A Franticshipping chapter! Ahaha!
Enjoy. ;D
~Lion3queen
I want you to want me, I need you to need me, I love you to love me
I'm begging you to beg me...
I bobbed my head to the beat of the music coming from my iPod.
I was sitting in the bus that would take me to school, listening to a few of the songs I called my 'MMM' (Monday Morning Music, a simple combination of songs to wake me up at morning), and looking out of the window without taking in any of the buildings or people.
I got sick of I Want You To Want Me quickly, pressed the next-button and started listening to I Get So Distracted.
I didn't notice I was actually singing out loud until people started looking at me, chuckling quietly.
I quickly closed my mouth and hoped I could somehow shrink to the size of a mouse so I could hide underneath my seat until the bus arrived at my school.
Unfortunately, this was real-life, so I pretended not to care and crossed my legs casually.
I looked at my reflection in the window. Two blue eyes stared back at me, under a mop of messy brown hair that was partly hidden underneath a sapphire-coloured bandanna. There were bags underneath my eyes, and my clothes were dirty.
Yes, I had looked better.
Of course, that was when Ruby and me were still friends. He would always comb my hair and pick my clothes, so I wouldn't look like a hobo like I did right now. I resisted the urge to break the window, and instead directed my gaze on the back of the seat in front of mine. It was clothed with a cheap kind of material with a flower pattern. It looked like it was very old. It was also covered with old chewing gum. I wrinkled my nose.
I did that often lately.
It was strange how I couldn't remember I had ever had a problem with something that was dirty before.
My attention was caught by a beeping sound and a small sign that now said 'High School Bus Stop' in red glowing characters, announcing the fact that my halt was close.
I picked up my bag and walked towards the exit, as well as at least half of the passengers.
As soon as the bus stood still and I stepped into the fresh winter morning-air, I noticed Blue. She was frantically dropping the content of her yellow bag on the ground in the middle of the schoolyard.
She didn't seem to take notice of the students surrounding her, shooting her puzzled looks.
''Soooo...'' I started when I stood next to her ''how are you?".
''I can't find my notebook!'' She yelled into my face.
''What notebook?''
''The notebook with all of my songs! I'm sure I've brought it!''
''Calm down, we can find it.''
As she looked at me, I couldn't believe the panic that was in her eyes. Was that thing that important to her?
''Might there be another reason why you want it back that much?''
As she looked down on her stuff, she brushed strands of stubborn hair out of her face. It was a sign that she didn't know what to say.
She then shoved all of her stuff back into her bag, grabbed my arm and pulled me with her.
When we ran into Yellow on the way, Blue also grabbed her arm and brought us to a corner of the schoolyard that was rarely crowded.
''What's wrong?'' Yellow asked, tilting her head to the side and checking her watch, ''We have about five minutes before school starts.''
''I think Blue is about to say it, ain't that right?.''
The brunette nodded and took a deep breath, ''I-I think... I might... like Green.'' she shook her head, and then said, ''-no... Not like, love. I love him. My notebook is gone, Yellow.''
The blonde frowned.
''It doesn't just consist of songs. Each of the songs is a confession. Nobody may read it... yet.'' Blue finished, finally looking up at me and Yellow.
''Oh, Blue...'' Yellow paused for a while, but then continued, ''We should talk about this later, school is about to start.''
Blue gave a sigh out of relief. She was obviously glad she could think about everything, at least until the first break.
In class it was professor Birch, my dad, who told us about a project we'd be doing today, instead of the usual lessons.
It was a charity project. We would paint the rooms from an orphanage for free.
As soon as professor Birch divided us into groups of two, we would go into the bus that was waiting for us outside.
''Red and Emerald, Blue and Pearl, Green and Diamond, Ruby and Sapphire-'' 'SLAM!'
My head had been resting on my hand, but after the mention of the last couple my arm had slipped away, resulting in my face landing on the table painfully.I slowly looked up, as my dad started explaining more about the charity project, probably trying to distract the rest of the class from my last embarrassing action.
I looked at Ruby, I couldn't see his face because he was searching through his bag, but I expected it didn't look very happy. It was then that I noticed everybody was picking up their bags and walking towards the door.
I stood up stiffly and followed them, feeling Ruby's eyes on my back as I walked past his seat.
When I entered the bus and looked for an empty seat, I found there was none.
Just as I was about to just keep standing, I was pulled down by somebody.
