Ruby was ecstatic when her sister, Crystal, dropped her off at the Freeman Community Center. Both sisters were well aware of how dangerous Chicago could be. However, they'd both been assured that the community center was safe for the local kids to hang out.
Ruby's new group of friends were already waiting for her. She noted that each was wearing a different outfit than the day before. Again, clothes were foreign to Ruby and her people since they didn't wear them themselves.
She knew she needed to add some new clothes to her disguise, but no one had said anything about her wardrobe for now. She quickly hugged her friends. "We're so glad you could make it, Ruby!" Chrissy replied happily.
Ruby pulled out of the hug. "I'm thrilled to be here, too! So your mother works here? What about your father?" She immediately felt horrible when Chrissy's eyes started to fill with tears.
Cornelia took charge. "It's okay, Chrissy. She didn't mean any harm. Remember, we've not told her much concerning our families, remember?" the blue-haired girl gently reminded their friend.
"I know," as Chrissy wiped her tears away. "I just miss him a lot when he's away."
Ruby looked positively embarrassed, "Did I say something wrong? If so, I didn't mean to say anything cruel."
Chrissy got it together before explaining it to her new friend. "You didn't say anything deliberately wrong, Ruby. My dad, Neil, is in the Navy and shipped out before school started.
I'm honored my father serves our country faithfully. He's a good man and my hero. It's just tough to deal with his long absences occasionally."
"Oh, well, if it's any comfort, I miss my parents. Since their jobs are the reason I'm staying with my sister right now. My mother is a prestigious doctor, and my dad is a phenomenal scientist.
They're also on long-term assignments. Which, again, is why I'm staying with my older sister and her boyfriend."
Arnette cleared his throat before suggesting they head to the lunchroom in the community center. Everyone agreed, and as they headed to the lunchroom, Chrissy happily pointed out the different things in the community center.
The Freeman Community Center's first floor had an enormous gymnasium for different sports. Plus also a pool and sauna. The lunchroom and offices were on the ground floor, too.
The second floor consisted of various rooms for multiple classes, daycare, and counseling. They even had a small book room. The homeless families stayed on the third floor while Mrs. Hanshaw and her staff did their best to help them.
Everyone got a turkey and cheese sandwich along with a chocolate malt. Ruby's new friends told her more about their families as they ate, which she listened to with great interest.
She learned both Arnette and Arsenio didn't have mothers. Arnette's mother cheated on his father, who was a powerful businessman. So he divorced her, and she left for California, never wanting to see Arnette or his older sister Iola again.
Arsenio's mother had passed when he was young. She'd come from a relatively wealthy Greek family. However, she'd been disowned for marrying his father, Lionel, because he wasn't Greek but Hispanic.
So, he'd been raised solely by his father, which sometimes made him angry. However, he also realized if his maternal family were just ignorant racist individuals, he was better off without them.
Cornelia explained her father also traveled a lot. He provided onsite tech work for a large corporation. The family would go with him during the summer for an extended vacation. But during the school year, where he could be gone up to three months at a time? She and her older sister were in the care of their mother.
Around this time, Daeshawna Hanshaw checked on her daughter and her friends. Ruby had never seen anyone with hair as outlandish as Chrissy's mother. It was long, wild, and untamed.
Several different streaks of colors zigzagged through the tangled ebony frizz. While quite beautiful, Daeshawna was also dressed wildly. Her white shirt had hand-painted rainbow swirls, and she wore black cargo pants with hand-painted platform sneakers.
Daeshawna noticed Ruby's surprised expression. "I guess you didn't envision me looking like this?" she asked in a kind voice.
Ruby shook her head before saying, "I love the creativity in the outfit; it's just not something I've seen before. Back in my hometown, we're not into clothes."
"So your hometown is simpler. I take it?" Daeshawna asked. She hoped that was the case and this young girl wasn't part of a nudist colony.
"Yes, we don't dress so flamboyantly back home. But I love all your homemade jewelry! Can you teach me to do it sometime?"
"I'll be glad to help you or any of my daughter's friends in any way possible. However, I came to see how my youngest daughter was doing," the African American woman turned to her daughter.
