Ruby

" I don't want to say 'I told you so', but I knew something was off about that Clara girl," Abby said with lowered voice after we found a spot in one of the empty classes in the rear part of the large building, where we would be less likely to be caught not attending class.

Truthfully, I don't think anyone would want to attend class, especially after the arraign of crazy things that have been going on in the school.

"One thing I don't get is why she did it. Why would she fabricate something that crazy? Something that could destroy you? " Abby was not ready to keep quiet about the issue.

I wish I could be like her at that moment. But I am mostly speechless, all I could do was flap my feet like an impatient person.

The chair Abby was seated in made a scratching noise as she shifted. With enviable energy in her voice, she asked, "Do you think she'll spend some time in jail?"

I shrugged. "I hope she does not. Jail is not a very fun place. "

" Neither was what she did." Abby's lips wore disgust at my last statement. "What she did was not fun at all. She deserves to be punished for it. Speaking of being punished, was I the only one hoping Bryan was the culprit? The guy is growing wings and I don't like it. "

" Growing wings?"

" Earlier today, just minutes before you came, he walked up to me and asked if giving Celery's father a condition was the best we could do to get him. "

" What? "

Abby is the one person that fully shows her emotions. The anger she was feeling at that moment was written all over her, it made the hair of her head dance.

"The guy killed Maddison and here we are, schooling with him. Who knows if he is going to do something way worse? We have to do something."

Her anger coupled with my silence caused the air to be tense.

Seconds later, my voice filled the room. "I spoke with Caitlin and-"

"Who is Caitlin?" Abby asked, a frown on her face.

" Celery. "

She did an ′oh' with her lips and urged me to go on with my talk.

"She said Bryan has a firm hold on her father. Apparently, her father has secrets that must not be leaked no matter what. And Bryan knows those secrets. In return for not saying anything, Mr. Bounce provides Bryan with absolute protection. "

Abby scoffed. "So, whatever Bryan does, no matter how crazy, he will always get away with it."

I nodded and the base of Abby's hair shifted as she tilted her head to an uncomfortable angle. "Wow. Just wow. "

"Caitlin will help as much as she can, but I don't think Bryan will be easy to get," I said.

"Why is everything so crazy these days?" Abby got off her seat and walked to the nearest window. After looking briefly, she faced me, sat on the sill, and said, "I wonder what kind of secrets Mr. Bounce has."

"They are terrible enough to ruin his business. "

" Why would anyone have such secrets?"

" I don't know, Abby. Life becomes messed up sometimes and-"

" What? " she asked, her voice carrying a hint of worry at how I suddenly stopped talking.

My eyes narrowed, and I said, "I just felt like I was saying nonsense."

" Please, " she gave a loud scoff. " You always manage to sound mature anytime you talk about serious things, I get jealous of that ability sometime."

My cheeks rosed a bit.

"I am hardly mature."

"Yeah...No, don't act like I am trying to woo you." She did a dramatic eye roll. "I guess this is what happens when you are a single person. Everything makes you blush."

As I waved off her ridiculous statement, my mind instantly went to Mr. Klaus.

Then, my first kiss.

Then, my head began a marathon of thoughts.

What does the kiss mean for both of us? Will we date? Are we just going to fool around? If we date, can we pull it off? He is my teacher, so can we really pull it off?

"Ugh, I have to go," Abby ruined the status of my racing mind and she got off the window sill.

"Which class do you have?" I asked.

Abby took out her phone. When she glanced at it, I noticed how she frowned. Soon, her fingers began to twitch.

"I... Uh... I have to meet up with the Arts teacher for some lessons concerning my project."

Her eyes began to blink more than usual and she occasionally wiped her right palm against the roughness of her trouser.

"Mr. Grassi?" I asked, unsure of what to say in reaction to her state of fear.

Abby nodded and asked, "Will you be staying here for a while?"

"Do you want me to walk you there? I'll just-"

She quickly cut me off. "I'll see you later. We should talk more later."

" Oh," I quietly said as her weirdness became more visible and worrisome. "See you later then."

Soon, the room achieved great quietude and I was left with my thoughts. And as my mind took me back to the moment Clara was arrested, Abby's questions invaded my mind.

Why would Clara do something so gravely disturbing? Certainly, there has to be a reason.

And I want to know the reason.

I wonder if it would be alright for me to visit Clara at the police station. I must know why she chose to destroy my life when I barely knew her.

A deep exhale was trying to exit my lungs when a strong pair of arms wrapped me. Without turning, thanks to the thick scent around me, I could tell it was Mr. Klaus. He was hugging me to his chest as if trying to tell me that I am someone he can never bear to let go of.

Ignoring how loud my chest was beginning to sound, I asked with a calm voice, "How did you find me?"

"How am I supposed to protect you if I don't know the places you go to?" The softness in his tone caressed me and I felt something melt inside me. The feeling was so good that I could have cried. "How are you feeling? I heard about what happened," he said.

My lips scrunched into a funny shape.

"I don't know. I don't know how I feel."

"Hmm..." He hugged me even tighter, I could have drowned in his hold if that were possible. "How ever you feel, I am here for you. If you need a hug or a kiss, I-"

"Stop it."

"Huh?" His voice carried confusion in its thickness.

"Please, stop it." My whispered words led me to close my eyes so that I could try to contain the growing mess inside me. The mess he created...

His words, his voice, memories of his lips on mine... They created chaos in me and they are making me feel like an erupted volcano.

