The Sanity Thief (Under Major Editing)

02.

Harry's POV

Ruby was strange. Really strange. But then again, I adored strange things. I left to get the popcorn in the kitchen, leaving Ruby in the living room. 

Ruby was as odd as everyone said she was, but at the same time she was so different. 

"You need to leave, please" 

Huh?

"Yes, thank you, but you have to leave, immediately"

Is she honestly talking to herself?

"IT'S NOT FAIR!"

What the fuck?

I left the popcorn and heard the front door shut close. I walk back into the living room, wondering that maybe she was as insane as people thought.

"Are you alright?" I ask, most likely coming off as too concerned.

"Yes, I'm perfectly fine. Why?" she asks, as if nothing occurred.

"Who were you talking to?"

"What do you mean? You probably overheard the trailers from the movie," 

"Sorry it just sounded a great deal like you," I say although I didn't believe it for a minute. Sitting down beside her, I watched the rest of the trailers. I just moved in. I don't need uncalled drama or conflicts. 

She pushed play on the movie, then as soon as the movie started, Ruby stood up, saying, "I'll be right back," and disappeared through the back door.

'How casual,' I thought.

I get off the couch and look out the broken window. She was going into the woods. I go out the same door and follow her, silently, so she doesn't notice.

Managing not to move another inch in her frame, she spoke, "Harry, go back home. Don't be my shadow, it's not safe here."

"What do you mean 'not safe'? If it wasn't safe, you wouldn't be here," I start reasoning.

"It is not safe here, Harry,"

"Then I'll go with you. If it isn't safe, you shouldn't be out here, entirely alone," I say, walking closer to her.

But she shoots around and starts walking back home.

What is wrong with her? This isn't going to help us get along.

'Just go with it, she's probably stressed, Harry' the little voice in the back of my mind utters.

After the most uncomfortable walk back home I've ever experienced, she opened the back door and went straight upstairs, with me just after her. 

She paces into her room and attempts to shut the door in my face, but fails, pretty poorly.

"Did I do something wrong?" I ask her, somewhat hurt.

"Look, Harry. I don't want to get upset with you, so please listen. When I say something, you should just listen. Okay?" she says, not even glancing up at me.

"If you tell me that there's something dangerous in the woods, I'm not just gonna leave you alone there. I don't exactly need a dead roommate. I won't listen to you, if you're being unreasonable," I tell her.

Nothing. Not an 'okay', not a look, nothing.

"Okay?" I ask.

"No, Harry. It's not that simple," she says, kind of wandering off, but lastly looking at me.

"How complicated can it be?" 

"You have no idea," she says, looking behind me.

After a few seconds of silence, she finally says, "So, how about we get to know each other? I mean, it's already been an hour and you're still here, so I assume you're not running away," she says softly chuckling.

I start to laugh. I think she's just slightly bipolar.

"Sure. Let's go to the couch, yeah?" I say and she gestures to the stairs.

We sit on the small, sort of crowded, couch and start asking each other relatively senseless questions, but at any rate I was becoming to know her a little more.

"Why did you agree to move here?" she asks, even though it was my turn to ask a question.

"You want me to be straightforward?" I ask, while she nods in response. "Promise you won't laugh?" I ask her seriously and she nods again.

"You see, everyone thinks you're a bit of a lunatic. Insane, actually, not to be offensive. They say awful things. I always saw you near my town, buying groceries or placing up those flyers, searching for a roommate. All my friends made fun of you, and I would continuously try to put them in your shoes. I'd ask if they liked to be made fun of by everyone in your town. Show them that you weren't what all those people titled you as. They all laughed, but I'm sure you're different,"

Ruby's POV

Hearing those words made me feel... I couldn't describe it. I knew that people mocked me, and called me insane. But I sure as hell never knew there was someone like Harry. He didn't even know me, but he still knew me. Whereas everyone saw what all the others saw, Harry saw the complete opposite. It made me feel... Well, honestly, it made me feel happy. And I think that's a sentiment I haven't sensed in five years.

"Really?" I ask, mostly because I thought he'd start laughing and say he was kidding.

"Yeah, don't laugh," he says, looking down.

"I'm not laughing," I sighed, as a single tear fell off my eyelash and onto my cheek.

"Did I do something wrong? Are you okay?" he asks, again sounding too concerned.

"Yeah, fine." I lied. Nobody ever cared about me, or what people thought of me. But he did. A total stranger.

"I'm gonna go for a walk, okay? I just need some time to myself," I ask rather than tell him.

"I understand," Harry whispered, while looking down.

I left through the back door, again. Only this time, I had to run. I was late.

Within the time I arrived to the little house, nobody was there. I looked everywhere, and prayed that I would find a little girl in a dark dress.

"You upset me," I heard a small voice speak.

I turn to find Addie, the once nameless girl.

"Oh, Addie. I'm sorry. I know you just wanted to say 'Happy birthday', but we had a guest. And you know you can't be seen. None of you can," I say while hugging her. Shoving her into my arms, I ran out of there.

"Why? I wouldn't cause harm to anyone. I wouldn't cause trouble or mayhem. I'd play with the guest,"

"Now, Addie, we both know that's a lie,"

We finally reached my backyard and I set her down.

"Alright, so what do I do? Hide in the attic, all day long?" she asks, even though she knows what she's expected to do.

"Yes, actually and run quietly, okay? I say, when reach the back door.

We go inside and Addie runs away, upstairs. I return to the living room, but Harry wasn't around. 

"WHAT THE HELL?!"

Three words I didn't want to hear.