SIXTY- NINE

During recess, I went to the library and took a Physics book to read. I took one from a far, quiet and empty corner of the library and heard someone struggling to read.

I followed the voice and saw Ruby...

"Ruby?"I called.

She was startled and threw the book at me.

I caught it right in front of my face and when I looked back, she was gone.

I followed her and held her hand, she looked at me with tears in her eyes and my heart sank then I said,"Please don't cry."

But that made it worse. She broke down and sat on the floor, crying.

I sat beside her and asked,"You have dyslexia?"

"No, I don't."

"So you can't read?"

"Yes! I do have dyslexia! Why don't you shout it to the world, Ruby Welshes has dyslexia. I'm a disappointment to my parents."

"I think it's cute."

She looked at me and asked,"You do?"

"Yeah, you being determined to read despite your disability shows how strong you are and if your parents don't see that, then they're not the best parents in the world."

"That's for sure."

"What do you mean?"

"Umm, nothing."

"...I won't tell anyone if you don't want anyone to know."

"Really?"

"Yeah, and I'll teach you to read."

"No, I'm too stupid for that."

"You're not stupid, just handicapped. In fact, most dyslexic people have higher IQ than average."

She didn't speak again and I helped her stand up. I took an English book to help her with reading."

I went home that day and Mark asked me how the day was. I told him everything from who Ruby was, how Apollo flirted with her when he already had his babe, how she kicked his butt, how I helped her in Chemistry, everything, apart from her dyslexia.

"Wow, you talk about this Ruby a lot, don't you? Do you like her?"He said teasingly.

I felt those butterflies in my stomach again and held it to stop that feeling then he laughed and said,"You do! It's great to see you already moving on from Olivia."

I tried to sink into the car seat then he asked,"Do you have a picture of this Ruby?"

I showed him a picture and he said,"Ew, you're a stalker! Woah, she is no ew."

"I know right! She just as beautiful as Ms Stone and Lucille."

Mark smiled and put his arm on my shoulder.

We got home and I ate dinner and went to do my homework. Then I thought about Ruby...

How would she do her homework?

I lay on my bed just thinking about her, I needed more time with her, little did I know that I would rather get the opposite.

I went to school the next day and my jaw dropped as I looked on the school paper.

The headline said,"The prettiest dame in Golden Bridge has dyslexia. She can't read, she told me yesterday."

And the name of the person who published it was...me?!

I looked towards my locker and saw her, in tears.

She banged her locker and ran away.

I tried to follow her but a crowd of boys blocked me. Most of the boys tried to console her, but the others wanted to make me into a human pretzel.

I didn't care about what they would do to me, I just wanted to talk to Ruby.

Before the boys could beat me up, the teachers arrived and they reluctantly went to their classes.

I went to Biology and wondered who would have done something like that, then I saw the teacher point at me.

I was scared as I stood up. I didn't know the question.

I let out a sigh of relief when the teacher said it was the boy behind me.

I looked back to see Alister.

He was shivering like crazy and stood up then answered,"Crassulacian Acid Metabolism."

"Wonderful Mr... wonderful job."The teacher said.

The teacher doesn't even know his name?

After class, I went to talk to him but he started hyperventilating and took a breath out of his inhaler then ran away.

Okay?

I looked for Ruby after that then the Andettes blocked my way.

They looked me up and down then spoke in unison,"We guess your girlfriend hates you now."

They must be Siamese triplets, in the mind, who look nothing alike, and aren't related...

"It was you who did this!"I yelled.

"Maybe."They said in unison.

"She did nothing wrong but stand up for what's right! You girls are making this school into a pyramid and putting yourselves on top, but she went against that, now you embarrass her like this?!"

"You're the one talking of embarrassing someone when you threw that party and embarrassed that girl?"Mandy said, alone.

Olivia...

"That was the old me, I would never have the heart to do something like that again, but you three, I don't think you have hearts at all."

"Of course it was you."

I turned back to see Ruby, staring at the trio and Mandy tilted her head to the right and said,"This is only the beginning girlfriend."

Then they turned and modelled away. I looked at Ruby and said,"I'm so sorry for what happened."

"...now I really know I can't trust anyone."

"What? But I didn't break your trust."

"You may not have, but you will one day."

"Ruby, you don't have to be bitter because of something that happened to you in the past, I've been in your shoes and hurt so many people who loved me dearly, trust me, it wouldn't help."

She looked surprised but just turned and started walking away.

I held her hand gently and said,"You can trust me, I'll never hurt you on purpose."

That just made her frown and she pulled her hand from mine then walked away.