Blood is Ruby Red Chapter 8

When I woke up, I was lying in a soft, cushioning hospital bed. A searing pain was growing in my left hip. Well, it wasn’t quite searing, more like an irritating throb, but I could tell it had been searing. A lean, handsome boy was standing beside my bed. As I blinked the blur around me came into focus.

“Hans?”

“Elina! You’re awake!”

I started to sit up, but, after groaning in pain, realised it was a bad idea and stayed flat.

“How are you feeling?” Hans asked politely, his bright blue eyes staring concernedly into mine.

“I’m not sure... my hip hurts. But I don’t remember...”

“Ruby?” Hans gave me a reminding look. Only the one word, the one name, was all that was needed to remind me of the incident.

Recollections flashed into my mind. I remembered Ruby’s murderous face. I remembered how scared I’d been. I remembered the gun.

 “But... I thought I was dead... or going to die...”

 “I was kinda worried ‘bout that too, but you’re clearly alive and doctor says you’ll defo make it.”

My brain was gradually starting to work again and other thoughts began to emerge in my mind.

“Why are you here, Hans?”

“Why d’you think?”

I didn’t reply, partly because I wanted him to tell me himself and partly because I wasn’t completely sure.

“I care ‘bout you a lot, El. You can imagine how devastated I was when I got a call from one of your security dudes sayin’ you’d been shot. I rushed straight here.”

“Why did they call you?”

“I dunno, but it was through your school phone. Maybe I was the most recent person you’d called, so they rung me and told me what happened,” he shrugged.

“Do my parents know what’s happened?”

“I dunno,” he said again. “But I’m afraid they haven’t come to see ya. I don’t mean to be rude but you’re parents are kinda horrible. I mean, who wouldn’t come and see their child who’s in hospital with some bullet wound, y’know?”

“They’re on holiday in Antigua,” I replied, slightly bitterly. “But you’re right. They couldn’t care much less about me.” I took a deep breath. Talking was tiring me out. “They just buy me stuff to keep me occupied and away from them. They don’t even care about my education. I mean, I was sent to our crummy school. They could have afforded for me to go anywhere.”

Hans flinched. I regretted how I’d worded what I’d said, since Hans’ family couldn’t afford for him to go to another school.

“Sorry.”

Hans sat on the edge of my bed and took my hand.

“S’okay babe. You shouldn’t be neglected like that.”

I flashed him a small grateful smile. “How long have you been here for? How long have I been asleep?”

“I’ve only been here ‘bout an hour. I think you’d lost so much blood that you blacked out, then they gave you general anaesthesia so you’d not be in any pain.” He brushed his hand down the side of my face. “It’s three thirty, just so y’know. Ruby hurt you at, like, ten this morning or something. You look so beautiful, by the way.”

I blushed. My cheeks now looked healthier since I had been extremely pale from blood loss. Hans’ wispy blonde fringe swung over his tempting eyes as he leant down towards me.

“Are you sure this is allowed in a hospital? It’s kinda in public,” I whispered, in case there was someone eavesdropping in the next bed.

“Surely kissing’s allowed in a hospital. Anyways, the curtain’s shut round your bed.”

I returned Hans’ huge, gorgeous grin with a delighted smile. His hand stroked my cheek. Hans leant all the way in, perching lightly on the side of the bed. His tantalizing lips brushed over mine for a brief moment. I closed my eyes in the perfect bliss, breathing in deeply. I was about to reach out and put my hand on his neck to pull his face closer again.

“Miss Arias?”

Hans quickly sat up straight, trying not to turn red or seem embarrassed. I think he was also a little worried, since it was one of my body guards and maybe he thought that they were supposed to be keeping me away from boys as well as danger. Not that the two things don’t link. It wasn’t as if I’d moved anyway, so my eyes just flicked over to where my security guard had entered my curtained off area.

I lifted my head up a tiny bit. “Yes?”

“How are you?”

I wasn’t sure if my security guard’s indifferent, unsarcastic tone was because he didn’t see us kiss or because he had pretended not to.

“I’m... okay.”

“We’ve managed to contact your parents. They are deeply sorry about this misfortune and have sent these flowers.”

Another man entered my section carrying a cream vase with an extravagant array of exotic, vibrant flowers. They smelt beautiful as he placed them next to my bed on the grey lino floor. But I also knew what they meant.

