Forty One

Ruby

There is no denying that something more could have happened back at the hospital and that made me wonder if Adonis stopped just because he wanted to get me home. Or if he was having random second thoughts just as I was.

My eyes flung open and a sigh escaped me as I studied the plainness of the ceiling.

My wandering mind went to his little assignment and that made me question if I was ready for that kind of intimacy. It wasn’t something I actually think about on a normal day, it was a topic that never found its way into my mind.

But now that things are different, I have to ask myself, 'Am I ready for that kind of intimacy?'

I turned to my side, my move wrinkling my sheets a bit. I wondered if I was overthinking things. Perhaps I should let go of my thoughts and just enjoy the moment as time flies by.

That sounds great. It is not a reasonable decision, but I think I will go with that option. Thinking and overthinking were already tiring me.

With that decided, sleep finally befell me and I closed my eyes to welcome it. But that was ruined when my door suddenly creaked open and my Dad’s voice filled the room.

“Ruby?”

“Yes, Dad?” I responded with a strain in my voice.

“Change of plans, darling. I have somewhere to be tomorrow afternoon, so we will go to the police station tomorrow morning. Don’t worry, I will let your principal know that you’ll be late.”

“What about our ice cream date?”

“Some other time, sweetheart.”

I smiled because he uses sweet words like that when he feels sorry towards anyone of us.

“It’s fine dad. Goodnight,” I said with a yawn.

“Goodnight,” he whispered and gently closed the door after him.

While I gathered my blanket to cover my body, I heard whispers outside my door and I could tell it was my parents.

As I wondered what they were so excited about, I felt grateful to have them. So, with a smile on my face, I walked into dreamland with the thought of how cute my parents are.

~

The police station was not as intense as I thought it would be. Sure everyone looked busy, but there was no raging criminal in sight.

Yeah… I need to reduce the time I spend watching dramas.

“We are here to see Dave please,” I heard my Dad say while my attention shifted toward a room where several cops were gathered talking and laughing.

“Sure,” a feminine voice replied to him.

And before I knew it, I was looking at Mr. Dave who was doing some work on his laptop that he couldn’t stop glaring at with all the seriousness his face could give.

“Dave, we don’t have that much time, can she meet her now?”

“Dom…” The man sat back and his features became visible. Playful eyes, a youthful look, nice black hair which kept poking out of his face cap... it wouldn’t be surprising if he steals the heart of many female cops. “Ruby…” He threw a nod toward me and I smiled in return.

“So?” asked my father.

“It is quite interesting actually. This is not the first time Clara has done something like this.”

“What do you mean?” I adjusted in my seat as my father asked the question on my mind.

Mr. Dave’s long fingers interlocked as his elbows found support on the arms of his chair.

“Let me start with the fact that she is twenty-five years of age. And she has committed this same crime five times in five different cities. This is her sixth time.”

“What’s her deal? Why did she do it? Why Ruby?” My Dad asked eagerly.

The man shrugged. “She hasn’t given any solid reason but I would guess she does it for fun. She usually does worse than what she did to Ruby. So it is surprising that she has easily escaped jail.”

“She’s twenty-five?” That was the first question that left my lips. “How come she is a student?”

“That’s another thing. She is not a registered student. Thanks to her small stature, she was able to blend into the crowd without any issue.”

“Bu... She attended classes with me, I know she has been in that school for a while.”

“She stole the identity of a certain Carla Ross who has been a student at your school for five years.”

Man, everything is becoming twisted in a weird way.

“So, where is this real Carla Ross?” I asked further.

Mr. Dave reached for a file out of the piled ones on the left side of his desk. He flipped it open and pushed the contents toward my father and me.

“The real Carla Ross died of cancer a year ago. Carla and this student have a lot of features in common as you can see, so it was really easy for her to slip in without issue.”

“Wow,” was all I said. As my mind processed it all, it occurred to me that my school is a twisted one. And a very dramatic one.

“Would you still like to see her?” Mr. Dave asked, cutting through my thoughts.

“Sure.”

“Really?” My Dad asked. “She sounds insane.”

“I’ll be fine,” I assured him. After, I got off my seat and followed his detective friend to the questioning room where Clara was being kept for the time being.

“Be careful…” Mr. Dave said once we reached the door that led to the room. “We don’t know if she could get violent. So, be careful. I’ll be watching and a cop will be right outside. Alright?”

I nodded and soon, the red-haired lady who almost ruined my life was all I could see.

“I am surprised to see you here, Powers.”

“I am surprised you are not who you claim to be,” I returned as I sat opposite her.

“No one is ever who they claim to be, Ruby. There is always a part of us we hide from the world.”

Her words made sense but I was not there to applaud her ability to knit words together like a pro.

So, I asked, “Why me?”

She smiled and leaned on the table. “Because I find you attractive.”

“What?” I frowned.

“I think you are someone I would like to date and I could tell you weren’t into girls, so I had to drive people away from you so I would have a chance with you.”

I scoffed hard and my eyes scanned the rather chilly room whose walls seemed metallic.

“You are joking, right?”

“No.” Her eyes were deadly serious. “I could have done worse if I was not caught. I will do anything to have you, Ruby.”

“Yeah…” I let out a chuckle. “You are out of your mind and I need to leave this place.”

“Didn’t you come here for answers? Don’t you need them anymore?”

“I think you have got things mixed up. You are telling me that you tried to ruin my life because you want a romantic life with me and you expect me to believe you?”

She shrugged. “Think what you want, Ruby Powers. I have told you the truth.”

I jumped out of my seat. “I need to go.”

I just wasn’t buying it. There had to be some huge, crazy reason that she was not telling me.

“I know you’ll be back,” I heard Clara say as I pushed the door open.

Minutes later, my Dad and I were in the car, and without words being exchanged, my father knew it was best to leave me with my thoughts. So all he did was start the car and the journey to my school.

~

The corridors were empty and it was only a matter of time before it becomes filled with students, so I rushed to my locker and got my materials while imploring myself to push Clara’s issue to a corner of my head.

I was already on my way to the venue of my next class when the communication system called out my name and the announcer mentioned that I was needed in the principal’s office.

I haven’t done anything bad so far, so I guess I have nothing to fear.

But, as my steps advanced towards the office, it occurred to me that Adonis and I might have been discovered and fear in its raw form wrapped me. My steps became heavier and I contemplated not going to the principal’s office.

But my legs didn’t seem to like that idea, they kept walking.

So, I assured myself as I walked further that there was nothing wrong.

If worse comes to worst and they have indeed found out about Adonis and me, I’ll just deny it with every strength in my system.

I was almost taking the turn that led to another corridor when a strong grip yanked my arm into a solid body. I was almost spewing curse words when I realized it was Adonis.

He closed the door of the store and pulled me closer to his chest. With a big smirk on his lips, he asked in the most enticing voice, “Did you do your assignment?”