"Stop what?" he asked while I tried to get rid of his comfortable hold around my neckline.

Of course, I failed. But he seemed to get the message so he broke the embrace. But his hands made sure to swiftly swerve me until I was facing him.

My eyes quickly darted to the ground when his eyes locked into mine with an intense search. Even his eyes were doing things to me. I think I am damned.

"What is it, Ruby?" he asked a bit sternly and I felt propelled to run out of the room that instant.

But I wasn't going to do that.

After taking a deep breath, I raised my head, and once again, I was drowning in the beauty of his eyes. And that almost derailed my intention to reply to him.

Once I caught myself, I cleared my throat and gave him a simple response to his earlier question. I said, "You."

"Me?" His hands went to his waist and his face wore a deep scowl.

"Yes, you. You are my problem. Are you not meant to be a gangster? Why do you always say sweet things? Why do you kiss me in such a good way?" His frown grew deeper. Yeah, I bet I am spewing nonsense. "Why do you care? Why do you keep making me feel strange?"

"You don't like it?"

"I-" Of course, I had no response.

"You don't like it when I say sweet words?" His head ducked slightly as his eyes searched mine, a small smile on his lips.

"I-" The wetness of my tongue caressed my lower lip because I still found it hard to reply.

"Are you saying you don't like me kissing you? 'Cause I do."

Okay now, he is just teasing me.

And before I knew it, he was already moving closer. And his voice became a tone deeper.

"Should I stop caring about you? Ruby, I don't think I can. For some reason, I want to continue making you feel strange."

A finger of his reached for a spot on my face and something roused inside me. "I need to make you feel strange," he croaked as he took a step closer to my body which was a pounding mess. "It's the only way I can make you feel as hungry as me."

"Uh?" His words made no sense.

He didn't notice my confusion. "I need to make sure you want me as much as I do. I can't be the only one feeling this way. It is unfair."

There was something in his eyes... His eyes were full of solemnity and something else I was yet to decipher.

As I bit into my lip to contain the strange downpour of nervousness into my system, he continued, his eyes now wearing a different shade of green.

"I need to make you feel so strange so that you'll have no choice but to find answers in my arms. Just as I strangely find peace whenever I simply hold your hands." Without flinching, he reached for my hand and I felt more explosion in my soul.

A small scoff escaped him. "But you know what is funny? I can't stop wanting more of you. I tried to, but I can't. Didn't I just meet you, young lady?"

"You just had to ruin the moment," I said as I shook my head at him.

"No, I am creating a new moment."

"Uh?"

"Come closer." I observed the almost non-existent space between us and I met his wide smirk with a sneer. "Closer, Ruby."

A tweeting noise coming from me, I dramatically dragged my feet and moved closer to the broadness of his chest which was the only thing I could see at that moment. As I followed my instincts and wrapped my arms around his neck, he got me off the ground effortlessly and I was soon sitting on one of the desks.

Before our eyes could meet, his lips found mine and unlike last time, I responded swiftly, you'd think my ability to breathe depends on the kiss. His lips gently sucked, his tongue caressed, his hands wandered my back, he drew me closer and closer into him and he didn't seem to get enough.

Neither did I.

As seconds grew, I urged him for more of the feel-good moment. My hands dragged his shirt, and my fingers dug into his back as the moment became more and more intense.

When his hand found the base of my neck, a moan I didn't know I had in me crawled out of my mouth and the feel of his fingers on my skin sent a great deal of jolting energy into my body.

His other hand was still firmly holding my waist, so I leaned into his chest some more because I was willing to feel more of his wonderful physique against my body.

And, I must say, that moment made me feel as though I had become a totally different person. So, when my legs wrapped around his waist, it became confirmed that I was indeed a different person because I wrapped my legs around him without being instructed.

Soon, the heavy, breathtaking kiss suffered a break and with heavy panting, Adonis looked into my eyes.

"Hey," he called, the marvel in his eyes making me feel loved. "Are you feeling stranger now?"

His immense beauty kept seducing me and I had to talk a hard gulp. He was so good to look at.

"Yes," I replied with a somewhat shaky voice. "You make me feel so strange... Adonis."

He wore a large smile. "I need to make you feel even stranger. The way you say my name makes my head dance," his voice was now a whisper. "I tell you, Ruby, I don't understand why I am this way but I like it. I love it."

My lips began to struggle between smiling and sprouting low gasps when his warm lips landed on the side of my neck. The gasp I was trying hard to contain filled the room and my hold on his shirt became tighter as he began to trail kisses all over my skin. He continuously ignited something crazily unfamiliar yet amazing within me.

"I like how you say my name," he murmured against my skin. "Call me by my name again, Ruby," he urged, putting a pause to his feel-good action.

"Ado-" A loud noise came from right outside the room and I could have jumped off the desk if not for Adonis's firm hold. "Someone is out there." I became more nervous when my ears caught more footsteps.

"We can't be caught. You know what will happen, Mr. Klaus."

"Adonis," he corrected and I rolled my eyes at him. That wasn't the issue to be concerned with.

"I-"

"Just wait here for a while. I will check. But I won't come back, so make sure you head to class after a few minutes." He pulled me closer in a gentle manner and had our foreheads kissing. "Okay?"

I nodded and as I watched him walk out of the room seconds later, I wondered who the person that caused the noise was.

And I hoped things wouldn't become more chaotic from that moment on.