“They’re not coming back from Antigua to see me, are they?” I replied, restraining any upset from escaping into my voice and exposing my feelings.

Hans looked sympathetically and affectionately back at my face after the guard apologetically nodded his head.

“They’re mad. Completely cray-cray. Who wouldn’t come see you, espesh when you’re in hospital?”

“Thanks Hans, but not everyone feels the same way you do about me.”

Hans linked fingers with me. “Well I think anyone who doesn’t is stupid.”

Smiling, I turned back to my security guard. “So what’s happened to Ruby?”

My security guard opened his mouth to speak.

 

 

MISSING AND WANTED

Ruby Avril Chaplin

Age: 15

Height: 1 metre 60 cm

Appearance: wavy brown hair to the bottom of ribs, dark brown eyes.

If seen, please contact 999.

Blood is Ruby Red Chapter 7

On Saturday morning, I was in my room, doing some work for once on my laptop. Occasionally I unwillingly do homework, usual because it’s actually coursework for part of my real GCSEs. Some of my out of school friends are worried that they’ll get lower than an A and have told me how they’re so pressured to get ten A*s. At my school, an A, let alone an A*, is unheard of and a C is considered to be really good.

I was writing a coursework essay for English on a piece of writing from our Anthology. I was so bored it was unreal, but the assignment was also due in on the Monday after and it was compulsory unless I wanted to fail my English language GCSE. I didn’t really care about getting an amazing mark, but I definitely didn’t want to actually fail it.

I had typed in the title and my name in the header. But now I was onto the introduction. I chuckled quietly to myself, amused. I can’t write introductions, I thought. I’ll do it after I’ve actually written something. Then I’ll know what I need to introduce.

I stared thoughtfully at the anthology text. This would have been a lot easier if I’d paid attention in class. Or if our teacher was actually good. Oh look, a tricolon. I can probably write something about that.

I looked quickly up at the window, startled by a rustling noise I swore I heard from just outside my window. But everything outside was the same. It was probably nothing. I glanced back down at my laptop again.

Suddenly, fragments of sharp, shining glass sprayed out from the window. I held my arms up protectively in front of my face. When I looked up again, a girl dressed in black carrying a small rucksack was climbing through the window. A girl I knew all too well.

I stared at her, alarmed. Blood trickled from a few cuts on her face. Her intense eyes looked bloodshot. Almost bloodthirsty. They locked onto mine.

"Ruby?"

"Hello again, Elina."

The unnecessary confidence in her words scared me. I squeezed my hands together behind my back apprehensively.

"Why are you here? How are you here? The security..." I trailed off, avoiding accidentally telling her that I had put security on high-alert. Ever since she had murdered Jude and I had seen it, I had been taking many precautions. Every precaution.

"Yeah, it took quite a lota effort to get past all them security guards, but it doesn't matter. I'm here now, aren't I?"

"Yes... and I'm thrilled..."

I feigned excitement in my voice, although Ruby was smart enough to pick up on the dry undertone.

"You know, it's really strange. I overheard one of the guards saying they’d been given a specific warning by you to keep a look out for me and to make sure I didn't come near, but I assume he was mistaken. I am your best friend; of course you'd want me to be here. You do trust me, don't you?"

There was something deeper in her voice that worried me; she sounded almost sarcastic. I nodded cautiously, despite the fact that she was the last person I trusted at the moment.

Ruby noticed me glance at my open bedroom door. I shuddered as she took a challenging step towards me, then another towards the door and slammed it shut.

"Sorry," her apologetic smile didn't fool me. "A gust of wind must’ve come through the window."

"How about I go and get us some snacks..." I stumbled over my words, trying to think of an excuse to get out of being in the room alone with her and reach safety.

"Oh, don't worry, I’ve got some with me. They’re in my bag. Let me just get them out. You can stay here; you don't need to go anywhere."

I came close to hearing the bitterness suppressed behind her words.

Ruby turned around and unzipped her bag, hastily searching around for something inside it. I bit my lip nervously and pressed down hard on the emergency button disguised as a gem in my sterling silver ring.

I stifled a gasp as Ruby pulled a dangerous black object out of her rucksack.

“Ruby... what... wha...”

