A/N: Sorry, for not updating sooner. My computer had to go and get a virus: Not. Fun. And then school started and completely kicked my ass. Having three of your four classes as AP classes? Also not fun… But anyway, thanks for the comments –feedback is always much appreciated- and here's some more of the story (and by the way, I'm planning to post two chapters to make up for my lack of updating –plus, these two chapters aren't all that exciting…).
2 –Just Tell Me Already!
(Ren's POV)
"Ren, Ren, Ren! You won't believe it!" Ruby is practically jumping up and down for joy… so, knowing her: it's gossip… "Monique told me that Julie told her that Michael told her that Jay told him that Bobby Deaver just got dumped by his girlfriend!"
"Well, uh… that's… good news?" I try to sound enthusiastic, but fail miserably. I don't understand what the big deal is…
Ruby frowns. "You're being sarcastic, Ren. I can tell."
I put on my best fake-smile. "No Ruby, I really mean it. That's, uh, really exciting to hear."
She rolls her eyes at me. "Ren! You should be happy. Why aren't you happy? You totally have a major crush on Bobby and now he's single. And you should be excited because here's your chance. But no. Here you are –same old Ren. Not caring about anything but schoolwork. I mean, come on Ren –school isn't for work,it's for meeting guys," she rambles. (It always amazes me how she can go on talking for that long without taking a single breath.)
Now I roll my eyes at her. "School is for learning, Ruby, not for drooling over guys… and the crush I had on Bobby –that was years ago."
"True –but it's not like you've told me about any crush you've had since then. I mean, come on Ren, there's got to be someone you like."
And there is someone. It just so that happens the someone isn't male, the someone is my brother's on-again off-again girlfriend, and that I'm never going to tell Ruby about the someone…
And Ruby has her I'm-about-to-hear-some-gossip face on right now… this can't be good… "Who is it?" she practically shouts –her smile broader than the creepy Cheshire cat's smile in Alice in Wonderland.
"Um… no one," I say much too quickly.
"There is so someone. Oh my God! You so have to tell me! This is big, Ren. Who is it?" she's speaking a little softer now, but she's still just as excited.
"No one," I say firmly –hoping she'll give up.
No such luck. "Yeah, right. Come on, Ren, just tell me."
"I- I can't…"
"Why? I mean, it can't be that bad. I mean, it's not like it's Nelson or anything," she jokes… but then quickly gets serious. "It's not Nelson, right?"
I laugh. "No, it isn't Nelson."
"Okay… then who?"
I sigh… and then look down at my watch. Yes! Class is about to start! "Ruby, I'm about to be late for class. Bye!" I say, practically sprinting away from her… Unfortunately, I forgot that we were both heading for the same class… Shoot. I make it in and take a seat just before the bell rings, and Ruby shows up about a minute later. She makes up an excuse for her tardiness and then promptly heads over to where I'm sitting –taking the empty seat next to me.
She angrily scribbles something down on one of her pieces of pink scented paper. She folds the note and discreetly places it on my desk. I open it and read these words: I can't believe you just ditched me in the hallway just to avoid telling me who your crush is.
I look over at her apologetically and write back a reply. I can't really think of an excuse so I just write: Sorry.
She reads it and scribbles some more words down on the sheet –she looks furious. She hands the note back. It reads: Sorry? Is that all you have to say?... Seriously, Ren, why can't you just tell me who it is? Or don't you trust your best friend enough to tell me?
I really don't have a reason to trust her to keep a secret –she is the Gossip Queen of the school- but she is my best friend… I sigh and write back: I'll tell you. Come to my house after school, I'll tell you then –happy now?... And no more note passing! I'm a teacher's pet, remember?
I hand the note back to her –she reads it, smiles and then laughs.
(Ruby's POV)
"Ren, Ren, Ren! You won't believe it! Monique told me that Julie told her that Michael told her that Jay told him that Bobby Deaver just got dumped by his girlfriend!" I tell my best-friend.
"Well, uh… that's… good news?" Ren doesn't sound thrilled at all. Why isn't she thrilled? She should be thrilled.
I frown. "You're being sarcastic, Ren. I can tell."
She smiles –but it's most definitely fake. "No Ruby, I really mean it. That's, uh, really exciting to hear."
I roll my eyes at her. Like I would fall for that… "Ren! You should be happy. Why aren't you happy? You totally have a major crush on Bobby and now he's single! And you should be excited because here's your chance! But no. Here you are –same old Ren. Not caring about anything but schoolwork. I mean, come on Ren –school isn't for work it's for meeting guys."
Now she rolls her eyes at me. "School is for learning, Ruby, not for drooling over guys… and the crush I had on Bobby –that was years ago." Um, since when do people learn anything in school? Whatever… Back to her lack of crushing on cute guys…
"True –but it's not like you've told me about any crush you've had since then. I mean, come on Ren, there's got to be someone you like." I mean, seriously. She always manages to completely avoid talking about guys, which is… weird. I mean, how can you not talk about guys? They're so… distracting. Mmm, and the guys at our school –gorgeous.
And oh my God, Ren totally has a crush! I can see it in her face… "Who is it?" I practically shout –I can't help it. This is majorly big news.
"Um… no one," she says much too quickly. Please, there is so someone…
"There is so someone. Oh my God! You so have to tell me! This is big, Ren. Who is it?" It could be Mark, or Jay, or Craig, or that cute guy who sits in front of her in Biology…
"No one," she says firmly. Whatever –I'm not giving up that easily.
"Yeah, right. Come on, Ren, just tell me." Seriously, why won't she tell me?
"I- I can't…"
"Why? I mean, it can't be that bad. I mean, it's not like it's Nelson or anything," I joke… but, oh my God, what if it is Nelson… "It's not Nelson, right?"
She laughs. "No, it isn't Nelson."
That's a relief. "Okay… then who?"
She sighs –and then before I know it, she looks at her watch, tells me she's going to be late for class and then darts off. I can't believe her! We're in the same class. I start walking in the direction Ren just went and ugh… why can't she just tell me? I'm her best-friend. Best-friends are supposed to tell each other things… Unless she doesn't think of me as her best-friend. I mean, half the time it seems like she'd rather do schoolwork than hang out with me…
When I get to class I tell our male teacher that I was late because of 'girl issues' –it works every time. I take a seat next to my supposed best-friend and write her a note: I can't believe you just ditched me in the hallway just to avoid telling me who your crush is.
When she reads the note she looks at me apologetically and writes something down. She passes me the note and I read it –to find that she's only written one word on the paper: Sorry.
'Sorry'?That's it?... I'm starting to think I was right about me not being her best-friend… but I have to know for sure… I write: Sorry? Is that all you have to say?... Seriously, Ren, why can't you just tell me who it is? Or don't you trust your best friend enough to tell me?
She sighs after she reads it, writes something else down, and then passes the note back to me. It says: I'll tell you. Come to my house after school, I'll tell you then –happy now?... And no more note passing! I'm a teacher's pet, remember?
I smile and laugh –good old Ren. I was probably just worrying for nothing.
