The Getaway

Chapter 9:Head in the Clouds

For the rest of the day, I was smiling like an idiot. Others noticed my change of mood immediately,so of course Ruby had to know what happened. She is Cole's sister, so I didn't know how she would react if I told her. By the way she was looking at Cole and I, I had a feeling that she already knew what happened between us in the short time we were gone.

I wanted to tell someone so badly, but I don't know who. My dad and Tyler were not an option because that would just be awkward. There was no way I would tell Rebecca because I still had my suspicions about her. There was something incredibly off and unsettling about her. My only option was to talk to Ruby. 

Ruby must have been able to tell how much I wanted to talk to someone and get things off my chest. She asked if I could talk to her alone for a while after we finished eating. Her reasoning was because she wanted to get to know me better, but her eyes said otherwise.

We made our way to the treehouse circle before either of us said a word. "I know about you and my brother." Ruby blurted out. She sounded really excited about it, which threw me off a little, but it was a much better reaction than I had expected. I let out the breath I didn't even realise I was holding. It was such a relief to know that I had a girl friend that I could talk to here. I think I would lose it if I didn't.

"You do?" I said. How else was I supposed to reply? I was speechless and in shock from her sudden excited outburst! 

"Of course!" She said with a look that said 'how could you think I didn't know!' "Cole tells me everything. And by everything, I mean literally EVERYTHING! He's had a thing for you since you got here." She was beaming now. She was just oozing excitement. It kinda scared me a little.

"I'm so happy that you're okay with it! I didn't know how you would take it since, you know, you're his sister and all. And there is no way I'm going to talk to Rebecca about any of this! I mean-" I rambled on and on until Ruby finally cut me off, trying to hold in her laughter.

"Okay, okay Alex,I get it." She said through a fit of giggles. "You can talk to me about anything. Okay?"

"Yeah, thank you." I smiled back at her.

"Alright! Now, we need to decorate your tree house still!" Ruby yelled through the silence that started to surround us. The only problem with this idea was that I still don't know how to decorate it. Our treehouses are supposed to reflect who we are. I've been here a couple of days and I still don't know who I am.

"Umm... I still don't know how to decorate mine." I averted my gaze to the ground, covered in dirt and roots. "I don't even know who I am yet." I whispered.

Ruby turned back towards me and walked closer. "That's alright. I get it. I was the same way when I first came here." She said understandingly. "You know what?" If lightbulbs appeared over your head every time you had an idea, she would have one right above her head right now. "I can show you some of the creatures on this island! And you can learn another power!" Ruby was very excited again. It seemed like the simplest things made her ecstatic.

"I'm up for it." I said smiling. I'm not sure how I feel about the Phoenixes if I have to do anything with them yet. It was pretty terrifying when I was attacked by one when I got here. "What kind of creatures are there?"

We began walking down another path off to the right of the treehouse circle- a path that I have never been down before. "Well there are so many different ones that I'm sure you will love, but first, I'm taking you to the griffon stables." Ruby continued to walk down the path, guiding me to the stables.

First Phoenixes and now Griffons? Does that mean that all of those mythical creatures that you read about are actually real? I continued to question everything until we made it to the stables.