Hi everyone!
About 2-3 years ago when I was in year 9, our english teacher gave us a task to write a short story and there had to be a secret in it somewhere...
Well I wrote mine and the teacher liked it so much that she put it into the school library...
I came across this section today and thought of posting the story here
Hope you like it
Ruby
Chapters:
One: My Life
Two:School
Three: Sleepover
Four: The Beating
Five: Hideout
Six: Makeover
Seven: My Sleepover
Eight: Revealed
Nine: Goodbye
Ten: Suprise!
Eleven: And I lived happily ever after...
Chapter One: My Life
I must be a bad girl that's why my Aunt doesn't like me. I don't know what I do that makes her angry with me but, I do do something wrong otherwise why would she hit me? I am such a bad girl. My Mum passed away after giving birth to me and at the age of seven, I was told that my Dad had passed away in an accident. I seem to be bad luck for everyone! I wish I could please my Aunt and my cousin, Stacey. I'm always upsetting Stacey as well, in return she is rude to me... but I deserve it, don't I? I don't seem to upset anyone else that's why they're nice to me: My Uncle, my friends, my teachers and many other people. I feel so lonely sometimes, when I want to share my pain the place I come to is here... my diary. I've never talked about the bad things that happen to me outside my house. People will get the wrong meaning to everything.
"Hey, what are you doing here? Get down straight away and wash the dinner plates!" Aunt bangs my bedroom door open and rushes into my room angrily.
"I'm sorry" I say sacredly "Could I just finish what I'm doing before coming down?"
"How dare you! How dare you not do what I say straight away? It's because of me you've got a home to live in; otherwise you'd be living in those stinky old orphanages." She is right, I am so disobedient. Aunt grabs my arm tightly and it is so painful. "I want you downstairs and I want the dishes washed properly, now do you get that?" I nod slowly looking at the floor covered in carpet, which is wearing out. She lets go of my arm leaving a red sore mark and walks out of my room. I always make a mistake, I knew deep inside me that, I should have listened to Aunt' but, what could I do, I'm just stupid. I place my diary into my old drawers and rubbing my arm, go downstairs.
Chapter Two: School
With my arm still sore from yesterday, I place my bag on my shoulder and set off for school. I really like school, there's so much to learn and I meet very nice people. The teachers seem to be proud of me and I have fantastic friends. I cross the road, the day is chilly and the bare trees stand crouching in the January morning. I can see my school in the far distance with a sheet of fog coming in between us, I walk further towards it. The pain in my arm has lessened, but not gone, and my hands have turned red because of the cold (I have no gloves as my old ones have aged and Aunt said she didn't have time to get another pair, and that was last winter). I enter the sleeping playground, no noise can be hears and no soul in sight. Quietly I walk towards my classroom as though frightened no to awake the dormant playground.
Hi diary! School was fantastic, I had a great time. We had drama first lesson and Sarah and I were partners. I feel so happy with Sarah, it's not that I don't have any other friends, I do and they're very close friends: Vicky, Rachel and Hannah but, there's something special about Sarah. Many times I have wanted to tell Sarah about the pain I feel inside however, each time I have approached her I have been unable to speak. Anyway, another part of our friendship is a sleepover club. In the past, we've had three sleepovers at Vicky, Rachel and Hannah's house, each sleepover was brilliant, tomorrow is Saturday and this time the sleepover is at Sarah's house' I just can't wait. Ooops! I lost track of time, I better go and have my dinner, because if I go to the dinner table late I might have to go without dinner like last time'
Searching for the right opportunity to tell Aunt and Uncle about the sleepover, quietly I eat my dinner. I know Uncle will agree, but I'm not sure about Aunt especially after her reactions about the past sleepovers. Stacey is eighteen years old and believes that things like sleepovers are babyish. I look up from my plate, gathering enough bravery from inside me to tell the rest about the sleepover, when Stacey looks at me puzzled.
"What?" she asks staring at me, Aunt and Uncle look up. Too scared to say what the matter is, I look back down at my plate.
"Oh nothing'" inside me I feel gutted not being able to say what I want to.
