"But Mother, if you don't let me sleepover at Ruby's, she'll think I hate her which I don't!" I pleaded tiredly. It was true. Ruby would hate me forever if I stood her up and I didn't want another enemy. Winter break was quickly approaching and Ruby invited me this afternoon. "She's reaching out to me despite all I've done, and you're pushing her away!"
Mother opened her mouth to say more, when she paused. "Wait— What have you done?"
"Nothing." I mumbled, which I knew she didn't believe. "Just please let me go this one night! It's for academic purposes too!"
I've never been to a sleepover before, and it would be really nice to see a friend, or potential friend as of right now.
"I don't see the point in those things, you can see her tomorrow." She waved her hand as if she were shooing the ignorant topic away from her. "What's the point in staying in someone's house overnight?"
"Because it's fun!" I looked over at my motionless father, sitting there with his newspaper. "Father, please?"
He didn't look up from his paper, and sighed. "If it's for academic purposes, and you're doing schoolwork. I don't see the problem."
I jumped up and clapped my hands, and finally, Mother reluctantly nodded, telling me to get my things together if I wanted to make it there by tonight.
As I was packing my bag, something told me to bring the letters from my boy partner. I wasn't sure why, but... it felt comforting to know I had a piece of a friend there with me. I wasn't going in alone. I placed them nicely next to a dress for the morning and my nightgown.
When I stood by the front door with my small handbag, Henri walked up to me.
I'll see you tomorrow? He signed.
Yes, I'll be back early enough to help you with writing.
He nodded and I leaned down to kissed him on the cheek.
"Goodbye Mother!" I shouted in the door frame.
I heard her heels click towards me. "Come home as early as you can. No funny business, or I will be talking to her mother." She said sternly, but she pulled me into a warm hug.
So, I made my way towards Ruby's house and was thankful not to be interrupted by Billy, Gilbert, or anyone really.
I knocked on the thick black door and was greeted by Mrs. Gillis. "Good afternoon dear, Ruby is waiting upstairs." She held a crying baby in her arms. Her hair was black, almost the opposite of Ruby's. Despite how preoccupied she seemed, she still managed to send me a warm, comforting smile.
This was a good start.
"Thank you." I held my hat in my hands, and slowly trekked up the wood stairs. Once I reached Ruby's room, I wasn't ready for the amount of pink. She had pink walls, pink chairs, and pink toys. Despite the headache it gave me, I sort of liked it, because at least it had character. "Hi Ruby!" I greeted with a wave.
She gave a short smile and sat properly on the floor, with two teacups by her feet. "Please take a seat, Harley."
And so I did, awkwardly. Ruby asked if I'd like some tea, and I took a sip out of politeness. It was so sweet, I almost gagged. She put the cup down and looked at my straight in the eye. "Harley, I have to ask you something."
I nodded and put my cup down too, I was nervous she was going to ask if I liked the drink or not, I wasn't ready to lie, but the tea and I just weren't working out.
She had a stern look and spoke with a same tone. "Do you like Gilbert Blythe?"
I spit my tea out all over her face.
Literally all over her.
I knew she must've thought so, since she was crying about it months ago, but I thought she would have certainly gotten over it by now. But really? She thought I saw him romantically?
There was an uncomfortable silence for a few seconds until I broke it. "Ruby I'm so—"
But, she held up a hand silencing me as she grabbed a napkin to dab it off. I cleared my throat my eyes flying from her face to the now messy floor. Would if be impolite to watch her? How did this sort of thing work?
I decided the least I could do was answer her question. No matter how dumb I thought it was.
"Um, I actually can't stand Gilbert. He doesn't take anything seriously, he pulled me away when I tried to hit Billy.." She gave me a strange look, then continued wiping the tea off. "And he always makes fun of me." I finished trying to recall all the faults Gilbert had.
I hated that stupid smile he gave me whenever I answered a question right in class. Really, did he have nothing better to do then try to entertain me all the time?
Ruby cleared her throat. "I appreciate your honesty Harley, but next time, please don't... spit all over me." She practically squeaked. I nodded, making a note in my head. Don't spit out tea on girls when you get invited to their house.
"Well... if you don't like Gilbert, why were you walking with him that morning before school?"
I rolled my eyes. Not at her, just remembering how dumb that was. "He was being an annoying little prick that's what."
Ruby gasped at my words.
"I mean— not a prick! He um—" How do I make this sound good to a girl that probably hates me, but loves him? "He was just saying unnecessary things, but that was all. He was very gentleman-like though."
Why... did I add that last part? To try and make him seem appealing to her?
Ruby took this in, then slowly nodded. "Well, do you want to bake something? Like cookies?"
I smiled, and was glad Ruby didn't think too much on my words, or be too hard on me. Say it was Josie I was with, I would already be out the front door.
"As long as they aren't sugar cookies."
***
The cookies we made came out burnt and hard as rocks. But it was still fun making them with her. We corrected eachother when we messed up, we giggled, and I even got to meet her sisters.
The sun was going down now, and Ruby and I were changing into our nightgowns after dinner.
"Harley, I noticed yesterday, when Jane asked who our crushes were, you didn't say anything..." Ruby started cautiously, probably thinking I would freak out if she said the wrong thing.
I sucked in a breath, the truth was, the only boy that really caught my eye, I didn't know what he looked like. Some girls giggled and whispered boy names, but I stayed quiet.
I was unsure of how I felt. The boy who really charmed me, did it without knowing who I was, and did it only with words. I read few letters from him, but whoever he was, certainly got my attention. But did that count as a crush? I've never had one before, and I'm not even sure what these feelings were yet, but they were something.
"I don't have a crush."
"But you have to have one!"
"I don't have to." I pushed, sounding harsher than I meant to.
But it made me think, was this really why Ruby invited me? To get information?
"Girls don't always have to be head-over-heels for a boy, you know."
Ruby thought about this, blinked a couple of times, and didn't say anything else. She just swiftly blew out her candle leaving us in the dark room.
***
It was late now, I don't know how late, but I couldn't sleep. I sat up on the pink bed, sweating. Did it really get that hot in the night? My feet swung over and touched the wood floors but... something was wrong. It was nearly winter, why would the floor be... this warm?
"Ruby.." I whispered, tapping her shoulder. "Ruby wake up."
She only grumbled something I couldn't understand, and pulled the covers tight over her. How could she sleep in that furnace of a bed? The bedsheets were so thick I could probably poke her and she wouldn't feel it.
I walked over towards the door handle, and it felt warm too. No, not warm. Hot. I cracked the door open and scanned the hallway.
Something about this didn't feel right. "Ruby you should—"
But then, I turned my head and saw it. Blazing streaks of fire coming up the stairs, growing bigger and faster.
They spread around the house inching quickly up the stairs.
What. The. Hell.