with the nerds or geeks.

      Seeing him everyday during classes had made her feelings for him grow, feelings she was scared to admit. Every other person on the team was nice enough to say a word of greeting to her whenever they ran into each other in the hallway but Nate was different.

 He never noticed her or said a word to her. He was always surrounded by a sea of students who gushed about how handsome and awesome he was. The one time she tried to talk to him, she was pushed roughly by some groups of girls who wanted his attention.

   Ruby bit her tongue back in jealousy, she never knew what it was to be popular or have people take interest in her. Somehow, she had hoped her academic excellence would gain her popularity but it didn’t, everyone just called her a geek.

    Ruby sighed as she rolled over again, going down her high school memory lane was so hurtful as it is.  

  Her diary was her best friend, everything she ever felt was written in her diary. Her feelings for Nate were written there without holding back, her hatred for the mean cheerleaders and the other popular kids at school. What she had for Nate was more than a crush.

   It never occurred to her that anyone would take interest in what she had to write in her diary.

 After gym classes on a sunny Tuesday afternoon, she saw people pass a piece of paper and laugh out loud, she got dirty looks from some and looks of amusement from the others.

   She paid no attention to them and assumed it was one of the usual silly pranks. 

   What came next was what Ruby didn’t see coming. A deafening slap landed across her cheek and her hair was yanked by Taylor who happened to be Nate’s girlfriend back then.

 Her glasses flew across the room and broke.

   “You ugly duckling!” Taylor spat.

  Ruby felt a shiver run through her spine as she remembered Taylor’s vile words. 

What happened next was a blur, literally, all she could remember was her sobbing while other students laughed at her. Ugly duckling was added to her list of nasty nicknames.

 Esme was the only one who had compassion for her, she stood up for Ruby and they became best of friends since then.

Her love for Nate ruined her entire high school experience. She believed as time went on, they were going to forget what was written in her diary but no one ever did. The students continued to tease her up until the day they graduated.

  It hurt more because he acted like nothing happened. She couldn’t tell whose side he was on, he never looked at her or even said her name. 

A couple of times when others bullied her or called her names, he walked past like nothing was going on, he never defended her.

  Even with all that was going on, she still loved him. His voice made her heart flutter, he meant so much to her but she learnt to love him from a distance.

   Ruby gasped as she glanced at the wall clock, it was evening already. She wiped the tears off her eyes immediately. Everything felt like it had just happened yesterday.

Being bullied in school increased her insecurities.

    How she loved a man who had no regard for her was still a mystery to her. Loving Nate was painful enough.

Lazily, she picked her phone up and an email popped up as she unlocked her screen. It was an email from Wesley construction company.