A/N: Sorry about the wait, life interfered. I feel bad because this is not a very good update, it's very short and you all seemed so excited as to 'who pulled Tawny behind the stairs?' So, I hope it's not too much of a let down. I'll try to post the next chapter after this one soon, possibly this weekend still so you need not worry for a long time before anything interesting happens.
Chapter 11
"We need to talk," Ruby stated, matter-of-factly as she pulled me behind the stairwell.
I can't say I wasn't surprised at the ambush of sorts, having absolutely no idea what Ruby could've wanted with me. "About what?"
"Ren," she replied.
I hesitated. "What about Ren?"
"I know."
"You're being very cryptic." In all honesty I didn't know what she wanted even now; Ren was her best friend and the potential issues concerning her were many.
"I know about the two of you; Ren told me."
I didn't know what to say. How could Ruby know?
"She told me a week before the dance about you two, she wasn't exactly clear. I mean, I got the gist of it all—she was hysterical. She didn't want you to go to the dance with Louis and she wanted my advice. I didn't exactly come through. But, I mean, the way she described you two… I was shocked you'd say yes to Louis, I mean… Ren said you told her you loved her and, if you really did...how could you do this to her?"
I struggled to get my mind around everything she was saying. She knew? Ren had told someone?
"Well?" Ruby persisted.
"I…it's not…you know?"
"Yes," she glared at me. "I know. And it made a lot of things clear. I'd, in all honestly, suspected Ren of it already and when she told me about you… she just… lit up. I know it's cliché and all, but I don't know how to describe it otherwise. You… you shattered her."
Shattered? That's a strong word for it… Was she really? "I need to talk with her, Ruby. Everything with us is just… it's really messed up right now."
"And what do you intend to do, Tawny?"
She was taking a very harsh tone with me, and I can't say I cared for it. But I didn't hold it against her—she was Ren's best friend and cared for her and from her view I'd treated Ren quite poorly. So I accepted it. After all, I was floating inside—Ren was truly upset and that meant she really cared.
"Tawny!" She snapped, crossing her arms.
"Sorry, Ruby. I don't know," I said lamely. "I'll figure something out. I don't want things to be this way between us. Trust me."
"Do you love her?"
It didn't seem too far-fetched a question for the circumstance, but still I didn't anticipate it. It was something to discuss between myself and Ren, third parties weren't relevant in this area of the relationship. "Yes… I do."
"Then why…"
"Louis is my friend… I didn't want to humiliate him in front of everyone and I wasn't too happy with Ren at the moment… but I've already broken things off with Louis. I told him about me. And I told Steven, for the matter. They both know that I like Ren. They know nothing about her and based on Steve's reaction to my news…"
"Ok, I get it. I'm good at these things," she finally smiled. "So, what are we going to do?"
"We?"
"Yes, you clearly need all the help you can get," she started. "I can probably get her to talk to you. She's really upset, but I think I can work some magic."
"Thanks Ruby, but I'd really like to see if I can talk to her myself first. I'll ask you if I need help, ok? But please, don't talk to Ren yet."
"Are you sure?" She sounded disappointed. It'd been awhile since she'd had any good relationship issues to work things out. "I'm really good at fixing these types of problems. I'm the best."
"I'm sure. I need to handle this. If Ren and I are ever going to work in a real relationship, we need to learn to talk to each other." As I said this, I gained a new confidence. I was ready to fix things.
"That is true," She conceded.
"Alright, I'm going to go," I smiled and started out from the stairwell.
"Hey Tawny," she stopped me.
"Yeah?"
"I think you two could be really great together; you really should try and make it work. You could be really good for her. I mean, it seems like you already have been."
"I am planning to try and work things out, but what do you mean I've been good for her? You've only known for a week."
"Ren's been… different… for quite awhile. She's been happy. Until lately where she's been utterly depressed. But she's been really happy for the most part and now that I know about you two—I can't help but give you the credit. I don't know if Ren's ever really been happy before, you know? She's all about productivity and work and getting things done… she doesn't allow herself much time to enjoy the other things in life. But she does with you and that's been really good for her."
I smiled. "She's been good for me so I hope I've given her something at least."
"Ok, well, go get her back," Ruby ordered, gesturing for me to leave, which I did.
It was an interesting encounter for me, to say the least. To learn that Ren had told someone, that she was truly distraught over our situation, that I'd possibly made her happier than she'd ever been…ever the skeptic it was hard for me to accept all of this as more than just setting me up for a fall, but it really seemed there was hope for us yet.