"Are you sure?" Uncle questions looking a little worried. I nod in agreement,
"Yes, I'm sure!"
Here I am lying in my bed cursing myself for being unable to tell the others about the sleepover. I was so looking forward to tomorrow, but there's no way I'll be able to go now. What will my friends think? What will I tell them back at school on Monday? If only I had told Aunt and Uncle downstairs' I always seem to mess up everything. Tomorrow's sleepover will be ruined as a sleepover in our friendship group is not a proper sleepover without all five members.
"I'm sorry friends," I whisper to the night. Suddenly, there is a knock on my bedroom door. "Come in!" I call to the person on the other side. "Oh, hi Uncle! What brought you here? If you had a job you should've called me." Uncle enters my room closing the door behind him.
"It's not that, I've come here to discuss you know' to discuss what happened at dinner time, I mean there seemed to be something you wanted to say, but were too scared to say in front of your Aunt and Stacey. You know you can discuss anything with me right Ruby?" Uncle gives me a large friendly smile. I really love him, I think of my Father to be like Uncle. I sit up in my bed and let Uncle sit at the end of it.
"Like I said before, it's nothing Uncle." It seems as if Uncle knows what I am thinking inside, as you can tell he doesn't believe me.
"Ruby, I've known you for a long time and I really care for you. Living with you has really got me attached with you, I just can't imagine life without you. I have concern for you more than I have for Stacey honestly. It really hurts me when I see that you treat me as an outsider." I can see the sadness in the depth of his eye and my heart begins to sink in the sea sadness.
"No Uncle, don't say that' I really love you!" I give Uncle a tight hug.
"Then tell me, what's the matter?" we're sitting on my bed holding hands, there is a few moments of silence and then I speak.
"Sleepover!" I whisper as though Aunt is on the other side of the door, listening to our conversation.
"Sleepover?" Uncle seems to be confused for a while. "Oh I understand there's another sleepover with your friends tomorrow," he gives me a gentle smile.
"Yes Uncle. I have been so looking forward to it, it's at Sarah's house this time, but I won't be able to go as Aunt will never agree." I leave Uncle's hand and sadly look down at my blanket.
"Yes you are going."
"What? But Aunt will never agree" I feel hope inside me but the thought of Aunt eats away all the hope.
"Now listen to me, tomorrow you will attend the sleepover, I will talk to your Aunt." Uncle holds my hand again and I feel a sense of happiness. "So, what time will you leave?"
"At twelve and Vicky's Mum is going to drop us both at Sarah's house." The excitement inside me in desperate to come out.
"What about on the way back, is anyone dropping you back home?" Uncle seems to want everything to go perfect for me.
"Yes Sarah's going to drop me back home with her Mum at about eleven o'clock on Sunday morning," I just can't wait now. Uncle kisses me goodnight and walks towards the door,
"Trust me, everything's going to be fine," I smile and he leaves my room. I lie back on my bed and think what tomorrow will be like slowly falling to sleep.
Chapter Three: Sleepover
I am so excited, there's an hour left till when Vicky will be outside my house to take me to the sleepover. I'm checking my things for the twelfth time, as I don't want to mess up anything as usual. Uncle has secretly given me some sweets to share at the sleepover, they're jelly babies ' my favourite. Uncle is in the living room trying to convince Aunt and luckily Stacey is out, so I won't have to hear from her. I knew it wasn't going to be easy to convince Aunt, but I still have some expectations. I look at my watch, which once belonged to my Mum, there is half an hour to go and Aunt hasn't agreed yet. I imagine what can be going on the other side of the door' all I can imagine is an immense argument. I feel sorry for Uncle, because of me he has to go through all this. The aspiration inside me seems to slowly fade away as the approaches the strike of twelve. Any moment now, I will hear the horn of Vicky's Mum's car and yet Aunt hasn't agreed. Painful questions cane in the heart of my head: Will Aunt agree? Will I be able to attend the sleepover? My questions are interrupted by the horn of a car. I recognize the horn. I recognize it with clarity. It's the horn if Vicky's Mum's car. Now what do I do? What do I tell Vicky? Aunt hasn't agreed and after a while I hear the horn again. I stare at the living room door eager to being on it and tell Aunt that she should hurry up making her decision, but I remain patient. There's another horn, then eventually the living room door opens and Uncle smiles, "She's agreed!"
