Chapter 2: Graduation Day

Ruth clutched the phone holding it to her chest as her tears flow. She could not remember a single thing from the night before. She recalled leaving home with Damien, nothing more.

She went to her sister's room and knocked gently on the door. She entered when she heard Chantel's voice asking her to come inside. Ruth opened the door and stood in front of it after closing it behind her. 

"Why do you look like cat shit?" asked Chantel who looked at her briefly and continued fixing her dress

"What happened yesterday?" Ruth asked and Chantel paused

"What do you mean?" She asked looking at Ruth

"At prom, what happened and how did I get home?" she asked 

"Oh! about that," she started and continued working on her dress.

"Well, I am not entirely sure, because I left in the middle of the party to the movies. That was what Jane and I wanted to do," Chantel replied

"Did something happen?" she asked

Ruthe sat on the bed and her tears began to fall. She had come to her sister with the hope of finding getting some answers. Chantel get closer to her and sat down next to her looking at her.

"Hey, what happened? Why are you crying?" she asked and Ruth collapsed in her arms crying some more. 

Chantel hugged her and patted her back.

"Is it Nick?" she asked and Ruth nodded

"What did Nick do?" she asked rolling her eyes.

"He dumped me," Ruth replied

"Oh, sorry to hear that but what did you expect from a rich spoilt brat," Chantel commented 

"Nick is different. I just don't know why he left me," Ruth defended

"Oh, you have the strength to defend him? Who is crying now? And who has to stop something important to hug you?" she questioned and more tears streamed down Ruth's face.

"I hope you didn't give him your cookies?" Chantel asked 

"I don't know. I don't remember anything," Ruth said lifting her head to look at Chantel

"You mean you don't recall going to prom?" Chantel asked with a surprised look and Ruth tried to remember something.

"I remember Damien, Nick's friend came to pick me and that is it," she said 

"Get dressed," Chantel said

"What for?" Ruth asked confused

"Damien will have answers. They are friends," she said and Ruth looked like she didn't like the idea.

"Look, your beloved dumped you with a text message, 'coward move'," she said with two fingers up on both hands

"And you don't know why and don't remember anything except Damien came to pick you up. So if you want answers, start from what you know," she said and Ruth pressed her lips with a sad look.

"Sis, it's graduation day, everybody at prom will be there. Best time to find out what happened. Go get dressed," she said and helped Ruth up. 

Ruth left Chantel's room to get ready for graduation. They both went downstairs where their father waited for them feeling very proud. 

"My beautiful angels, congratulations. I would not be coming with you but a surprise awaits you when you return home," he said and Chantel raised her eyebrow with a smile already thinking their mother was coming home but Ruth remained expressionless with a weak smile. 

"Ruth, are you alright?" Mr Brown asked 

"I just have a headache," she said the first thing that came to mind

"Too much partying, huh," he said looking at her and she smiled weakly 

"Chantel, take care of your sister," he said before letting the two girls out of the house. 

He got ready and left for the airport to pick up his wife who have been away for six months on a business trip. 

Chantel and Ruth arrived at the school and proceeded to the graduation grounds where most of the students were already seated. 

"And here comes the beauty and the beast," commented one of the graduand 

Ruth and Chantel were called the beauty and the beast by some of their colleagues because Chantel was born with hyperpigmentation. Her entire body especially her face was covered in dark spots whilst Ruth's skin was flawless and radiant. 

"Cut it out," Ruth shouted angrily at the lad who made fun of Chantel. 

"Hey, was it my fault her side of the womb was like a colander?" commented the graduand and the other graduands present laughed.

"And Daddy poured in some dye," shouted another and they all laughed

"Awww, sad your mummy's womb didn't have that reason you are graduating with a pass," Ruth retorted and earn a louder laugh making the lad pull his hoody from under the gown to cover his head. 

Ruth pulled Chantel who looked very sad and led her to the seat of the first-class honours students. 

"Don't mind dummies like that. You are beautiful and super brilliant. See you are part of the best graduating students. Don't mind people whose eyes are blind to beauty," Ruth consoled but was met with Chantel's silence

"Easy for you to say. You have beautiful flawless skin while I look like I had a leopard for a mother," she thought with a frown while she took her seat and Ruth sat next to her protectively.

The ceremony soon commenced and the top graduating students were called out. Chantel and Nick were both first-class honours students with distinction and hence received an award from the school. 

Nick addresses the gathered students with Chantel standing right next to him. He left to take his seat while Chantel thrilled behind him. He walked past Ruth without sparing her a glance. 

"Does he hate me now?" Ruth asked Chantel as soon as she sat down

"We will find out soon," replied Chantel who was not ready to babysit.

The ceremony was over and Nick vanished from the graduation ground before Ruth could get the chance to speak with him. Chantel found Damien and pulled Ruth along to a place where they can talk.

"Damien, you picked my sister yesterday for prom, what happened," Chantel asked looking at Damien with an expressionless stare. 

"Did something happen?" Damien asked confused by Chantel's question and Ruth's sad face.

"You were with my sister, what happened yesterday?" Chantel asked again

"I remember picking her but I don't remember anything else," he replied honestly 

"How did you get home yesterday?" Chantel asked 

"I didn't. I woke up with a terrible headache and found myself in the hallway. I only went home this morning to freshener up for graduation," he replied honestly 

"Did Nick ask you to come pick me up?" Ruth asked 

"Yes, I got a text from him the moment I left home," he replied and fetched his phone to show her the message but after going through the messages he found nothing.

"I don't know but the message is gone," he said after going through his messages multiple times without finding it.

"Did something happen?" he asked realizing Ruth was not with Nick.

The two were inseparable. They were in different classrooms but would always get together during break times, happy hours and sports days. When you see Nick, you will see Ruth and vice versa. 

"Nick dumped her with a text message," Chantel told him before Ruth could stop her

"Why?" Damien asked surprised 

"That is what we want to know from you. You came to pick her and that is all she remembers," Chantel asked looking at him

"I don't know what happened but I will call Nick and find out," he said and dialled Nick's number in front of them bringing the phone to his ears

"Put on on speaker," requested Chantel and he did but they all heard the call dropping sound. 

Damien tried multiple times and the results were the same. He tried sending him a message but it would not go through either.

"I think he blacklisted my number," he announced after all his attempts to reach Nick failed. 

Ruth collapsed into Chantel's arms crying and Chantel stared at Damien with a questioning look.