''Argh!'' I gasped, as I landed on the seat-belt painfully.
''Shh!'' the person next to me whispered. It was Blue. The brunette crossed her arms and glared at the back of the seat nearly opposite of the one she was sitting on, ''Can you believe it? They haven't let go of each other since New Year's eve!'' she snarled, shooting another glare at the seat.
I poked my head around the seat and noticed Green and Platina sitting there. They were, indeed, kissing.
Blue blew a strand of hair out of her face, and muttered, ''Hello, they are not alone here.''
I refused to give in to the urge to chuckle, and just nodded.
''Yep, those two sure are selfish.'' I told her awkwardly.
She nodded, not tearing her eyes away from the seats before us.
I sighed and searched my bag for my iPod.
As I was almost done untangling the strings from the earplugs, I noticed a person waving at me from the seat on the other side of the cabin aisle.
It was Pearl.
''Hey there, I wanted to talk to Blue about the charity project, could you distract her from the piece of fabric she's looking at?'' He asked me, grinning, although I couldn't help but notice how his amber eyes flicked over to the two teens sitting on the seats in front of ours every once in a while as well.
''Ofcoz' I can!'' I practically yelled. The tense atmosphere made me uncomfortable.
I prodded Blue on her shoulder, ''Pearl wants to talk to ya'.''
She craned her neck, waving at the blond, ''mind if we swapped seats?''
I shook my head and got up clumsily. The brunette followed, but with much more grace.
She took a hold of the baggage rack, so I could sit down on the seat by the window.
Unfortunately for her, as soon as I had sat down, the bus rode over a hump, causing Blue to tumble over.
The brunette stumbled for a few seconds, making funny movements with her arms to keep herself from falling, but then finally tripped over a bag that was lingering around on the floor and fell down on a nearby chair.
Unfortunately, there was a person sitting on that chair.
And even more unfortunately, that person was Green.
She was sprawled on his lap, with her feet dangling from the arm rest. She rubbed her forehead with her hand, obviously dazed from the fall she had made just seconds before. She then slowly opened her eyes, looking straight into the surprised face of Green.
The brunette flinched, but recovered quickly and smiled at him, flashing a peace sign and chirping a, ''Wow, nice catch!''
He sighed, but smirked at her, too.
After a few seconds, Platina cleared her throat, and Blue jumped up with a red face. She then stiffly walked back to her own seat.
After she had sat down, I couldn't resist but whisper, ''So... Comfortable, weren't ya'?''
Although Blue tried to hide it by hanging her head, I could see the wide grin that spread on her face.
I didn't know I had fallen asleep, until Blue's voice filled my ears, ''Sapphire! Wake up, were here!''
I groaned, opening one eye suspiciously.
''Look at that building, it's enormous!'' The blue-eyed girl that was sitting next to me remarked, pointing at a big church-like building that was visible through the window. It was, indeed, gigantic.
''If that's the orphanage, we've got a heck of a paintwork to do.'' I said, sighing. I watched as my breath formed white clouds of condense on the glass. The voices of the students faded as a voice boomed through the speaker-boxes that were attached to the ceiling of the vehicle, ''Hello, students. I hope you enjoyed the ride.'' Unenthusiastic murmuring could be heard as the voice continued talking, ''This is Misty, the student president. I organised this trip so you would learn to get your lazy asses to do some good, and believe me, you will. If those kids have to sleep in awful looking rooms, I will deal with you myself. Ok, this is what you'll do as soon as you've set a foot out of this bus-'' The murmurs were beginning to get louder and louder, ''You'll walk to the rest of your class, and receive instructions from an employee of the orphanage. After that you will walk to the room that has been- WILL EVERYONE SHUT UP?!''
The students gulped, and the murmurs faded instantly.
''-Thank you. So, as I was saying... You will go to the room that has been allocated to you and your partner, and paint it as good as you can. The kids are all off to a zoo on the edge of town, so do your best. Thanks for listening.''
I chuckled. Misty may seem like a tough girl, but she was fun to hang out with. I knew for a fact that the red head had a small crush on Red.
Blue got up, and was now talking to Pearl about what colour the rooms were supposed to get.
''I suppose white.'' Pearl said.
''White?! Why?'' Blue asked him.
''Isn't that a regular colour for orphanages and hospitals and stuff?''
''Orphanages and hospitals are not the same. I would go for blue.''