"Oh thank you so much Uncle!" I rush towards him and give him a tight hug, "I love you!" There's a knock on the door, "It must be Vicky."
"You better be going and have a great time," Uncle kisses me on the cheek, I pick up my backpack and stride towards the door. I open the door and, as I had expected, Vicky was on the other side in her favourite tracksuit bottom.
"What took you so long?" she queries.
"Oh, I just forgot to pack something."
"Come on then, we better be going we're already late," Vicky signals towards the car where her Mum is sitting smartly at the driver's seat. I look back at Uncle, Aunt is standing beside him.
"Bye!" I wave at both of them, Uncle gives a smile and waves back. Vicky has already reached the car door.
"Remember I want you back tomorrow, eleven am sharp!" Aunt snaps just as I am about to close the front door.
"I'll be back at the right time, Aunt, I promise!" I shout as a rackety truck passes by making a horrendous noise and then, I close the door behind me.
The journey to Sarah's house was quite joyful, as anything would be with Vicky around, Vicky is very cheerful and lively unlike her Mum who is very formal. Well' now we're at the doorstep of Sarah's house and both Vicky and I are eager to get in and get the sleepover started. Vicky knocks on the front door with anxiety as her Mum reverses to go to work. Sarah opens the door,
"Hi! Rachel, Hannah and I have been waiting for you two for so long, what took you so long?" Sarah is dressed very smartly as always.
"Oh, it was Ruby, she forgot to pack something that's why we got late." Vicky answers Sarah.
"I'm sorry." I apologise.
"Never mind, are you two going to come in or are you planning to spend the whole sleepover outside."
"No! No! Out here in January' no way!" Vicky rushes into the house and I walk in behind her while Sarah shuts the door behind us.
"Mum and Dad aren't at home as they're at work, and they've promised they won't disturb us when they get back." Sarah informs leading us to the living room where Rachel and Hannah are sat.
We spent quite a long time deciding what we would do tonight and finally we all decided that we'd play a few games and one game would be to see who could eat the most of my jelly babies in one minute. There was a lot of chaos at first as no one would agree on one particular thing. Hannah wanted to do something related to fashion as she is a fashion lover, she absolutely loves fashion. No one agreed, everyone said that Hannah had a fashion theme for her sleepover so it should be something different this time. We heard the door an hour ago when Sarah's Mum and Dad entered home after work, and as they'd promised they didn't disturb us. We're in Sarah's bedroom getting ready for the jelly baby challenge. I really like Sarah's room, it's very cosy and so are all the other's bedrooms, unlike mine. Well' if you think about it I don't deserve to have such a beautiful room, all my friends are lovely so there's no reason for them not to have a perfect room.
"You do have enough jelly babies for this game Ruby?" Rachel interrogates. Rachel is a person who wants to know everything and get involved in things too, she's very responsible.
"I have more than enough jelly babies, my Uncle gave me two large bags of them," I smile at my friends. The jelly baby game is fantastic, Sarah and I are drawing at the moment and we need to play just one more game and the winner will be decided. Rachel has set the final game, there are a hundred jelly babies in each bowl and the stop watch is ready.
"One' Two' Three' Go!" Rachel shouts out thunderously. Vicky and Hannah are cheering while Sarah and I are gobbling away. I seem to be ahead of Sarah "Forty-Five seconds to go'" Suddenly, Sarah has caught speed and is catching up "Thirty seconds to go'" Ph no! Sarah's in the lead now "Twenty-Two seconds to go'" I speed up trying to beat Sarah, the cheering slowly turns into excitement "Seventeen seconds to go'" Then, Sarah stops giving me the lead and yes, I win as the one minute beeps on the stopwatch.
"What happened, Sarah?" Rachel asks looking at the bowl with the remaining jelly babies. "You could've won."
"Oh, nothing if I ate anymore of those sweets I would've been sick. Anyway, great job Ruby!" Sarah winks at me and gives me one of her gently smiles.
