Chapter 03: Responsibilities

"In love, the worst sadness is to search, yet find nothing of oneself in the other." 

- V.B

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(Maeve)

It's been days. Days since I confessed to Otis, yes, I know I shouldn't have done that now that he's dating. I'm living up to the rumor that I steal other girls' boyfriends. Jealous sluts.

But honestly, I didn't know what else to do at that moment. Otis wouldn't leave my mind. Whether it was those beautiful blue eyes or his kind and warm words.

I've never met anyone like him who was so kind and tried to understand me as much as he did.

Even today, even though it hurt me afterward, the words Otis said at the dance, feel like they were directed at me, but at the time, I didn't imagine he liked me.

Not after what happened on the bridge, I thought he wasn't interested. After all, instead of kissing at that moment, he shouts that he's a virgin. Gosh, I felt so embarrassed at that moment for thinking I had misinterpreted the situation.

Who would've thought, I was right? He likes me too. Or liked, I don't know at the moment.

He just ran away when I told him I liked him, even though he admitted he liked me too, I don't think he's the type of guy who would cheat on his girlfriend. Even though I wished he would.

Who would've thought, I'm known for stealing other people's boyfriends? But the only one I wanted to steal in my whole life is the one I can't.

Since then, after I confessed to him. He doesn't talk to me, last night I was at Isaac's house and ended up talking to him. He told me to get over Otis, but how? I can't imagine if it doesn't work out with him, who am I going to be with?

As I approach the school entrance, I see the reason for my anguish. Otis Milburn at the entrance of the abandoned bathroom, with the phone to his ear.

Before our eyes met, I grabbed my phone and kept walking. It's almost 8:10, I have to hurry for the next class.

I won't let my feelings interfere anymore.

"At the moment, I'm going through a process to overcome some feelings. It may take a while, but I don't want to miss more opportunities because of a boyfriend. I need to focus more on myself and less on others."

"But don't you think you should find someone who understands you? Experience true love before giving up?" Isaac says to me hesitantly.

Argh, I like him as a friend. But it's obvious it's not the same for him, why does it have to be so complicated?

"It's not like that, Isaac. If it didn't work out with Otis. Honestly, I've never met anyone who understood me and treated me so well."

When I finish saying that, I hear a small noise outside. Something inside me tells me to look, I walk to the trailer door.

"Maeve?"

I don't answer Isaac as I open the door and take a look outside, I don't see anyone. But looking at the ground, I see my nightgown. Otis's nightgown.

"Damn, it must have fallen. Oh no, it's all dirty."

I didn't want to wash it again, every time I do that the smell of him diminishes more and more.

But there's no way around it, I need to clean up all this mess.

I go back to my trailer, feeling a small anguish in my heart. I can't figure out what it is like I forgot something. Or lost something.

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(Otis)

Damn it.

What a hell of a headache. I sit on my bed with the worst headache of my life.

Soon, some flashes from last night come to mind. Right after I got back from Maeve's house, I started drinking a lot, really a lot.

Some of the guests left soon, but surprisingly the Untouchables stayed and we played poker. Me, Rahim, Eric, and the Untouchables.

Drinking and playing, well, the rest I don't remember very well.

Haha, actually. What I remember seems more like a wet dream than something that could happen.

"Good morning."

"AHHH!!!"

*Thud*

I fall off the bed interrupted by the soft voice beside me.

I see, sitting on my bed. The person I saw in my dream is Ruby Fucking Matthews.

"What are you doing here? In my bed?"

"Otis, if you tell anyone that this happened. I'll destroy your life."

"I can't believe it, did we have sex?"

"But of course, we had sex, Otis. I'm not here because I enjoy your company."

Shit, shit, shit. I thought it was a dream, but if it was real. I don't remember...

"Ruby, did we use a condom? I don't remember us using one."

Ruby seems to think for a moment before saying with all certainty in her voice. "I'm 99% sure we did."