''That's because blue is your name.''
''Tsk, you're just jealous because you have a gay name like pearl.''
''It isn't gay!''
''Pearls are for fat old ladies in empty mansions that have nothing else to do but making their cats lay down on their laps and feeding them sticky old chocolate all day long.''
''That's not true!''
''You know it is.''
They walked out of the bus, still discussing colours and names energetically.
I yawned, not bothering to cover my mouth with my hand, and reluctantly stepped out of the bus.
I stretched the muscles in my arms -they ached a bit because I had fallen asleep with my head resting on them- as I looked around. I noticed groups of students standing on the plaza in front of the orphanage. Misty stood in the middle, holding a megaphone with her right hand, and gesturing towards a small group of girls with the other.
''Hey, Misty! D'you know where my classmates are?'' I called out to her.
She turned around, placing her now free hand on her hip. When she recognised me, though, she removed it again and used it to wave at me enthusiastically, ''Hey, Sapph!''
She pulled out a clipboard and inspected it, furrowing her brows, ''Class D, right? They should be right there.''
The redhead pointed her finger at a group of people that was very loud in comparison with the others.
''Thanks!'' I said as I spun on my heels and began running to my classmates.
Just when I reached the group of people, the students were silenced by a friendly looking woman with pink hair.
''Hello, students. My name is Joy, nice to meet you.''
Blue was gaping at her strangely, ''Didn't you work in the children's hospital downtown?''
''-What? Oh, of course! You must mean my cousin, she works there. We look very alike.''
''...I guess so.''
''Anyway, I work here in the St. Joseph orphanage as a caretaker of the children. There are some things you might want to know about this interesting building...''
The woman started a long and most definitely not interesting story about the orphanage. All the time I let my mind wander free and sometimes catched words like 'paint' 'children' and 'charity'.
Then, all of a sudden everybody started walking towards the entrance of the building with their partners.
I looked around for mine, but didn't see Ruby anywhere.
''I don't see him anywhere, maybe he's lost.'' I heard a voice say from behind me.
''Hopefully.'' I sighed, until I turned around and noticed a boy with a white hat and crimson eyes standing about a feet away from me with a smirk plastered on his face.
''Ehehehe, joking?'' I tried.
''Right. Let's go inside, it's cold here.''
''Sissy.'' I muttered.
''I heard that.''
''Like I care.'' there was a silence as we entered the building, before I broke it by saying, ''So, do you know where we have to go?''
''You don't, then?''
''Ofcoz' I do!''
''Ok, I'll follow you then.''
''Good.'' He was so doing this on purpose, that sadist.
When I looked around, I noticed there were hallways that lead to every direction possible.
I gulped, but decided to take the second one from the right.
''Here we are.'' A grumpy looking man said, opening up a wooden door for us.
We had been looking for the room we'd been assigned to for about an hour, when I had admitted I didn't exactly know where we should be going. Ruby had just snickered and asked a man that was fixing a lamp where we should go.
He had, reluctantly, helped us find the room and then returned to work muttering something that sounded like, ''Darn' kids these days... Always lose their way...''
I allowed myself to look around the room.
It was very old and dark, even though the afternoon sun was creeping through a gap in the white curtains. The floor was covered with tailings of paint that was peeled off through the years. The walls, of course, didn't look much better.
I sighed, and leaned against the doorpost.
Suddenly the light was gone.
''Hey!'' I muttered as I removed the piece of cloth that Ruby had thrown at me from my head. It was a big, old sweater.
''What's this?''
''There's some clothing on this chair.'' He said. His voice sounded muffled because he was pulling on a sweater similiar to the one I was holding.
''You don't seem disgusted by this clothing.'' I remarked, unable to hide the surprise in my voice.
''Wouldn't want my own not hideous clothing to get filthy.'' He said, picking up a bucket of paint that was placed next to the pile of clothes and studying it's tag, ''See? It can't be removed from clothing. -Speaking of clothing... Who's dressed you this morning?''
''I did.'' I muttered.
He chuckled.
''What?!''
''You look like a hobo!''
I could feel my cheeks heat up with fury (or embarrassment, I wasn't entirely sure.)
''Here,'' He said when I had pulled on some clothing from the orphanage over my own as well, ''You start painting those walls.'' He pointed at the wall by the door and the one next to it, giving me a bucket of blue paint.
