Ruby

6

She was gone for two more months. New years passed and she was gone. Valentine's Day went by and Ruby was no where.

March arrived there she was. Sitting in the same seat that had been empty for months. She looked better, so much better. Her eyes seemed more alive than they ever did and her face was glowing. It was as if she had never been sick in a hospital, sick for three months. I sat down in my usual seat. Our eyes met and I gave her the smile that had been trying to come out since I saw her back in her same old desk. I must have had a funny smile because she let out a small laugh and a wave. Her laugh was beautiful, sincere. Everything about that girl was amazing. I stared at her a while longer, admiring her, until Mr. B started the lesson.

Mr. B informed us that we would be writing a poem about anything we choose and if we wanted to, we could share it in front of the class. For weeks we had been analyzing and reading poems and even though Ruby hadn't been there for it, I had a feeling she knew more about the type of writing than Mr. B did. I hoped that she chose to share her's. I wanted a look at the beauty that lies inside her mind.

We got to work for the rest of the period. The whole time Ruby hadn't looked up from her paper. Her hand dragging across the fresh pencil markings, causing grey streaks across her paper, but they weren't enough to put a stop to her writing.

I stared down at my blank paper. We had thirty more minutes and I had gotten nowhere. I started thinking. What do I want to write about? My mind for the past couple months had been clouded with the pale, stormy eyed girl. She had made her way into my every thought, so it made sense to put all my feelings towards her down on a piece of paper.

"She is beautiful
She is unique, mysterious,
better than words can describe.
She is true and pure.
She holds the cure
She will always be beautiful.
A beautiful mystery waiting to be shared with the world.
She holds the key.
I wish I could be more like her."

Our time to work was up and it was time to share. The flow of eager kids started to slow and got to a point of no one else wanting to share their work. Mr. B was calling last chances, but everyone was not showing any sign of wanting to go up and speak to the class.

I looked towards her. Her eyes were closed, not laying a single glance on the paper in front of her. Her lips moved slightly, taking deep and even breaths. She wanted to share her poem, but something silent, strong was holding her back. She never got up to share, but I know she wanted to badly.

I decided to share mine. I rose up to my feet and guided myself to the front and center of the class. I tried to avoid her eyes while I began to speak, but her grey orbs pulled my gaze towards them. It made sense to look at her, after all, my poem was all about Ruby. Every time before that moment when I had looked at her I would lose my train of thought or go on a non stop ramble. But that time, when I looked at her while I spoke, it felt right. It felt as if we were the only two people in the room. It felt comfortable, it made my heart pound and hands shake. I couldn't look anywhere else once I looked at her. I felt close to her, the way her eyes were glued onto mine. The way she took in my words like it was her oxygen. I wished I had written more just so I could look in her eyes longer.

I don't know how she felt about my poem. I was so taken over by the feeling of looking in her eyes. I couldn't build up any courage to speak to her again like that again, but I enjoyed the feeling while it lasted.

When she had gotten up to sharpen her pencil, I dropped my poem in her slightly open bag, for her to keep; for her to read it if she loved it or for her to rip it into millions of small pieces if she hated it. Either way it was hers, it belonged to Ruby and no one else.