A Dirty Game - Chapter 7

Slightly longer for all you AMAZING commenters. I love you all i really do. I'm not gonna get all emotional, but you really make me grin. Thank you all for the lyrics and they are all great but this one i feel really relates to the story. These lyrics are by Darren Manning who is an AWESOME writer on Buzzle - Check him out, his lyrics are great =]

Nessy I'm glad i changed your mind =]
And Sam - Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted disease, like AIDS. I thought it would be more imaginative to use that instead of AIDS lol.

For all life is a dream, and dreams themselves are only dreams.
Pedro Calderon de la Barca
~*~*~*~*

Ruby re-applied lipstick in the mirror and pouted. There hadn't been much damage to her make-up. The door slammed close and her head snapped up. Lauryn walked up to her.
"Hey" she said, leaning against the sink.
"Hi" Ruby smiled and snapped her make up bag shut. She turned to face Lauryn who was looking at her as if trying to work her out.
"What's up?" she prompted. Lauryn sighed and swept her hair away from her face nervously.
"Look...Ruby...You know I think of you as a friend right?" she waited for Ruby to nod.
"And I think of you as a friend too. I mean I've only known you for about, a month, month and a half? And it's not nearly enough time to know you properly. But, and this is only my opinion, I think you're coming on too strong" she paused, but Ruby said nothing.
"Romeo has a girlfriend, and they are serious. If you're trying to come between them, how do I know you won't do it to me? Romeo thinks you're his friend, but really...you're just trying to ruin his life. And your making yourself miserable too".

Ruby took a deep breath, her arms were crossed to hide the fact that she was clenching her fists so hard she was sure she was bleeding. Slowly she forced a smile, but it didn't reach her eyes.

"Lauryn, it's none of your business. I appreciate your concern, but i'm a big girl now. I can take care of myself. And don't worry, I wouldn't steal your boyfriend. You know, the one in the chess club. You have nothing to fear" she added with a smirk.
Lauryn saw it and flushed to the roots of her hair and pulled away from the sink.
"I try to be good to you, I try and try to ignore your insults. But I have had enough! You have no real, true friends. I am the only one who was prepared to give you a chance because I know that no one has EVER tried to get to know you on a deep personal level. But that's me all over. Nice Lauryn, help everyone, never fails to make a fool of herself. I'm not doing it anymore Ruby" she turned, eyes flashing furiously and stalked to the door. Before she turned the handle, she stopped.

"I hope you're happy that you make everyone's life a living hell. You're ruining it all" she said quietly then left.

The door slammed shut. The impact shocked Ruby out of her trance and with a small gasp she turned to the mirror again. She watched as a tear rolled down her cheek. Why did she care? She didn't! Then why was she crying? Because the gateways were open she thought bitterly. Roughly she shoved her hair behind her ears and scrubbed at her cheek. Then she stared at her reflection. She looked happy. She looked radiant. She looked hot. She looked like a rich girl who had everything.
"Do you?" she whispered. Did she really have everything? Was she really happy? The answer pulsed in her mind like a fluorescent sign; No, No, No, No! She tried to shut it out. Of course she was happy. She was beautiful, she was clever, she was rich, she had people who worshipped the ground she walked on. But the question niggled and niggled at her mind until she was crying again, and whipping the drops away as fast as they came.

She was miserable. She had no real friends. Whenever she did go out with a boy, it wasn't real, there was no love involved. She was a bitch. She didn't mean to be. When Brody broke her heart she built a steel wall around it, around her emotions. To protect herself. And boys became a game...a challenge. Romeo was her hardest yet. But Braiden was interfering. He was not annoying her yet because he amused her. But he was forcing her to stray from the task in hand. She felt comfortable around him...too comfortable. That had to stop. But, she bit her lip, was it going to be as easy as she thought? Braiden was one of those loveable types, who got along with everyone, and cheered moods up with one of those gorgeous smiles. She sniffed. She needed to get a grip.

She fluffed her hair up, took a few deep breathes and entered the corridor. Lunch wasn't over yet, and she decided to go back to the tree, surely Braiden was gone by now. But walking across the grass she couldn't tell because there was a big crowd of, mostly girls, standing around it. Curious, she sped up a little. Pushing past people she heard his voice and then she was standing in front of him. Braiden was sitting on the ground, with a guitar in his hands. He glanced up and then smiled. The crowd was chattering lightly, and giggling. There was a lot of giggling.