Damn, I had sex. Great. But... No condom? How can that be? The first time and I managed to screw it up?

"What do you think I'm looking for? I've been trying to find it for a while, but I can't find it, it seems like it just disappeared!"

Shit. Argh, the glare hurts my eyes. And I feel like my stomach is being turned upside down.

"Otis. Come have breakfast, honey."

His mother's voice is heard downstairs, despite my growing nausea. I reply. "I'm coming, mum. In a minute."

"Huh, I can't believe I had sex with you!"

Although pretending it doesn't hurt me, honestly it hurts my feelings... Just kidding. It doesn't hurt.

"It's easy to say when you're not moaning underneath me."

Ruby widens her eyes in shock as she opens her mouth to say something but nothing comes out. Seems like I hit a weak spot.

"Otis has no one ever told you? That is what happens in sex. Stays in sex?"

Oh, is the cute girl embarrassed?

"Maybe, Ruby Matthews is ashamed?"

Ruby rolls her eyes and replies. "Dha, but of course she is. I had sex with you. Adios, idiot."

She says as she leaves and slams the door hard. This girl...

*Gasp*

Man, I'm going to vomit.

.

.

.

As Jean waited for her son to come downstairs and grace her with his presence. A figure comes down the stairs, she thinks it's her son, but when she sees who it is, she's surprised.

"Hello," Jean says to the girl in question, Ruby looks at the Milburn matriarch up and down and says.

"Hello, my name is Ruby. Loved your look."

Jean is surprised, someone finally noticed the change in her style. "Thank you very much, I've been trying..."

"I'm being polite. Look, I'm leaving now, before I'm late for school. It was nice meeting you."

The older Milburn is speechless with the great... Personality. Of Ruby. Before she can think more about it, she hears the sound of someone coming down the stairs.

This time, it's her son. Otis seems to be going through a change in his clothes. Opting for darker colors, an old black shirt, as it's a little tighter than usual. Sunglasses accompany him.

And standard jeans, and of course his jacket, which is his trademark in his hands.

"Good morning, mom. How was your night?" Otis says as he approaches his mother.

"It was very good, thank you for asking. And I suppose the party went well. Since nothing is destroyed."

Otis smiles, with a strange confidence in his character. "I told you, Mum, just a little gathering. Everything under control."

Jean looks at her son before crossing her arms and saying. "I also noticed the girl leaving your room, quite a charisma she has. The party was more productive than expected, or was that the main objective?"

Otis puts the coat on the back of the chair as he sits, he grabs a toast and starts eating before answering his mother. "Yes, it was more productive than expected. And no, it wasn't planned. Come on, don't you want to have breakfast?"

Mrs. Milburn rolls her eyes and finally sits with her son. She soon asks. "As much as I find this abrupt change in style good, which by the way is very good. I should ask, why the sunglasses indoors?"

Otis groans and takes off the glasses before speaking to his mother as if to prove a point. "Because Mom, I drank a lot. And everything around me seems to be brighter than it should be."

His mother starts laughing at his expense, she tries to hold on but can't. Otis smiles ironically and then tells her as he gets up.

"Haha, very funny indeed, mom. Look, I'm going now. Before I'm late for school. See you later."

Before Otis could go far, he heard his mother's voice. Unlike a few seconds ago, when she was laughing and smiling. Now it seemed serious, deadly serious.

"Otis, son. Social drinking is normal and accepted in many places. But... Don't make it a habit, it changes people."

'As it did with my dad. Not that I can blame the drink. He's a complete idiot, the drink is just a consequence.' Otis clenches his fists with anger, just thinking about being like his father, aroused something in him.

He takes a deep breath, looks back at his mother and says.

"This won't happen again, mum." In response, his mother just nods in agreement.

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"I slept with Ruby."

Eric slams the locker door shut while shouting, "WHAT?"

As people start to look, Eric seems to realize he spoke too loudly and repeats himself, now more quietly.

"What? How? What happened? I left you there, she was already leaving your house."