"Thanks!" I smile back at her. I know she lost on purpose, as the prize was a funky pen that Sarah knew I always wanted. It is getting quite late, so everyone decides to lie down and have a story told. Vicky volunteers and everyone agrees as she is very imaginative and tells great stories. The story is very funny and everyone has a great laugh together. After the story everyone is tired and slowly we all fall asleep.
Chapter Four: The Beating
I wake up and my watch reads nine am. I've never woken up this late, as I have to do the cleaning in the morning.
"Wake up everyone!" I get out of my bed. Sarah wakes up first,
"What's the matter, why are you awake so early?" she gives a large yawn.
"Early? It's nine am!" I begin to take out the clothes I am going to wear today.
"Nine, that's alright I usually get out of bed at eleven am on Sunday mornings." Sarah covers her face with her blanket and slowly drifts back to sleep. I try waking up the others as I make my way towards the door to go to the bathroom and get changed. They all moan and go to sleep, they are all so awfully spilt. I brush my teeth and wash my face, after about twenty minutes I return back to the room and find my friends sitting up talking to each other.
"Why did you disturb my beauty sleep?" Hannah is very upset, "I was dreaming that I was a famous fashion model and'"
"Yeah, yeah we get the idea!" Vicky interrupts.
"Anyway, Ruby, why did you wake us up so early?" Rachel seems a little disappointed.
"Early? What is it with you girls? I've promised Aunt I'll be back at home at eleven am sharp and there's just an hour left." I pack my things.
"Your Aunt won't mind you always say she's very nice." Sarah gets up lazily.
"Yes, I agree my Aunt is very nice, but I don't want to break my promise, I promised her I'd be home at eleven am sharp."
"Okay then, we all better get dressed." Sarah makes her way towards her wardrobe to get her clothes out.
"Aaaah!" Vicky groans.
"Well' Mum's going to make scrambled eggs for breakfast." Sarah gives a grin, scrambled eggs are Vicky's favourite.
"Scrambled eggs, yum!" Vicky gets up straight away. Rachel and Hannah get up from their sleeping bags too.
The scrambled eggs are delicious, but I'm concerned about getting home on time. What will Aunt think if I break my promise? I look at my watch and its half past ten, everyone has finished their breakfast and Sarah's Mum collects our plate. Sarah's Dad has already gone to work as he had an early duty today.
"I'm sorry for being ruse," I talk to Sarah's Mum "but I need to go home now, as I promised Aunt I would be home at eleven am sharp."
"No that's alright, I understand, your Aunt must be worried. Come on girls I'll drop you home." Sarah's Mum places the dishes in the dishwasher and we all get ready to go home. Rachel leaves first as she lives near Sarah and is going to walk home. Sarah sits at the front with her Mum at the driver's seat while Rachel, Hannah and I sit at the back.
"I had a great time! What about you lot?" Vicky tries to start a conversation three minutes into the drive.
"Yes, I had a great time!"
"So did we!" The rest of us reply. Hannah starts complaining about her nails, saying that they needed filing and she was the next one to leave, as her house came next.
"Bye!" Hannah waves goodbye and walks towards her front door.
"Your turn next!" Sarah looks behind at me while her Mum drives the car forward. I am so worried and scared now, there's just one minute left till eleven o'clock and there's no way I'll reach home in one minute. As the car turns left the hour hand on my watch points at eleven. I feel a shiver run down my spine and I shudder.
"What's wrong?" Vicky asks holding my hand and Sarah turns around to look at me.
"Oh nothing, I felt a cold breeze," I tighten my coat around me and Sarah gives me a look that Uncle gave me at the dining table the other day' the look saying 'I know you're lying.' Finally, after a couple of minutes of drive from Hannah's house, we reach my house. I say goodbye and walk along the pathway towards the door, Sarah's Mum drives along to drop Vicky off. Standing at the doorstep, with my backpack on one shoulder, I look at my watch and the time reads ten minutes past eleven. I knock on the door, no one answers. I knock again and slowly someone opens the door' it's Aunt.