"Glad you could join us Ruby" he said softly. Then standing up he re-adjusted the position of the guitar in his arms. A stupid image flashed through her mind; him cuddling her with the same love as he did the guitar. She shook her head and frowned. What the hell?

"This is a song I wrote yesterday. I wrote it for," he announced and his gaze flicked to Ruby "someone." Then he smiled a little, blew a strand of curly hair out his face and started strumming. As he stroked the strings with the gentlest of touches he was rewarded with utter silence and he looked down. But when he started to sing, in his utterly beautiful voice, he looked up, at Ruby.

"What am I to say?
What am I to do?
Every time I close my eyes
I think of you
How am I to go?
How am I to picture?
You with him
And him with her
My eyes have never cried so much
But then again you wanna keep in touch"

Ruby was astounded. His voice was gentle, quiet even. But it was strong and deep. And a part of her melted hearing him singing, and seeing him gazing into her eyes.

"I'm gonna
Make it my mission
To get your attention
To get you to stop
And notice me
I want you to know
I want you to love me
I need you to open your eyes
Say your good-byes
Because he's not the one
He's got you undone"

There was too much emotion in his expression, his gaze, his sweet sweet voice. It overwhelmed her. Ruby pushed a hand up against the tree to steady herself. The whole song and his voice was beautiful.

"Well maybe you trying to break them apart
Isn't exactly, the best plan from the start
I don't realize
Why you want him so bad
Sure, he's good looking
But is that all you have
Do you notice the commitment ring on his finger
He'll probably be with her a little longer

I'm gonna
Make it my mission
To get your attention
To get you to stop
And notice me
I want you to know
I want you to love me
I need you to open your eyes
Say your good-byes
Because he's not the one
He's got you undone"

At this he took a deep breath and bit his lip before continuing.

"It may take you while
Maybe you're in denial
Maybe you just don't understand
But then again
I'm not the greatest man
But I'll do what I say
And I'll love you everyday!

I'm gonna
Make it my mission
To get your attention
To get you to stop
And notice me
I want you to know
I want you to love me
I need you to open your eyes
Say your good-byes
Because he's not the one
He's got you undone"

Braiden finished and the air was still. Ruby couldn't breathe. He didn't seem to be either. They were in their own special bubble. Ruby stepped forward, aware that her eyes were itching. He put down his guitar slowly and reached out for her. It seemed like Ruby blinked and she was holding his hand. They were staring at each other, not saying anything. They were leaning forward...achingly slowly...

And then the bubble burst. Laughter, clapping and high pitched talking penetrated the silence, ruined the moment. Ruby drew in a slow breath before looking down at their entwined hands, and just as slowly she pulled away. Something like hurt passed in Braiden's expression but then it was smooth...unreadable. Which scared her. She hadn't once seen him without his cocky grin. She wanted to comfort him, tease that grin out of him. She didn't.

"Did you like it?" he asked, running a hand through his hair.
"Yeah, yeah I loved it" she smiled. She wasn't going to lose the one friend she had left. There was no point in lying. That smile tugged at his lips.
"Really?"
"Yeah! I didn't know you could sing or write that fabulously" she said as he zipped his guitar up. He shrugged.
"I'm alright" he dis-missed. Ruby scoffed but left it. He knew he was amazing. Why boost his ego.
"The question is; are you alright?" he turned towards her.
Ruby avoided his gaze. She swallowed.
"I'm absolutely fine" she answered after a while, daring him to argue with her.
"Okay Ru, if you say so" he sighed wearily and they started walking again.

Braiden was finding it hard to not think about that moment after he had stopped playing. He had been glued to Ruby. He couldn't look away. And when he had reached out for her, well he had been sure she would snort and walk away. But she moved towards him and then just as they were about to kiss, the crowd came crashing down on them. He could've stomped on his guitar in frustration. And when Ruby pulled away, he thought she would laugh at him, tell him exactly what she thought of his obvious song. But she had smiled at him and his heart nearly jumped in his mouth.

He knew she didn't find him as fascinating as he found her. He knew she found it hard to be nice to him. After what he had said to her. But it made him happy all the same to be near to her, to hear that light tinkling laugh that gave him goosebumps. He grinned at the way she flicked her hair out of her eyes and the way she wrinkled her nose. Ruby was a work of art.
And then Romeo called after them, jogged to catch up. And Braiden saw the genuine smile that he loved so much replaced with a sly, flirty grin and his heart sank. Here we go, he thought and then he couldn't help but wish that Romeo would fall into a ditch. Possible one in space.