Huntress of Love Chapter 14
It's now New Year and Xiang and Tai are taking the last preparations for the grand Firework later that night. Ruby and Blake are busying themselves in the kitchen, cooking the dinner and all the snacks they will most certainly eat over the course of the day and night.
They were all in a great mood, since they got visited by some relatives and family friends over the past week and the vacation from college did wonders for all of them.
Ruby and Blake had been in the middle of a discussion if they should bake a tuna cake (On Blake's demand) or if it should be strawberry ice tarts. Blake even suggested mixing tuna in those, causing Ruby to almost throw up at the mere thought.
"Hey babe." Interrupted them a low voice while two arms wrapped around the cat girl. Xiang leaned his head on Blake's shoulder who gave him a kiss.
Seeing the two all lovey dovey, Ruby decided to go and check the fireworks not trusting her half brother.
Eis was enjoying a cup of tea with his mother in their Pavilion, standing in the middle of the huge garden, surrounded by the hedge labyrinth.
"This tea is delicious mother, which kind is this?" Asked Eis while he continued to sip on his cup.
Taking a sip of her own Willow gave him a small smile "Japanese cherry blossom with a bit of milk. I thought we should try something lighter for a change instead of the usual black and green teas."
"So how are your studies going?" asked Willow with curiosity.
"Well I am the top of my classes and already a bit ahead with the theoretical parts. And I am still working in the School clinic even though father told me not to."
Willow smiles as she sets her cup down. "Excellent. Continue to do so. Your grandmother and grandfather both still worked among the people whenever possible as well. They would be proud of you."
Eis smiles "Thank you mother, that means a lot to me."
"Anyways I also want to know how you are doing besides your classes. Did you make any friends? Are you eating healthy?" continued Willow in an interrogative tone, causing Eis to sweat slightly.
"Well you met Velvet of course, and then there is my roommate Yatsuhashi Daichi…" Eis's voice drifts off as he thinks.
Willow sighs as she looks at her son. "You haven't actually made any friends except by circumstances have you Eis?"
"It's not that easy mother." whined Eis slightly "Most people just see the arrogant Schnee Jacques wants me to be and I know they wouldn't like me for more than my money."
Willow reached over the small coffee table and hit her son once over the head, causing a bump "Stop being a spoiled brat. You have to work to earn the trust and friendship of people, and I mean true friends and not those clowns you used to spend time with in Middle School."
Eis winces as he rubs the spot where he had been hit. "I am finding that it isn't as simple as that mother. One rooms with me because I refuse to associate with Coco Adel and her remaining crony, and the other I rescued from being attacked."
"But that is also you Eis. You could have told them no, but you didn't. That is a fine start if you ask me." Willow comments as she looks at him.
Thinking about what his mother said, he couldn't help but silently agree.
"Also who will have your back when you, my eighteen year old virgin finally decides to get your girl?" smirked Willow, startling the blushing boy. Willow startled to laugh at this priceless expression from her oldest but also most innocent son.
"Mother! That is none of your concern!" Eis blurts out even as he gets redder, making her giggle a bit.
"Oh my poor poor virgin son. The sacrifice will be great when you finally decide to strive for full manhood." Willow continues to tease him mercilessly, greatly enjoying the growing shade of red on his features. "I know your dreams and fantasies are not as innocent as you are. Klein did tell me he heard some moaning out of your Room, with you always repeating the same name."
Eis just wished the floor would finally open up and swallow him. It's not his fault! He still has urges and of course he would...imagine the girl he loves in those moments! He just didn't think he had been that loud….
Anyways he should distract his mother or go away before his head bursts into pieces.
"So mother, do you have any plans for this evening?" Eis asks innocently enough, hoping that will be enough to work.
Willow smiles before taking a sip of her tea. "I have very few plans myself. Mostly keeping to my quarters since I am certain that your brother is going to ruin your father's plans as he does most every New Year's."
Eis sighs as he sips his own tea. "Perhaps one day he shall learn his lesson. Or father finally strangles him. To be frank, I fully expect the latter first."
As sad as it was Willow had to agree. That is when they both heard the already angry voice of Jacques who was Yelling into his phone. It was almost comedical how on cue it was "WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU GOT ARRESTED AGAIN?!"
Eis suddenly gulps as he sees the look on his mother's face as she takes another sip of her tea. "Do not leave yet. If your idiot father sees either of us, we shall not know a moment's peace."
Eis just nods as he slumps down slightly in his seat. "Very well mother, I trust to your judgement in this."
