Pure (Ruby Rose)

14| Guest

"HI, I'M CALLING to find out about your flower arrangements-" my mom paused when she saw me walk through the front door, followed by Wiley. For a moment she looked like she wanted to say something to me, but she couldn't because she was on the phone.

I went into the kitchen to make myself something to eat. I was really lacking calories lately, and I knew that was going to give my mom a bigger excuse to send me away.

"Do you want some?" I asked Wiley as I sprinkled cheese over the bread.

Wiley shook his head, pulling his homework out of his book bag and setting it on the bench.

"Alright, cheers." I heard my mom say and I braced myself for the confrontation. Sure enough, she made her way into the kitchen.

"This has got to stop," she said, hand on her hip.

"What?" I asked, allowing the cheese to melt over the bread in the oven.

"You know what." I sighed in response. My mom kept going. "I wish you would just be happy for me."

"Alright, I'll be happy for you," I turned around to face her, "and then I'll be sad for you when you divorce again."

"You can't assume that every marriage ends in a divorce."

"Mom, you can't marry every guy that you come across."

"You don't know Will. Get to know him and-"

"I think I have a fair understanding about him." I said, pulling down the oven door with force.

"What happened to you?" Her voice was full of hatred, and it made me feel something inside. "You've changed. I knew moving schools was not a good idea."

I turned around, staring at her with glassy eyes. "Just answer this," I said gently, "are you sending me back there?"

She stared at me for a moment, her lips in a tight line. "After the wedding."

I blinked and tears trickled down my cheeks. "I'm not going," I said with a shake of my head, "I'm not a child anymore. I can make my own decisions."

To my surprise, she didn't argue back and I walked by her to go upstairs, cheesy bread in my hand.

"I'M ASSUMING YOU'LL be there," I ran my hairbrush through my wet hair, "at the wedding, I mean."

I had been supposedly all alone in my bedroom, but I knew she was watching and would hear me.

"I won't show." She said. I was no longer startled by her presence. I felt numb to everything.

I dropped the brush on my vanity and grabbed my towel again.

"Well, maybe... Maybe you could come as... As an actual guest, you know?" That was hard to say. Invite a vampire to my mom's wedding?

She smiled slightly. "Up to you."

I blew out my lips, staring at my reflection in the mirror and lazily scrunching my hair in my towel.

"I want you to come." I said. The inside of me felt like it had shrivelled up and died just by speaking those words to her.

"Alright."

"Alright." I copied, nodding my head slightly.

I hadn't even heard her move when she suddenly touched behind my ear, dragging her finger down my neck. I shivered and she noticed, a smirk playing on her lips.

"That doesn't mean I like you." I said, but I didn't move my head away.

"But you trust me." She said. I didn't say anything.

She slowly moved her head down towards my neck and when I caught a glimpse of her two sharp teeth, I tensed.

My breath became shaky and I squeezed my eyes shut when I felt her teeth graze my skin.

I opened my eyes again when I felt her soft lips press against the same spot she had been prepared to bite.

As I had suspected, she had been testing how well I trusted her.

I HAD NOT expected Ruby to appear in Chemistry, having not been at school since the incident with Evan. She walked in with a black Nike backpack slung over her shoulder, passing Mr Whitskill who had attempted to welcome her back, and dropping into the seat beside me. After all, she was still my Chemistry partner.

As soon as Mr Whitskill had stopped talking, I asked the question that had been bubbling in my mind.

"What are you doing here?" I whispered.

"What do you mean? I'm a student here." She said, a light smile on her face.

I rolled my eyes and grabbed my textbook, flipping to the end of a chapter to answer questions.

I hated to admit it, but her being here made me feel... comfortable.

Until I remembered she could read my mind. That just made me uncomfortable.

As I made my way to my next class, I couldn't help but notice Ruby was still by my side, even walking down the hallway.

"Hey Arlo-" Dylan paused when he noticed Ruby had stopped walking as well. I kept my eyes on him, pretending that Ruby was not there. "And Ruby."

"Hey, what's up?"

"Nothing much. If you were wondering, still no sign of Evan. Cops really believe he ran away."

I frowned at him. "What do you think?"

"Honestly," he took a deep breath in, "I think so too."

I shouldn't have felt relieved, but I did.

"And I'm kinda mad at him for it." Dylan cleared his throat. "Anyway, I'm throwing a party next week, seeing as my parents are both on vacation in France for the rest of the month."

I was surprised how easily he could change topics. I, on the other hand, was still thinking about Evan.

"You're both invited." He looked at Ruby, who smiled in response.

"I'll have to see," the thought of a party made me feel nauseous. Last time I was at a party, it didn't go so well.

"I'll message you the details anyway." He turned to Ruby. "And you too."

"I'll pass it on." I quickly replied.

"Awesome, see you at lunch?" Dylan questioned as he slowly backed away, his eyes asking me if he would indeed, seeing as I was with Ruby.

"Yeah, I'll see you then."