𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞, 𝐨𝐦𝐛

13 | give them hell

❝ Let's give them hell. ❞

Ruby was walking home from school. He wanted to walk with Isabella but she wasn't up for it. Something was up with her, but Ruby shrugged it off. They were going to meet up soon anyway.

Who Ruby was focused on right now was Jamal. He took out his phone and looked at his lock screen. He still had a picture of himself and Jamal.

He quickly put his phone away and shook his head. He wasn't about to do this right now.

When he got home, he opened the door and said, "Ma, I'm home!"

Geny scurried up to him. "Oh Ruby, there you are! How was school? You didn't get into any fights, did you?"

"No Ma, I didn't. And school was boring," Ruby said while throwing his backpack down.

"Why was it boring?"

"No one paid any attention to me," Ruby grumbled. He slumped down in a chair.

Geny frowned. "Oh, baby. Don't worry about them. You're only there to learn anyway."

Ruby looked at his mom sadly. "You don't get it, ma. This is the first time I actually felt like I was worth something."

"Ruby, please don't talk like this. You're worth everything."

Ruby continued wallowing in his own self pity. "Cesar was right. My fifteen minutes of fame is up."

That made Geny angry. "Cesar isn't right about shit! He wouldn't even be somebody if it wasn't for his brother!"

That elicited a chuckle from Ruby despite his foul mood. Geny also let out a laugh. "You know it's true, too."

Ruby needed that laugh. He felt a little better. "Thanks, Ma."

"Anytime, honey. Maybe you should invite Jamal over? I miss him being around here."

Ruby sighed because he did too. "Actually Ma, me and Jamal are about to go shopping for this party tonight."

Geny clapped excitedly. "That's good, Ruby! Whose party?"

"Oh, um. It's Jamal's party," Ruby lied.

"Oh? I didn't know Jamal's parents allowed him to do that."

Ruby shrugged. "They do now. K, gotta get ready!"

He ran to his room and locked the door. There was no way in hell he was ever going to tell his mom about his fallout with Jamal.

Ruby pulled out his phone and was greeted by his lock screen of himself and Jamal again, and sucked his teeth.

I really need to change that.

He unlocked his phone and called Isabella.

"Hello?" she answered.

Ruby could hear the sadness in her voice. "Hey. Um, are you okay? Why do you sound like you're crying?"