How would you feel about being a bird? Being guarded by a bird? In specfic a phoenix? Now these birds are meant to be fantasy but what if they existed inside of you? That's the story of Ruby Young.
(Ruby)
~Gotta say I hate the thought of always being told what to do. I will obey, I will be prisioner of my own home. Sure I could just let myself riot and no one wouldn't notice. Yeah that's exactly how I wanted to live. To be trapped in a cage and feel like a bird. No means of escape, to be feed at specifc times, to be let out of room only at certain times. Yeah the word bird describes my life well, but of course the name Phoenix is the one bird that only exists in dreams. At least a phoenix can be free, to have the freedom to decide. Yet I am here at the age of sixteen clueless of my life.~
Ruby Young, the one name that is known as fear and smarts here in my household. I lived with my father. My parents were divorced and I only saw my mom during a few times throughout the year. Here in New York I made my life. Boring to be honest. School was the one thing I know that would keep me busy. I was a top grade student and one of the best in my classes. I never had failure academically. I will get along with most people. The only thing I kept feeling more fire inside me. Weird? I know. The older I gotten the more intense I feel. The more flames within myself, the urge to burn free. Yet the chances of that...umm, zero to none. Its reality not fantasy. If I could a Phoenix that burns freely, great. But for now I have my life simple and sweet.
I was getting ready for school. Dad had already left to work so I probably would walking to school. My father was usually busy with his work so it was more of a solo ride for myself. Even though that involved limits. My father had strictly put me on a time to eat, be in and out of the house and to make sure I am either watched or called on every ten minutes. Did I mention he was gone most of the time? Doesn't appear so. I put on a pair of beige cargo pants and a black tee. Over that a white hoodie and a pair of black sneakers. I left my hair down straight. For some odd reason my hair was a golden orange with brown streaks. It was my natural hair colour. No dying or anything. That was the one thing that made me somewhat unique. I grabbed my black messanger bag of the floor andwent downstairs to get a banana or smething for the road. I was in the mood for a hot white chocolate at Dunkin Donuts. I heard my phone rang in my pocket. I picked it up and almost dropped it when I was trying to put it next my ear. "Hello?" I asked. "Morning Ruby. You're on your way to school?" my dad asked. "Yes Dad. What time is it?" "Ruby its 6:45. You really should get going" "Yeah, yeah. I just wanted breakfast" "Go to Dunkin Donuts and buy something, but no eaintg later than 7:30." "I know Dad no need to remind me everyday" "Its for your health sweetie" "Fine. I was going there anyways. Can I call you later?" "After school I will call you." "Ok talk to you then" I said while hanging up. If my dad had a chance to put a video camera inside of me he would. I grabbed a banana and took my keys and walked to the front door. I opened it to leave to find Dylan Bello.
Dylan Bello. My closest friend and rival. "Hey you need any company on your way to school Ruby?" he asked sweetly. "Yeah I am walking today actually" "The usual I see" "Yeah Dad can't drop me off anymore because he got more working hours and he wanted to take them." "So you are alone then?" "Yeah but I am use to taking care of myself. Anyways I want to some hot chocolate" "Dunkin Donuts?" "You read my mind." I said while walking ahead. Dyaln was always a close friend. I know him for over three years now and he's been really kind. At first he always use to follow me around and do anything I wanted. In a way I use to take advantage of that. I would make him climb on the roof of my house and for him to help me out so we could get a better view of the sky. Or I asked him to get me an ice cream and do it for me. It was sweet in a way but that three years ago. Dylan now was more grown. He had dark brown hair with blue streaks throught his hair. He was a little taller than me, around 5'5 while I was 5'1. He had cerulean blue eyes while I had dark amber eyes. it was sort of opposites for us. I personally am not the girly tpye and get along mostly with guys. Hence why Dylan is my closest friend. He was the first one I met here in New York and he's be the kindest. Not to mention he is the only one my dad approves of for some odd reason. No matter how much I try to make new friends, once my dad meets them its kinda hard maintaining those friends once he's tried to interrogate them. Most people think I am a bit weird but its my nature no one can judge. What I can say is that with Dylan I can most comforable around. "So what's new Ruby?" Dylan asked while holding the door open for me to go inside DD. "Not much. Tired." "Of what? Being a lazy bum as usual?" "HEY!" I yelled. "Hay is for horses Ruby. Control yourself please" Dylan said while going to the counter. He ordered two medium white hot chocolates and my egg and cheese crossiant sandwich. Yum. He got a a plain bagel with cream cheese instead. I gave him a ten dollar bill to pay when he ignored it and just paid for the whole thing himself. "Dylan why didn't you let me pay? You know how I feel about spoiling me or geting anything for me" "Stop whining and get a seat before you get no hot white chocolate" Dylan said. I rolled my eyes and went over to one of the tables and sat down. Dylan brought the breakfast and put it down with each of us taking our seats across sides from each other. We both quickly prayed over our food and digged in. The