Hostage

The Best Friend

Ruby's POV

I removed the items in my locker one after the other. It was the third time I was doing this today and I was yet to find what I was looking for. I had emptied my bag earlier and it wasn't there either so where on earth could it possibly be? I never took it off. Not even when I slept. How could I have lost the only thing I had left of him?

"Looking for something?"

I whirled around the moment I felt someone's presence behind me and then let out a slight smile of relief. Because of all the craziness from yesterday, for a moment I thought it was Jason.

Words could not explain my relief when it wasn't.

"Jessica." I stared at the five-two feet tall black haired Asian-American girl peering up at me through thick dark rimmed glasses.

"Are you okay?" She pulled her glasses closer to her face. "You seem jumpy," She turned to my locker and frowned. "And that locker is a mess." Her eyes moved back to me.

"Yeah, I'm--I'm fine." I threw all my stuff back into the locker. " I can't find my bracelet, that's all."

"The bracelet?" Her jaw dropped.

"Yes, the bracelet." I closed my locker and then leaned against it.

"H- how come? You never take it off." She moved towards her locker which was just beside mine and then opened it.

My thoughts exactly.

I watched her return some books into the neatly organized locker and then pull out a file. Jessica was my closest and only friend. Literally. We had known each other for barely six months but we just clicked. Probably because we were both lonely and never really belonged to any of the groups in school. Jessica was a nerd, which was highly unusual for someone in an art school but she could memorize an entire script in two hours and it was quite amazing how easily she remembered minor things.

"I have no idea." I rang my fingers through my bare wrist. "I had it on yesterday and then all of a sudden, it was just gone." I paused. Feeling slightly irritated at my carelessness. If Jessica had something so dear to her, I was sure she would never loose it.

"Enough talk about my bracelet." I turned to face her. "You missed school yesterday. You've been missing school a lot more these days." I said, concern in my voice. She was quiet for a while before she inhaled.

"Mum's dementia is worsening." She said after a short moment of silence and then faked a smile. But beyond that smile, I could see just how much she was hurting. "I was dressed for school and having breakfast yesterday when she walked into the dining room." She fidgeted with her file and then pulled out a script. She looked at it and then frowned, indicating she had gotten the wrong one. "She accused me of seducing her husband and she pulled at my hair, calling me a whore." She bit on her lower lip and then faked a smile. "Bottom line, my uniform was ripped and I was traumatised." She finished. Her gaze still buried in the file. She pulled her glasses closer to her face once more and I felt my heart shatter into a thousand pieces. She was trying to be strong and was failing terribly at it.

"Jess-" I started.

"Found it." She pulled out another script from the file and then let her eyes survey it quickly. "Mrs. Russell's been bugging me three days non-stop for this shit. I'm going to go give it to her." She waved the paper in my face before she placed the file back into its original position and then faked a smile. "See you later, Ruby." She walked away. I watched her leave before I exhaled. I grabbed my clothes from my locker and then shut it after me. I had contemporary next period and even though I was sure I was going to be sitting on the bench watching the other dancers do their thing, I didn't want to be even a minute late. I closed my locker and then walked away.

***********************

Kimberly's POV

The wedding reception was held in Paradise Hotel and Suites. A magnificent hotel owned by the Monroes. The hall as expected. It was grandly decorated and there were more than enough food than necessary. Keenan and I walked hand in hand throughout out the night, entertaining and receiving gifts from the guests. Elizabeth had given us, using her words, a little smart house in Paris. Andre had given us a Lamborghini aventador, Mum, being herself of course, gave me a set of lingerie, and Ruby had given me a simply beautiful, Rhinestone, Flower Ivy Ring. It was eleven PM when the guests finally started leaving and boy was I was exhausted. I was trying to keep my gaze on the magazine in front of me but I couldn't. Keenan was on the phone. He had been from the moment we got into the car. He was speaking in low hushed tones and I couldn't really get the words he was saying but from the tone of his voice, I could tell he was really upset. His eyes met mine and that was when I realized I was staring. I shifted my gaze and then buried it in the magazine. I flipped through the pages quickly and then stopped in a page with the headline: Maece O'Brien: Secrets behind beauty revealed. I squinted. I was really sure I had seen her before. Her name sounded oddly familiar too. I pouted and then flipped over to the next page before the limo came to a halt. I looked up and then gasped at the sight of the beautiful white mansion, illuminated by lights from different rooms. Paul held the door open for me.

"Welcome home, Mrs. Monroe." He tilted his head a bit.

Mrs. Monroe... Mrs. Monroe... Mrs. Monroe.

I turned to Keenan, making a weak attempt to hide my excitement. He lowered his phone for a second and then said the words "Paul will show you around." He was on the phone again. I took that as my cue and then climbed out of the car, holding my dress up with one hand. Paul helped me with my luggage and from the corner of my eyes, I watched the limo drive away with my supposed-to-be-groom in it.

So much for my wedding night.

I took in a deep breath.

"This way please." Paul led me towards the front door. It opened even before he rang the front door. Almost as if they had been expecting us. My mouth dropped open in awe the moment my feet felt the hard tiled floors. I thought the Monroe family house was magnificent but this, this was paradise.

"Welcome home, Mrs. Monroe." An elderly woman moved towards us. "We've been expecting you." She continued.

"Renee will show you to your room." Paul told me. Renee nodded and then smiled warmly, gesturing for me to follow as she turned around and began to walk away. I followed her up the swindling staircase, a bright gold chandelier hanging above our heads as we walked. She led me down the hall and my eyes scanned through every open door, Paul following behind us with our luggage.

I could get lost in here!

Finally, we stopped in front of a white door and she turned to face me.

"Mr. Monroe said Maroon's your favorite color. I hope this is up to your taste." She told me and then,she pulled the door open. My feet sank into the white Persian rug as I walked into the room and I couldn't restrain the words "Oh My Gosh!" That escaped my mouth.

I could totally die here.