Fifteen

Ruby

Three days later, the school was wearing a different look in preparation for Maddison's memorial. I actually didn't think my mother would approach the principal to express her displeasure, but she did. And the principal who we hardly see around listened to my mother.

Investigations were put on hold and no classes were held after eleven o'clock. And that was weird because you'd expect that there would be no class on a day like this.

But then, I am glad the memorial service gets to happen. It is the least that could be done for the departed soul.

Since Abby and I are part of the school decorating team, we were assigned to give a different touch to the open grounds behind our school.

The view is quite nice. One would be able to see the city ahead at night and that guarantees a beautiful view.

"Is that a piano?" Abby queried as she got off the ladder that she had earlier climbed so that she could put up the banner made for the occasion.

I looked behind me and behold, a grand piano was being dragged to the field. It was positioned at an angle to the arranged chairs.

Seeing the instrument made me feel mushy inside. It caused me to recall a time when I was still young, when my Mom and Dad took me to the penthouse we used to stay in.

That night will continue to be memorable because my parents created music that soothed a seven-year-old me and drove me to a pleasing sleep.

"I guess someone will be performing tonight. It will certainly make the atmosphere different, don't you think?" My head whipped back to Abby who gave an agreeing shrug to my question. "We are done, right?"

"Yeah." Her eager eyes scanned the entire space.

"Thankfully, Jake and his friends offered to help." I waved at the boys who were clustered in a corner, unstacking the last batch of chairs.

"I wonder why we are not doing this in the auditorium," Abby said after a quick sigh.

"Well, I think we'll light candles. The principal certainly wouldn't want us burning the school down."

Abby's eyes were somewhere else and it seemed her mind was too. As I followed her line of sight, it landed on Jake whose forming biceps were flexing effortlessly as he moved from here and there with a stack of chairs in his hold after consecutive minutes.

"Abby?" I called, but she was deep into the staring business.

"Hmm?" she absentmindedly replied and I wore a smile.

"What do you think about Jake, Abby?"

"What do you mean?" Her eyes quickly tore away from the tall guy and she shook her head as if trying to erase a deadly memory. "What are you talking about?"

"You-"

"Ruby," a sort of familiar voice cut my question short. The person staring at me was familiar but I couldn't place her name, so I cautiously smiled until she said, "It's me, Clara."

"Oh my!" She's the girl that wanted to have lunch with me. "I am so sorry, I didn't recognize you on time."

"It's fine." This time she was putting on a pair of glasses which she never ceased to adjust on her nose bridge as she wore a reluctant smile while tugging at her denim top that complimented her hair colour. "Not many people recognize me."

She gave a nervous laugh and I felt sorry for her.

"Are you going to introduce me to her?" Abby waltzed into the conversation.

"Oh yeah. Abby meet Clara. Clara meet Abby."

"I also see you around," Clara said to Abby who wore the smile she usually has on when she's trying to scrutinize someone. Clara clearly wasn't aware of that as she faced me with a wider smile and said, "We never got to eat lunch together."

"There was no way it could have happened with what happened to Maddison."

" I doubt you would have even had an appetite," Abby said with a hint of sassiness.

" Oh, I ate before the incident."

"Then why did you ask Ruby to eat lunch with you?" Abby wore a frown and I reasoned her statement. "Are you some kind of heavy eater?"

"Abby, drop it. She just wants to be friends." My beautiful friend threw her hands up in surrender. "Are you staying for the memorial service?" I asked Clara.

"Yes, Maddison was my friend."

"Oh." That was all I could say.

"We should have lunch sometime though. I really want to be friends with you. See you." I waved back at Clara, a small smile on my lips as I watched her walk into the school building.

"Hmm." Abby sounded like she was about to make a judgement. "There is something fishy about her."

"What are you saying?"

Abby dropped the hand she placed underneath her chin and easily changed the topic. "We should go back to your house and get dressed."

"Right. We have three hours to do that." I took out my phone and texted Jake that we were leaving. Our eyes met and he gave a wave from where he was after reading the text.

"Did you tell your mom you'll be late though?" I asked Abby who was now packing her stuff into her tie-and-dye bag.

" You know how she is, Ruby. She wouldn't care if I decide to sleep under a bridge tonight."

Since it was a topic that could erupt into Abby crying her eyes out while asking for odd flavours of ice cream, I said nothing more. After giving her a curt nod, we were soon on our way to my house.

~

A few minutes into the nineteenth hour of the day, the program started.

It turned out that Maddison left a family behind. Two elder brothers and her mother. It saddened me that she was taken away from them at an early age. I can't begin to imagine the pain her family was feeling.

After taking a look at the customized lanterns that provided special lighting to the environment, I noticed that most of the seats were occupied and that was quite surprising. Not many people claimed to be associated with Maddison even when she was at the point of death.

But, is that how death works? Does it magically make people have an interest in you for a second? If that's the case, that's really sad.

Taking a deep sigh, I ran my hands through the simple dark blue gown which matched Abby's in colour. Just that her gown was a bit straighter.

The person on the stage was reading about the life of Maddison and the little achievements she had made. It turned out she was a volunteer at her church where she heard and helped plead cases of people who had been wrongly jailed.

It made me wonder if Maddison knew Bryan before he went to jail or after.

But regardless, based on what I have heard so far, she did a good job while alive.

"Oh my, that's Mr. Klaus," Abby who looked sober earlier suddenly perked and I noticed more than half of the seated students did that too. Already damning the change in the atmosphere caused by the entry of a single man, my eyes travelled to the front where Mr. Adonis Klaus was now taking a seat by the piano.

"Oh, don't tell me he is playing the piano," Abby sounded like she could faint from excitement. "That's so cool."

My arms folded and I wore a disapproving look in regard to her reaction.

The male teacher who had been solemnly reading out Maddison's profile threw the substitute teacher a smile before going to sit down. Then, the murmurs which were faintly growing died down and the entire place waited for the man to start playing.

As he took a second to stare down at the keys, I noticed he had styled his hair differently. It seemed more buoyant. And when the passing breeze played with the front of his hair, he briefly ran his hand through it. And I would love to deny it but he looked good doing that.

Soon, a tune filled the air and I felt my body achieve some kind of tranquility. The tune was sad alright, but it was assuring as it was saddening.

I wasn't wearing a dreamy look like most of the people around me, but my entire system couldn't deny how good the whole thing felt.

As my hands started to tap against my lap in unison with the easing melody, Abby's head shifted forward and I had to lean back because her head almost bumped mine.

"What?" I asked her as her peering intensified.

"I am sure it is him," she incoherently said and my eyes narrowed in reaction.

"Uh?"

"Ruby, it's that bald man. He has been staring at you ever since we sat down."

"Which-"

Abby turned my head before I could get a glimpse. " Don't look, he'll know we have noticed him. Actually..." Her shoulders relaxed and she leaned back. "He is gone."

"Oh." With my forehead creased, my eyes traveled to the dark, distant space.

Hmm... A bald man...

The music ended and as though they were waiting for a grand entry, papers started raining from the sky.

Loud murmurs followed as people became curious as to what was happening.

When one of the falling papers fell on my lap, its contents hidden from my sight, I reached for it and what I saw had me springing off my seat.

The same picture of a supposedly nude me that was being circulated at the school was printed largely on the paper with the words; I LIKE GIRLS. CALL ME FOR A GOOD a TIME; written beneath it.

Soon, the murmurs and Abby's words of concern didn't move me. My mind wore a shield even though my entire body was desperate to explode with anger.

Not willing to endure a minute more of that ridiculous moment, I turned. But my eyes met those of my shocked mother.

And she was holding the same piece of paper.