sandwich was delicious and the white hot chocolate tasted great. "Enjoying breakfast" Dylan said while drinking his hot white choclate. I nodded happily. Dylan put his cup down and I saw he had a little white mustache from the chocolate. I leaned over and grabbed a napkin to clean it up. "Whoa! What are you doing?" he asked. "Cleaning you up mustache boy" I said while spreading the napkin across his face. When i took it out and sat in my sit I saw his face red. "Guess you burned yourself huh?" I asked. "You could say that" he said nervously. "And to think I am stubborn and klutzly one." "You are silly" "Sure I am." I said while picking up the garbage. Dylan helped out and he held the door for me as we got out. Our school, Brooks High School was only a few blovks from where we were. I heard my LG Lotus go off again and picked it. "Hello?" I asked. "Hi sweetie are you in school?" "Dad you said you would be calling after school." "Sorry are you ok?" "Yes, now get back to work" "Alright calm down. Are you in Dunkin Donuts?" "No just left. Dylan is with me" "Ok no need to call then. Behave then. Bye Ruby" he said while haning up. Typical dad. He won't stop calling until I was somewhere secure. Its sweet to know he cares but it gets annoying, but whenever Dylan was around me he feel relieved and wouldn't call me for a while. "Your dad?" he asked while grabbing my shoulder and forcing me to walk faster. "Yeah. He wanted to make sure I was at school" "He has quite the watch over you" "Sure does, but you know how my dad is" "I don't blame him. You can be a handful" "Thanks" "Your welcome" he said while smirking. I slapped him on the back and he laughed and ran a little faster. Stupid Dylan loved to tick me off. Once I managed to catch to him we were at the school. Classes started at eight and it was 7:45 so Dylan and I sat outside waiting for the bell to ring for classes. "Did you do the homework for Chemistry class Ruby?" Dylan asked. "I did all my homework worry wart. Did you?" "Same response to you" "Well you know I always do my homework" "At the last minute-" "But I still get my 90 and higher" "Which I still don't get to to this day" "Hey I call it being naturally gifted" "No I call it having a blessed mind. Maybe a little talent" "Yet you have to work so hard to reach up to me" "We always tie Ruby so don't get too cocky. Even if you beat me at times I can still do the same" "Why don't you?" "Easy because I have but you get angry every single time I do" "Sure I do" I said while rolling my eyes. I was sitting down on the grass leaning against a tree with Dylan sitting across with his notebook open. I saw him take out a piece of paper and he passed it over to me. I turned it over and saw a 99% on top of the test for chemistry. I got on 97% on that test...no way. That couldn't be. "I see someone is a little angry" he said while taking the test paper back. "No I am not" I said. "Then it must be my mistake because I see your eyes and they read anger. They look like little flames ready to burst." he said. Oh trust me I would burn him if I had the chance. "No I am nice and calm" "Sure you are" he said while getting up. I got up as well and we both started walking to the main door to get inside. The thing was our scheludes were identical so we have all our classes together. We walked to Geometry first. The class was actually pretty full considering that it was only a week after the fall regents. I would expect the class to be fairly empty. Dylan and I took our seats separately. Him in the front while I sat towards the back. didn't want two good students sitting together but putting them across the room from each other then help. She was handing us back our recent test that we took a few days ago. I know for this test I wasn't as repaired for the other ones she has given but I at least wanted a 90. When she gave Dylan his test he seemed rather off. When I got mines back I couldn't help but to seem off as well. A 67? That couldn't be possible. "Ruby I already told Dylan for you two to meet me after class to talk about your test grades" I nodded nervously. So Dylan also got a bad test grade. I know were both at equal levels when it comes to math, sometimes Dylan managed to beat me. But for both of us to get low scores on the topic for proving shapes either congruent or similar...something was a bit off. Class went by fairly quickly expeciallt with glaring at Dylan and I constantly. once the bell rung, the class left quickly leaving Dylan, and I alone. "So you two. What happened on this test?" she asked somewhat disappointed. " you know I never score this poorly on your tests before. Is there any way I can retake it?" I asked. "Both you got the same score" she said. Dylan and I looked at each other. "You made the same mistakes. You had the same ones right. It was marking idenitcal test papers" she said hestiantly. No wonder she was angry, but Dylan and I couldn't cheat across sides room. " you didn't expect to hear we cheated did you?" "You two seem to have..." " its impossible to cheat at such great distance. It was one test. If we can't retake it then we will just have to do better on the next one. Unless you rather gives us extra credit?" Dylan asked sternly. "No its fine . Next time work harder." "The same goes for Ruby she deserves no penatly either." "Alright now you two leave to your next class" she said. I didn't bother to argue. I walked out the door with Dylan behind me. "Thanks" I muttered. "Its fine. We usually get the same grades so I don't see why is so shocked." "That's her. Next up is Art class." "Good at least we can relax by sketching for a while" "Yeah I can't wait to start drawing for a bit." I said while walking down the hall towards art.
