End Journeys
Say Now!
Ruby's face was pale. Cold sweat poured from his forehead. Even his shirt collar was soaked in sweat.
"Yes," Penelope replied.
"WHATAAA?!" Ruby shouts.
Penelope again laughed giggling in the middle of Ruby's mood that was shattered. Ava realizes what happened to Ruby. Ava seemed to have the same thought as Ruby.
Ruby's eyes began to glaze over.
"Why?" ask Penelope.
Ruby silence. Lauren looked at Ava. Ava gave the signal to be quiet.
"You like Reno?" ask Penelope.
"Huh? Reno's? No!" ruby said.
Instantly Ruby felt relieved. Ava seemed to hold back her laughter.
"It's not very clear" Lauren said.
Ava and Ruby laughed. Lauren and Penelope don't understand the situation.
"Then how? Did Reno respond to you?" ask Ruby.
"We're just a regular chat" Penelope replied as she showed her chat with Reno.
"It looks like there will be a lot of couples in our class" Ava said.
"much? Who else?" ask Penelope.
"Ah. Yes, I just remembered," Lauren glanced at Ruby with a sharp look while smiling.
"What?" ask Lauren.
"Ruby and Thomas," they then looked at Ruby.
"So you thought I liked Thomas so much that you looked angry?"
Penelope and the others then laughed at the misunderstanding that had just occurred.
"Pray me to be with him" said Penelope.
"Do you really like it?" ask Ava.
"He's different. He fits the criteria of my dream man" Penelope replied.
"What are your criteria like?" ask Ruby.
"There," Penelope took her bag and left after saying goodbye to her three friends.
"Why rush?" ask Ava.
"Me and Lauren have to go to the secretariat" Penelope replied.
They then leave and Ava and Ruby are both left in the cafeteria.
"Then how are you?" ask Ava.
"What?"
"Thomas," Ava is very curious about Ruby's life.
"We're still close but he hasn't declared his love. I mean, he hasn't formalized our relationship."
"Why don't you just inaugurate it?" Ava tried to flirt.
"I'm scared. I'm afraid Thomas only considered me an impingement after Evelyn chose another man" Ruby replied.
"All right, just wait until he formalizes your relationship" said Ava, who did not know what to answer.
***
That afternoon it rained. Ruby was just lounging in her room. Suddenly there was an incoming notification, an invitation to enter a group. It was a group created by Lauren.
"Welcome to the alley" said Lauren.
"What's this?" ask Ruby.
"A group to share only" replied Lauren.
They were talking about Penelope and every few minutes sent a screenshot of her private chat with Reno.
"It looks like you're going to be dating soon" Ava said.
Thomas calls Ruby, but Ruby hasn't picked him up yet Thomas has turned off his phone.
"What's up Thomas?" Ruby sent a message to Thomas amid the excitement of telling stories with his friends.
They chat as usual, talk to each other and discuss things that are not important. The issue of Penelope liking Reno was already heard to Thomas' ears.
"Ruby, Friday do you have time?" ask Thomas.
"It seems there is," replied Ruby.
"I want to take you to my house" said Thomas.
Ruby was surprised. His mind guessed what Thomas really wanted from him. Suddenly Ruby's memories of the incident with Sam cross her mind.
"I'm ashamed" replied Ruby.
"Why?"
"Meet your family" Ruby replied.
"They're not home. It's just the two of us and my brother" Thomas tried to convince.
"Is it okay for me to come to your house? You'd better ask your parents for permission" Ruby suggested.
"definitely. I must have asked them for permission."
"alright. I'm going to your house" Ruby agreed to Thomas' invitation to go to her house.
"I'll pick you up" Thomas and Ruby then make an appointment at what time they'll be gone.
***
The wall clock shows at 11 p.m. As usual, Ruby left for college. Starting today he left for college with Ava. Ava and Ruby were very close, everywhere they went together. In fact, they are nicknamed twins in class because they both have thin bodies and always go together. Even on campus they are inseparable, they are always in the same group when getting group assignments. If they are separated, Ruby and Ava will strategize at any cost so that they can continue together.
They finally arrived at the college. The last midterm exam was held today. All the students were excited because soon it was their "freedom" day.
"Remember sharing the answer" said one of the children sitting in the backseat.
"Thomas is stingy" said Reno.
Thomas just glanced and kept quiet. He looked gloomy, and so did Ruby.
"Nothing" replied Ruby.
"It looks like there's a Korean drama" Ava mocked Ruby.
"No Ava. We're fine" Ruby tried to convince.
"Are we not friends?"
Ava's question made Ruby feel bad. He then plans to tell her what really happened this afternoon because they will be together later.
