Silver Girls

rusty town

RUBY ADAMS hated her town. It was too small and honestly so boring. Telton was like those small unsuspecting towns that harboured a serial killer. The kind of town that held fairs, arranged pageants and had community bake sales. The kind of town that seemed like it was stuck in the 60s, unable to move past labels.

Everyone knew everyone's business. It was almost impossible to keep a secret in Telton, not with some nosy bitch hanging around to perch her beak into your deepest, darkest obscurity and feed it to her gist hungry birds.

Or a nosy asshole to be exact.

"Why are you always frowning, Ruby?" Jack asked as he slumped on the porch chair, beside Ruby.

She groaned. Jack Pepper was easily the most irritating person she'd ever met. He always crept around her, appearing at moments she wanted to be alone. Moments like this.

"Fuck off jackass." Ruby gave him a bright smile.

He rolled his eyes because of the ironic nickname she'd given him since grade school.

"You're the only one I allow to call me that you know right?" He grinned in a manner that meant she was supposed to feel special.

"Am I suppose to feel special?" She voiced her thoughts.

He nodded. "Obviously."

Instead of replying, Ruby continued to squint at the sun. July was her favourite month in Telton, solely because the sky was like a Broadway show she didn't have to pay for. The clouds were dressed in their best white costumes, yet, it didn't draw the attention away from the sun, no the sun was the star of the show. It was bright and captivating, you knew staring at it was bad for you, but you couldn't help it.

The golden rays of pure bliss melted Ruby's eyeballs into a whole galaxy, where there were infinite stars. Deteriorating her eyesight was truly more exciting than talking to Jack.

Jack pulled his arms to the back his head as he sighed in annoyance. "How do you always look bored to death?" He questioned.

Ruby turned to him with squinted eyes. "Huh?"

"I mean, you always look like you're about to die of boredom. Take for instance, right now, you're staring into the fucking sun, instead of talking to a human being. If that doesn't scream I'm bored out of my mind, I don't know what does," Jack said as he faced her with a genuine look of curiosity.

"Well, maybe you're just not interesting to talk to." She shrugged

"Whatever," he grumbled.

Finally, silence!

Ruby smiled because she loved knowing she annoyed him, annoying Jack was almost as satisfying as staring at the sun, almost. She sneaked a glimpse of what he was doing. He had his eyes closed, with his arms behind his head and his body lazily slumped beside her.

She had to admit he was more appealing when he wasn't talking. Even Ruby wouldn't deny Jack Pepper was fucking hot. He wasn't the kind of handsome you hadn't seen before, as he possessed the generic blue eyes and blonde hair. However, he was determined to rid himself of that pretty boy stereotype, so he cut his previously curly blonde hair and went for that buzz cut that screamed I have an identity crisis.

"I can feel you staring," he mumbled as his eyes fluttered open, revealing his ocean blues.

Ruby asked, "What's wrong with staring?"

"It's weird and unnerving," Jack said in a matter of fact tone.

"Don't be a dramatic brat, jackass," She said, waving him off. Ruby's gaze shifted to the row of similar, white picket-fenced houses with evenly cut lawns and empty trash cans. Gah! Even the houses were boring.

"You know, I have an idea of what can make your life much more interesting," Jack suddenly said, breaking the silence once again.

"Please just shut up, I could tolerate your presence when you were quiet," Ruby said.

"Just hear me out," he whined.

"Fine."

"It's no news that nearly every student becoming a senior this year wants to go to college someplace exciting, like California perhaps," he said.

"So?"

"Well, I know how you could do that without spending a dime," he said, readjusting his seating position so he could completely face Ruby. "Remember that every summer, the mayor gives thirty thousand dollars to the best-behaved townie going into senior year."

Ruby frowned at him. "Could you get to point."

"You're so mean. Anyways, everyone obviously knew that Renee would get the money. But now she isn't here anymore..." Jack gestured for her continue.

The realisation hit her. "Anyone has a chance of getting the money!" She gasped.

Ruby could kick herself for forgetting the whole summer break, best townie fiasco. It was a surreptitious way of keeping the egoistic seventeen to eighteen-year-olds in check during their summer break. But when people like Renee existed in your grade, it would be a particularly hard year, because no one bothered being good since they already knew who would get the money. However, now that the queen had vamoosed, anyone had a chance.

Luckily for Ruby, it seemed like most people had forgotten about it as well.

Even Ruby would admit it was a bit selfish of her to think of planning to take Renee's place, seeing as she left barely a week ago. However, Renee did say someone needed to assume the position of the golden girl, also Ruby desperately need to leave her town and her parents, wouldn't even in a parallel universe, fund her fees for a college upstate.

"You know, this is like the smartest thing you've ever said," Ruby said.

"You're welcome," he said with a sarcastic smile.

"You have to be covert about it, don't let your gal-pals know that you plan on winning the money, because if they find out, eventually everyone will too," Jack added.

Her eyebrows furrowed. "First, no normal human being still says gal-pals. Second, I'm not going to be a sneaky bitch. If I want to win the money I'm definitely telling Amara and Faith, period."

"Well, they will be your biggest competition. I'm just saying that it would be easier for you if they don't know," he said.

Although Jack was beyond annoying, Ruby knew he was right.

"I find it awfully suspicious you would tell me about this. Don't you plan on it winning too?" She asked.

"Nope. It's not like I could spend the thirty grand on anything I wanted. The town council's treasurer makes sure the money goes into your college fund, and I don't plan on going to college, so fuck it. Also, I find satisfaction knowing that you will win," He said, a small smile forming on his lips.

She almost barfed in her mouth. "Never say that again or I will literally cut my own ears off."

Jack shrugged before he got up, releasing a loud yawn. "I'm serious Ruby," he said, stretching his arms. Then he winked at her.

"I hate you," she grumbled.

"No you don't," he said as he walked away.

He was partially right, Ruby definitely didn't hate all of him. He did have a great ass.

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A/N

Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Anyways, don't forget to vote and share as well. Thank you for reading.