Beautiful thieves

Chapter 2: New York City explorer

While in the train, Ruby took her journal out of her backpack. She wanted to write something, anything. But she couldn't, nothing came out of her brain, it was blank. She looked through the window: The sun was slowly showing up from behind the slightly dark trees, giving a different shade of blue to the sky each time Ruby came back from her daydreaming.

The dirty window mirrored a person sitting opposite her. Last time she checked nobody was there. She looked at the blond guy in front of her. His bleached hair contrasting with the lighting outside the train. His black leather jacket, similar to hers, fits him perfectly, and her pale skin seemed flawless. Before she knew it, she was staring, and he noticed. The blond-leather-guy flashed her a quick smile before going back to his little journal he was so focused on. Ruby felt awkward, and quickly turned her attention back to the window before having to deal with excessive blushing. He was cute, but she didn't have time for this bullshit at the moment.

Once in New York, she haven't left the train station yet that she was already lost. Where to go ? She had no idea. A map, she needed a map of New York. She would just hang out the whole day, to know about New York, and start thinking about how to earn money. She stopped at a shop for tourists: There was so many people. She entered the shop and took a random map before leaving, zig-zaging through the dense group of people. A loud bip went on. She couldn't help but run as if the devil was chasing her.

She ran, and ran. She was already very far away from the shop, but kept going, as if all her troubles were leaving her while she was running. When she stopped. She looked around. High, impressive skyscrapers were surrounding her. Ruby felt so little, vulnarable. Random people in a hurry were pushing her, not even looking at her. Panick and adrenaline overwhelmed her, tears started to roll down her pale cheek. What did she put herself in ? She felt so stupid, leaving her house for a city she never went to. Her heart started to raise and Ruby felt her breathing quickening. She sat down, her back against a wall. She burried her face in her knees, hugging her legs, and sobbed for what seemed forever. She fell asleep right there, to the sound of tears and fast footsteps.

When she open her eyes, she quickly got up. She felt lost, but awkwardly fine, as if her sleep washed away all the fears she felt before the nap. Her eyes were a little puffy, but this little nap did her good.

"Excuse me sir, what time is it ?" Ruby asks to a random guy in a grey suit, scratching her eyes softly

"It's 5:30 pm"

For how long has she been asleep ? It didn't matter. She had the map she stole earlier in her hands, it was a little wet due to her crying. She eyed it and noticed she was in Manhattan. "I'll go to a subway and randomly choose a stop, yeah, sounds great" She says to herself, trying to get motivated, a little bit scared where her stupid instinct would lead her. On her way to the nearest subway, she found a shop, a big one, all red with bright lights. "Cartier" was written there. "I'll just take a look" she thought. Crossing the road, she felt her legs shake a little. That shop was so impressive. Getting in, a good looking man in a black suit welcomed her. She flashed a smile, blushing. She hated it, blushing, everytime someone good looking talked to her, boy, girl, or dog, she always blushed.

Cartier was a jewelry shop, rings and necklaces sending spots of light from their overprotective windows. As if all the stars in the sky were crammed between 4 walls of shining glass

"I won't stay too long" She thought, She didn't come in New York to fantasize over some overpriced jewelry

A red spot caught her eyes. When she looked over the perfectly clean window. A beautiful ring was staring back at her, so bright and shinny it was almost blinding her. In the center, the bright red rock was small, but big by its presence

"May I help you ?" A woman asked Ruby, her voice slightly too high.

"Yes, what kind of rock is that ?" Ruby asked, suddenly really curious about the ring

"It's a Ruby" She told her, smiling.

Ruby gave her a big smile, showing all her teeth and left the shop

11:30 p.m. Ruby was wandering in time square, out of breath, hungry, sweaty, tired. She has been walking for hours, went to several shops, smiled to hundred people. She couldn't take it. Maybe if she does like earlier today, sit down and sleep, everything will be fine by tomorrow. Spending money on hotel rooms was just not ok for the moment, Ruby had to save money. She sat down in a corner, not too exposed, not too isolated. It was perfect, people could see her but not too much. As she was about to fall asleep, she felt fingers disgustingly caressing her neck

"WHAT THE HELL" Ruby screams, a dirty man staring back at her.

"Come on pretty, I'll be gentle if you stay still"

"LEAVE ME ALONE"

Ruby could feel tears bulding up in her eyes as fear overwhelmed her. The dirty guy, in holed clothes and grey hair, forced his dirty hands up her shirt. She tried to fight back, but she was too weak. Within a second, his presence left, as she looked up, the dirty man was being beaten up by someone she could barely see.