Otis, still with a headache, feels even more pain trying to remember the moment in question.

"Yeah, she was already leaving. I had already closed the door when I heard the doorbell again. By the time I realized it, she was already kissing me on my bed."

Eric seemed to be glowing, his joy for his best friend was contagious.

"That's great news. Okay, it wasn't a fairy tale moment like you imagined it would be with Maeve. But what matters is that you're not a virgin anymore."

"Look, I don't know how I feel. The details are hazy and I have the worst headache I've ever had and a thirst that doesn't end. And besides, I didn't imagine any fairy tales."

Eric laughed with his characteristic laugh as he slapped his friend on the shoulder. "Oh, yeah. You imagined."

"Whatever. But it's not as cool as it sounds, sex has consequences," Otis says, hinting something to his friend.

His best friend laughs while teasing, "Come on, you're not going to be the father of Ruby's evil spawn."

Otis closes the locker and walks away with an indecipherable expression on his face, Eric widens his eyes upon realizing this and goes after him asking.

"Otis, did you use a condom?" Eric rushes to Otis's side. "I noticed you didn't answer my question, but I hope the answer is yes."

They stop almost colliding with Maeve. No one says anything until the black-haired girl speaks up.

"I heard there was a party at your house."

"Small gathering." Otis corrects. "A small gathering with just the people ..." Otis tries to say but is interrupted by some guys who congratulate him.

"Hey man, heard you slept with Ruby. Who would've thought the "Sex Kid" was a player?"

A primitive jealousy rage sets in Maeve, but she doesn't show it on her face. After all, she decided to move on from him. And it seems he didn't waste any time.

'But did it have to be with Ruby?'

"Congratulations!" She says and then leaves, leaving Otis and Eric to continue on their way.

"That was intimidating!" Eric says, Otis disagrees, saying. "No, it wasn't. She has no say in who I choose to be with. She can think as poorly of it as she wants."

They continue walking and soon notice the chaos the school is in. Papers stuck to the walls, students shouting about things that made no apparent sense.

Until a boy interrupts them saying. "Your mom told me I was normal!" The boy then hands Eric a paper which he quickly reads.

"Connor Pearson admits to masturbating up to 17 times a day, a completely obsessive behavior."

"I'm a monster!!" The boy runs off crying.

"That's bad, really bad. How did your mom's notes end up there?"

Otis looks around, amid this chaos, someone wants to harm his mother and his family. "I don't know, but I'll find out."

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"The class was even more unbearable than usual; this headache just won't go away." Otis still couldn't shake off the hangover at all. At the moment, he's in science class, trying to focus on something and failing miserably.

At that moment, a small stone is thrown at the glass right next to him. He doesn't look away to avoid hurting his eyes even more with the brightness outside.

But it happens again, and again. Otis finally gives in to curiosity and looks outside, and what he sees surprises him; it is Ruby. She was gesturing with her hands.

The blue-eyed boy takes a while to understand what she is doing until his vision adjusts to the light, and he realizes she's calling him.

'Argh. This girl is going to be the death of me, these crazies aren't worth it.'

"Mr. Hendricks, I need to go to the bathroom."

The teacher in question looks at Otis somewhat skeptically and says, "My boy, it's near the end of the class. Can't you, you know, hold it until class is over?"

Otis doesn't think much and simply says, "Sorry, teacher, it's because I have hemorrhoids."

Mr. Hendricks nods with personal understanding. "Got it, I understand your side. Well, the hemorrhoid club, huh?" The teacher raises his hand expecting a handshake.

Otis gets up and laughs as he shakes Mr. Hendricks's hand; he quickly leaves the room, leaving a teacher happy to finally be getting along with the students.

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"Let's get this morning-after pill soon."

"No, you're going to buy it. People can't see me, they're going to start talking." Ruby says, exasperated. 'Does a man think? Argh, why did I go and have sex with him?"

