Numbered

Chapter 19: Ruby Lue-anne Hulman

Ruby handed out tonight's dinner rations to everyone, stopping last at the newcomer. A 6, one year her senior, and named Jasmine; although that was the extent of the information she was willing to give out.

Besides the few times someone had spoken to her, or the rare occasion where she needed something, the newcomer had been
rather quiet; neither in a bad nor good way, but a secret 3rd way that spoke of caution and wariness, both on her end, and on Emel's groups' end.

For neither side knew yet whether or not they could trust the other, how much trust was warranted to place in the other, and when they would have to potentially retract that trust if it got to that point.

Ruby, as the closest person in age to Jasmine (the next closest was Jay, but he was 2 years her senior) took it upon herself to try and get to know her as she (Ruby) had experienced firsthand how lonely it was to have no friends, especially ones her age (being on the run from the ages of 4-11 didn't make time for forming deep and meaningful friendships... who coulda guessed).

Ruby and Jasmine ate in silence and then sat in silence. They sat there long enough for Emel and Oedipus to each light 3 candles for sight in the dusky pale blue light after the sun set completely and the stars and Moon had yet to show themselves.

Eventually, after everyone but Ruby and Jasmine had fallen asleep, Jasmine tilted her head towards Ruby, and spoke her first words of the day. "Why are you always sitting here by me?"

"What do you mean? Do you not want me to sit next to you?" Ruby asked.

"No, no, I don't really mind," Jasmine clarified, "I'm just. Why are you spending time with me when you don't know me, I barely ever talk... to you, or anybody really, and you know and like the others much more than me."

"Well..." Ruby thought for a second, "Because I could. And I bet it feels lonely to be surrounded by people who either don't trust you, are mostly indifferent, or both, so I thought, 'Why not at least try to be her friend.' "

"Also, it's nice to finally have a girl around my age to talk to again... don't get me wrong, Leanne's nice and all, but she's 4 years my senior, and she spends most of her downtime pining over Jay so I don't really spend as much time with her as I used to."

"Oh." Jasmine said, "Yeah, I guess I get that... But you said again earlier... Did... Did you guys have someone else before I showed up?"

Ruby froze for a second, the memories of her flooding back to her all at once before letting out a nervous chuckle and saying "Uh... Yeah, we... we used to have someone but..."

Ruby didn't finish her sentence, she couldn't. Luckily, Jasmine got the hint and didn't push her any further. Instead, she just said, "I suppose we all have our baggage that we hold close to our chests, some things we will share with certain people, and others shall remain ours and ours alone until the day we draw our last breath. I suppose it comes free with being designated a 6 or an 8."

"Yeah, I suppose so." Ruby agreed.

The room went silent again for a beat or two before Jasmine spoke. "I'm surprised Emel is actually asleep. I always just assumed that he was the designated night watch and slept during the day."

"Oh that! No, usually he and Oedipus take turns but ever since you came by he's been staying up even if it wasn't his shift. He's very protective of those he cares about and instantly distrustful of anyone new. I think he just exhausted himself enough to fall asleep. You know, he thinks you're an—" Ruby pauses in her whispering, not sure if she should say it or not, "an... well an—"

"An Artetoid." Jasmine finished for her, her face scrunching up briefly before vanishing too quickly Ruby to tell what expression was being conveyed (and as much as she wanted to push forward and ask her what it was, she refrained from doing so, after all, it would be incredibly rude to try and pry on Jasmine's secrets not even 5 minutes after Jasmine had respected hers).

"Yeah, that." Ruby confirmed.

"And you don't?" Jasmine asked her.

"I try to see the best in the people, and I hope you aren't."

"But you aren't sure."

"No. I'm not sure. But I'm also not sure that you are one either, so now I'm in this weird sort of limbo, and my only option is to trust you and hope I'm not proven wrong. You know, Emel always said I'm too trusting, naive even; that one day, it'll get me, or someone I care about hurt... or worse..." Ruby froze as she said that last part, seemingly stuck in a past that was no longer compatible with today, "Do... do you think I'm too trusting?"

Jasmine didn't answer her question. Instead she told her "If he thinks you're too trusting then why don't you prove him wrong?"

Ruby tilted her head in confusion, prompting Jasmine to explain. "Well, it is late... and if you go to sleep and wake up to nothing but sunlight pouring in through the windows and the sounds of the morning commutes of hundreds of thousands of 1s on their way to work then it'll prove that I'm not an Artetoid who'll turn you guys in to the government the second you let your guards down, effectively proving to him and the others that not only are you not naive and too trusting, but it'll also show that I can be trusted. Then I won't be constantly met with distrust, caution, indifference, or hostility carefully wrapped in a soft blanket called politeness."

Ruby smiled, "So, a 'killing 2 birds with one stone' kind of thing huh? Count me in!"

.........

It wasn't until much later in the night, when the only one awake was Jasmine, did she speak again. It was  however. Barely a breath. So quiet, in fact, that even if someone had been awake, they wouldn't have been able to hear her anyways, let alone know she had spoken, " Ruby Lue-anne Hulman... You are not naive, you lost your naivety on your 4th birthday, like the rest of us, but... you definitely trust too much. You trust me too much. And your trust will both be your and others downfalls and lifelines, your and others anguish and salvation.

Jasmine remained silent for the rest of the night.

1124 words.

Author's Note: Sorry for being gone for so long. First I had Writer's block, then a bunch of school work that kept me busy, and then during the summer I was hyper fixating on KPDH, PJO, and Epic so I kinda just lost track of time and stuff but I live!!! Unfortunately school did start again so I might not be consistent with uploading, but I'm hoping to at least get a new chapter of TSSBWMLFY done sometime soon as well as (maybe) a one shot on my Numbered series.

On another note, at the end, with the underlined bold text while Jasmine is technically saying those words, it is not actually her saying it, nor will she remember saying it afterwards (hehe plot jumpscare!) just as a fyi in case anyone gets confused.