Chapter 15: The Heart Blushes Crimson
I made haste hurrying down the stairs and into the kitchen where I found Ruby busy working on some kind of dessert.
"Oh hey Ruby!" I said.
"Hey Zaí, what's up?"
I thought for a moment and decided to mess with Ruby a little bit by asking her how she feels about Skull Boy. Since I could see right through Skull Boys attempts to deny it, I wondered if Ruby would do the same.
"Not much, just gonna go check and see what Frank and Len are up to, and while I'm here I was hoping I could ask you something?" I rattled off faster than I wanted to, but slow enough that she could understand what I was spouting.
"Sure, go ahead." she said unaware of what I was scheming.
"Ok, how do you feel about Skull Boy?" I asked suggestively.
As soon as I said his name she froze in place and nearly dropped the spatula she was holding. I was expecting it so I stood by.
"Sk-sk-skull B-b-b-boy?" she managed to stutter out.
I stood there with a smug grin on my face awaiting her response. She eventually did answer blushing through all of it.
"W-w-well he's uuuhhh really great friend, yeah he's nice and funny and uhh..dreamy.." she stopped when she realized she said that last part out loud.
"Did you say dreamy?" I asked suggestively.
"No, no I said uhhhh...creamy, yes this icing needs to be a lot more uh.. creamy" she rubbed the back of her head and she could tell I wasn't buying it. So I answered for her.
"No more rambling girl, spill you like Skull Boy don't you? and not just as a friend, dare I say love?"
At this point Ruby's face had turned as red as a cherry and it looked like she was about to explode. Finally she caved in.
"Ok, yes I love him, I've been in love with him for years but I've just been so afraid to tell him". She finished sincerely.
"I knew it" I said smugly, "you did a really bad job of hiding it, no offence."
"Weird, no one else was able to decipher it." she said.
"Well, I'm really good at reading peoples expressions and body language."
Ruby gave me a confused look.
"When you're raised as the middle child in a broken home ravaged by a war, you either learn how to read people or you die." I explained.
"Oh" she responded.
"And can I let you in on something? cuz it might just blow your mind."
"I guess so" she said semi-unconvinced that I wasn't onto her.
"Ok...when I was with Skull Boy earlier I could feel he was hiding something from me, and he got nervous whenever he talked about you...and I think he's got a crush on you too."
Ruby froze up. Almost like she couldn't believe it. She quivered before finally responding with her eyes welling up.
"R-r-really?" she said hopefully. "He loves me too?"
"You know it girl, you two are made for each other. You should tell him."
"I want to tell him, I just get so nervous."
"Well don't worry, I'll help you, besides now we know he feels the same way, so he'll say yes no matter what." I finished.
Ruby was so touched she ran up to me like a bolt of lightning and tackled me with a hug. I was surprised but I decided to wrap my arms around her.
"Thank you Zaí" she answered emotionally, "if you hadn't come here I would've never beeen able to be brave enough to tell Skull Boy how I feel, but now I think I finally have the confidence to do that." she finished sincerely.
I felt pride in that moment, knowing that now Ruby had confidence to no longer hide her feelings for Skull Boy after repressing them for however many years.
"No problem, let me know when you want to do it, Ok?"
"Sure, sounds great, thank you Zaí!" she called out as
i exited the kitchen and made my way out to the backyard. Proud of the way that I had just helped my new friend.