Before I could finish my sentence, she slowly turned around. A disturbing smile was growing on her face and Satan glimmered in her eyes. But my eyes were fixed on the gun she held out directly at me.

"You know the secret, Elina. You have to be silenced."

No... this couldn’t be happening... no...

Two muscular armed guards rushed into the doorway to see a bullet flying across the room towards me. There was little they could do before the bullet hit me and it was too late.

Blood is Ruby Red Chapter 6

I didn’t go to school the next two days. The school was closed for a few hours on Wednesday morning while police investigated the situation. They weren’t sure whether Jude had been killed, kidnapped or had simply gone missing. They didn’t find his body in school. Nor did they find any evidence of anything, except that he had gone outside at lunchtime and not returned. I decided not to go in the day after that for fear of my own safety.

I had also warned our security team to watch out for Ruby specifically and not let her in at all costs. Although that might have been a huge hint as to what had occurred at school, nothing that I knew of had happened involving Ruby. She was still completely unsuspected and I don’t think Jude’s parents even knew he was dating her anyway.

On the Wednesday I was sitting at home, completely bored. Well, not totally bored. I did have my laptop, phones, iPad and room to keep me occupied. But still, I was alone at home all day. You can’t exactly play with your security guards.

I was sitting on my silky periwinkle-coloured duvet on my king-sized bed with my back against the light blue wall, entertaining myself with my laptop. Since I needed a new flowery skirt for a relative’s garden party coming up, I was searching through several of my favourite online shops trying to find one.

My phone suddenly started buzzing away in my school bag. I froze, deciding what to do. What if it was Ruby? I nervously reached across my bed and anxiously pulled it out of my bag.

I cautiously flipped open the phone, then let out a huge sigh of relief. It was Hans.

“Hey babe,” I answered the call, lying casually across my bed.

“Hey El, how are ya?”

“Not too great. I mean, I’m not ill or anything, but just kind of... worried.”

“Yeah. Everyone at school’s been sorta on edge the whole time. I’ve just arrived home, went to school at twelve. ‘Bout half the school didn’t show up today, everyone’s worried I guess.”

“Can I ask you something?”

“Just did babe.”

Hans’ gorgeous chuckle sent tingles down my arms but I wasn’t really in the mood. My situation was too scary.

“No I’m being serious.”

“Sure, go ahead.”

“What would you do if you knew a secret that you’d been threatened not to tell anyone about, but it was extremely serious?”

“I don’t think some secret ’bout who someone’s got a crush on is extremely serious,” Hans replied disparagingly, assuming that the secret was some girly gossip.

“No, it could potentially send someone to jail.”

“Oh.”

“Exactly.”

“Wait, d’you say you’d been threatened?”

“Uh-huh.”

“By who? I’ll beat up this loser-”

“No. Firstly, I’m not going to say who. Secondly, you’ll be in danger.”

“But I want to protect you...”

“I have at least ten security guards to do that, but thanks babe.”

“Well if you need me, I’ll come over. And is your secret so serious you’d go to the police?”

“Definitely.”

“Well then maybe you should consider tellin’ ‘em. Anyways, you comin’ in tomoz? I’ve really missed ya.”

“You too, but I’m not coming in tomorrow. It’s too dangerous. Maybe on Friday, but I’m still not sure. I’m safer at home.”

In the background I heard someone repeatedly yelling Hans’ name from another room, the tone growing more and more agitated. He sighed reluctantly.

“Okay. Well, I gotta go now babe, hopefully you’ll come in soon. See ya babe.”

“’Kay, bye Hans.”

After hanging up, and staring at the picture of Hans on his contact information page on my phone for a few seconds, I shut my phone and threw it gently back into my school bag. Then I returned to my online skirt search.

On the Friday, I trudged into school with a body guard who refused to be more than two metres away from me. I might as well have had him as a Siamese twin. Surprisingly, it was my parents that had insisted on me having one, not me. But it wasn’t specifically because of Ruby- I was the only one who knew she’d killed Jude- it was because they didn’t want to have to deal with the problem of me being kidnapped or killed.

As I ambled through the school gates, Hans rushed over to me immediately.

“Hey El!”

His irresistible smile faded a little as he noticed my six foot body guard giving him a deadly stare with muscles bulging from folded arms.

