The next morning
Ruby opens her eyes slowly, starts to stretch her whole body in order to wake up. She begins to yawn then turn over to see her clock - 6:59am.
"Ugh! A minute before the alarm. Why does this has to happen to me?" Ruby mutters in her mind.
She dresses herself to get ready then realizes she doesn't like the outfit she is wearing: black tank top that says Misfits band and jeans with her hair braided and red converse. She changes her outfit: black yoga pants, a pair of red Nike shoes, and dark purple tank top with a black jacket that has red zippers.
"That's more like it, Ruby. You looking damn fine, girl!" Ruby grins.
Ruby and Belle are walking on campus from their dorm room. Belle is going to go the right building - College of Psychology and Neuroscience and Ruby is walking to the building that is straight up ahead - College of Photography Science and Fine Arts.
"See you later, Ruby!" Belle shouts.
"Later!" Ruby replies.
Ruby gets in this course called Element of Fine Arts. She seems amused about how the room is presenting. It is painted dark red like the color of our blood going through our veins and there are frames of each genre of photography - abstract, potrait, self portrait, landscape, photojournal and anything you name is there. She sees Killian and his interpreter.
Killian sits next to Ruby and leans closer to her.
"Well, look who's on time and is paying attention!"
"Oh, be quiet, dude. How are you doing?" Ruby tries to ignore his joke about the train of thought from the other day.
"Eh, I am doing alright. Some days are better than other but today isn't doing me any favor because I haven't had a cup of coffee." Killian frustratedly wants a cup of coffee.
"You should have had one before you came here?" Ruby asks.
"I guess, I slept on the wrong side of the bed, and forgot I didn't drink coffee." Killian answers her question. "I should go back to sleep and be on the right side of the bed then I'll have a cup of ol Joe!" Killian jokes.
"Aha, now you speak in my language, Killian!" Ruby laughs.
Meanwhile Ruby and Killian are signing to each other.
The professor comes in with a thick accent that sounds like He is from Germany. "Halo. My name is Professor Gold, or you can just call me Rumple. I am planning on passing out the -"
Killian's interpreter, Peter, interrupts and asks Rumple to repeat what he is saying before.
"Not a problem, Peter. I am telling the class that my name is Professor Gold but they can call me Rumple instead." Rumple smiles then begins to look at his class, "before we begin this fine class, I'd like to pass out a couple of papers for you to keep for the rest of the quarter."
Ruby is daydreaming while Rumple keeps on talking about the syllabus and the papers he has passed out earlier.
Seven years ago
12 year old Dorothy and Ruby are playing in the sand, building sand castles.
"Ru, tell me a story about this sand castle!" Dorothy signs very excitedly.
"Hm, I got an idea for this castle...once upon a time, there was a land that was far, far, far away into the desert and there was a man who had a precious -" Ruby is interrupted by Dorothy's little brother, Neal, who is three years old. Neal decides he's the one who stomps the whole sand castle. "I destroy. I am a dragon. Fire comes out of my mouth." Neal gives a baby growl. "ROAAARRRR."
"That's a cute roar, buddy. Do you want to hear mine?" Ruby asks with a smirk on her face.
"Yea-uh!" Neal signs very bold, "yea-uh!"
Ruby clears her throat and let out a soft growl.
"GRRR!" Then begins to tickle Neal.
Neal is laughing really hard as he is enjoying Ruby's company around his family. He loves Ruby the same as he loves Dorothy so basically, Ruby is like a big sister to him.
A tap on Ruby's shoulder is touched. Ruby is confused. "Huh?"
"You left the station again, didn't you?" Killian grins.
"Yeah, I just... had a lot on my mind." Ruby signs back to him.
"Do you want to talk about it and practice your signing skills at the same time?" He asks.
"That'd be cool and you'd get your cup of coffee while I practice my signing skills. Oh your poor eyes! You'd have to bear with me!" Ruby jokes.
"I don't mind because I like it when someone actually welcomes a new culture with open arms. That is the kind of friend I'd hang out with!" Killian states. That sentence warms Ruby's heart.
"That means a lot to me to see what you'd have to say. I am honored, Killian. Thank you."
