Hollow

Ch.10 Gold Plated

*****TW: This chapter contains topics such as toxic/abusive relationships*****

Sat. 8/12

"Rubi?! Rubi, anak?! Come bless your Tito Gabriel!" -Mrs. Fernandez

Rubi is interrupted from packing her bags for tonight. She quickly scurries to the living room to bring her tito's hand to her forehead. Some of the Fernandez's relatives are visiting them this weekend.

Rubi's mom spent the whole week deep cleaning the house to leave a good impression. After greeting people, Rubi heads back to her room to finish packing her clothes. Kai is spinning around on Rubi's desk chair.

"Okay. Just to be clear, you are staying the night at Quinn's house because it's your last time together before you go to college?" -Kai

"Yup. That's the story. I mean, it's pretty much true. It's just a different place, I guess." -Rubi

"I can't believe my little sister is all grown up, sneaking out at night. During a family gathering, too. I'm so proud!" -Kai

"We're just going to the river like we do every weekend. It's really not that big of a deal." -Rubi

"Uh huh. Well, if you're gonna go camping, I guess you'll need a sleeping bag." -Kai

Kai skips across the hall to their room and comes back with a rolled up, green-checkered mass of fabric. They throw it at Rubi, and she catches it just in time before it hits her in the face.

"I used this when I was a camp counselor a couple of summers ago. It's just been collecting dust in the closet ever since I quit." -Kai

"Thanks - and thanks for covering for me." -Rubi

"Yup. Now get out of here before they hold you hostage in the living room, and you have to listen to all the gossip." -Kai

Rubi sneaks out a window so her parents don't see all the camping supplies she's straggling along with her.

Rubi's bedroom is on the second floor, but fortunately, her dad left the ladder on the side of the house from when he was fixing the gutters. She doesn't have to risk breaking an ankle now.

She bends down to go past the kitchen window. She wonders how they make secret missions look so cool in the movies. She just feels silly right now, if anything.

Rubi can hear people laughing and eating afritada in the kitchen. It almost makes her want to go back inside, but she continues down the street to the river.

"There you are." -Quinn

"Sorry, I had relatives over." -Rubi

Rubi sets down her bags by the sycamore trees. She's gonna miss those sycamore trees.

"It's okay. I got here early, so I already got to set up some stuff. I'll go show you." -Quinn

Quinn is going to miss having little surprises for Rubi. It makes her feel like she's doing something important for someone important. They walk down the little hill to the clearing.

"How far are we from the main path?" -Rubi

"Not far. Enough to be away from the road so it's not too noisy. It's still close, though." -Quinn

"That's good." -Rubi

Quinn assembled their tent earlier. It took some confusion and frustration, but she managed. Rubi sets up the lounge chairs and a citronella candle.