The Flower You Didn't See | Mystery

Chapter 27

Ruby was as pretty as a doll. No, she was even more beautiful. Comparing her to a doll was an insult to her soul. She was like an angel who notices, smiles, cares and sees potential in the invisible. It was natural for Ted to feel protective of her. He wished that Lee would get away from Ruby as fast as possible.

Later he had found that Ruby was keeping distance from the group and had started working part time in a restaurant. He made sure to visit the place once in a while and to never miss any of her performances.

When she had moved out of the hostel, and moved into her own apartment, he made sure that the neighborhood was safe for a girl living alone. He knew he would be just the perfect boyfriend. If only Ruby would notice.

Ted had always liked Prof. Thompson for taking an interest in Ruby's studies, and had despised Prof. Sloan for always picking on her, in front of the whole class.

The three weeks that Ruby was away in her hometown were most agonizing for Ted. But constantly reminding himself that separation is also essential in any relationship, helped him survive. The fact that she was safe with her dad, helped him calm a bit down. Every night, he'd lovingly stare at a picture he had taken of her once without her knowledge, and smile.

He had followed the group to the surf festival as well. When he had first hand witnessed Lee break her guitar, Ted wanted to break his hands. But Ruby was there, and he didn't want Ruby to see his dark side. He was glad to see her pack her bags and leave that very evening. He was in a dilemma whether to stay back and make Lee pay for his actions, or to make sure Ruby got home okay. Finally he had decided that Ruby's safety should be given prime importance.

In the following two weeks, he noticed that the group had fallen apart entirely. Without Ruby, Sara, Lee and Lakshmi were nothing special and that bored him. To cheer up Ruby, Ted tried to spread around the video of her singing at the restaurant that he had shot. It had even gone viral for a short time.

But that diminished suddenly when those bad and horrible rumours about Ruby had started spreading. She was turning more reserved, and invisible. Ruby had reconnected with Mary and had also started working on her own music. Though he didn't like how that curly haired nerd, Alex, was getting close to her, he was happy that Ruby was healing, and proud that she was pursuing her music. It warmed his heart.

Ted suspected Lee behind the rumours. He knew it was time he took some action. One day when Lee and Laksh had gone to an outlet of Chasing Hopkins ice cream, Ted followed them. He saw his chance when Laksh was busy buying the ice cream and Lee had squat down to tie his shoe lace. Hidden behind his helmet, at full speed he had driven his bike towards Lee. However to his disappointment, Lee suddenly stood up and moved towards Laksh. But Ted was glad to at least have driven over Lee's foot.

But Ted saw how quiet and inward driven had Ruby become as the rumours remained strong and affected her. He wanted to cheer her up somehow. One night after her performance, he had snuck into the restaurant dressing room and left her a card and a red rose. He wanted to write, 'A rose for a rose' but later thought that it'd be too much. Ruby didn't seem like a person who liked cheesy things. But he was happy when he saw her leave with his rose, and not throw it in the dust bin.

But he wanted to do more. Somewhere on the internet, he had read how even small positive messages and compliments, instills a sense of encouragement in a person. That's how he had come up with this brilliant idea of creating an anonymous mail ID. It made him happy when he thought of how Ruby's face would light up every single day, when she'd open her mail and see a heartwarming message from her secret admirer. The thought created butterflies in his stomach.

And that's when he started noticing something odd. Ruby was behaving rather strange. She smiled less, turning dull by the day. She had even stopped going to that curly haired Alex. She was growing paler and thinner, though she'd be beautiful however she looked.

Ted had followed her to the park as well. She was standing alone and waiting for someone. He had wondered for whom she was waiting for until he saw Alex. Ted watched as they seemed to bicker and it looked like she had broken up with him. Ted was glad that she had again come to her senses and realized that Alex didn't deserve her either.

For two days Ruby was shut in her apartment. Feeling extremely worried, he had even stood outside her apartment, ready to knock, just to check up on her. But then he decided otherwise. It would be a bad idea since he didn't have any reason to show up.

It was the next day that Ruby had walked out of her apartment, dressed up in a dark orange dress and beige overcoat. She drove off and Ted followed her. He was surprised to see that she was going to Sara's apartment. He watched from afar as she walked in. Ted waited outside until he finally saw Ruby leave in a hurry. Ruby did not look good. Something was wrong.

That's when he got into his own car and followed her. Why did she look so distressed? He worried for her safety. As he followed her, keeping a certain distance of course as he didn't want to worry her, he noticed that she was travelling to the south.

Why would she travel to the south, this late at night? He wondered. Was she going home? Had she gotten lost? Had she forgotten that she had class the next day? He thought of a thousand reasons for her behavior. And then it happened all of a sudden. Her car turned sharply, skidded on the road and then hit head on, on a tree.

Horror struck, Ted couldn't move. He watched Ruby's car from a distance for a few minutes, but saw no movement. Was she dead? He wondered. Mustering all his courage, he got out of his car and walked to hers.

It was a lonely road. Literally the only two cars present were theirs. He was worried at how she'd react when she sees him. Would she be happy that someone was there to save her or would she freak out after seeing that it was him?

He peered in through the window by the driver's seat, and saw her pathetic state. Her head against the steering wheel, blood was pouring over her beautiful face from a wound on her head. He cursed at the air bag that had failed at its job, carried her to his car and drove to the nearest hospital.