Ruby: A Different Path

Chapter Three

        "I know we don't really get along but I really want to at least try to get to know you better and I'm sorry about Yang being rude so I thought maybe we could go get lunch somewhere and talk?" Ruby blurted in what felt like an incredibly awkward manner.

        She could see Cardin weighing being stuck with her and getting a free meal. Finally he rolled his eyes and sighed. "Fine. Whatever."

        "Yay!" She grinned, though it faltered when he looked at her as if she had sprouted two new heads and a third arm. "Uhh... sorry."

        "Have you noticed most team leaders tend to act with more decorum?" He asked snarkily as he began sauntering in the direction of town.

        "Well, yeah, but I figure decorum... enthusiasm... Close enough." She proclaimed with a cheerful grin but again it fell away under his disgusted look. "....or .....not."

        "This is exactly the problem, kid. You aren't taking any of this seriously. You may be designated as our leader but you're still just a little girl trying to hold things together with cookies and jokes." He glared at her and she felt like like a tiny bug under the inspection of those eyes.

        "...but... cookies are good..." She protested weakly.

        "It's not about the cookies!" He yelled, falling silent as they walked. They were almost to town when he spoke again. "We can't trust you. That's the problem."

        "Of course you can trust me!" It came out louder than she expected. "I didn't choose to be leader and I don't intend to abuse it. I want us to be a real team that works together and that means we should all trust each other. Especially you and me. We're partners and have to trust each other with our lives!"

        "You just don't get it, do you?" He sneered, turning down a side street. "You're a goodie-two-shoes little kid, little miss 'skipped ahead'. You'll do anything to have the teacher's approval."

        "That's not true!" Is it? She wished there was more confidence in her protest. Of course she wanted the teachers to like her. She wanted everyone to like her, who didn't?

        "Really?" He turned to face her. "Prove it."

        She stumbled to a stop, tensing as he reached under his chestplate... and retrieved a flask. He took a swig and held it out to her. She looked at it uncertainly, they were both too young to be drinking anything kept in a concealed flask.

        "Want me to trust you or not?" He asked, the first traces of a smile appearing as she took it from him. Reluctantly she took a small sip and immediately began coughing as the sweet liquid lit her throat on fire. "It's pretty good if you can get past the burn."

        "Y-yeah...." She said uncertainly, handing it back. After the fire subsided she was able to agree with more honesty, it had a really nice fruity flavor.

        Cardin relaxed a little and motioned for her to follow, leading her to a garden wall behind an abandoned house on a hill. After getting settled and taking another drink he tossed the flask back to her.

        Sighing unhappily, she sat next to him and took another small drink. She was expecting the burn and didn't cough this time but she made sure to drink less than him.

        "I should have been the leader." He said bitterly after the flask had been passed a few times.

        "I was just as shocked as you were." She sighed. "I didn't want to cause problems or upset anyone."