"Is everything alright, Chrissy?" she asked, knowing her daughter wasn't happy with her dad gone again.
"I'm fine, Mom! I just wanted to show my new friend, Ruby, around. Since all four of us spend a lot of time here," answered her youngest daughter.
"Okay, I'm sorry I butted in. However, I require Ruby's emergency information in case something happens."
"My older sister thought as much. So here it is," Ruby handed the flamboyant woman a small notebook with all the information she needed.
"Thank you, Ruby. I know this may seem intrusive, but as its my community center, I'm responsible for everyone in it. And I'm sure you understand why I need information like this to avoid liability or get help when needed."
'It's not a problem, Mrs. Hanshaw. My sister will pick me up at 4:30. Meanwhile, Chrissy has volunteered to help me learn to play volleyball."
"Yes, we're about to start a small game, Mom."
"Okay, well, have fun! Again, if any of you need something, don't be afraid to ask," she smiled as she left the cafeteria.
Chrissy sighed before looking at Ruby apologetically, "My mom is super cool, but she can be a tad bit overprotective whenever my father's not home."
"It only means she cares very much," Ruby replied as the group headed to the gym to play volleyball. They did notice that it would be uneven since there were five players, but to their surprise, two other girls asked if they could join them.
One was Eve's little sister Gem. She may've been rocking a cyberpunk look, but she admitted she also enjoyed playing sports. She introduced her cousin Hinda Zander, who was reasonably pretty.
She agreed to be the referee while they played, as she wasn't into sports. So the group was having a good time till half an hour before Crystal would be there to pick her sister up.
The seven kids were talking when they heard the loud sounds of someone wearing heeled boots storming over to them. They looked up and saw a girl dressed rather inappropriately for her age with pink curly hair. Her black shirt and pink skirt were far too short, and no preteen should wear boots as high as she was.
"GEMMA! HINDA! WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU TWO BEEN FOR THE LAST HOUR?! YOU WERE SUPPOSE TO BE HELPING ME WITH MY HOMEWORK!" the pink-haired girl screamed.
Everyone was quiet momentarily before Ruby stood up despite everyone silently protesting. "Your friends were just enjoying playing volleyball with us. I'm sure they didn't mean to ditch you."
"Why don't you mind your business, savage?" the pink-haired girl snapped back at her.
"Excuse me?" Ruby asked. She recognized the girl was insulting her but didn't know why.
"Why don't you run back to your tepee? After all, you don't belong here!"
"That's enough! Venus, mind your manners, or I will get my mother to call your parents!" threatened Chrissy.
"Oh, so you're going to go crying to mommy? I'm not afraid of your mother!" Venus snapped.
"No, but what would your parents do to you?" Arnette spoke up as he stood in front of his friends.
"We all know your father has zero problems giving you dentition at school. Or your mother taking away your privileges at home. Besides, you've been warned twice about having others do your homework for you!" Arsenio also stood up and shielded Gem and Hinda.
"Why don't you buzz off, freak? Hinda and Gemma are my friends. You have no right to tell me what to do with my friends!" Venus again snapped back.
All this time, Gem and Hinda looked very frightened by Venus's aggressive behavior, and Ruby stood up to her. "Friends aren't enslaved, nor are they possessions. True friendship isn't like that," Ruby started to say before Venus shoved her to the ground.
"Stay out of it, Savage! You and the rest of your freaky friends can mind your own business," she snarled before she turned to face Gem and Hinda, who were cowering. "You two get your butts back upstairs this minute so we can finish our homework!"
The girls trembled before running to do as Venus said. She smirked before walking away. Cornelia helped Ruby up. "We're all hoping you didn't have to meet Venus Vandom while you were here."
"Wait? Vandom? Like our principal or my sister's boyfriend's boss?" Ruby asked, bewildered.
"The same. She's their youngest daughter. An entitled spoiled brat and full-on narc! Not that there is anything external feeding it. But even seeing my mother, one of the best child psychologists in Chicago, hasn't changed her tune."
Shortly afterward, Ruby was taken home, where she had much to discuss with her sister.