One and Only

Chapter Two - 'Blakie'

School was out for the day.

I was standing out the front of the school on the street, trying not to be in the way of the hundreds of students bustling around me. Buses lined the road, and kids pulled faces at their friends out the windows. David's bus wasn't here yet, and neither was he, so I was just waiting by myself until either one arrived.

Jenna was walking towards me. She hadn't seen me yet, but I knew she would. Would it be pathetic to run and hide behind a tree? Perhaps I could jump on a bus until she left and then climb back off again. I was devising this master plan when suddenly she was standing in front of me.

"Just letting you know that you're the biggest dog I've ever met," she said, without looking me in the eyes once. Cowardice.

"Thanks," I replied, feeling my voice shake. "I'll remember that."

"Oh, and by the way," she said, moving her head about as she spoke, "your boyfriend is flirting with someone else over there."

My boyfriend? I turned around and followed her gaze. Sven was standing with Ainslee, a junior, with his hands in his pockets. She was smiling up at him while he chatted to her, interest glowing in his eyes. I smiled. They looked adorable together.

"What would I do without you?" I said to Jenna, who obviously could not think of a comeback, because she gave me the finger and walked off.

My heart wrenched and my eyes stung with tears. Just a matter of weeks ago I had called her my best friend, and now she was personally ruining my life, crushing my self-respect, and self-esteem. My confidence shrivelled at the thought of her, and I wondered if I would ever stand up for myself again.

I staggered backward to lean against the fence. Nobody noticed me bite my lip or wipe away tears. I couldn't hold them back. The pain tore them from my eyes.

Footsteps came up beside me and I turned. Blake stood beside me. I had known him just as long as I'd known Jenna and Chloe. His small blue eyes watched me beneath his brown locks. I smiled awkwardly.

"Hi Blake," I said, hoping my eyes weren't puffy or red.

He got straight to the point. "Are you okay?"

"Oh," I smiled. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"Are you coming to David's this afternoon?"

I nodded. He pulled out his phone and looked at the screen, then turned around.

Lottie. The most gorgeous girl in the school. Huge green eyes, long dark lashes, perfectly soft brown hair. She had a sweet little voice too, and everybody loved her. Especially Blake.

He put his arm around her and she smiled at me. "Hi Ruby. You're coming to David's aren't you?"

"Yes," I said, smiling goofily at Blake, who watched me with an odd look in his eyes, like how someone would look at a poster of their favourite singer, or a beautiful piece of jewellry or clothing through a glass window.

"Blakie," Lottie said quietly to him, making her eyes go wide. "Do you have any food? I'm hungry."

He opened his bag and handed her a small bar of chocolate. She took it happily, like a child getting a large lollipop, and proceeded to eat it. Blake looked at me. "Do you want one Ruby?"

I blushed, feeling special that he would even think of me. "Oh, yes please."

He slowly gave it to me, his fingers brushing against mine as the chocolate fell into my hand.

"Thank you," I murmured.

David, his girlfriend, Kate, and Sariah came up to join us. Lottie spoke excitedly with them about something that had happened in English, while Blake leaned against the fence with me, playing a game on his phone.

When the bus came, we piled on and sat together at the front. Lottie and Sariah made a lot of noise, laughing and chatting. Kate stayed quiet, as usual, and David contributed to the conversation whenever he could get a word in. Blake was sitting across the aisle from me, still playing on his phone. I glanced at him occasionally, wondering why he was acting so friendly towards me.

Half way to David's house, Blake nudged me. "Look at this," he said, and leaned across the aisle as I leaned over too, peering at the screen.

It was a funny Youtube video. I giggled, but stopped when his arm brushed against mine, and suddenly I could feel his breath on my face.

"Why don't you swap with me, Ruby?" Lottie said, getting up from her spot beside Blake and moving over to me.

"Oh, I -"

"No, no, you can talk to Blake while I chat to Sariah over here. Go on."

Obediently, I took her place.

That was my first big mistake.

Blake shuffled closer to me, our legs and shoulders completely touching. Video after video, he showed me, watching me laugh and giggle nervously, until we stopped and David announced it was our stop.

Outside, David pointed to his house up the street and we all walked across. It was a beautiful little brick home with a bird bath in the front garden and a welcome mat at the front door. Inside it was quiet but more spacious than I expected. Family photos decored the walls and trophies and trinkets littered shelfs and drawers. A home.

In the kitchen, David and Kate gave everyone cordial and chips. Sariah picked up her bag, "I'm going to go change in the bathroom."

When she was gone, I asked David if I could change.

"Sure, Ruby," he said, moving around the bench and leading me across the living room. "My room is just in there."

It was dark, so I flicked on the light. Every surface was cluttered, and clothes spilled out of his open cupboard. I didn't have a brother, so seeing a boy's room was an exciting new experience, even if he was just a friend. The bed wasn't made, and the soft carpet was dirty, but it still smelt nice. Like Lynx deoderant.

I dumped my bag and shut the door, ignoring Blake, who was staring at me from the kitchen. What was his deal? Removing my jeans and top, I realized I stunk badly. It had been a hot day, and my sweating over Jenna, Chloe, and now Blake had not helped. Desperately, I seized David's deoderant and sprayed it beneath my arms, and then over my whole body down to my toes.

I replaced them with a summery skirt and a white t-shirt, then looked around the room.

I was actually in a boy's room.

When I emerged, Lottie and Kate were playing on the Wii, and Blake was sitting on the couch closest to me, on his phone. Sariah was chatting to David in the kitchen about an assignment for school.

"Ruby, come play with us," Lottie called. Blake turned around and took in my new outfit. I smiled awkwardly at him and went to sit beside Lottie.

"We've all been talking," Lottie said, handing me a controller. "You should come to Blakie's birthday party next week."

I avoided Blake's gaze. "Sure, sounds great."

"Great," Blake spoke up, and I stared at him. His eyes were fixed on mine.