"Hi Aunt" I smile at her, but she just turns around and walks in, disappearing into the living room. I will in and shut the door behind me. No one seems to be at home apart from Aunt. I hope I haven't upset her, I am only ten minutes late. I walk into the living room.
"Aunt, I'm sorry! What happened was that'"
"Shut up! I be kind and let you go and enjoy yourself and what do you do? You break your promise, a promise you made to me! Me! How dare you!" I put my backpack own and sit beside Aunt.
"I'm really sorry Aunt and I wasn't very late, only ten minutes," I place my hand over hers. Aunt smack it off.
"You answered me! You say only ten minutes, whether it's ten minutes or one minute you promised you'd be home at eleven am sharp, and a promise a promise!" I can feel the anger piercing through Aunt's voice and she stands up in rage. I begin to cry,
"Now, now don't think that'll soften me," she peers down to my bag where the funky pen, I'd won at the jelly baby game, could be seen. Aunt grabs the pen in her hand, "So, you've started stealing as well then, have you?" Which friend did you steal from?"
"No Aunt I didn't steal, I won that I promise!" I cry.
"Promise!" she gives a wicked laugh. "Promise! There's the word again. That's the word you used yesterday. Didn't you? Oh Aunt, I promise I'll be home at eleven am sharp." She imitates me as though I'm some stupid girl. "Well' did you? Did you keep your promise? No!"
"Aunt, I'm really really sorry, trust me I didn't steal that pen, I won it'" Aunt grabs my arm tightly.
"Now you're going to say you won it at a game you played with your friends!" she put her face right close to mine.
"Yes, Aunt that is true!" I really don't want Aunt to be upset with me, but I deserve it for breaking my promise. Aunt throws me onto the floor.
"You think I'd believe that, you good for nothing!" I bang my arm on the floor.
Hi diary! When I came back from Sarah's house I got ten minutes late, so obviously Aunt would be angry. Stacey wasn't at home, because she hasn't returned from outdoors since yesterday when I left and Uncle is at work. Aunt hit me, I know it was my fault for breaking my promise, but all the beating has caused great pain to my body. My arm is badly paining as it hit the floor and my eyes are sore, because I was and still am unable to control myself from crying. I've got a bruise on my leg too. I should be use to all this by now as many a times I have made silly mistakes and received beating in return. However, I can't let my heart hold the burden of so many pains. I worried about Uncle, he may get really angry at Aunt when he finds out so I'm going to try and cat normal in front of him, and as normal I'll go to school tomorrow. Bye, I'll be going now as I need some rest' Uncle hasn't returned from work yet as he has long shifts on Sundays, I hope everything goes back to normal tomorrow.
I'm lying on my bed with my arm paining awfully. I look through a torn part of my curtains at the stars beginning to peep out in the sky.
"I love you Mum and Dad!" I whisper to the silent night.
Chapter Five: Hideout
Uncle came home very late yesterday so I didn't get to meet him and Stacey finally came back too, she said she was on an outing with her fri4ends, Aunt didn't mind. I'm ready for school, the bruise on my leg isn't paining much, but my arm is quite bad. Placing my bag on my right shoulder I go downstairs as normal. Uncle is sitting at the dining table with Aunt and Stacey is still asleep, as she was talking to her friends for a long time last night and went to sleep late.
"Good morning Aunt and Uncle!" I greet them as usual.
"Good morning Ruby, did you have a great time?" I'm sorry I wasn't at home when you came back." Uncle spreads the butter over his toast.
"It doesn't matter, I know you weren't there because you were busy." I pour the milk into my cereal bowl.
"Ruby, you didn't answer me, I asked if you had a great time. Is everything alright? Your arm seems to'" Uncle has the same concern look all over his face as he usually does. Aunt looks at me,
"Oh sorry, I had a great time and my arm is alright I just hurt it in a pillow fight we had at Sarah's house, it was fantastic." I smile and begin to eat my cereal. The rest of breakfast is spent quietly and I prefer it that way, it seems as though if there is any more mentioning of yesterday I'll begin to cry. I finish my breakfast and take my bowl to the sink to wash. It's so hard washing when your arm is sore, Uncle sees me struggling and offers to help.
