-OH HOLD/HIATUS- A kiss from my crush

Chapter 18: Sakura

----INGRIDS POV:----

I decided to go for a walk when my phone buzzed. I'd kept my Instagram and Facebook so that he could see what he was missing out on. I had a pack of cigarettes in hand and one dangling, lit, from my deeply red coloured lips. 

thetrumanjack just liked your post.

ammylicous: INGRID ROSE HELLIER FUCKING TEXT ME BACK! I DIDNT DO ANYTHING

ammylicous:INGRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIID

I hit the off button and continued walking down the packed street. My phone started to ring. It was the basic chime for Apple. It was dad, tapping the green pick up button, I hold the phone to my ear.

"Hey dad. What's up?" I ask, now holding the cigarette between my index and middle finger on my left hand, the phone being pressed to my ear with my right.

"Can you come back to the hotel, now? We need to talk." He says, his voice cracking over the phone.

"What did I do?"

"You didn't do anything. We.....just have news."

"K. See ya in 10. Bye."

"Bye."

I drop the still lit cigarette onto the ground and stomp on it, driving the glowing tip into the pavement. I spin around, the cigarette box in hand. As I walk briskly back to the hotel, I pass a bin, I chuck the packet into it. Pulling my favourite peach perfume from my bag, I spray it over myself to mask the smell of nicotine and smokes. People passing by barely spare me a glance. As I walk into the lobby if the hotel, I see my family plus 2 people I've never seen nor met before. Mum and dad are in a hated conversation with a tan skinned man, his black hair buzzed to a cut similar to dads. A pretty Asian girl with brown hair stands awkwardly with Lacey, Abbie pulls at her tunic shirt and Emily has her nose buried in a book. The Asian girl looks up and sees me. Disconnecting herself from my sisters, she confidently strides towards me.

"Hey, I'm Ruth." She says, Aussie accent prominent, hand outstretched.

"Charmed. Rose." I say, returning the jesture. I continue over to my parents.

"Dad, what's up?" I ask, chipping some of the week old nail polish off my thumb.

"Ah, Rosie. Here she is." Dad says, addressing the man. He looks up, deep brown eyes with an almond shape, rounded face with sharp features. I see some resemblance between him and Ruth.

"Rosie, this is Keith Gao. He's Ruth's dad." Keith extends a hand, she same jesture his daughter gave. Again, I shake. Keith turns back to my parents. Mum smiles.

"So Rosie. I see you've met Ruth. Ruth is coming to live with us for 2 years." Mum says, dad nods in the background.

"WHAT?!" Ruth and I say simultaneously.

"Well, Ruth and I have been living here for nearly 5 years. I....desire her to return to Australia and continue her schooling there until I can join her. We've been her for....too long." Keith says. I look to Ruth, betrayal in her eyes, her mouth hanging open with unwanted surprise.

"Girls. Come here." My dad says, addressing my sisters form across the room. The come over, Lacey's famous eye roll in progress. "I have to go back to Afghanistan early. Which cuts your trip short." 

Lacey gasps. Emily retracts her nose from the book. Abbie's eyes start to fill with tears. Mum looks shocked.

"Ruth will return with you. So consider it....as an exchange with out the actual exchange. And sorry for the shot notice. I got the news yesterday." Dad says sheepishly.

"Whe-when do we go back?" Lacey asks bravely.

"Day after tomorrow...." Dad says.

"Ruth's bags are already packed." Keith piped up. 

"Daaaad...don't do this to me. It's been us for years. Why leave me now?" Ruth asks, her voice quivering. Keith shakes his head.

"Later, child." Is all he says.

"Well, this is what it is now. Let's accept it. Welcome to the family, Ruth. Now I'm gonna go upstairs." I huff. Walking towards the elevator. I hear footsteps behind me. The stainless steel doors of the elevator open and I walk in, turning to press the floor button, I see Ruth has followed me.

"Hey." She breathes.

"Hey, again." I reply. The doors close with a ding and I feel the familiar pressure of the elevator going up. This is gonna be a weird year.

----JACKS POV:----

She didn't even see that I liked it. I'm scrolling through her profile again. A notification band runs across the top of my phone. Tapping it, it takes me to my following page. It has a new picture from Ingrid. She looks beautiful and my heart breaks looking at it. She seems like nothing happened, minus talking to me and Ammy. Her smile is wide and crinkles around her eyes adorably, her nose scrunched up slightly. The Asian girl beside her is wildly attractive and completely alien. Her hair twisted into a bun on the crown of her head, green eyes shining with mirth, she has her nose pressed into Ingrids cheek, a clear smile on her profile. I look at the picture for what seems like ages, before tearing my eyes away. It stirs feelings that I'd not forgotten but hoped to shake. Damn, Jack, when did you become so poetic? What happened, bro? My mind inquired. There was an uneasiness digging low in my gut as I scrolled to look at the caption of the picture.

'Ruthie!!!! ruthiecassgao!!! Welcome to the fam! Arriving back in Australia with this girl in a couple days! Watch out Clayeidge High, we're coming for ya! 😉😂'

What does she mean Clayeidge high?......she can't mean....can she? She wouldn't, 'Ruthie' would of course be going to school with her, but me and Ingrid moved back to St Joan's.....why would she go to Clayeidge.....it's so far away...........