Daniel in the Basement

Chapter 22: 3 days

Ruby's POV

I've been a little shaken up for the past few days about that text. That stupid text. That somewhat scary text. How'd she know I was up there? How'd she know I was recording this?

I stare at the phone on my nightstand. The thing that was once my life is now something I want absolutely nothing to do with. I sigh and reluctantly pick it up. I open my photos and look through them all, then delete them. I never saw that JJ girls face. And the recording is long gone. I have no proof for Alex.

But JJ said not to tell Alex.

Well fuck JJ.

I open my messages and text her back. Who are you? What do you know?I anxiously stare at the screen waiting for her reply.

My name doesn't matter. And I know a lot of things. She texts after 5 minutes.

I smirk and open the conversation for me and Alex. Two can play that game. I start typing a message for Alex: her name is JJ.

I go back to JJ's conversation. How do you know Dan?

That doesn't matter. She texts. And you shouldn't have done that.

My blood runs cold and the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. How do you know so much?

I have my ways.

I roll my eyes. She has her ways? I think. What does that even mean? My thumbs move quickly as I type another message. What are those "ways"?

She sends a laughing emoji. Ways you're too dumb to understand. I think Alex would figure it out before you do. And she's the naive one.

So what am I?

The arrogant one.

•••

"JJ? Who is JJ?" Alex asks.

I pace the living room floor and she watches me closely. "It's her name. The blonde girl."

"What does it stand for?"

"I don't know."

"How do you know if it's her real name?"

I stop pacing. "I don't."

Alex cocks her head to the side. "You're making a big deal out of this, but you don't even know if it's her real name?"

"Yes?"

"Ruby, sit down." I sit beside her. "Not too long ago you didn't care about this whole situation. You though, well no, you knew we weren't gonna get caught. But now it's like an overnight change. Suddenly you care about us possibly going to jail. Why?"

I think back to JJ's words. "I don't know." I shrug. "It just....happened." Ugh! I hate lying to her. I can't do this! I take her hand a squeeze it. She squeezes back and smiles slightly. "Don't worry, Rubes, we'll get through this. Everything will be fine and normal again."

I love it when she called me that. I smile. "Hopefully."

"Wait how do you know her name is JJ?"

I can feel sweat forming on my forehead. "What.... What do you mean?"

"Who told you her name is JJ?"

"No one." I say quickly.

She narrows her eyes. "So how do you know-"

"I just know okay!" I yell as I break under the pressure.