“...And you’ve brought a body guard. You’ve kinda ruined the whole blending in plan you were tryin’a do.” And any chance of me kissing you today.

I sighed. “Look, my parents insisted. And although it’s annoying, I’d rather not be killed.”

Hans took another step closer to me. My body guard shook his head.

“If this boy’s going to get this close to you then I’m afraid I’m going to have to search him,” he explained to me in his gruff voice, but still faced Hans.

“He’s not going to...” I stopped, realising that my body guard wouldn’t give in, and glanced back at Hans. “D’you mind?” I asked apologetically.

Hans turned to my body guard and held his arms out. “Search me, big guy. But I ain’t got nothing bad on me.”

My body guard gave me a quizzical look. I briefly explained, whispering in his ear, how when most people here use double negatives, it’s doesn’t make a positive.

“He means he hasn’t got anything dangerous on him.” I translated.

My body guard nodded understandingly. When you’re a guard for a posh family, your grammar has to be perfect too.

Hans grinned awkwardly at me as my body guard searched first him then his bag, winking every so often as I tried to suppress giggles of awkwardness.

When we went to class, Ruby wasn’t there. Apparently, she hadn’t been in school since Tuesday. There were rumours that her parents had refused to let her into school. But I knew they were just rumours. She was probably dead scared that she’d be discovered by the police, or that I’d tell on her. I honestly think she regrets what she did, but that doesn’t mean that she didn’t do it and isn’t still capable of killing someone else.

I received strange looks from people all morning. I tried to always keep a couple of metres away from my body guard, and hang out with other people, but they either had to be searched or he just caught up with me again. I guess I’d rather that than dying though.

Blood is Ruby Red Chapter 5

The bell rang for lunch. I shoved my books carelessly into my bag before dumping it in the corner and dashing over to Ruby.

“Hey Ruby, you going to lunch?” I asked.

Ruby seemed preoccupied. She rudely ignored me and walked purposefully out of the classroom. Okay... I thought to myself before running after and catching up to her.

“Ruby?” I jogged at her side.

Ruby turned to me angrily. “Stop following me, will ya?”

“Um... sorry...” I muttered, but stayed by her side.

Ruby was walking furiously towards where a bunch of boys, including Jude, had just started playing a game of football, with few, if any, rules involved.

“Ruby, what are you doing?” My inquisitive tone turned serious.

A knife fell out of Ruby’s pocket. I gasped.

Oh... my... g... g...

“Whoa... Ruby... where did that come from?” I stuttered nervously.

“My pocket,” Ruby retorted dryly, not even looking at me whilst picking it up off the grass.

“Well... and... why are you holding it?” I already knew the answer, but I wanted Ruby to tell me herself. I guess I figured that maybe if she heard what she was about to do she’d think twice about it.

Ruby ignored me and stormed over to Jude, pushing the weapon back inside her pocket. She grabbed him roughly by the arm and dragged him over to the opposite corner of the field, away from everyone else and behind a few trees. I rushed after them, petrified.

When I got there Ruby was holding the knife up again. She had managed to corner Jude, who almost had his back against the fence.

Jude’s eyes were wider than mine. His face had faded to a dramatically, worryingly pale colour. He shuffled backwards, away from Ruby. For once in his life, Jude was actually concerned about something.

“Ruby, please don’t do this,” his voice was a faint, scared whisper.

The mass of eyeliner seemed to darken around her narrowing eyes. “Yeah, I won’t do this if you don’t stand me up and cheat on me. Oh wait, you already did that.”

“I... I didn’t mean it... Alesia was coming onto me so strongly and I... I’m really sorry Ruby...” Jude stuttered fearfully.

“Shut up.”

Ruby took a dangerous step towards him, holding the blade up to Jude’s face. Nothing seemed to be able to penetrate her inhuman defensive wall. She no longer had emotions.

“Ruby, you don’t have to do this!” My voice too had crumbled to a mere murmur, but my tone was desperate.

“Please Ruby,” Jude was almost crying in fear. “Elina, help! Please! I’ll make it up to ya Ruby, I swear! I’ll never ever do anything-”

“I said Shut Up.”

After that, everything appeared to happen in heartbeats. I could feel mine strongly vibrating my whole ribcage. Or maybe I was trembling with fear as to what Ruby was about to do.

