diet coke » sex education

11

When Ruby arrived home, she saw her mother waiting for her on the couch. Her father was passed out in his bedroom from smoking another joint. There was a look of disappointment on her mother's face, as it was after dark. "Is there a new after-school activity I don't know about?" Her mother demands as Ruby places her bag on the floor.

"No," Ruby says shaking her head. "A friend was just needing some company after some drama that occurred after school."

Her mother crosses her arms against her chest. "Ruby, you know I don't like the lies." She mutters. "There was a report of you conducting very inappropriate behavior with that Milburn boy in your after-school detention."

It clicks in Ruby's brain, Eric must've told a teacher about the encounter that made her punishment worth it. The memory is still burned in her thoughts as she sits back on the couch, her head hanging low. "I don't know what you're talking about mum." She says in a quiet voice.

Her mother was fed up with the current attitude she was receiving from her teenage daughter. She had raised her better than how she was acting out. "I'm sick of this behavior!" Her mother raises her voice. "You're grounded!"

"For what?" Ruby demands, raising her tone.

"For your rotten attitude and thinking it's alright to just hook up with strange boys in the middle of school. You're lucky you haven't been suspended!" Her mother reminds her. "So you can wave goodbye to your cellphone and any other electronics you have hidden around."

"That's not fair! I need my computer for school." Ruby tries to stick up for herself, she was hoping her mother would cave to just one remaining electronic.

"Your handwriting should be sufficient enough for your teachers." Her mother warns her. "You can survive the rest of the month without them and there will be no more freedom until you learn Ruby!"

Ruby knew with her mother working long hours, she would be able to sneak out of the house easily. "Your father is baking me up on this, so from now on you'll be going straight to school and back!"

Ruby screams in frustration, stomping her feet to her bedroom door, before slamming it shut. She looks around her bedroom to see her laptop had already been taken from her desk, she had already surrendered her phone to her mother, not wanting to extend the grounding. 

This was all Eric's fault.

Ruby was bitter about that.

Eric was going to learn, he messed with the wrong girl!

When the sun rose the next morning, Ruby was shocked to see her mother cooking breakfast in the small kitchen. Ruby avoided the presence of her mother, although she strikes up a conversation before Ruby can escape the house. "Ruby, I think we need to take a trip to the clinic this afternoon to get you on some form of birth control, since I cannot stop you from being sexually active I do want to prevent a grandchild." 

Ruby's cheeks flush bright red. This was not the conversation she wanted to have with her mother, she thought she was successfully avoiding any such topic and would be free until after she moved out. "Isn't the guy wrapping it enough?" Ruby asks bitterly, avoiding eye contact.

"No, never one hundred percent. You're in the final year of schooling, you need to be focusing on getting into university not worrying about teenage pregnancy." She says. "You're lucky I'm not transferring you to the catholic school in the next town over, your father had vouched for Otis being a respectful gentleman." 

"Great," Ruby says sarcastically. "Am I free to go to school?" 

"Yes, but hurry back home. I've already made the appointment with the nurse after school." Her mother reminds her as Ruby hurries out of the house. The mother and daughter relationship had never been easy, with the stress of her father's condition. Ruby felt like she was raising herself.

When Ruby finally arrived at school, she avoided her two best friends and made her way over to where both Eric and Otis were standing. They were locking their bikes up. Ruby had plastered a lot of confidence up as she had a dark glare on her face. "Aren't you the little tattle-tale Tromboner?" Ruby challenges, making Eric turn around with shock.

"Maybe you shouldn't be so much of a bitch." Eric defends himself throwing his bag over his shoulder. His face remains expressionless. "Did mummy and daddy tell you off? Did you get your allowance cut?"

There is a sarcastic laugh from Ruby. "I guess Anwar was right, you are a bit of a perv. His nickname for you really does stand, El Pervo." There is a glare back from Eric.

"Alright!" Otis calls from in between the pair. "Let's calm down before someone gets hurt."

Otis felt conflicted about the situation, Ruby looks confused at the boy. Yet Otis still didn't hate his best friend for telling a teacher the situation. Otis himself was grounded and had his own electronics taken off him. "Otis, you're adorable," Ruby says patting his shoulder. "But Eric messed with the wrong girl."

"I'm not afraid of you Ruby, deep down you're just a whiny girl who acts like a brat when she doesn't get her own way!" Eric calls out. "And it's unfortunate you can't Photoshop your ugly personality." 

There is a small look of shock on Ruby's face as a crowd gathers around the conflict. "I'm sorry. Was that comment meant to offend me? The only thing offending me right now is your face." Ruby begins. "I'd smack you, but that would be animal abuse."

There is a chant of praise from the crowd.

"Ruby, please." Otis pleads with the girl who had her focus solely on Eric standing in front of her.

"Keep talking. Someday, you might actually say something intelligent." Eric says, which agitates Ruby even further.

"Eric, stop!" Otis yells.

"No Otis, someone needs to put Ruby Matthews in her spot, there are many things she doesn't understand, yet her brain would be too small to comprehend the whole story. She'd rather just believe the first person that opens their mouth." Eric taunts. "Yet I think that's how she usually gets her own way, opening her mouth for any suspecting guy that gives her attention." 

"Fuck you, Eric!" 

"That's what your dad said last night!" 

With the mention of her father Ruby reacts with a fit of anger and slaps Eric across the face. The force catching Eric off guard, yet he manages to react quickly while Ruby is standing there shocked, as Eric pushes the girl to the ground with strength.

Eric stands over the girl, pushing Otis behind him, and taunts the girl as she had hit her head on the edge of a concrete pillar. "I'm sorry I hurt your feelings, Ruby. I thought you already knew you were a sociopath."

Ruby's hand shakily feels the back of her head where she feels the warmness of blood drain onto her hands. "Eric!" Otis warns before bending over to make sure the girl was alright.

Ruby was in a state of shock as the word blurs around her as a few teachers break up the crowds and escort Eric straight to the office. Another see of teachers helps Ruby to her feet and order, Otis, to report to the office himself.