Otis looks like he's about to lose his temper with Ruby, but he takes a deep breath and says. "Look, Ruby, we had sex. Me and you, and as far as I remember, you wanted it, really bad. So we. Let's. Buy this together!"

Otis smiles mischievously before saying, "Only if you don't mind having this baby."

The two were sitting on the bench in front of the pharmacy, he placed his hand on her thigh while saying in a serious voice. "I promise you one thing, I will be the best husband you can imagine. I will quit school and get a job to support you and this child. Don't worry."

Ruby would never admit it, but a small part of her mind. In a tiny, traitorous part, she found Otis Milburn attractive at that moment. But it was just a passing thought and she says.

"In your dreams. I'm not going to have your pale, weirdly tall baby, Otis. *Sigh*, okay. Let's get this damn medicine right away before anyone sees us."

.

.

.

After a few minutes of answering a somewhat specific questionnaire, Otis and Ruby leave the pharmacy. At least they have the medicine in question.

They came on Otis' bike, the blue-eyed boy handed the helmet to Ruby as they headed towards the supermarket to buy a soda to drink with the medicine.

'I only drink diet soda, she said. She's unbearable, that's for sure.'

Despite thinking this, a slight smile on his face is visible. Until he saw Ruby rushing him from outside.

'Not a minute's peace.'

While searching for Ruby's diet soda, Otis was lost in thought.

'Who would have thought that her family isn't as perfect as... Well, as everyone expects. She might have a reason or two for being a bit of a bitch, but not in the insufferable way she acts.'

Her father having such a serious illness could and probably was one of the reasons why she is the way she is.

But just remembering the insults she made to Maeve made Otis angry. However, not as much as before.

Yes, he hated how she treated people. But, it seems that his feelings are finally obeying him and forgetting about Maeve.

He puts a diet soda and a regular soda on the counter, and Otis notices that Adam is working there.

He had already noticed since he entered, but he was never one to start a conversation, much less with his bully, especially Eric.

"How are you, newbie?" Adam asks after hesitating for a few moments.

Otis looks around before looking into Adam's eyes. "Are you talking to me?"

"I'm trying to improve my conversation."

The blue-eyed girl doesn't respond, just wanting to buy his soda and leave. But Adam seems to have a different idea of this.

"How is he?" Otis is confused. While he pays for the soda and picks up the cans. "Eric." And then Otis realizes the point of the question."

"He's confused. You. Have him confused."

Adam knows what Otis is talking about, but is still too afraid to admit what he's feeling.

"I'll warn you, just once, Adam. I don't know what's going on between you two. But if you hurt him, just once, if you hurt him again. I'm done with you." Otis' eyes seem to glow for an instant, further emphasizing his menace and frightening tone.

The room seems to cool someone degrees as Otis' threat hangs in the air, and Adam freezes. It is not known whether it was because of Otis' threat or another reason. The expelled student, upon seeing Otis almost leaving, manages to speak again.

"I don't want to hurt him anymore."

Otis turns his face to look at Adam and continues talking to the boy. Much to the dismay of Ruby who was waiting for him outside.

"Then don't hurt him."

.

.

.

"So why did you want to sleep with me? I don't think you ran out of options." Otis says to Ruby.

They were sitting on a log hidden a little inside the forest, it was still daytime and they, more precisely she, didn't want to be seen together.

"*Sigh*, I fuck nerdy girls when I'm sad."

"Curiosity will kill me one day. But why, nerdy kids?"

"Well, they think they're in love with me, which makes me feel incredibly good. Until they get too clingy and start showing me their nerdy stuff."

'That's a pretty stupid thing to do, but who am I to judge.' Otis thinks as he looks at Ruby, judging her.

"Don't worry about me, I'm not in love with you or anything."

Ruby smiles, in a very friendly way. And she says, "Of course, you're not." She pats her leg as she says.

'She... She's really beautiful when she's not being such a slutty bitch. I like your directness a little.'

Otis remains silent for some time, meanwhile, Ruby reads the medicine leaflet in search of some important information.