I screamed as her hand grasping the knife suddenly swung towards Jude. My hands flew protectively to my eyes, shielding them from witnessing the murder. I could hear Jude letting out a short, ear-piercing scream, and him falling to the floor, writhing in pain. I could no longer ignore what was happening. The disturbing image was growing in my haunting mind. I screamed again in terror as I prised my hands away from my eyes. Jude was lying twisted on the ground, unmoving. Ruby-red blood started seeping rapidly out of his wounds, leaving his school shirt sticking to his skin. He was lying still, silent, dead.

I was still whimpering, horrified. I knew I would be scarred for life. Ruby spun round quickly and her cold hand swung to my mouth, the other still clutching the knife.

I tried to wriggle out of her grasp, petrified as to what she would do next. Ruby’s hard, unfeeling eyes stared terrifyingly into mine. I almost noticed a tiny bit of panic in them as well, but it did not escape into her voice. She held up the blood-dripping knife towards me.

“Don’t say a single word to anyone.”

Managing to squeeze free of Ruby’s unyielding grasp, I turned and ran as fast as I could.

As soon as Hans caught sight of me he knew something wasn’t right. Well, anyone could probably tell that something wasn’t right. I guarantee that some of my make-up had been smudged by tears and my white face was so pale a stranger might have thought that I’d been living in Norway or someplace up north all my life.

“El what’s wrong?”

My bottom lip started trembling before I could reply. I buried my face in his shoulder and wrapped my arms around him tightly. Hans hugged me back, stroking his hand gently up and down my back.

“Are you ok?” Hans was still really concerned.

Over Hans’ shoulder I saw Ruby give a long, warning glare in my direction from across the playground. She still looked scarily dangerous. I shuddered, horrifying thoughts re-entering my mind.

“I... I can’t talk about it,” I sobbed, “but I’m so disturbed. It was horrible.”

“What was?”

Hans’ curiosity was persistent, but I couldn’t put my life at risk. No way could I put my life at risk.

“I can’t talk about it,” I repeated, my voice still shaking with distress. “I’m sorry but I really can’t.”

Blood is Ruby Red Chapter 4

 It was school the next day. I stared boredly at the sports lesson going on out the window. A few year eights were kicking a tatty football about while the teacher was exasperatedly explaining something to the rest of the class. My gaze shifted over to another classroom in the precarious portacabins just across the path. I caught sight of Ruby in the class. We’re in the same form but since we’re doing GCSEs now some of our lessons are different.

Ruby didn’t seem to have noticed me. I sensed something was wrong immediately though- call it best friend intuition. She was almost hiding under her long, protective layers of waved hair as if she didn’t want anyone to see her face. Ruby had also appeared to shrink back in her seat at the back as if trying to avoid any possible attention. But when your best friend is in this state, you give her attention.

My focus switched back to the interactive whiteboard at the front of the overused classroom. Our teacher was lecturing us on Hindu beliefs. As usual, no one was paying the slightest bit of attention and our teacher didn’t seem to care.

“Hinduism is the oldest religion that still exists today,” she was saying, “although there is no exact date when it began.”

Right. I learnt a lot just then.

Our teacher turned to the PowerPoint on the board and started to explain reincarnation, or ‘samsara’. I reached my hand cautiously into my bag and subtly pulled out my phone. After checking our teacher hadn’t noticed, I started texting under the desk.

Ruby! Whassup?

I tapped my fingers on the edge of the old graffitied wooden desk whilst waiting for a reply.

Well... I found out why Jude wasn’t there yesterday...

What happened? I texted back.

There was a long pause before Ruby responded. I spotted Ruby shooting a scrupulous glance across the pathway at me, before turning her attention back to her phone.

Meet me at break.

When the bell rang I sprinted out of the classroom, along the corridor leading outside then over to Ruby’s classroom. She was just leaving it, shuffling along staring only at her black ballet pumps.

When I reached her, she was already on the paved brick path outside. Ruby glanced up as I stood in front of her. She pushed her swirling hair out of her face revealing smudged mascara around her slightly puffy eyes.

“Omg, Ruby, are you okay? What’s wrong?”

A tear tickled slowly down her cheek. I pulled her into a comforting hug.

