Page 134 of Waiting for Ru
“Your bird took them.” Mike crossed his arms.
“How would Bela get into Kirstie’s room? How would I know where Kirstie keeps her rings? I’ve never been in anyone else’s room. As far as I’m aware, I’m the only one who leaves his window open day and night. I didn’t take Kirstie’s rings. I don’t have Kirstie’s rings. Why would I do something like that? I’ve done everything I can to be friendly. Why would I risk that, and steal from one of you? I’m being set up.” He stared at Mike.
“Are you looking at me?” Mike laughed. “Why the fuck would I do that?”
“Because you mistakenly think I’m being shown favouritism. I work hard. I get up before any of you. I do the jobs no one else likes. I’ve never complained. All I wanted was to make friends. This is the first job I’ve ever had. You all know what happened to me. I’m not used to people, not used to making friends but I’ve done my best. Even so, you seem determined to force me to leave, and I have to admit, sometimes I’ve wanted to. But I’m not going to be driven away by a bully who thumps me, kicks me and not so long ago hit me hard enough over the back of the head that he knocked me out, only for me to wake up in Lightning’s stall.”
“What? You’re delusional.” Mike huffed.
“Maybe we should look at the CCTV,” Paolo said and Ru watched Mike pale. “Ru, Mike, come with me. The rest of you get back to work.”
Ru followed Mike and Paolo up to the office. As far as Ru knew there was no camera inside the stables, only outside, but it would show who was coming and going. Paolo got Georgia to pull up the footage and all four of them watched as she fast-forwarded through the recording. Ru watched himself walk into the stables after the match and saw Mike and several of the others move in and out a few times until about fifteen minutes before Ru finally emerged fifteen minutes ago. Mike had been the last one out before him, ten minutes before that.Was I unconscious so long?
“He could have got out of a window in the stables,” Mike said.
“For crying out loud!” Paolo snapped. “Mike! Apologise. Ru couldn’t have taken those rings.”
“Sorry for the misunderstanding.” Mike glowered at him out of Paolo’s sightline.
“Did you hit him?” Paolo asked.
“No. You know what Lightning can be like.”
“Back to work,” Paolo said. “Not you, Ru.”
Once Mike had gone, Paolo sighed. “What happened?”
“He hit me,” Ru said. “He has it in for me. I have no idea why.”
“We don’t need any aggravation this week. It’s too important.”
Ru bristled. “It’s not me causing it.”
“Okay. Off you go.”
As Ru set off for the stables, Mike sprang out of nowhere and yanked him to the side of the office building. “What did you say about me?”
“What a fabulous upstanding member of society you are. How much there is to admire about you.”
Ruoofedas Mike’s fist hit his stomach and he doubled over gasping.
“Why don’t you leave while you can still walk out of here?” He grabbed Ru by the throat and hauled him upright.
“Why don’t…you?” Ru choked back.
Ru wrenched Mike’s hand aside and stepped back. “What have I ever done to you? You’ve hated me from the moment I got here. Tell me why you’re doing this. Do you even know?”
“You have to harden up to do your job. You’re too weak. Pathetic.”
“I’m doing my job as well as any of you.” Ru ducked out of the way as Mike reached for him again. “I don’t think this is about me at all. It’s about you. It makes you feel good because you usually feel bad.”
Mike kicked at his leg and Ru collapsed.
Mike dropped down on top of him. “You know nothing about me.”
“I don’t think anyone does. You don’t want to look weak in front of the others and you think bossing me around makes you look big. Well, it doesn’t. It makes you look a prat.”
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Paolo’s voice was icy calm.
