Ruby

Lingering Doubts

Ruby sat at the kitchen table, lazily stirring the last few spoonfuls cereal around his bowl. He was lost in his thoughts, still shaken from last night's events. The apartment was unusually quiet, the kind of silence that made his thoughts feel louder.

Just then, a knock echoed through the apartment, breaking the silence. Ruby glanced toward the door as he heard his mother moving to answer it. After a brief moment, Evelyn called out, "Ruby, your friends are here!"

"Coming!" Ruby replied, quickly downing the last bit of milk from his bowl. He placed the empty bowl on the kitchen counter.

As he approached, he saw Jasper and Pearl standing in the hallway, their familiar faces instantly putting him at ease. Jasper gave a casual wave, his usual cheeky grin on display, while Pearl smiled brightly. The sight of her made Ruby's face heat up, a sudden warmth spreading through him that caught him off guard.

"Hey," Ruby greeted them, a small smile creeping onto his face as he stepped out to the hallway. The sight of his friends brought a sense of normalcy that he hadn't felt since last night.

"See you later, Mom," he called over his shoulder, catching a glimpses of Evelyn giving him a soft wave from the doorway.

"Have fun, sweetie," she replied, her voice light, but there was still a trace of worry lingering beneath her tone. Ruby pretended not to notice and turned back to his friends, shutting the door behind him.

"You okay, Ruby?" Pearl asked, her voice gentle but curious, her gaze lingering on him for a second longer than usual. "We heard what happened last night."

Ruby shifted, the mention of it making his stomach churn. He hadn't even had the time to process it himself, let alone talk about it.

"Is Mr. Wilson really dead?" Jasper asked bluntly, curiosity in his tone. He tilted his head, clearly unaware of how loaded the question really was.

Pearl shot him a frown and gave him a light smack on the arm. "You can't just ask him that, idiot," she snapped, though her expression softened when she turned back to Ruby.

Jasper rubbed his arm with a sheepish grin. "Sorry, I just... I mean, it's all over the neighborhood. It's crazy."

Ruby forced a nod, his voice tight. "Yeah, he's really dead." The words felt strange coming out of his mouth, like they belonged to someone else's reality, not his.

"That must've been so horrible," Pearl said softly, her eyes filled with concern as she studied Ruby's face. "How is Jett doing? I bet he feels awful, considering what happened to his dad."

Ruby swallowed hard, stiffening uncomfortably at the mention of Jett's father. It was still fresh, the memory of Jett's confession last night about his dad's suicide. Now, with Mr. Wilson's death, it felt like the whole thing was spiraling into something far worse than any of them could handle.

"He's... I don't know. He's trying to act like he's fine, but I know he's not," Ruby replied, his voice quieter than before. "I don't think any of us are, to be honest."

Pearl frowned, her gaze softening. "That's rough. I'm so sorry, Ruby."

Jasper, sensing the shift in tone, stayed quiet for once, glancing down at Ruby with a mix of curiosity and awkward sympathy. None of them knew what to say after that. The weight of what had happened hung in the air, a tension none of them could shake.

Once they arrived at Jett's door, they knocked and waited, exchanging quiet glances while the faint sounds of movement echoed from inside the apartment. It didn't take long before the door creaked open, and there stood Jett, looking a little more tired than usual but trying to appear unfazed.