“Jude,” she drew in a shaky breath. “He wasn’t at the restaurant last night coz he... he... he was hooking up with Alesia.”

Ruby burst into tears again and hugged me tighter.

“Omg,” I whispered. “I can’t believe he would do that to you. He is such a jerk.”

Ruby slowly pulled out of my grasp and started wandering down the path, gesturing for me to come with her.

“And Alesia was so horrible about it,” she added.

Alesia. The girl was a complete slut. Her skirt was so short she might as well have not been wearing it. Since she only wore socks her legs were out everywhere. And she always undid two, if not three of her blouse buttons. I could say that she wasn’t pretty, but I would be lying. Although she wasn’t drop-dead gorgeous, many boys drooled over her. Too many.

“That’s how I found out about it,” Ruby continued, sobbing violently. “She just slinks up to me this morning and goes ‘Last night was fantastic. Jude was fantastic.’ Then she struts off, after laughing in my face.”

“I can’t believe her!” I exclaimed.

“I know, so I checked with one of Jude’s friends, and he confirmed that Jude was round at Alesia’s house last night.”

Ruby stopped, since we had reached the girl’s bathrooms, where she had been leading me to. She first grabbed a tissue and wiped away the tears still on her face then looked in the mirror and jumped back, horrified at the reflection.

“Oh god I look awful!” she gasped, dampening another tissue before drastically scrubbing away at the black smudges around her eyes.

“You really don’t look that bad,” I assured her.

“The mirror tells me otherwise,” she replied dryly. “No wonder Jude cheated.”

“Oh c’mon Ruby,” I protested. “He’s a total idiot. You know that.”

Ruby didn’t reply, but stared gravely at the black smears on her face. Ruby reached into her bag, pulled out her mini makeup bag and started fixing her face.

I glanced up and sighed at the huge amount of toilet paper balls that had been stuck to the ceiling. The sight revolted me so much. The floor too was so gross, covered in grime and squished chewing gum. I won’t even start on the actual toilets themselves. And this was the girls' toilets.

“You should plan to get revenge,” I commented, half-jokingly trying to cheer her up.

“Oh don’t you worry,” she replied solemnly, her eyes drawing up and meeting mine, scarily confidently, in the mirror. “I will.”

Blood is Ruby Red Chapter 3

I spent a good half hour figuring out what to wear. Eventually I decided on my white dress, covered with tiny blue flowers, which cinched in at my waist then exploded outwards until just above my knees. I pondered over what shoes to wear. I had several pairs that matched, but heels would probably be best. It wasn’t that I wanted to be taller; I just thought that my legs just looked a little stout in this dress and heels would elongate them. At last I picked out a gorgeous silver pair of mid heels.

I put on some beautiful jewellery and chose a silver clutch to match my outfit. I added sparkly eye shadow to my evening look of mascara, eyeliner, a little rosy blusher and a light layer of mid pink lip gloss. I wore my silky hair loose, so it fell gracefully over my bare shoulders towards my shoes.

The light caught on my pretty diamond earrings and necklace as I turned my head to have a quick glance in the mirror. I didn’t look too bad, I thought, unlike I usually do. As I turned I caught sight of my gold and black Gucci clock. I gazed at it in disbelief. Oh god, it was twenty past six already, I was going to be late.

I rushed down stairs then outside, making our chauffeur drive me in our car for once. Though it was still expensive, it was much less extravagant than a limo. After a short while he pulled up opposite the decent restaurant. I told him quickly that I’d call him when I wanted him to come and pick me up before clambering out and entering the restaurant.

As soon as I saw Hans and Ruby, I knew I was completely overdressed. It was just... great. Really great. Ruby was wearing a black bodycon skirt which reached half-way down her thighs and a floaty strapped top, coloured the pink of sakura cherry blossom. Hans stood up as I walked towards the table and I took in his faintly faded jeans and plain blue polo shirt. It wasn’t like the two of them hadn’t made an effort; it was more that I had just gone overboard.

I glanced down self-consciously at myself, pulling my hair over my lavish earrings to try and hide them. Why had I worn a dress? And I had totally overdone it with the heels. I felt a little guilty, like I was rubbing my wealth in their face. But they didn’t seem to care that I was dressed differently.

Hans grinned. “You look great.”

