The Flower You Didn't See | Mystery

Chapter 10

John didn't have the energy to tell her the condition Ruby was actually in, and if she'd ever make it back to college. The thought itself made his heart feel heavy in his chest.

He glanced through the list quickly before it caught his eye. One name among the student volunteers was Laxmi Ramachandran. 

After failing last time at his first phone call attempt, John knew that he had to take drastic measures now if he had to convince Laksh to meet him.

He had called her again after parting with Prof. Nancy. "I know about you using weeds and I know you arrange it for kids in your college. You know this is a serious offense. I have proof from a reliable source regarding this and I have it recorded and stored in my phone. If you do not agree to meet me, my fingers might just slip and I might accidentally send it to Prof. Nancy. Now, you may take your decision." He had lied.

Lakshmi had come with Sara to meet John. It seemed like she didn't want to go alone to meet a stranger. She had asked Lee too to accompany her but he had flat out refused. He just didn't care or may be was probably too scared to admit.

Now, sitting around the circular table, John waited for the girls to say something. And the girls waited for John to ask. He noticed the difference in appearance of both the girls. Sara seemed haughty and unapproachable, her designer clothes and air of superiority made her stand out. She was easily spotted from any distance. Lakshmi, however, had a cute cheerful face. One would automatically smile if you meet her eyes.

"I understand you were Ruby's friends. I don't know if you know but she has been in an accident and is... not doing well." John said slowly.

Lakshmi's face assumed an expression of concern. "Ruby has been in an accident?" She asked.

"Yes. On the night of April 17th, last Saturday."

John didn't know if he had imagined it, but he felt Lakshmi stiffen in her seat, a bit. "That's awful..." She trailed off.

"Do you perhaps know where she was that night? Or whom she was with?" Asked John.

"Not really. We don't know what she has been up to in the past few months. And honestly, we don't really care." It was Sara who replied apathetically. Her attitude of indifference bothered John.

"But Ruby was your best friend," said John, as his finger stopped tapping the surface of the table. "Who told you this?" Sara asked with a smirk.

"Hannah and Maya. They were-"

"I remember them," Sara interrupted him and continued, "Ruby was friends with them just before she came to us. We practically saved that girl from those useless excuses she used to call 'her friends'. But unfortunately for us, at the end, she turned out to be just like them. If not worse."

John was taken aback.

"Sara!" Lakshmi tried to hush her friend.

"Ms. Lakshmi-"

"Please call me Laksh, John. Nobody calls me Lakshmi," Lakshmi corrected John who had turned to her, feeling that she in fact may be a better choice to have a conversation.

John breathed in and said, "Laksh," Lakshmi nodded, "Was Ruby not friends with you?"

"She was but-"

"Then what do you mean she was just like them? What happened then?"

"I don't know if I should tell you..."

"Trust me, anything you say will not shock me more than I have been in the past two days," John said, waiting eagerly and trying to convince the girls to tell him the truth.