Six

Ruby

“So, what was your response?” Abby asked excitedly. Who knew the duo I call friends would find my brother’s question while my parents were doing it, interesting? Apparently, Jake never actually ended the call the previous night so he heard my little brother being inquisitive. 

Stopping in front of Abby’s locker, I said, “I told him they were praying for each other.”

“What?”

I know, Jake.

Truthfully the answer just came from nowhere. I certainly wasn’t going to lecture the nine-year-old about sex. 

No, no. That’s our mother's job.

“Did he believe you? I doubt he did,” Abby pushed even more.

Certainly, replaying the previous night wasn’t pleasurable for me. But it keeps coming to haunt me. Arrgh! Can I get bleach for my now-tainted mind, please?

“Ruby?” Jake called. He looked eager for a response as well. 

“He didn’t. Not until I screamed 'oh Zion, oh Zion' with my hands clasped in front of me.”

Trust me, it was very dramatic. And I was very loud, I think I stopped my parents' session.

“That is something.” Abby’s eyebrows quirked as she seemed to decide whether to transform the wide smile on her face into full-blown laughter.

“The greatest sex talk ever,” Jake added and received a smack from me.

“I wish my parents would do it though.” Abby’s voice lowered and she wore a pitiful look. “They are not even talking to each other right now.”

“Ruby’s parents could give them a tip.” Jake received another smack for his response and he scowled at me.

Ignoring the idiot called Jake, I hugged my friend to my side, and said, “Things will be fine, Abby. They’ll come around and see how apart they’ve grown and-”

“My own father thinks I am a failure.” Sadness loomed around her and I had no idea what to say. But I held her still. “My mother doesn’t even try to argue with him and when I do-”

“Abby!” Jake instantly interrupted. “What would you like for your birthday?”

“Uh?” I would have smacked him again but I was trying to make someone feel better about her life. 

“Tell me, anything I will get it for you.”

“Really?” Her face brightened a bit and I couldn’t have been more amused. As Jake nodded frantically, she looked ahead thoughtfully for some seconds before saying, “I have always wanted a bear.”

“A real bear?” Jake looked frightened at first but he soon wore confidence. “Don’t worry, I’ll get one for you. Anything to-”

“If you get me a real bear, I promise you I’ll feed you to it,” Abby said almost threateningly and I shook my head. 

“Hey! That’s mean.” He frowned. “I am just trying to make you feel good. Both of you are mean,” he pointed out, almost sulking.

“Me?” I touched my chest. “What did I do?” 

“You have been smacking me all day. What did you do?” He eyed me dramatically.

“When did I ever smack you?” Wearing pretense l made things more fun. “I only touched you.”

Jake gasped, his hands over his mouth. His face wearing disbelief, he faced Abby and asked, “You saw it, didn’t you? She beat me here.” He touched the spot on his arm I decided to grace with my swift beating.

“I didn’t see her touch you.”

“You are both mean,” Jake concluded after Abby’s reply left him speechless for some seconds and he gained two smiles from the two meanies. 

“Celery has finally found her missing members,” Abby said, her face no longer wearing the look she had earlier.  “The school’s rich kids all in one clique.”

Jake turned and watched with us as the five-member group approached the corridors with unnecessary pride in their strides.

“Ruby is not part of them though,” he commented as he scanned through the three males and two females whose entry into the new school year held students' attention.

“Oh please,” Abby scoffed and I wore a frown as I sighted an oddly familiar face. “Ruby is not at their level, she is on a higher scale,” Abby completed her statement. 

“Is that Bryan Lockwood?” I asked even though I knew it was him. His brown locks were a giveaway and that majestic stride of his was certainly still there.

“Yes, he is the one. Has he been released already?” Abby asked an obvious question.

“I heard he was falsely accused,” Jake replied.

“It is true. He was released two weeks ago and he told me he wasn’t coming back to school…” A part of me was trying to make eye contact with the Bryan guy but he was too engrossed in making sure he gave everyone a show. Most especially those that concluded he was a murderer when the cops came for him after school hours on a very cold day.

“Ruby?” Abby called. “I asked you a question.”

“What?”

“How did he tell you he wasn’t coming to school?” 

“I saw him in prison and decided to visit him.” The two of them had their brows questioning me and I adjusted my stance before I began to properly explain. “My Mum had some business there so I followed her. It was there I met Bryan. He was about to be released though but we had a small talk.”

“Are you nuts?”

I frowned at Abby's question. “For talking to him?”

“Yes.”

“What is going on here?” As I asked my question, I noticed that they didn’t approve of my little confession.

“Bryan Lockwood isn’t someone you walk up to and talk to like he is a next-door neighbour.”

“Why? Is he God’s son?”

“No. But he is dangerous to try to befriend.”

Abby was making no sense. The guy did not flash a knife when I talked to him. So, I asked, “What exactly is your point?”

“He is a psycho, Ruby. And he is known for manipulating people and driving people crazy.”

The strutting clique had already walked past us and all I could see was Bryan's back which he swung graciously.

“That makes no sense. How is he friends with Celery then?” I asked Abby after I tore my eyes off the clique.

“Do you think they are friends?” Jake asked and I became sure Abby was being serious. Jake would never indulge in useless talks. “What you just saw is an alliance to make Celery look good. Ever since Bryan Lockwood has stepped into this school, people around him have lamented how quiet yet dangerous he is.”

“I heard he stalks people too,” Abby added.

“Okay, now you are being ridiculous. When we talked, he didn’t seem like a psycho or make me do all the talking while he stayed quiet.”

Abby shook her head and patted my shoulders. “Don’t be deceived, babe. Stay far away from him.”

“Uh…” Honestly, it still made no sense. But what harm does it do to sit back and watch how things unfold? “I will.”

“Good. Anyway, I heard you guys will be getting a substitute English teacher,” Abby changed the topic swiftly. 

Where does she get even this information of hers from? 

“Why? What happened to Mrs. Belinda?”

“She is on maternity leave. Didn’t you know she was pregnant?” I shook my head. “You should stop burying your head in books. Anyway, I need to go, I’ll see you guys later.”

“Is the whole Bryan thing really true?” I asked Jake who came to stand beside me after Abby left. 

“A huge part of it. If only Melinda was here, she’d tell you something about him.”

“Who’s Melinda?”

“The girl he was accused of murdering,” Jake dropped and I felt my whole system grow cold.