Page 26 of Spark

But what if Kai had never told me those lies? What if I came back home after dropping out of college, and I finally mustered the courage to spill my guts to Ruby, like I’d been planning? What if I’d told her how I felt about her back then—how I’ve always felt? But no. I returned and found out Ruby had been “desperately in love” with Kai since age sixteen. That, in fact, she’d felt so strongly about him, she’d evenbegged him to fuck her on her twentieth birthday, which Kai had declined to do.

Ruby.

She’s boarded the plane now, and she’s heading down the aisle behind Titus, her pink hair piled on top of her head and her sexy tattoo on full display, thanks to the shoulder-baring tank top she’s sporting underneath a pair of oversized denim overalls.

Ruby usually sits next to me or Titus on longer flights like this one. So, it’s anyone’s guess if she’ll pick me or her brother this time. I’m hoping me, since she often says she prefers sleeping on my shoulder the most because Titus always falls asleep, too, and then he gets all wonky in his seat.

When Ruby’s dark gaze lands on me, she smiles cautiously, as if to say,Do you forgive me?When I don’t return her smile, her shoulders droop. She says something to Titus, which I think is something like “Let’s take that row there,” so, fuck it, I motion to her to come over to me, instead.

At my beckoning, Ruby’s beautiful face lights up. She says something else to Titus, and with her backpack slung over her shoulder, bounces down the aisle to me.

“Hey, bestie. Does that mean you’re okay with me sitting here with you?”

I shrug. “Suit yourself.” It’s as nonchalant a tone as I’ve ever used with Ruby. But since I’m hoping to get my first-ever grovel from her, I feel like I’ve got no other choice.

Ruby seems unfazed by my cold tone as she plops herself down next to me and begins pulling all her usual shit out of her big backpack. An iPad and charger. A packet of almonds. Some lip gloss and moisturizer. And so on.

“Are you still mad at me?” she asks, keeping her eyes on her task.

“Yes.”

She gasps and stops what she’s doing. “Still?”

“It’s been an hour, Ruby.”

“I know. I can’t believe you’ve managed to stay mad atmefor that long. Wow. That’s a long time to stay mad at someone as sweet and lovable as me, who’s also regretful and repentant about what she did.”

I try not to crack a smile. Goddamn Ruby. If this is the direction her grovel is going to go, I’m going to crumble like a cookie in record speed.

“Are you furious with me? Or just mad?”

“Furious is too strong a word.”

“Mad, then? That’s still a really strong emotion, if you think about.”

Fuck. She’s batting her lashes, and I can feel the corners of my mouth itching to trend upward. “I’d say I’m more annoyed than anything, at this point.”

“Progress!”

“But I’m very,veryannoyed with you, Ruby. As precariously close to being mad as a person can get.”

“And rightly so. I behaved like a monster by bringing up your crush to save myself. I can’t believe I did that. What was I thinking?”

“God only knows.”

She stops what she’s doing and fixes her dark, soulful eyes on mine. “Seriously, KC. I’m deeply sorry for what I did. I’m a horrible friend. When I felt like I was drowning in stormy seas, I used my very best friend in the world as a flotation device. Because that’s me. Selfish and despicable to my core.” She shakes her head. “In my panic not to drown, I didn’t think twice to climb aboard your big, broad, strong back and?—”

“Flattery will get you nowhere.”

“It’s not flattery. Your back is strong. And so I climbed it, and—” She pounds her closed fist violently into her open palm and grimaces dramatically. “Then I shoved your sweet,innocent, saintly face underwater, to save myself, causing you to go down, down, down, all the way to Davey Jones’s locker.”

I don’t want to do it, but I can’t help chuckling at her little passion play.

Ruby flashes me an adorably apologetic look. “Will you ever be able to forgive me, my darling bestie, or will my monstrous behavior shatter our friendship forever?”

“It’s been sixty minutes, Ruby. And I never get to be mad at you.”

“I thought you were only annoyed.” She pinches my forearm. “Think about it, my darling. Wouldn’t it be so much more fun if we joined forces against Kai as our common enemy? Why waste another valuable minute longer than necessary being annoyed with me, when Public Enemy Number One is sitting right up there, and we could talk shit about him the whole flight together, if only you’d forgive and forget and accept my heartfelt apology now.”

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