Chapter 4

RUBIE.'S P.O.V.

It's morning. No alarms today? Great. I get up and look at my packed bags. It's just 5:00 am; the flight leaves by 9:00 am. I have time to get ready and recheck everything. I grab specific things, like a towel, soap, and cream, and go to the bathroom.

After freshening up, I do my daily exercise routine, pack my locs in two pigtails with two strands on my forehead, and start rechecking. I have a list of things in my boxes that are perfectly arranged. "Good, everything is ready," I say, dumping my toiletry bag into my bag. After rechecking everything, it's just 6:30 am. I decided to clean and tidy up my room to pass the time. It wasn't dirty, but I just wanted to pass the time. After cleaning, I check the time, and it's 7:00 am, and I decide to leave; I dress up in a simple crop top with Palazzo pants, an oversized denim jacket, light makeup, and black sneakers. I grab my three big boxes and a small one. I'm locking my door when a voice calls, "Hey, Rubie. You're leaving already?" Says a blonde I saw the other night vomiting in the trash. I don't know her name, but she knows mine.

Yeah, I'm going to visit my parents," I say, finally locking my door and turning to her. There's more light now, so I notice her full features. The times I've seen her were mostly in the dark. She's tall, blonde, green-eyed, and her smile is pretty. She's wearing a very baggy pajama, and her hair is in a ponytail.

"Ohh, yeah. You aren't waiting for your results?" She says, slinging a towel on her neck.

"No, I haven't seen them in a while," I say, taking a few steps toward her.

"Oh, okay then, goodbye. Safe flight," she says, smiling and heading to the bathrooms

"Yes, thanks. Uhm... That reminds me, I don't know your name, but you know mine. What's your name?" She stops in her tracks and stares at me

"Yep, we take a lot of classes together, but you hardly notice other people. My name is Stacey."

"Oh, Stacey," I say. She smiles.

"Okay, Stacey, I'll see you when I see you," I say, smiling and waving, heading out of the dorm; I hear her shouting a 'bye.'

The ride to the airport is an hour, so I get there by 8:15. I start checking in my luggage, and when I'm done, I sit and wait for my flight to be announced. Some minutes later and I'm on the plane; let me remind you, it's my first time on a plane. It was fucking scary when it took off; I felt like I was dying. It took everything for me not to scream; I just looked out the window throughout, eyes closed and chanting 'clear skies, clear skies' until the plane settled. The person next to me is looking at me like I have a squid on my head, and I have to flash an awkward smile, "is this your first time on a plane" he says, smiling.

"Is it that obvious?" I say, rolling my eyes and putting on my headphones. I thankfully take them before take-off because right now, my leg is shaking, and I don't think I can get up; I hear him snicker, I glare at him, and he looks straight ahead. I play 'Begging' by Maneskin while looking out the window.

I wake up to a tap on my shoulder; yes, I slept...I don't remember falling asleep. I turned and saw the guy beside me blabbing, I couldn't hear him because of the headphones I still had on, and now it was playing Flowers by 'Arrdee'; he motioned for me to remove the headphones, so I did. "Finally, we're about to land sleeping beauty," he says, rolling his eyes.

"Wait... what, I slept for almost 5 hours?" I ask myself, and he chuckles and shakes his head.

After like 30 minutes, we land. I walk around looking for my luggage, and after getting it, I drive to the address that is supposed to be my house, remember, I don't know it and have never been there. Still, Mom always sends me pictures every day and sends me the address last year, thinking I was coming; well, that is helping me now. In an hour, I'm at the address, and it is the same as in the pictures with the cute colorful truck restaurant at the back.

I enter the house, and it's quiet, so I guess they're at the restaurant until I hear hushed noises coming from inside; when I get there, it's from the room on the right, so I open the room on the left, and it's the same as the picture of the room that's meant to mine, it's surprisingly neat seems like mom cleans it every day.

After setting my boxes down, I walk to the opposite room, where I hear the hushed noises, open it, and see Ryan (my baby bro) shirtless and a girl making out on the bed...wow, I clear my throat, and he pushes her away and whips his head in my direction

"Uh... Rubie?... You... what are you... When..did you.., how" he stutters and looks like he's going to faint while the girl stands still, staring back and forth between us

"Yes, love, I'm here, and you're cheating. I just left for some days. Why?" I say acting like his girlfriend

"What are you saying, who--" he's about to continue but is interrupted

"Wow, so Ryan, you're cheating on her with me," the girl says

"No, no, no, Bri, she's lying. She's my sister I told you about, that hasn't come home in a while," he says, trying to defend himself.

"Please tell her, Rubie," he says with a pleading face; I put my hand on my chin, thinking.

"Yeah, he's telling the truth. I'm Rubina Jackson. He's big sister.." I say, smiling and putting out my hand to 'Bri' then continue, "...you owe me for this, or I'll tell Mom and Dad," I say to Ryan

"Okay, but when did you come back tho," he says, getting up and putting on a shirt.

"I just got back now, decided to surprise you guys..." I say, folding my arms and looking at Bri

"...so are you gonna introduce us or...!" I say

"Yeah, Bri, this is my annoying big sister, and Rubie, this is my girlfriend, Bri," he says, smiling.

"Wow, little Ryan has grown. Does Mom and Dad know?" I ask

"No, and don't tell anyone, or else Dad will start one of his long talks about how irresponsible I am," he says, rolling his eyes and walking out of the room, leaving me with Bri in awkward silence. "So, I'm going to be leaving now. Uhm, bye, Rubie," she says, wearing her jacket and walking out of the room. We find Ryan in the living room; she walks up to him, kisses him, and walks out through the front door, ironic right cause if she uses the back door, Mom and Dad will see her at the truck restaurant...so.