When I Spoke

Chapter 13- RUBY'S PARTY

The first thing I notice when my mom drops me off in Ruby's drive way is that her house is really big.

The second thing I notice is not really a thing as much as it is a person.

A red-headed woman with a lean frame wearing a sundress is standing outside on the porch.

The house itself is a beauty unspoken of. There are tiny blue lights hanging from the tubes running down the house for water supply, and the windows are made of thick glass.

Of course, it's just a regular house. The only reason I take interest is because of the condition my house is in.

"Hi there!" The woman says when we get closer.

"Hello," my mom says. "You must be Ruby's mother."

"Yes, my name is Campbell. Ruby and the others are downstairs, honey." She says to me.

"Have fun, Nikki." Mom tells me.

Without further ado, I make my way into the large house, closing the glass door behind me. I watch Mom and Campbell talk outside for a moment, stalling for time.

I'm about to turn around when a small finger taps my shoulder. I spin around, startled, to face the little boy in front of me. He has red hair like Ruby and he looks to be about five or six. The same age as Riya.

"Hello." The boy says. "I'm Ryan."

Hi there.

"My sister is mean, because...because she won't lemme go down da stairs."

Aw, poor kid. I decide it's time to face my fear and go down anyway.

I can't exactly say anything to the child, and I'm not sure if he can read that well, so I stroke his head gently as I make my way to a door on the side.

It's already open and I hear music blasting from down there. I also hear voices.

I can still turn back can't I?

"Coley?" Someone shouts from downstairs.

I turn to face Everett all the way on the bottom step, smiling at me.

Hey.

"What are you waiting for?"

I walk down the steps a little slowly, taking in the room when I get down.

There are five other people, not including me and Everett, and their faces are illuminated by the light of the TV screen. There's two couches lined up right next to each other with a love seat on the side. There's five girls in all, and two are sitting on one of the couches with video game controllers in their hands. One is Ruby.

"Hey, Nikki. Guys, this is Nikki, Nikki this is Sarah, Ashlyn, Katie, and Nina." She points to the rest of the girls who are sitting on the couches.

"Hi." Sarah says.

"'Sup?" Ashlyn says.

Nina and Katie wave.

"Oh, um, guys?" Ruby's eyes are on me in an instant. "Uh...Nikki doesn't really talk."

My insides twist into a ball.

"Um." Ruby tries to explain to them.

"Why don't you sit down?" Nina suggests.

I take a seat next to Ruby and Nina. Everett sits on the arm of the couch.

"She uses a whiteboard guys. Isn't that neat?" Ruby swallows.