Lecturers enter the class, midterm exams last day begin...
**
"We are finally free!" reno shouted as he took his bag.
"Let's take a picture together" Evelyn asked.
A class of people agree. Except Ruby who really doesn't like to take pictures. Ruby tells Ava to come along but Ava prefers to accompany Ruby.
"Alright if you don't take pictures, at least come to where we will do the photos," asked Evelyn.
Ava and Ruby looked at each other. Ruby gave her code to follow her friends.
They were photographed on the first floor. Ruby and Ava wait for them at the edge of the fish pond. Ruby felt her mood was starting to not be good.
"It looks like I just want to go home" Ruby told Ava.
"Why?" ask Ava.
"Just want to" Ruby answered briefly.
"Ah I know. You remember when Thomas and Evelyn.." It wasn't over Ava said what she thought, Ruby cut the conversation.
"That's it. I'm the one who's too sensitive" Ruby cut.
"No. If I were in your position too I would be sad. Thomas feels guilty too, right?" said Ava.
Ruby just kept waiting for their friends.
"Now is our chance to keep an eye on them and ensure Thomas' seriousness" Ava suggests Ruby wait until they're done taking pictures.
"All right" replied Ruby.
Thomas who was taking pictures occasionally glanced at Ruby.
"See Thomas. She glanced at you, "Ava tried to tempt Ruby to smile.
Ruby does have a face that seems unfriendly but actually he is very friendly, only he rarely smiles.
"No. He looked the other way, "Ruby replied when he clearly knew that Thomas was indeed glancing at him.
Somehow they even glanced at each other, then Ruby smiled.
"Your mood is very easy to change, yes" said Ava who had noticed the ruby gelagat.
"How could I not be happy to see someone I like smiling at me" Ruby said.
They finally finished the photo show and then they went home.
Ruby and Ava go together to a bookstore to buy a book that they will reference in making papers. Many assignments are given by lecturers and must be collected next week after the midterms are over.
"What happened between you?" Ava starts asking questions because Ruby never tells her what happened between herself and Thomas.
"You remember when I told you yesterday that Thomas took me to his house?"
"Of course remember. Just yesterday you told me," Ava replied.
"I cancelled the plan because tomorrow there's a sudden family event" Ruby said at the heart of the matter.
"Then?" Ava still doesn't understand what's going on.
"It looks like Thomas is angry. Or disappointed? Or scrambling? I don't know, which is obviously not in the mood because of me and it makes me a little frustrated" Ruby said.
"But he glanced at you with a smile" Ava said.
"I haven't called him after college. Is he still angry?" Ruby asked Ava.
"I don't think so. Take your cell phone and let him know" suggested Ava.
Ruby then took her phone which from noon she had not touched at all.
There's been 10 messages from Thomas.
Ruby was very surprised and immediately opened the message sent by Thomas. Ava who always wanted to know Ruby's business a little peek.
It turns out that Thomas was worried because Ruby didn't answer the message. Plus this afternoon Ruby did not take pictures, Thomas thought that Ruby was angry.
Ruby later explained that she did not like taking pictures. And he said that he was going to the bookstore with Ava.
"Why not tell me?" ask Thomas through voice notes.
"I didn't get to take my phone. I thought you weren't gonna ask me the news" replied Ruby.
"Next time tell me if you want to go" said Thomas.
Ava who had noticed just smiled to herself.
"You haven't dated yet but it's like people are dating. Inaugurate," said Ava.
"Wish you all the best for us" replied Ruby.
They continued to look at the book. After getting the book they were looking for, they went home.
***
Nightfall. Heavy rain with strong winds occurred that night. Ruby was home alone because she had a very busy family, so she used to live alone at home.
"Ruby actually I'm taking you to my house because I want to express my feelings directly to you" Thomas said by phone.
Ruby was stunned as well as happy. He was very impatient their relationship was inaugurated into a pair of lovers.
"Why not now?" ask Ruby.
"Yes because I want to say it in front of you directly."
"But I told you that tomorrow I can't go" Ruby tried to get Thomas to formalize their relationship.
They even argue in the rain and the night is getting late. Somehow Ruby felt impatient about formalizing their relationship. While Thomas remained in his position to express love directly in front of Ruby. Ruby is happy with Thomas's bold attitude of expressing love by meeting in person but because tomorrow she can't and Saturday they can't necessarily leave, Ruby feels that the declaration of love will be long overdue.
"Well Thomas if that's what you want. Wait until we really have time to meet but I can't be sure when it's time" Ruby said.
Thomas hung up. Then a notification came in from Thomas.
Ruby's heart skipped a beat, her eyes glazed over. Even her tears are dripping...