Ruby

A Fresh Start

Ruby caught his breath as he placed the last box of the day on the floor with a soft thud. He stepped back, glancing around the room, now littered with stacks cardboard boxes, some open, some still taped shut. The apartment, though small, felt vast and unfamiliar.

With a sigh, Ruby sank down onto the mattress that lay on the floor, the only piece of furniture he had managed to set up so far. He ran a hand through his messy short hair and gazed out the nearby window, where the late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the room.

It had been two days since Ruby and his mother had moved to Ridgepoint. Two days that felt like a blur of unpacking, adjusting, and getting lost in unfamiliar streets. They hadn't quite settled in yet—there were still too many things to unpack, too many questions about how life in this new place would be. But for now, at least he allowed himself a few minutes to breathe, staring at the ceiling as he tried to shake off the exhaustion clung to him.

His mother had decided it would be best to move into a small town, one where not too much was going on, and they could start fresh without any distractions. She had said the slower pace would do them both good, and after everything that had happened in New Jersey, he couldn't argue with that. He didn't mind the calm. In some ways, it felt like a relief.

But that didn't change the fact that leaving his old home still sucked. Ridgepoint, with its wide streets and unfamiliar faces, was worlds apart from the bustling city he had grown up in. His school, the places he had known all his life were now hundreds of miles away, and as much as he tried to embrace the move, there was still a dull ache of homesickness sitting in his chest.

He hadn't wanted to leave. But Ruby knew why his mother made the decision, and deep down, he understood it. It was just going to take time, he told himself.

Ruby's gaze toward the door when he heard a soft knock. "Come in," he called out, his voice a little hoarse from the long day of moving. He sat up straighter on the mattress.

The door creaked open as his mother, Evelyn, stepped inside, her face soft with the same tiredness Ruby felt. "Was that the last box?" she asked, glancing around the room at the scattered remains of their moving day.

Ruby nodded, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah, last one," he replied, leaning his back on the wall as he looked up at her. "At least for today."

Evelyn smiled, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Good. We can finish the rest tomorrow." She walked over and sat down beside him on the edge of the mattress. "How are you holding up?" she asked softly, her gaze settling on his face with concern.

Ruby shrugged, unsure of how to answer. "Fine, I guess," he said, though it didn't sound entirely convincing, even to him. "I'm just a bit tired." He stretched his legs out in front of him, staring down at his worn sneakers, avoiding his mother's gaze for a moment.

She nodded softly, as if she understood there was more behind his words. "It's a lot to take in," she said quietly. "Moving is never easy. We'll get through it, though." She gave him a small, reassuring smile, though he could see the same tiredness and uncertainty lingering in her eyes.

Ruby didn't say anything in response. He simply sat there, staring down at the floor, his thoughts swirling but hard to pin down. The silence stretched between them, but it wasn't uncomfortable.

His mother didn't push him to speak, but after a moment, she glanced back at him with a gentle suggestion. "Why don't you go meet the neighbors? You might make some new friends." Her tone was light, but there was a hint of concern in her words. "I know you have trouble with people sometimes, Ruby, but it's important to get to know the community."