Ruby

As if it wasn't enough that my morning was crappy, I had to walk into a loud class discussing Mrs. Cook's affair.

With no intention to know the details of the damned discussion, I sat down and took out my phone, my fingers circling over Adonis's number as they had been doing all night.

"Hey," Jake's voice snapped me out of my deepening thoughts.

"Oh, hi." I sighed. "You are here."

His eyes darted comically, I had to laugh especially when he narrowed his eyes.

"Of course I am. What's wrong?" he asked, his sight falling on my phone.

"Nothing. How have you been?"

It had been a while since I'd seen him ever since he told me he liked me. In fact, it has been a while since the three of us hung out and that sucks. I could really use some movie nighttime with my friends.

"I've been okay." He finally realised the chaos in the class. So, with a small frown on his face, he asked, "What's the commotion about?"

"I don't know." I shrugged. "Something about Mrs. Cook having a lover."

He scoffed. "Isn't that interesting? I-"

"Ruby." Abby's voice cut him short as she rushed toward me, her action startling me.

"Hey Abby, what's good?"

"Don't tell me you are yet to know about it." She ignored Jake and squatted in front of me, her eyes wearing concern.

"Know about what?"

"The news about Mrs. Cook. She-"

"Oh, the news that she has a lover. The whole class is discussing it and I wonder if they just have nothing else to do with their lives." My lips scrunched in contempt at the fact that the class wasn't willing to stop their chattering.

"Ruby..." How Abby reached for my hand was suspicious, I could tell she was about to drop some crazy news. "That lover is Mr. Klaus."

"What?" Jake exclaimed.

And, it felt as though my head had been hit with some heavy stone.

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

"It is all over the school's online community, the one that has the gossip. There is even a picture of the two of them in a really... intimate position. But I don't think the news is true because Mr. Klaus looked like he was asleep, so it is less likely that it is true."

"That's..." I scoffed. I truthfully had no idea how to react.

There's a chance that the rumour might be false. But in every rumour, there is always an element of truth.

"Listen, Ruby..." Jake butted in, his body slightly leaning close to Abby. That move seemed to affect Abby a little bit.

"Don't think too much about this. This is probably another fabricated image."

"I don't know. The image looked pretty real," Abby butted in, her shoulder nudging Jake's impact on her body away.

"Remember when the images of Ruby were circulated? Those images also seemed real. Don't jump to conclusions yet."

"Jump to conclusions? I am trying to make Ruby feel better. But I am jumping to conclusions?" She leaped to her feet, her eyes glaring at Jake.

"Why would-"

"Guys." I ruined their attempt to tear each other apart. "I am not bothered by it."

"You have not seen it, have you?" Abby asked.

"I have not. I don't have time for such things."

"Good, don't look at it." I nodded at her admonishment. "Is that why this class is so noisy? Oh my, people love to gossip a lot."

"Tell me about it, " I said as I shook my head at the height of the noise that surrounded the room. "How's your work going?"

She shrugged. "I'm trying my best. I just hope my sacrifices are worth it."

I shared a look with Jake. "Sacrifices? What's going on?"

"I don't..." Her words were cut short by the silence that befell the class. Everyone that was either running their mouth as if they were close to one of the people in the gossip or arguing over the issue closed their loud mouths instantly.

With slight curiosity, my eyes travelled to the entrance and there he was.

My heart skipped when our eyes met.

"Uh..." Adonis's thick voice pierced the room as he stopped to take a second to breathe properly. "Abby and Ruby, can you guys step outside for a minute?"

Everyone's eyes fell on Abby and me. Even as we got up and walked to the door, whispers trailed our movements.

Once outside, Adonis began to walk and we followed him silently, my mind already running in circles. As I dug my fingers into each other, I reasoned that he was there to speak on the issue with Mrs. Cook.

The thing is, it works in two ways.

Either it is a lie or it is true.

I know that I have bestowed some of my trust onto Adonis but a part of me that always keeps challenging me whenever it comes to liking him drilled it into my head that I had better leave him if it is true that he is involved with Mrs. Cook.

Abby's steps and mine came to a halt when Adonis faced us.

"Abby, I'm so sorry for calling you out, I didn't want to put Ruby on the spot."

"Oh, I thought as much." The look on her face told me that she was trying to find some facts about the issue just by looking at him. "I should excuse you guys now," she said while her eyes were narrowed, so narrowed, I bet she could hardly see anything.

"Thank you, Abby."

"I'll see you later," she said, her hand grabbing mine supportively as she walked past me.

Then, it was just Adonis and me.

Running his hand through his hair, a reckless breath escaping his lungs, he locked eyes with a quiet me who was waiting for him to start explaining himself.

"Ruby..." Hands on his waist, Adonis's eyes darted to the ground for a second, and for that brief second, he looked like he was regretting certain life decisions.

That made a small frown appear on my forehead.

"I am guessing that you have seen it," he started.

"I just heard about it."

"Oh."

Oh? That's all he can say to that?

I want him to firmly clarify the issue and not spew one syllable word out of his fine mouth.

"It is not true. I am not her lover."

He finally said what I wanted to hear and the corner of my lips almost tugged in reaction. But I still had more questions, so I crossed my arms and said, " I heard that there is an image of you two. How did that come to be?"

