Broken Runaways

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Jeffrey

The feeling of Jessica’s hands on my waist and her head resting on my back felt like the best thing in the world. I drove to where Jessica told me she lived, and looked at the house.

It was a medium sized, tan house with black shutters. It looked to have two floors with an attic. Toys scattered in the front lawn, behind a white picket fence. I turned off my motorcycle, slipping my helmet over my head, swinging my leg over the side to get off.

I looked over at Jessica, to find her struggling with the helmet's strap. I chuckled to myself and went over to help her.

“Where’s your rings?” Jessica asked, fixing her out of place hair.

“My mum took them away. She thought that they were too influential.” I said holding my lower lip between my index and thumb.

Yes, I had my bottom lip pierced. One on each side. I got it done when I was 15, because Ruby was getting her nose done, and wanted me to get pierced with her. My mother and I had a huge argument about it, but I didn’t really care. I thought they looked cool anyway.

I still don’t understand why Ruby turned against me. We had been best friends since kindergarten and we were inseparable. I knew things about her that no one else knew. I knew that her full name was Ruben-Louise Samuels, while everyone else knew her and referred to her as Ruby Sam. It was her name, basically. Everyone called her that and she wrote it on her papers. Even the teachers knew who she was and never called her by ‘Ruben-Louise’. I also know that when she first dyed her hair bright red, she cried and made me come over because she thought it looked really bad. I know that in fifth grade that she broke her training bra and had to ask a teacher for help. I know that when her father and mother got divorced, she got piss drunk and fell down a flight of stairs. We knew each other probably better than we knew ourselves. We never kept any secrets between us. Which is why I told her why I had to go away for three months. I never knew that she was going to tell everyone in school, completely backstabbing me.

“Jeffrey.” Jessica gasped out. “I’m so sorry. I never knew that Ruby was such a bitch. Just know that I would never do that to you, yeah?”

What?

“Never. Never ever. I couldn’t backstab you like that. Obviously Ruby was lesser of a friend than you saw her as.” Jessica said. “I’ve had that happen to me before.”

“What do you mean?” I asked. I sure as hell hoped no one had hurt Jessica the way Ruby did me.

“I know that feeling. That physically overwhelming ache in your chest when you realize that you care more about someone than they do to you. Feeling like, whether you were there or not, it wouldn't really make much of a difference to that person. All the while you were there caring for them and thinking about them, while they just overlooked you, not realizing that we actually did care. It’s a horrid feeling, I know.”

I stood, in awe. How did she know? It’s as though she knew exactly what I was feeling. She knew how physically painful it is. Not even including the emotional pain it carries along with it. Ruby was so close to me. She held so much importance in my life. Jessica was right. Maybe our problem was we cared too much.

“I’m sorry. Just please don’t pity me. Don’t feel like you have to be my friend because no one else is. I’d rather have no one, than have someone who pities me.” I told Jessica. I really didn’t want her pity. I didn’t want for her to feel that she had to be here because no one else is. Like I said, I’d rather be alone. After Ruby, I don’t think I’d be able to trust anyone as I once had. I trusted Ruby with everything, and she betrayed me.