(Dylan)
Why on earth would just accuse of Ruby and I cheating? None of this made any sense. We always got the same test grades, but I guess getting one alike that's very poor brings up her suspicions. Even though geometry can be a pain in the neck. I told Ruby that we could probably sketch in art for while. Once we came inside the bell rung and we took our seats next to each other. She sat by the window while I sat near the other end of the table. Our teacher passed us our sketch book and to free draw for the period. Fine with me. passed me both Ruby's sketch book and mines and for me being the butter fingers I am they both fall to the ground. I saw Ruby freaking out as she bent down to pick up her sketch book. They were both opened. Mines was opened to a Phoenix I drew a while back but completely blue. Ruby's on the other hand was the same Phoenix but hers was red. Mines was some what covering its self while Ruby's was opening its wings. "That's really good Ruby" I said while looking closer at her drawing. "Hey Dylan yours is nice too. Still into Phoenixs I see" "Just like you" "How can I stop? I feel like a Phoenix myself at times" "Oh really?" "Whoops. That sounded silly" "No, no. Its just...well you want to free right?" "Free?" "You know what I mean Ruby" "Free as in just out of everyone's view? To burn free? Sure lets say that" "Now instead of burning how would you feel about cooling down instead of heating up?" "It feel weird to be honest" "If it was balanced?" "Highly impossible. Its as if you were saying you can but water and fire together and they wouldn't misbalanced." "Its possible" "Dylan no way." "I never knew you were doubtful before" "I am not" "Prove it" "You always challenge me" "Go on" I said. Ruby looked ticked. Its as if I kept seeing that little spark in her that was ready to burn. If I only could cool her down for real...in reality I could posses water. I am able to balance anything out. The symbol that represents me is the Phoenix. In this case a Phoenix of Water. Even though it isn't quite something that common I could possess control water perfectly. The most powerful of the Phoenis was fire. I was its opposite. I looked back at Ruby and saw her get a few colour pencils. "See if you try to put blue and red together all they will do is mix into purple" she said while scribbling on the red and blue colour pencils on her sketch paper. "Ye with little faith" I said while taking the pencils from her. I coloured in a bit of blue onto the paper and red next to it. Not actually putting on top of it but next to it touching. "Is it balanced?" I asked. Ruby smiled. "Yeah it is" she said. "See" I said while giving her back the colour pencils. "Yeah, yeah" she said while putting the colour pencils back. The bell rung and we went to our next class, Spanish. At least this class was somewhat amussing. Both Ruby and I were part spanish. Her mom was from Spain and her dad was from Italy. My mom was from Australia and my dad was from Argentina. So in any case we both had the lead advantage in this class. "Hi how are you?" I asked. "Good Dylan but you know my rule. Spanish in this class only." he said. "Perdon" I said. "Bueno. Y Rubi?" "Aqui esta" I said while pointing at Ruby who was in her seat. "Bueno. Los dos van a leer un rato. No hay nada que ser hoy. Si no pueden hablan por un rato. Depende de uds." Mr Rodriguez said. I nodded. (Author's note: The conversation was: "Sorry" "Good and Ruby?" "Here she is" "Good well both you can read for a while, there is nothing to do today. Or if you like you can talk for a while. It all depends ) I walked over to Ruby who had her head down. "Are you ok Ruby?" I asked. "Yeah just a little headache that's all" "Ruby?" "Its nothing. Probably just cuz of the weather or something" "Ruby its sunny outside. No way can you blame the weather here" "I just don't feel that great that's all." "Here" I said while pulling her head into my arms. I heard the class go in awe. I could care less, I just want stubborn old Ruby to feel better. "Dylan let me up" she said. "Yeah no way" he said.