Chapter 24: Chapter 24

RUBY.

I was not allowed to step foot outside the house for like two days until I repeatedly assured both my parents and Toby's that I wasn't going to runnaway again. My dad came crying, same with Lola, telling me to do this for them.

I was finally allowed out on the third day even though my bodyguards tripled and the threats multiplied. My international passport was nowhere to be found and I couldn't even go to anywhere without been followed not even the toilet. A female bodyguard was always in there with me, Toby took it all to a whole new level and if I say I was shocked, that'd be a lie because to be honest, knowing that devil and his father, I thought they'd do worse.

I walked into our penthouse just as soon as I was back from school and I was feeling very happy for the first time in days when I walked in on Yasmin right in the huge living room, in nothing but some flimsy night gown.

'Yea. Way to ruin a beautiful day.'

I rolled my eyes and was about to just ignore her whole existence when she obstructed my way as I had expected, it was Yasmin Blake afterall, the same bully and egoistic bitch I had in my highschool. It might be so unbelievable but then even I can't believe that I used to be friends with her even if it was just for a few weeks. The way she switched needed to be studied.

"Hy Yasmin." I simply greeted when she wouldn't get the heck out of my face.

"Hello, uglyduck. Look at you prancing around with bodyguards, cars and all. I'm sure you must feel like you've arrived even though you clearly snatched all that isn't yours." She said, illiciting yet another eye roll from me.

"Yasmin, you always think everyone is taking something away from you even when they aren't. I don't even care about whatever it is I took from you, can you leave my way, please? I have more important things to do than this." I replied. Yasmin had a wide eyed expression on her face and I wasn't even surprised, on a normal day, especially back in school, I would always remain mute while Yasmin talked, I would always allow her dip my head in the stinky toilet seats and I would always beg her do much like she was a freaking goddess whenever she and her minions tried to get in my space.

But she needed to know that seventeen year old Ruby is different from the twenty three year old one, six years is a huge difference.

"Ouuuuu! Looks like the duck grew a tongue! Is it the new status, the fans, the money, the fame? Do you, Ruby Coker popularly known as stinkyface, fatass and uglyduck think you can talk right back at me just because you attained a high status? Do I need to show you where you belong? Are you aware that you are still trash? You can dress up in the most expensive designers as much as you want, duck, it still doesn't change the fact that a pig is a pig no matter what it is dressed in and that, Ruby, is exactly what you are!" She said, her voice getting higher and higher.

"If there is anyone between us who should know their place, you know it isn't me, Yasmin. Have you seen news about you? You can live in delusions all you want, it doesn't change the fact that I'm the wife and you are the mistress as of now. Know your place too, Yasmin and leave me the hell alone." I concluded, attempting to get out of what was becoming a mess when she of course, pushed me back.

She then bursted into an hysterical laughter that left me staring at her like she was some mad woman, "wife? You? Aren't you even ashamed of yourself? Open your eyes, duck, you're literally with a man who hates your very existence. You only exist on paper, I am the real deal, the one for him. After the election is done, he'll divorce your stupid ass and be with me. You don't even matter, you're just a means to an end, stop giving yourself so much importance."

I felt like laughing at what she said but I only chuckled. The delusional person amongst us was both was obvious and she was refusing to see it. I found myself going down the memory lane as I suddenly remembered the first time I met her.

I remember being in the classroom that day when a beautiful yet meek and shy girl walked in. A gang of my troublesome classmates unwillingly wearing the school uniform could be seen performing the rebellious act of tying their burgundy jackets around their waists, against the school’s policies.

While taking advantage of not being under surveillance by a teacher, they pulled out their prohibited mobile phones and the sound of camera shutters clicking against each other filled the room, as they ridiculously posed for pictures using unrecognizable facial expressions. Another set of them were blaring ear-splitting music whilst drumming powerfully on the desks, producing a deafening sound that could be heard through the corridors.

Paper airplanes were being manufactured with great precision at one end of the classroom and flown to the other end, hitting several annoyed classmates on the way and earning a good amount of foul-mouthed words in return. In the corner of the room, a set of studious mates just like me wearing large circular black-rimmed glasses, snorted loudly as they laughed while wheezing constantly.

Nobody seemed to notice that she was new, unfamiliar or anything. Nobody even noticed her entrance, Flora, a typical popular girl, a classmate of ours back then even walked in and bumped into her rudely, causing her bag to fall letting the contents of it to fall out. This action caused everyone to look towards her, the new girl and Flora being an attention seeker that she was snapped at her for being in her way and even went as far as pouring out the content of her food flask which was right on the floor.

The whole class dramatically whisked up there noses in disgust as if what was in it was poo while she still kept her head down. They had even started to laugh and call her names as it was obvious that she wasn't as rich as we were. I couldn't take anymore of the humiliation she was going through so I had walked up to her, I bent down and started to help her pack her stuffs while my classmates just went back to their previous activities like they hadn't done anything.

"I apologize on behalf of my classmates, what is your name?" I said, giving her a reassuring smile, I didn't miss the tears on her face as she collected them from me while we both stood up.

"Yasmin. Yasmin Blake." She had responded in a very quiet tone.

I extended my right hand to her for a handshake, "I'm Ruby Coker, welcome to Daniel's Private School." I said as she took my hands in hers with the biggest smile on her face.

Looking at how we went from that to this, I couldn't help but give a sad smile. Seeing a naked Toby coming out of his room got me out of my memory lane as I stared at his chiseled abs. Yasmin immediately rushed to him, rubbing and kissing him while I simply averted my eyes, "baby, the uglyduck has been saying all sorts to me in your absence." She whined like baby.

I simply rolled my eyes at her little attempt at getting me jealous and just walked past the both of them and then as if I had just remembered something, I reversed and turned towards them, "that reminds me, learn to keep your dog chained, housemate, especially untrained ones, nobody likes poop stinking around the house." I said before sauntering into my room, leaving shocked faces behind.