NINETY- SEVEN

They went for the date and as usual, Ruby looked amazing. I knew because I was spying on them, as usual.

He went on and on about how much better he was than Mack and how lucky she was that he liked her. I was bored out of my mind and he wasn't even talking to me!

Ruby seemed interested in him...

Oh boy.

She—after about thirty minutes of his endless blabbering—said,"Wow, you're much more interesting than Mack ever was."

He blushed and felt proud. I couldn't believe this.

I have tried everything yet she had never shown any interest in me.

What does she see in him?!

She placed her hand on his and said,"I wanted to ask you of a favour, if it isn't too much."

He smiled and said,"Anything."

"I was wondering if I could broadcast a message on your parents' TV channels."

He hesitated and said,"But I could get into so much trouble..."

"Oh I'm sorry, I knew it was a dumb thing to ask."

She looked sad...I really wanted to comfort her, but no, that guy got to it first.

"Wait, wait, wait... maybe I could work something out."

She smiled and gently kissed his cheek and said,"Thank you."

He melted into a puddle and I literally had vapour rising from my ears.

They stood up and were walking out of the restaurant when Ruby winked at me...

How on earth did she know I was here?!

He helped her into his car and they drove away.

I followed them and she spoke on national television, telling everyone about how Mack actually saved her happiness by leaving her at the alter and had made a great sacrifice. She also told them about how she had been forced to marry him in the first place, it wasn't their idea.

From that day, people started comforting Mack too and being mean to his and her parents.

I felt happy that they had been put in their place but Rose was mad because of what was happening and I caught her promising to Mack on my way home.

The next day, I woke up and went to get ready.

I put some toothpaste on my brush and immediately dropped it as the toothpaste corroded the bristles of the brush.

Acid?!

Or maybe base?!

I got a new brush and some new toothpaste and went down for breakfast but Mack didn't come down. I told Mark I'd send his food to him and carried it to his room.

I dropped the tray when I was in his room and called for Mark.

Mark came and was about to ask the problem then yelled. Mack was unconscious on the floor with foam coming out of his mouth.

We took him to the hospital and the doctor was able to neutralize the toxins before he was severely hurt.

When he woke up, he seemed angry, Mark asked why and he said,"I can't believe Rose would do something like this! That girl is despicable!"

You have no idea...

He continued,"She will regret this..."

I said,"No, don't, in the end, you will regret it the most, that girl is dangerous, it's better not to get on her bad side."

He asked,"So I should just let her get away with this? Trying to kill me?"

Mark said,"If she really wanted to kill you, we wouldn't have been able to save you, trust me."

Mack was determined, he said,"We can't just let her get away with this."

Mark sighed and said,"I can't let you be caught in the cross fires...I'm taking you back to China."

"What? No!"Mack said.

I widened my eyes as he said,"I can't be away from Ruby, what if she gets in danger?"Mack continued.

Mark said,"Then I will take care of her, or better yet, her grandparents will."

Mack didn't want to go, it was obvious. But Mark had made up his mind.

Mack was taken back to his home country the next week, Mark had some people there who could take care of Mack, I knew he wanted the best for Mack, but...

"Mark, don't you think running away is the coward's way out?"

Mark sighed and said,"It's also the safest."

I continued,"That's what Ruby thought."

Mark looked at me and I at him.

Mack was sent and I knew Mark wanted to send me too but he couldn't stand being away from me, I couldn't stand being away from him either.

The next few days were normal, I went through my daily routine of school, home, eat, sleep, repeat. But Ruby found it hard to digest the fact that Mack was gone, and she also needed to get rid of that clingy guy she used who thought she actually liked him.

He stuck to her like a leech.

I was able to see Ruby as much as I used to—as much as I was comfortable with—from then on.

Rose was still juggling between Xander and the other guy who I found out was called Charlie.

I was disgusted by how Rose was able to be with two different guys at once, but even more disgusted with the fact that they were both fine with it.

The school's annual spelling bee was coming soon and Ruby helped me practice, though she wasn't joining. Rose, on the other hand, was.

I knew she was far smarter than I was so I had to work really hard to beat her, or at least win a reward to make Mark proud.

I was given passes from classes to study in the library with Ruby and it was tiring.

Ruby was a tough yet effective teacher. I understood and remembered everything fast but she always got my hopes down with her mean comments and tough love.

I knew deep down, she loved me and I mean loved.

I still liked Ruby and never blamed her for how rude she was much of the time, it wasn't her fault. She was abandoned as a baby and maltreated as a child, of course she had it hard trusting people.

But she was still really kind on the inside, she was wonderful with kids, loving to the elderly and generous to the poor.

That was why I really liked her. Because she was a ruby in the rough...