''Yeah, yeah.''
After about an hour of painting the walls blue -and in Ruby's case, red- I cheered, ''Ha! Finished a wall!''
''Yeah. Your wall looks like a battlefield, though.'' The raven haired boy said as he took out his glasses and studied it.
I turned around to look at his wall, and noticed that indeed, his wall was painted way more neat than mine.
''But you've done only half of yours!''
''It's the result that matters, right?''
''No!''
''Yes!''
''No it doesn't!''
''Yes it does!''
''No it doesn't!''
''Does too!''
I figured I wouldn't win this argument, so instead of continuing it I just started glaring at him.
Most people would have flinched or continued painting the walls, but this was Ruby. He was glaring right back at me.
After a few minutes though, he gave up and broke the eye contact.
''HA! I win, you weakling!''
''Who's the weakling?''
''YOU. Want me to repeat it again?''
Before I knew it, he had dipped his paintbrush into his bucket of red paint and smeared my face with it, leaving a red mark of paint on my left cheek.
At first I could only gape at him, ''Ya' did not just do that.''
I expected him to turn around and finish his wall, or mutter something through his teeth like ''barbarian.''
I most certainly did not expect him to do the following, though.
The raven haired boy standing in front of me smirked, ''...Or did I?''
I couldn't remember him ever trying to piss me off before, or invite me to try something to pay him back. Because really, that was what he was doing, if you read between the lines.
...And I had always been good at that.
I glared at him, before turning around and finding my bucket of paint on the wooden floor.
I cupped a bit of blue paint with my hands, spun on my heels and then moved my arms upwards, until, before he knew what was happening, I had opened my hands up, letting the paint slip through my fingers and cover his hat.
He stared at me, obviously disgusted, while the paint dripped down his hair and on his sweater.
Then slowly the corners of his mouth curled upwards, ''Ok, so now you're dead, Birch.''
We spent the following half our just running after each other and painting each other -and at times the walls-, red and blue.
Then, when both of us finally ran out of breath, we for some reason ran into each other and thumbled over, laughing like mad.
When we'd finally both stopped chuckling, we sat up, and decided it was time to eat our lunch.
Though I ate more than Ruby, I was done more quickly.
I leaned against a wall that had yet to be painted, and propped up my legs.
I felt really tired.
I yawned.
'I suppose closing my eyes for a few seconds won't be a problem, I'll start painting again when Ruby does.'
That was the last thing that crossed my mind before my eyelids drooped and everything went black.
''Hey Sapphire! What are you doing down there?'' I heard a soft voice call out to me.
As I moaned I felt something tickling my back.
When I opened my eyes, I noticed the 'something' was in fact grass.
I was lying on my back, in a field of grass, with small, wite flowers that made the green of the grass seem even greener. The field was surrounded by lush trees.
The sky was a light blue, decorated with pearly white clouds.
'Strange,' I thought, 'I'm sure I was in this old building just minutes ago...'
I sneezed, as my nose was tickled by grass helms.
I heard somebody chuckle from behind me, and when I turned around I recognised Ruby.
He was holding out his hand, causing the blades of grass that were in his palm to fly in my direction.
''Ruby, what are you doing? What is this gay place?''
''Dunno.'' He said, sitting down before me.
I noticed his clothes weren't red and black like normally, but white.
When I looked down at myself, I noticed that I wasn't wearing my usual clothes either.
I was wearing a white dress.
''Holy crap! Don't look at me!'' I yelled.
''Why not?'' He asked me, widening his eyes, ''You look beautiful!''
'This isn't Ruby,'' I thought, ignoring the heat rushing to my cheeks, 'Ruby isn't like this. He isn't sweet.'
But for some reason I thought of the times he had been nice to me.
He had made me a whole wardrobe of clothes that were, even though I would never openly admit it, gorgeous.
He had taught me how to read and write.
He had rushed to my house and comforted me when my mother died from lung-cancer (and not just for a few minutes, but for eight whole hours).
Ruby's voice snapped me out of my thoughts, ''Do you have a fever?''
''Er... No!'' I stuttered.
''Then why are you cheeks red like that?'' He asked me, putting his hand on my forehead and moving his face a little closer.
I flinched at his touch, ''No, really! I'm fine!''
He looked at me suspiciously, moving his face even closer, ''Are you kidding me? Your face is hot as well!''
''Thanks! Er... I mean-'' I stuttered, realising my mistake.