"Not a prob, I am speaking from the heart."
"Heh, before I continue to tell my train of thoughts, I want to ask you if you know someone named Dorothy Gale?" Ruby can't stop thinking about her.
"Hm, she must to be a new person from Planet Venus because I've never seen that name before. Sorry that I am not much of help..." Killian frowns.
"Oh, no, don't fret. I am just wondering because that is what is in my train of thought." Ruby bites her lips.
"Oooooh." Killian raises one eyebrow and couldn't resist to ask the next question he craves for an answer, "is it the story of that deaf best friend that you mentioned the other day?"
"Yes, that's the story for another time, right? Which is now. Is that a good time?" Ruby asks.
Before Killian could answer, a barista waves at Killian to get his attention and mouths slowly "Your. Coffee."
Killian picks up his coffee and said "Thank. You. Very. Much." slowly to the barista that is making Ruby to laugh.
"I am sorry for my people for being ignorant. I'm profoundly embarrassed." Ruby complains.
"Meh, most of us, Deaf people, are used to it." Killian laughs. "Anyways, now I have my coffee as a bag of popcorn. The show will begin shortly. It is a Ruby Production." He gestures like a conductor waving his baton that makes Ruby smile.
"Okay, well, Dorothy Gale and I grew up in the same town back in the upstate New York. We happened to be neighbors. Her parents thought it would be nice to let Dorothy to have friends in the neighborhood on the weekends since Dorothy went to the New York State School for the Deaf. It was practically 5 hours away from home. That was where I came in. I was outside, skateboarding and Dorothy came in the neighborhood in a cab. She got out of the cab and came up to me. She started to sign something that I couldn't fathom that time but then I went home to learn my abcs. I kept bumping into Dorothy on our street every weekend and she would teach me sign language. She even welcomed me to her home, and her family was signing too. It was hard at first then it became easy quickly because I loved them so much as if they were my own family. Especially her little brother, Neal. He was a darling. So adorable. He had those bouncy blond curls and his eyes were so blue that would brighten your day. A beautiful family, that was for sure. We would hang out every weekend and never missed one at all. Even my Granny learned some signs in order to communicate with Dorothy. Anyways... sorry I'm boring you, aren't I?" Ruby stops.
"What? What makes you think I'm bored already?!" Killian startles. "The show must go on!" He is still in the conductor character waving his baton.
"I have to make sure, geez. Anyways, just one day, six years ago, Dorothy called me via TTY and said she needed to tell me something important. We met up at our special place. She told me that her dad got promoted and the whole family needed to move to the west coast. I had a hard time letting that best friend go because I had everyday to look forward to the weekend so I could learn some signs and meet with her family. I was at the happiest point of my life until that day. It tore my heart terribly. One thing that caught me off guarded was her last words before she left...I'm still dwelling still to this day and yet, I haven't even bothered to reach out to her. I've never heard from her ever again. I accepted the fact she wanted to close New York chapter and begin her California chapter. Make new friends. Be happy under the sun and going to the beach." Ruby frowns as she is saying these words.
"What were the last words?!" Killian assertively nudges Ruby.
"She said "the three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon and the truth. This isn't a good-bye.""
Killian is just sitting there, trying to read between the lines, "Hm, the truth? What truth?"
"Exactly, I don't know. It has been six years and I haven't figured that out just yet." Ruby shrugged her shoulders, "oh well."
Killian leans closer to Ruby, "maybe you've been thinking too deep into it. Just being the devils advocate that I am, what if the truth is something simple...like it has been right under your nose the whole time?" Killian raises his both eyebrows.
"Hm, I don't see what you mean? Right under my nose? I only see my lips and my dimple chin." Ruby scoffs
"Oh we are playing dumb now? Okay, yeah, it's your lips." Killian plays along with a mischievous smirk that is on his face.
Ruby rolls her eyes, "guess we will never know the truth like ever."
Killian says something that Ruby has never thought of before. "Why don't we host a deaf event and if Dorothy shows up, that is where you come in?"
"Killian, you're a fucking genius! Let's do it!" Ruby laughs.
To be continued...