I bowed my head a little, trying to hide my reddening cheeks.

“I didn’t know what we were wearing,” I explained myself embarrassedly.

“What you’ve got on’s fine,” Ruby smiled.

“Damn fine,” Hans chuckled.

Ruby rolled her eyes. “You didn’t see Jude outside, did you?” she asked curiously.

“No, sorry,” I replied.

Ruby irritatedly snatched the menu and started reading through it, her eyes flashing rapidly and angrily past each dish on it.

“Why is he so flippin’ late?” she muttered angrily to herself.

I shuffled up to Hans. I felt his hands reach round my waist as he pulled me in for a hug, lightly kissing my cheek. He then pulled out a chair for me before sitting down himself. We both started reading through the menus.

A slim, plain-faced waitress dressed in a crisp white blouse, black skirt and a black apron stepped politely up to our table.

“Are you ready to order?”

I felt that Ruby was about to snap at her, so I quickly replied, “Not quite yet thanks.”

When the waitress had gone, Ruby slammed the menu down on the table, stealing my attention from Hans’ eyes. She grabbed her bag and rummaged furiously through it. After a short while she pulled out her phone and began to stormily try and get hold of Jude.

“Someone needs to chill,” Hans whispered in my ear.

I bobbed my head in subtle agreement.

“Where is Jude?” Ruby exclaimed irritatedly, dropping her phone turbulently beside the menu. “His phone’s not even on! It ain’t like he could’ve forgotten.”

“Maybe something important came up,” I suggested calmly.

“Well then he’d ring!” Ruby exclaimed so loudly that I jumped back in my seat.

An uncomfortable silence fell across our table. I cautiously exchanged an anxious glance with Hans.

“He might just be running late,” Hans offered another idea.

Ruby glared stonily at Hans. “He’s almost half an hour late. That’s not ok.”

Hans held his hands up apologetically then turned to me.

“Kinda glad you’re my girlfriend, not her,” he whispered again.

“Kinda glad you’re my boyfriend and not Jude,” I replied. “He’s so dodge. You never know what’s going on with him, like now.”

“D’you think you guys could stop talking behind my back? Thanks.” Ruby’s harsh tone sliced through my conversation with Hans.

I took her hand gently. “Ruby, maybe we should order and when Jude turns up, he can just get his food then.”

Ruby glanced hopefully at the entrance for a few seconds, wishing Jude would arrive, then reluctantly turned back to me, sighing resignedly. “Sure, whatev.”

I turned towards the waitress and raised my hand.

Jude didn’t show up. Ruby ate her dinner without talking and spent the whole evening in an uncomfortable silence. Of course I felt sorry for her, but she really could have made an effort to be a bit more social. It was pretty much just a date between me and Hans with Ruby being a depressing third wheel. I did have a great time though. Unlike me, Hans simply ignored the fact that Ruby refused to smile and barely looked away from my face or his food.

Ruby gave up calling and texting Jude, realising that he wasn’t coming. I guarantee though that when she goes home she’ll be on her phone all night trying to get hold of him and he will be in so much trouble. Although Ruby’s so lovely it’s really best not to get on her bad side. Fortunately I’ve never crossed that line. But Jude is so in for it.

Blood is Ruby Red Chapter 2

At one twenty-nine, I entered the empty detention room, where I didn’t deserve to be. A couple of minutes later, ten other students lumbered in, followed by a teacher who was taking detention.

“Right, as many of you already know, you have this time to work and think upon your actions. Remember, no talking, or you will be in for an hour after school,” he announced.

As he was talking, Hans strolled in, and slid into the seat beside me, not noticing the confused look I was giving him. Why was he here?

“Now, I’m just going to collect some work I have to mark from my office, and I will be back in one minute. There is to be no noise while I’m gone.”

Hans’ eyes followed the oppressive teacher out the room, then turned to me almost instantaneously.

“Hey El.”

“Hans, what are you doing here? You don’t have detention!” I exclaimed in a hushed voice.

“I got it purposefully just now so that we could talk.” A mischievous grin was slipping onto his face.

“We don’t need to talk,” I sighed.

“Yes, we do. It’s been three months now. I can’t deal with it anymore. Please just go out with me again.”