He sighed hard. "She came over to my house yesterday covered in blood and all."

"Uh?"

"She made me believe that she had complications but had nowhere else to go. But now that I think about it..." He scoffed. "I was so stupid. I should have seen through her play."

"Do you think she had complications?" I recalled how adamant Bryan was about her keeping the child.

"Maybe. Maybe not. The thing is, I have nothing to do with her and I will make sure that I get to the root of this."

"Sorry to interrupt you, guys. But I think I can help you with that," an unexpected voice joined us.

"Caitlin." I was startled no doubt but that emotion quickly advanced to great concern because Caitlin seeing me with Adonis could give her a reason to get back at me for the past few weeks.

"It's fine Ruby," she said, smiling warmly. "I know you guys are together." I frowned and she chuckled. "I won't tell on you guys, I promise."

"Uh... Thanks."

"Mrs. Cook didn't just show up at your doorstep, Mr. Klaus," she began as she faced Adonis. "Bryan gave her some instructions and she did a good job of following them."

Shaking her head out of pity, she continued, "I have no idea what Bryan has on Mrs. Cook but she is in the same situation that my father and I are in and I think that gives that bastard the power to do as he wishes. He knows we would dance to his tune no matter what because he has something to use against us."

The more time I spend with Caitlin, the more I pity her.

Apart from the fact that her relationship with her father is weird, having to deal with Bryan who would be watching her every move would certainly be suffocating.

"Thank you, Caitlin. I had my suspicions and you just confirmed them for me," Adonis said and Caitlin managed a smile. "Regarding your issue with Bryan, you can't let him continue this way, or else he will wreck you. Try looking for something that would make you have power over him, maybe then, you'll be free."

"Oh." She looked taken aback but once recovered, she appreciated him for his advice. "Don't worry about Bryan, he is not going to keep getting away with things. He is going to fall one day and I'll make sure I'm the reason he falls."

Adonis smiled at her tone of bravery while I hoped she actually has the strength to do such a thing.

There is something about Bryan... He has a way to mess with one's mind without trying hard. Take when I encountered him for some minutes for example.

He called us friends yet I felt scared when he said the word. He threatened me and I lost the will to sleep because, at a point, it felt like he would crawl out of my bed and do evil things to me.

"Ruby... " I shuddered at Adonis's call.

Looking around, I asked, "Where is Caitlin?"

"She left."

"Oh."

After checking the surroundings for some seconds, Adonis pulled me to his chest, and once again, I felt warm and protected.

"I am glad the words flying around haven't gotten to you," he said, his voice quite grumpy as one of his hands landed on my head, his fingers running through my hair after.

My arms went around him and I finally let out that smile.

"Well, as they would say, the less you pay attention to negative comments or people, the more peaceful your life becomes."

"That's a great way of seeing things. I certainly need some peace in my life."

Suddenly oblivious to the fact that someone could walk in on us, we maintained that soothing position for some seconds before the thoughts in my head ruined everything.

Instantly pulling away from his hold, I said, "Adonis, there's something you should know."

As he reached to adjust my hair, the tip of his fingers made a brief contact with my skin for a second, and I was reminded of the previous day.

His touch, his lips, his body... And the way they set me on fire, the good kind of fire. Now that I have felt something that dangerous, it is hard to imagine myself staying away from him.

But...

"What is it?" Adonis asked.

I sighed. "My Dad knows who you are."

"Of course he does. He-"

I shook my head. "He knows all about you. What you used to do. What you are doing now. Your relationship with me. He has found out everything, Adonis."

I released a very shaky breath.

"Things are going to be very different from now on, Adonis. My Dad is definitely going to do something about his discovery but I don't know what that might be."

I watched as his eyes twitched. "What can I do?" he asked.

"Maybe..." I closed my eyes and dread overpowered my system. "Maybe we should stay away from each other for now."

"What?" The crease that landed on his forehead told me how much he cared.

"He can't see us together, Adonis," I said, my voice already cracking. "I have no idea what my Dad can do to you if he sees us together. And I don't want to know."

His eyes which seemed more light brown at that moment drilled into my soul once I managed to look at him.

"Ruby..."

"Adonis I-"

"Your words hurt me so much, Ruby." I closed my eyes and felt the rush of emotions. "But your words are not wrong. If that's the way you want it to be, fine. I will try my best to look out for you either way."

"Adonis..." My hands wrapped around the end of my shirt, and I began to consider retracting my words.

"Can I drive you home after school?" he asked and I looked up. "I won't be having you in my arms for a while, so I want to spend as much time with you today."

My lips pressed tightly, I nodded while I tried to keep my tears away.

Honestly, I didn't know this would hurt this much. Seeing Adonis's fallen expression makes it worse as well. The sorrow in my heart and the one etched in his eyes make me want to change my mind but I have to be reasonable.

That is for the best.

My Dad could get ruthless when he wants to and I don't want him to take out his anger on Adonis.

Warmth enveloped me once again as Adonis's lips landed on my forehead. That kiss ended within a few seconds and my eyes reacted by welling up.

"I'll see you later," I managed to say before I ran off to the rooftop where I felt it would be safer to cry as much as I wanted to.