"DO YOU REALIZE WHAT YOU HAVE DONE, YOU DRUNKEN IDIOT?!" They both can hear Jacques bellows coming closer to them.
"DID YOU REALLY HAVE TO TAKE A DRIVE WITH YOUR NEW CAR WHILE DRUNK AND ONCE AGAIN HIGH ON GOD KNOWS WHAT AGAIN?! YOU JUST LOST YOUR DAMN LICENSE TWO FUCKING DAYS AGO!"
To both their luck, his voice started to get farther away again, causing both of them to let out their held breaths.
They waited another 10 minutes before Eis and Willow mutually agree it is far past time to get back inside again.
Ruby sighs as she closes the small book she had gotten in the mail today on the new laws going into effect come the stroke of midnight. One of the main ones that gave her a bit of a cause to jump and down for joy was the new, much stricter anti bullying law that was recently passed and signed into law.
Too many suicides of teens and even adults got caused by bullying and harassment. It was already a great step when cyber bullying became a crime, now even the "normal" bullying is punishable by law.
But that is something to celebrate later. For now, it is close to midnight, and she is tired and a bit bored. Blake and Xiang had gone out with their roommates Nora and Ren to a bar to celebrate, and her father had gone ahead and gone to bed, since he volunteered to work the early shift in the morning to get the factory up and running for the next shift.
That left Ruby all alone on New Year's Eve. Joy. At least she didn't have pretend to be overly happy and put on a smile for everyone.
Making her way into the kitchen, Ruby grabbed herself a piece of the cake she made earlier accompanied with a glass of Vodka O. She didn't drink often or much but even she likes to have a glass or two on New year's. She made her way up to her favorite place in the house, the roof, where she could enjoy all the fireworks.
Looking at her phone she got a few messages from Cinder and the others, wishing her a happy new year and telling her they miss her at the party. But she is not in the mood to deal with a bunch of drunken idiots. Exiting her messages, she sits back on the slope of the roof by her room as she wraps herself up tighter in her blanket and nurses her drink as she waits for midnight.
She doesn't have very long to wait, as the sky is soon aglow with the bright flashes of light and color. She watches with a wide eyed fascination as her small hometown puts on one of the best shows in years, even including one firework that looks like an apple, which makes her laugh. But it is the finale that has her sitting straight up, as it seems as if the night is replaced with the day as all the colors of the rainbow are represented in the final explosion of light and sound.
Even if she became more realistic she always loved fireworks. After her mother died in that accident she always imagined in a part of herself that the fireworks also reach the heavens and that even the souls of the dead use it as a way to celebrate the new year with them.
Shaking her head Ruby gave a short laugh about her own childishness. She had no idea why she thought that, but the small tears in her eyes didn't lie. She swore to never cry again, but here she was crying already for the second time in one month. At least she was alone this time.
Sighing as everything goes silent, she finally hears the insistent beeping of Beacon of Hearts. With a sigh, she decides to open it to see what the hell that asshole sent her this time, while hoping it wasn't another apology from him.
Seeing it was an audio file, her curiosity is piqued as she pushes play on it. But her curiosity turns into shock as she hears the whole thing, and she drops her phone to the blanket.
Velvet had been bullied into hurting Neo. Velvet had been bullied and pressured into hurting one of the sweetest and kindest people she has ever met. And she doesn't know what she should do about it.
She had to think about what to do with those new information. But one thing is clear, she has to show this to Neo. So at least she won't hate Velvet forever and can maybe forgive her.
Giving another sigh Ruby emptied her glass in one go "This year is already starting so fucking great….
Eis was standing on his balcony while he watched the fireworks. He laughed a bit when he saw one looking like the shape of an apple.
But something was still stuck in his mind from his conversation earlier with his mother. And that was he honestly had very few friends he could say were his own. He and Yatsu get along well enough, and when Velvet could finally relax, she was actually a witty and funny young woman who was an amazing cook, but that was it. Two friends. He didn't even need a whole hand to count them.
And he had truly ruined things with Ruby as well. But that was by his own doings. All because he had given into his anger and hate over what his father had done to him after that game so many years ago now. And he would do or say anything to her to make things right once more. He would do anything….
The audio file! The one that proves Velvet was forced into hurting Neo, who is Ruby's friend!
Taking out his own phone, he quickly opens Beacon of Hearts and sends her the file. Staring at it for a moment, he sighs as looks back up into the now quiet skies. Perhaps the stars would give him an answer instead of the overpriced gadget in his hands. But he is startled when a message comes through a moment later, and his heart leaps into his throat.
Crescent Rose: I think we need to talk