I blinked, shutting my eyes tightly for a few precious, extra seconds, trying to procrastinate the world of awkwardness. “Hans...”

“C’mon posh girl, am I, like, too poor for you?”

“Jeez, Hans, of course not. I just don’t think that... I mean... well...”

“Please El, it’d mean so much to me.”

His sparkling blue eyes were so persuasive and alluring. His gaze was inescapable.

“But you know why we broke up.”

Hans knew exactly what I was talking about. “You being rich ain’t the reason I like you, we talked ‘bout this.”

“Your parents only liked you going out with me because you told them I was rich.”

 “Look El, I told ‘em you were loaded coz they thought you were a gold-digger, get it? Coz you came so dressed up they thought you’d make me buy you loads of stuff, so I was telling ‘em you wouldn’t. I didn’t know they were gonna be so focused on it after.”

I looked away. Hans put his hand gently on my arm.

“C’mon El,” he gave me a small, hopeful smile. Unfortunately, even the tiniest of his smiles are enough to completely overpower me.

After hesitating for a moment with fading reluctance, I wrapped my arms around his broad shoulders. “Okay.”

“Fantastic,” he grinned, “but if you’re done hugging me, Mr Brown’s ‘bout to come back into the room.”

I pulled away quickly as the teacher re-entered the classroom.

“I heard some noise and I am not impressed,” he announced, “but since I don’t know who it was, if you all work hard and in silence for the rest of detention you won’t get another.”

Sighing, I opened my history textbook and started answering the summary questions, which we had to do ‘unless we wanted detention’, in the words of Ms Bushnell. I began to read the first paragraph on this page of the textbook.

World War II lasted from September 1939 to September 1945, starting after Hitler took over Czechoslovakia then invaded Poland. Two days later, Britain and France declared war on Germany.

“You’re not seriously gonna work, are ya?”

I turned my head to see Hans leaning over, whispering quietly in my ear.

“You trying to get me another detention?” I hissed back.

“Depends. Will I spend more time with you if we both have detention, or we both don’t?”

Although he seemed to be pretty amused, I was not looking forward to more detention. I had so many way better things I could be doing.

“If you get me another detention I won’t talk to you,” I warned.

“And working it is.” He sighed then glanced up at the clock. “Ten minutes left, there’s no point working.”

“Hans and Elina, if I hear anymore talking from either of you both of you will be sitting in an hour-long afterschool detention,” Mr Brown threatened.

After giving Hans a warning look, I turned back to my history. Hans rolled his eyes and stared out the window instead.

When the bell rang at two, I packed my bag and stood up. Hans began to follow me out the classroom.

“Hans, I would like to talk to you about your last homework assignment,” Mr Brown called him back.

“Catcha later,” he whispered in my ear.

As I wondered out of the classroom, I caught sight of Ruby.

“Ruby,” I rushed up to her.

“Whassup?” She responded coolly. “You look like you’ve just won the lottery. Not that that would affect ya much anyways.”

I hesitated, not sure how she would react. “I’m going out with Hans again.”

“Well your I-ain’t-gonna-get-back-with-him frame of mind ain’t lasted long,” Ruby replied satirically. “But since you’re with him now, you should totes double date with me and Jude tonight!”

“Omg, that’s a great idea!” I exclaimed excitedly.

“I’ll text ya the deets, and you can tell Hans,” Ruby smiled.

“Thanks Ruby!” I gave her an excited hug.

“Now c’mon, I wanna go back to the classroom,” Ruby wriggled out of my arms, chuckling.

In our classroom, I wandered over to Hans, who appeared to be indulged in his textbook and hadn’t noticed me.

“So we like reading textbooks now, huh?” I grinned jokingly.

Hans looked up. “Oh, hey El. No, I have to read this for next class.”

I perched on the edge of the desk opposite. “So, um... d’you wanna go with me, Ruby and Jude to that restaurant tonight? Jude asked Ruby on another date and she said we could come along.”

“You mean like a double date?” he asked.

I nodded, squeezing my hands together behind my back hopefully.

“Yeah, defo babe.”

A smile broke out on my face. “Cool. I’ll text you when Ruby tells me the deets, ‘kay?”

“Wicked.”

Grinning, Hans flicked his wispy fringe back across his face then looked down and reluctantly continued reading the textbook.