The Flower You Didn't See | Mystery

Chapter 20

Though initially John was grateful to see someone care for Ruby, now he felt odd, like there was something wrong. His eyebrows furrowed. 

Mary said, "I had warned her to tell you everything."

Two minutes into the conversation with Mary and John realised that something unprecedented was coming his way. When he had decided to meet Sara and Laksh today, he certainly had not expected to stay in May Flower past noon. Mary, who was silent, quiet and calm, someone who was easily forgotten, suddenly had all his attention.

"Tell me what? Warned her?" John showered her with questions. Mary's eyes wandered aimlessly over the table. "Did Lee or Sara harm her? What about Hannah? Maya?" John asked again.

Mary shook her head, "No- I mean-"

John could clearly see that Mary was caught in some internal dilemma. He realised that he had to tell her the truth. If Mary had any idea why Ruby would be in danger, he needed to know.

Holding her gaze, he said calmly, "I'm sorry I wasn't honest before. But Ruby is in a very critical state. Whatever the drug was, it's making her condition worse than before. Even the doctors don't know if she'll survive or die. And I'm here because I want to find who drugged her. I have to find where and with whom she was last Saturday night. So if you know anything related to my daughter from that night, anything that will help me find the truth, please tell me before I lose her forever."

Mary listened to him without breaking his eye contact even once. Slowly, she nodded and said, "I'll tell you everything....

After Ruby had moved out from her hostel room, and had got together with Lee, Mary rarely saw her on campus anymore. And if ever she did see Ruby, Ruby would be with Sara, Lakshmi and Lee.

Mary, on the other hand, could not handle being around Hannah and Maya. Their constant back handed compliments, commenting on someone behind their back, making wrong assumptions and spreading rumours, it was all a bit too much for her and she didn't want to stay friends with them anymore.

Sheila was her friend but she preferred hanging out with the other two. Thus Mary had to painfully accept that she had to separate from all of them.

A few months later, one sunny afternoon, sometime in the middle of her third semester, Mary saw her sitting alone in the library. At first she couldn't recognize her. Her hair was down, it had grown longer and the air itself around her was different.

Mary was taken aback. How long had it been? Almost seven months? Of course she had been around all the time, but Mary had just forgotten she existed.

Without creating any disturbance, Mary walked to her and said, "Hey."

Ruby looked up from her book. It took her a second to recognize Mary. When it hit her, she smiled and responded, "Mary!"

"How have you been? I feel like I haven't seen you in forever," said Mary as she leaned her back against the parapet.

The girls had come out of the library, fearing that the librarian might shoo them away.

"I have been better, honestly," said Ruby, a small chuckle that might have hid pain, "I have seen you around campus though. Multiple times."

"Really? But you should have come and said hi," said Mary.

"I dont know. Our friendship hadn't ended on a good note. I didn't know if you still wanted to see me," said Ruby.

"I didn't even know we had ended our friendship," Mary smiled as she said, "We barely knew each other back then. There was nothing to end. In fact, none of us knew each other. We just drifted apart," even as Mary said it, she knew it wasn't completely true. Hannah and Maya were furious with Ruby and wanted her to stay away from them. And Mary did not want to hang around so much drama.

"It's not just that. You must have heard what they call me these days," said Ruby. Mary knew there was no point in lying to her about this. Recently, Mary had seen once or twice, the four letter word being mentioned so casually in college chat groups, when Ruby's name had come up.

"Slut. They call me a slut now," said Ruby, trying hard to keep a straight face, "I figured that the more I get used to the word, the better I'll be able in facing it."

Mary nodded, her lips pursed. She didn't know what to say.

"Aren't you going to ask if it's true?"

Mary looked at Ruby with concern. Ruby continued.

"If I had indeed slept with five guys in one weekend? If I had left Lee for an old hippie I met at the surf festival who ditched me on the highway? Whether I really do perform unmentionable sexual acts just for ten bucks?"

Mary had heard it all. And they were all quite recent. Unfortunately, it might have been the reasons why Mary even remembered that Ruby still existed. Mary said, "It's none of my business. Besides, it sounds absurd when you say it like that. You should record this monologue and pass it around."

Ruby smiled.

"What are you upto these days? How is that boyfriend of yours?" asked Mary for a change of topic. "We broke up," said Ruby. Mary mentally kicked herself.

"Oh. I'm sorry," she apologized immediately.

"Don't be. Breaking up with them might have been the best thing that ever happened to me," said Ruby as she smiled at Mary.

"Breaking up with 'them'?" Mary repeated.

Ruby merely stared at a distance, her smile had disappeared. Mary didn't feel like pestering any further.

And then Ruby turned to her and said with a smile, "I am performing tonight at this restaurant I work at. You should come."

"Tonight?" Mary was hesitant. She had two assignments to do and a presentation to prepare.

But seeing Ruby's expression Mary felt that she might be in dire need of a friend at the moment. The assignments were not due the next day anyway.

Mary sighed and said with a smile, "Why not?"

That evening Mary watched Ruby perform live for the very first time. It was mesmerizing to listen to her sing. Mary watched as the whole crowd in the restaurant were almost swooned by her in the mere duration of those three minutes.

Since Ruby was working that night, it was almost midnight when she had reunited with Mary at her table. Mary couldn't stop praising her skills, both singing and guitar. She told her how she was thrilled to see the live version of a video that once had gone viral among a few of their batchmates. She was surprised to find that Ruby's guitar guru was YouTube.

Ruby thanked her as much as she could. By the end of the night, Ruby's mood had massively improved compared to her state when Mary had just met her at the library.

"I was wondering," said Mary as she moved her straw in her drink in circles, "Why don't you join some club with other musicians in college?" Mary suddenly realized she was feeling tipsy.

"Club of musicians?" Ruby sounded confused, "Is there such a thing in our college? And would they let me join them? Why would they let me join them?"

"Ms. Rose," Mary was sure she was more than tipsy by now, "You are a one viral hit wonder, so far. You have performed in restaurants, so far. You have a small fan following already with the restaurant people, so far. Count me too with them. And..." Mary trailed off. She was sure she had a point.

"I understand," Ruby laughed.

"My point is, it'll definitely help you in some way. You obviously like music. Find them," said Mary before she fell drunk onto the table surface.