for you

Part 33

ethan's pov

My friendship with Ruby became more and more special as the days went by. We talked everyday, I came over to her house more frequently and the best moments of my life are shared with her. I also got to learn a lot more stuff about her; like how she loves spicy food, especially the Korean Spicy Noodles in carbonara flavour. She hates vegetables and has never tried many types of fruits before. 

Like pineapple. She has never tried pineapple before. And she's not planning to. 

Her style is all over the place and she hates wearing socks. She doesn't like listening to music when she studies and likes soft, sweet music in general. 

Oh and she has a really loud laugh. Which makes you wanna laugh. 

We both realised that we haven't done a single thing regarding our APUSH project and it had to be handed in tomorrow. So I invited her to come over to my place instead of hers after school so that we can properly work on it. 

She sat at the back of my bicycle as I cycled back home. We entered my house and went straight to my room. 

"Is Hazel home?" she asks. 

"No, she has some school stuff to do so she's coming back a bit late." 

"Ah I see." She sat on my chair and I laid down on my bed. "You both are cousins right?"

"Yep."

"Why are you living with your cousin instead of your parents?"

I fell silent. I wasn't mentally prepared to tell my story to anyone yet. Or ever. I never was but I knew if we get closer she would most probably find out sooner or later.

"If you don't feel comfortable answering that it's totally fine."

"No no, I'll tell." I sat up on my bed and faced her, but my eyes on the ground. I felt her scooting closer towards me.

"I've only ever told this once, and that was to Hazel like years ago. But I'll tell you. Basically" I took a deep breath. "-my mom is in jail."

Her eyes widened. "Why? What did she do?"

"She was a serial killer that worked as a prostitute. You could imagine what she'll do after a one night stand with her customers. I guess one of the guys' condom broke or something and my mom became pregnant.

She had originally planned to kill me once she gives birth to me for the satisfaction of it but she got caught and thrown into jail so she was watched every single day to make sure she does me no harm. When she gave birth to me, she became soft. She treated me like the most fragile being on earth. 

But because my mom's jail sentence in for 11 years according to law she had to let me go by the time I turned three. So she did. She should have been freed by now but she tried to escape jail two times so her sentence got extended to another four years."

Ruby had an attentive expression on her face. Her eyes were so deep into the story and her forehead wrinkled a bit from frowning. It was her 'I'm listening' expression and I'm glad I'm the one she's listening to. 

"Remember the hot chocolate recipe I taught you?" I added. 

"Yeah." 

"My mom sneaked into the kitchen one day with the help of one of the cafeteria ladies and she taught me how to make the drink." 

flashback

"Careful, it's hot." I nodded and slowly sipped on the drink. My face lit up and gave her a thumbs up as an approval. 

"It's good?" 

"Yes! I love it" I smiled. 

 She returns the smile. "You remember the recipe don't you?"

"Yes, three tablespoons of cocoa powder, two table spoons of sugar, some water, stir, add milk" I repeated. 

"Smart boy!" she smiles and gives me a high five. 

"I wanna learn more recipes Mama. Teach me more!" 

Her face suddenly turns into a frown. She looked scared, and terribly sad. But she wiped it all off with that beautiful smile of hers.

"I'll teach you more soon. But not today, we can only be here for a short time until we have to go back to our cell."

I pouted. "Do you promise you'll teach me more?" I said as I held out my pinky.

Through the darkness of the kitchen I could see a tear formed in her eyes.

"I promise" she says and we intertwined pinkies. "Hurry and finish your hot chocolate before we get caught." I nodded and downed the whole thing. 

end of flashback

"So yeah, that's pretty much it. I stayed in a foster home for about a year or so and now I live with my ignorant as fuck uncle who only cares about Hazel. Which I don't blame.

I've been devastated for the first few years after that but I kinda learned to live with it" I nodded to myself, telling myself that she'll come back soon. That this sadness won't be here forever. 

Suddenly, I felt a pair of arms pulling me into an embrace. 

"It's okay" she strokes my back. "She'll come back before you know it and you won't be sad forever. Besides you have me now" she says in a soothing voice. The kind of voice I never knew I've needed to hear this whole time to make me feel a hundred times better. 

I closed my eyes and enjoyed her warmth that engulfed me.

She soon pulls away and I fight the urge to pull her into another hug.