Soulless

Chapter 2

After leaving the grill, Kat and I hooked up with some friends for a little while by the Mississippi River bordering our Louisiana territory from New Orleans. Other than the grill this was our second hang out place. Living in a small town of a big city as Baton Rouge there isn’t much to do.

There was a party by the river. Everyone from the high school was attending as well some students from other schools. However I preferred being here alone during the first break of dawn or twilight. Once the setting of the sun is slowly coming to an end, you stand by the rocks that lead to the lake and make out the New Orleans skyline. 

Just then I was broken from my trance as a tall, masculine figure picked me up from behind. My eardrum was consumed with a blowshot of laughter and I knew it was the rest of the gang. Once my friend, Dean put me down I realized how remarkably drunk he was. 

Dean had a complexion that was extremely difficult to resist with his low cut, dark brown hair as well as his deep hazel eyes; well at least for everyone except me and Dean knew that. Which is why he constantly flirted every pick-up line he possessed on me. I knew it was nothing but antic amusement considering he was in a relationship and that’s the way it should be.

“Awww Saige, why so glum? Well don’t be anymore. I’m here now,” Dean slurred due to his toxic state. I couldn’t help but giggle at his cocky self, even in drunk form. 

“Why would I be glum? I’m the life of the party. If I was upset you wouldn’t be having the fun you’re having,” I said pointing out the bottle of liquor in his hand. I snatched his bottle and chugged through the entire thing making sure I swallowed every last drop of vile. What I needed most was to obliterate the events of that morning. I still was not able to shake away the presence of Ruby. As well as the idea of her shadow pursuing me was becoming my main concern. I was not going to be bothered by her ways to harm my brother or me again.

As I finished the liquor, I caught my eyes on some students who were leaping into the lake. The sun was in the middle of its process of setting which gave the water a glistening aroma. My friends and I ran over to the river's edge. Just when I was about to strip off my shirt, I felt a hard, sturdy grip on my arm. I tried to twist out of the person’s grip but was unable to. I swung my head round to find Ruby staring at me wide-eyed.

“What do you think you’re about to do?” she questioned. Gripping on my arm even harder, telling me to put my shirt down.

“I’m going for a swim,” I looked down at the area where our bodies connected, her hand on my arm and I gestured her to let go of me.

“You’re coming home with me right now. I don’t want you at a party like this and I certainly don’t want you stripping of your clothes to go for a swim in one of the most disgusting rivers in the planet!” she screamed.

I laughed at her way of parenting me. I couldn’t believe she followed me after Kat and I left the Oak Hills Grill all the way here. “Are you really going to give me a lesson on what I should and should not do? You aren’t the boss of me. I’ll do what I want, when I want, how I want it. You have no right,” I calmly stated to Ruby. My confidence and utter intense, piercing expression was enough for her to look away.

“She does have a right,” a voice said. I turned to see my brother standing a couple feet away. I gave him a glare as he walked to Ruby, both standing side by side. “You’re coming home with us right now. We have a lot to talk about,” he said in a steady tone. 

My friends were standing right beside me and they all knew about the events of the day once they saw Ruby approach. Even Dean whispered an I’m sorry. Knowing that my brother wanted me to come along with them, I obeyed.

The walk to the car was complete and utter silence. I knew the silence was just Joseph’s way of trying to consider some sort of argument he could propose to provide aid for his trouble-founded baby sister. But it was also my time to think up what I could say aloud. Not that I needed to. He knew that I succeed in most of the arguments that conjure up about Ruby or any other related subject.

Joseph brought along his fiancé, Loni for the family drama which was beginning to surge. Loni was gorgeous in his eyes with long, light brown curls and her skin hinted with a touch of caramel color. However, in my eyes all she was going to do was cause more heartache and heartbreak for my brother. Joseph says that he found someone he loves and that if I don’t express even an ounce of satisfaction, it will result with Loni feeling unwanted. He doesn’t understand that the existence of love is myth. Only the weakest of human minds descend into love. 

Once we entered the house, I knew there was no escape to the conversation on the table. Ruby of course went to my brother and ratted me out. Loni was their so she could be the female in the room who I actually would listen to. I didn’t approve of Jo and Loni’s relationship, but I did approve her as the only person who took Ruby’s place when she wasn’t their.

“Saige, you know what this is about? I know you care and you hide behind this thick wall you’ve built and refuse to break it down. You think we can’t see through it but we do,” Jo started saying softly while he was leaning against the door frame. He continued by saying, “How could you say what you did to Ruby? What happened was a long time ago. You forget that you weren’t the only one in the foster system, but I was there too. She left for college. To make a life for herself. Once she had all that she came back for us,” he said.

I was outraged by his defense for Ruby. “No she didn’t. When you turned 18, you were old enough to leave at your own leisure from the system and you were aloud to take me with you. She was 22 at the time. She didn’t have a job or shelter,” I said calmly to Jo before I turned to Ruby and screamed to her in third person, “For 4 years she had parties in college and when she found out Joseph got out and had a place, she came back!” I knew I won this argument with Jo. I stared at Ruby blankly for a while before smirking at her. I could tell she was confused from the turn of events from my facial expression. I took a step towards her and stared her in the eye with a cold glare before viciously saying “I hate you. I won’t ever love you.”