''Don't worry, Sapphire,'' He said, all of a sudden, ''I know you have fallen for me, it's obvious.''
''I haven't!'' I muttered through my teeth, becoming uncertain for some reason.
''Stop it! I've known for a while now. Let's ride off to the sunset together.'' He said, pointing at a horse that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere.
He took my hand and pulled me up, running to the horse and helping me get on it.
When he turned around, our faces were so close.
For some reason, I didn't want to push him away, or jump off of the horse. Instead, I felt myself leaning in-
''Sapphire!''
''Hm...'' I said, opening up my eyes.
Ruby was sitting in front of me, waving his hand in front of my face.
''What were you doing?''
''Er... Nothing!''
''You sure? For some reason you kept saying my name... -Like twenty times!''
''I was... Er...'' I stammered, but mentally I smacked myself on the head. Of course it had been a dream, I wouldn't want to kiss that sissy in real life. Seriously, what was I thinking?
The raven haired teen just sighed, and leaned back, resting on his elbows.
Until he seemed to notice something on my clothes, looked down at his own and sat up straight again.
''Hey, look!'' He exclaimed, ''You're ruby, and I'm sapphire!''
As I looked down at my clothes and looked at his, I noticed he was, indeed, covered in sapphire colored paint. My clothes were splattered with the same paint, but ruby colored.
For some reason his remark made me smile, ''You're right!''
As we got up, I bit my lip. The dream was more than a cheesy chickflick scene with me and Ruby as the main characters. It also made me realise what a great friend Ruby had been to me.
I didn't want to stop being his best friend.
But, to be his best friend again, I had to put my pride aside.
Which was hard, truly hard. I didn't like to admit it, but I knew it was true.
I had never met somebody with more pride than myself.
...Except for Ruby.
He was proud, too. I bet he wouldn't have been able to bring himself to apologize to me if he were in my shoes.
I took a deep breath and looked up at him, ''I'm sorry.''
His eyes widened, ''you are what?''
''I said I am sorry. I was stupid for being mad at you for so long. I want us to be friends again.''
He rubbed the back of his head nervously, but then smiled and said, ''You're forgiven.''
After that I was so happy I was sure I could have made a victory dance.
Luckily I could stop myself just in time.
I was also sure I would have been able to hug him.
Too bad I couldn't stop myself before I did that.
Before I knew it, I had put my arms around him and pulled him closer with force only I could proceed.
He staggered, but when he regained his balance put his arms around my waist.
I'm not sure how long we stood there like that. It could have been a few seconds, or maybe a few minutes or an hour.
All I knew is that we didn't break apart until we heard loud bangs on the door and Emerald barged in.
''You guys! I wanted to tell you we'll be leaving in about half an hour and you can take a quick break- Ew!'' The blonde shouted, as he noticed us.
''Well, technically, we had one.'' Ruby remarked.
Emerald's eye twitched, but he didn't react on Ruby's comment. He just walked out of the room, muttering something that sounded like, ''Just be outside in half an hour.''
After Emerald had slammed the door shut, his words sunk in.
''Crap! That means we have a half an hour before we're going home!" I yelled.
Ruby appeared to be in deep thought, because he snapped his fingers, and said, ''We can do it, if we do it together. It'd be best if you paint the rest of the walls, because you're quicker. I could smoothen everything out and cover the white parts.''
I nodded.
He held up his hand for a high five, and I smacked it with mine.
We had succeeded in finishing painting the room and arrive at the meeting point in time.
I noticed Blue and greeted her. She was leaning against an iron lamp pole with her arms crossed and an annoyed expression on her face. I noticed she was, just like me and Ruby, covered in paint.
The only difference was that the entire right half of her face was blue, as well as her hair, making some strands of hair stick out strangely.
''You guys had a paint fight as well?'' I asked the brunette, pointing at the paint on my fingers and face. The rest of my body had been protected by the painting clothes.
''Nope,'' Blue answered, ''I tripped over the doorstep and fell head-first into my paint bucket.''
I thought she was being sarcastic at first, but the look on her face proved that that she told the truth.
Somehow managing to keep a straight face, we entered the bus and sat down next to each other.
I couldn't help but think about Ruby the whole way back, and wondering how I had been expecting to hold out without my best friend.
Because that's what he was.
Look at that shiny button! Doesn't it make you want to click it?
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