Ruby

My eyes scanned the corridors and I wished for a glimpse of Adonis as I made my way to my next class.

When I woke up that morning, Adonis was nowhere to be seen and it made me wonder how he got out without my early bird of a mom seeing him.

And I wanted to thank him again.

Thanks to his firm hold and assuring words, I feel much better about the way things played out the previous night.

While I prepared for school this morning, my head continuously played scenarios where Adonis failed to enter the room at that exact moment. If he had not intervened, things would have happened.

Because, with the way his hands held me, I could tell that Bryan meant to harm me.

Anyway, I am just glad nothing happened.

I gave my head a small shake to get rid of the frown on my face. It was then I noticed that I had unknowingly stopped walking. A glimpse at my feet made me briefly wonder if I will be fine as time goes on. But I soon assured myself and lifted my eyes to the view ahead of me.

And... The man I had been searching for came into sight.

The distance between us was quite a lot, so I contemplated running toward him. But when the chatter of the passing students reached my ears, I reconsidered that decision.

Instead, with my heart now pounding hard, I waved in his direction, but as I did that, the scarf around my neck fell onto the ground.

My chest felt tight and a certain fear gripped me while I hurriedly bent to pick the garment.

"What the-"

"Jake." I faked a laugh. Quickly standing straight, wrapped the scarf around my neck to cover what needed to be hidden.

His hands hanging in mid-air, his face wearing complete confusion and concern, Jake asked, "What on earth was that?"

"What?" I laughed again.

"What? Seriously, Ruby? Tell me, what is going on? Let me-" I flinched as he reached for my neckline and he did not miss that reaction.

Jake took a step back.

He narrowed his eyes and I evaded his gaze, my teeth digging itself into the flesh of my lips. I began to wait for his worried words when he reached for my hands and gave them a light squeeze.

The minute I relaxed into the comfort of his touch, the horror of the previous night came rushing to me.

No. I am not okay.

I am afraid.

Somewhere within me, there is this fear... the fear that Bryan Lockwood is watching me, that he is plotting his next move, that he is plotting how to get rid of me.

Last night, I had Adonis to make me feel a bit better. But...

I looked in Adonis's direction but he wasn't standing by the door anymore. His quick absence made my fear grow.

And I began to feel it. I began to sense it...

Bryan's deadly breath.

That sight of the mixture of dirt and blood, I was beginning to see it.

He feels so close. He is coming for me. I can hear him whispering his deadly plans like the deadly villain he is.

I closed my eyes to get rid of the feeling. I want to forget, his face, his voice, and the way he crushed me with his weight. I just want to be able to live a life without that psycho trying to ruin it.

He makes me so scared.

"Ruby!" My eyes snapped open at the loud voice.

I locked eyes with Jake while I could hear my heart creating a dangerous rhythm and while that happened, my brain concerned itself with how crazily my hands were shaking. My eyes pinched at several intervals as the trembling traveled to other parts of my body.

With more fright gripping my body, confusion befall me and I eagerly tapped Jake's arm.

"We need to get you to the nurse," he said, wasting no time. Jake carried me bridal style and as I leaned into his chest, I wondered if that's what my life will be from that moment on.

A life that fears the mere thought of a terrible person.

'I hope not,′ I thought before I closed my eyes again.

~

The blank state of mind I woke up to gladdened me. The journey that led me to that moment was a terrible one.

The nightmare that haunted me in my sleep felt so real, I just had to be glad that I won't be remembering the terror for a few minutes, better still, my entire life.

"I gave her a little dosage of Prozac earlier, that should have calmed her down a bit. She is sleeping right now," I heard the voice of the school nurse say. As I sat up, I wondered who she was talking to.

"Can I see her anyway?" Instead of a smile, the expression on my face as I heard Adonis's voice suggested that I didn't want to see him at that moment. I think that is because of something inside me that keeps telling me to end things with him. Something within me keeps blaming him for how I have fallen into Bryan's trap.

I know it is false, and I shouldn't trust that tiny part of me. So, if I'm not careful, that part could become rebellious.

"You have five minutes, Mr. Klaus. Five minutes," the nurse replied.

"Thank you."

I looked down at my hands which were intertwined in a manner that showed how nervous I was.

Adonis's footsteps moved closer, and I quickly tucked my hands beneath the sheet and tried to plant a smile on my face.

Our eyes finally met and he didn't say anything, I didn't either.

Adonis grabbed a stool and sat beside my bed. From the small table beside my bed, he grabbed a packaged cream that sat with some other medications. I watched in silence as he scooped some of the cream onto his palm and when he was done, he reached for my chin, raised my head slightly, and made my breath seize for a second when he traced a line on my neck.

The line was definitely one of the shreds of evidence of Bryan's dreadful visit.

Soon, Adonis began to apply the white-coloured substance as gently as he could. I watched the calm expression he wore as he dutifully carried out his action.

"These days..." His voice finally caressed my ears and the soothing feeling it gave made my insides melt, it made that doubting tiny voice inside me disappear for a second. "I keep thinking about one thing."

I didn't ask him what it was, I waited for his next sentence.

His fingers created a rhythm as they rubbed in the cream. "The time you asked us to take a break... I keep thinking about that time and I sometimes wish I should have said yes to your request."

Adonis paused what he was doing and he sighed. "I can't help but feel that I keep hurting you by loving you. My desire to keep you close only seems to endanger you. I know it is stupid to feel that way, but..." His eyes met mine and I felt a certain rush. The same rush that I felt when I first saw him. It was the feeling that made me want to figure out the thoughts in his mind. "It sometimes feels like an option," he completed his statement.

"But?" I asked the lingering question.

"But it is not the best option." The middle of his forehead wore a small frown and he reached out to cup the side of my face. "I can't leave you, not at this point."

"Adonis..." As I covered his large hand with mine, I felt the urge to cry. I understood, to some extent, how his heart and head could be in a mess. It was so hard to determine what to do in such a situation.

Do we end things or do we stick by each other as if we are being held by the strongest adhesive?

Those are the questions on ground.

"I'll be honest with you, Ruby..." His fingers circled over my skin as he smiled. "Things will keep getting crazier even when we are not together, so I will not be taking the risk of keeping you away from me."

Adonis leaned forward and planted a quick kiss on my lips. "I am sorry that things keep turning out this way. I-"

"Is she inside there?" My Dad's voice interrupted our little moment and my whole being was thrown into jeopardy again.

"Adonis," I quickly snapped out of my fear. "You need to hide."

He got up and moved to the bed on my left. After laying on it, he drew the curtain to conceal his presence and that seemed to do the work.

"Ruby?"

"I am in here, Dad," I called back to him.

When he found my bed, my Dad dropped onto the stool carelessly and reached for my hand. "Ruby, are you fine?"

"I am, Dad."

His eyes captured the mark on my neck and he shook his head in disagreement. "No, you are not."

My other hand covered his. "Dad, I am fine. I am."

"That guy..." My heart skipped as I sensed that he was about to mention Adonis's name. "The one that keeps hurting you... Bryan Lockwood, right?" I nodded eagerly even though I was wondering who eventually told him about the psycho. I am sure it is not the bodyguard though, that guy does not do his job at all.

"Who is that bastard? Tell me all about him."

I sighed.

I guess it is time to share a part of my twisted days with my father. Hopefully, something good comes out of it.