The blue-eyed boy decides to bring up the topic a little, curious about the leader of the Untouchables.

"Were you sad because of your father?"

"Yes, a little. He had to quit his job recently and my mom is stressed." Ruby says to Otis, leaving the boy surprised by the tone of fragility in her voice, which is soon replaced by a tone of confidence as she says it. "But I was more sad because I removed more of my left eyebrow, now they are no longer symmetrical."

Otis smiles a little as he looks at Ruby's face. "For someone who seemed so superficial, she has several layers."

"They look perfect to me, Ruby."

She smiles, also surprised by Otis. She thought that no one would be so kind to her because of the way she communicates. But, he is so kind, despite being a little rude, just like her.

"Thanks, not all boys notice."

Ruby smiles, and Otis smiles back at her. And they share some very pleasant moments of silence until Ruby decides to bring up the subject a little too.

"You... weren't as bad in bed as I thought you would be. It was, at the very least, pleasant."

Otis smiles at those words before deciding to reveal a fact. "Thank you, it means a lot to me since it was my first time!"

"Are you a virgin?" Ruby asks in surprise, she didn't expect a nerdy, virgin boy to make her climax. Not that she would let him know.

"I mean, not anymore, right." Otis laughs as he looks at the surprised Ruby, he stands up realizing that the sun would prescribe as he says. "We better get going, Ruby. I'll drop you off at home."

"No need, leave me near a bus stop and I'll turn around," Ruby says, raising her guard again, it seems like Otis would be unable to get any closer than that.

"I insist, I won't let you ride the bus at this hour. Remember what happened with Aimee?" Otis adds and continues. "Besides, I'm not going to tell anyone about this if that's your concern. I just want to get you home safe."

"Alright, nerdy kid. I'll let you walk me home. But if you tell anyone this. I'll make you regret it." Ruby says with a terrifying expression.

'I don't know how I was afraid of her. She looks like a kitten without claws.'

"Here, put on your helmet. Safety first." Otis gets on the bike and Ruby is right behind him." Hold on tight." And he feels Ruby squeezing him even tighter.

The blue-eyed boy then fulfills his purpose of leaving Ruby at home. He reaches his residence quickly and gets there. He notices his mother sitting on the couch with a neutral expression, this isn't a good sign for Otis.

"Otis, my son. Tell me the truth, are you giving sexual advice to your classmate for money?"

'Shit. I knew this topic would come up at some point. Better bite that bullet at once.'

"Yes, I was."

"Why? You never needed money, what did I miss for you to need to do this? Otis, this is unethical, immoral, and irresponsible. Haven't you thought about the consequences of your actions?"

"I... I wanted to be close to a girl I liked. She came up with this idea after seeing me helping a classmate, really helping, without charging anything. And I wanted to be as close as possible with her."

"Was it that girl from earlier today? If so, Otis. I advise you not to get close to her anymore. That kind of influence is not good for you, I didn't raise you that way. You were supposed to be more responsible than your peers, even more so when it comes to a subject like this."

"No, Mom, it's not the same girl. The other girl is Maeve, and don't worry, she and I won't be together anymore. She... Don't worry. The clinic is over Mom, believe me!"

"I'm very disappointed in you, Otis. But I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. I don't want to hear any more about this. Do you hear me?"

"Yes, mum," Otis says with his head down, he knows he's wrong.

Jean goes upstairs without saying anything else, but inside she is happy that Otis admitted it and told her the truth. Maybe her creation worked.

'She had created a man, that was for sure.'

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Hey guys, how's it going? Hope all is well. I'm here to talk to you and ask for your support in posting comments and reviews. I won't lie, the most fun part of writing here is the interaction in the comments. And I was a little disappointed by that, I even thought about not writing and stuff, but I didn't let that get me down. I'm writing because I enjoy it, but if you can, please help me out too.

Thanks, sending love and a big shoutout to all of you.

-AbelWizard.