"No Uncle, I'm perfectly fine I'll manage, my arm is only hurt a little." I continue putting the washing up liquid onto my bowl.
"No Ruby, your arm looks quite bad, I'll wash your bowl, I insist." Uncle moves me aside and begins to wash my bowl, with his back turned towards us Aunt gives me a dirty look.
"I better be going now," I pick up my bag.
"So early! Usually you leave the house at five past eight, there's twenty minutes yet." Uncle dries his hands after the washing.
"Oh I'm sorry, I forgot to tell you that there's a computer club and I have to go today. Ok then' bye!" I walk quietly towards the front door as if scared someone will stop me'
"Okay then, bye! Meet you in the afternoon!" Uncle calls out as I shut the door behind me.
The chilly breeze is making my arm feel even worse. Hurriedly I walk along the path winding its way behind the house. No one knows this, but there's a place I go to when I'm feeling upset or just want to be alone. Yes I do go to my diary, but this is a place ' like a secret hideout. Behind our house there's a deserted house where no one has lived for as long as I remember, and behind that house is a tree house where no has ever visited apart from me. As quickly as possible I enter my hideout, I come here whenever I get the chance. I look at my watch a realise I have ten minutes to spend here. I'm sitting here treasuring my own time, treasuring the moments when I can think about a world with no badness just equality. I treasure the moments spent here very deeply, this is a place where I see the world through my eyes. Without realising, the ten minutes are over. Time flies by when I am here in my hideout. I get out of the tree house carefully trying to not injure my arm any more and carrying my bag start the journey to school. I take a different route from behind just incase anyone at home spots me.
Chapter Six: Makeover
Last weekend there was supposed to be a sleepover at my house, but I made an excuse that we were going to have a family dinner so I couldn't have a sleepover. It's half term and my friends decided that there definitely had to be a sleepover this weekend at my house, that is fair as it's my turn, but how am I suppose to have a sleepover with Aunt around. Uncle knows about the sleepover, but he can't do anything this time and I wouldn't blame him after the argument last time. It's Monday morning, so I've got a few days to think of what to do. Uncle's in the living room watching TV, Stacey's getting her make-up done, Aunt is cleaning the breakfast table and I'm doing the vacuum. My arm is better now, the pain went a while ago and that's a relief. Suddenly, there's a ring on the phone.
"I'll answer that!" Aunt calls over the noise of the vacuum from the kitchen, she walks into the living room and just as Uncle is going to pick up the phone she picks it up.
"Hello!" she shouts "Hello, sorry I can't hear you! Can you wait sec," Aunt puts her hand over the phone and tells me to stop the vacuum, I do and the house becomes silent again, Aunt goes back on the phone. "I'm sorry it was my niece she's very noisy, anyway I'm sorry but I don't recognize who you are/" Aunt has become silent for a while as the unknown person from the other side replies, the reply makes Aunt very excited. "Oh my God! Julia, is it really you? I can't believe it. It's been nearly twenty years since we last spoke. How are you?" Aunt's conversation with someone called Julia lasts for about half an hour then finally, when she comes off the phone she calls for Stacey.
"Mum what is it? Why did you disturb me?" We are all sitting in the living room.
"You know the phone call we just had?" Aunt can't stop smiling.
"Yeah," Stacey is uninterested.
"The phone call was from Julia!"
"Julia?" Stacey seems to be confused and so am I, Uncle is just sitting down continuing watching TV.
"Yes Julia! I've never spoken about her, but she's your Aunt, my sister. We've not been in contact for about twenty years. You see she got married to some rich handsome bloke and moved to New York and after that we never saw each other."
"New York!" Stacey gasps, it's always been her dream to go to New York and I am shocked. Aunt's sister and so well-off.
"Well' you haven't heard the good news. You won't believe it, but Julia has actually organized tickets for us to visit her. I said you and I are going to go and visit her. What do you think Stacey darling?" Aunt wraps her arm around Stacey.
"Wicked! New York! Wait till my friends find out, I love you Mum and your sister' what was her name, Julia. When are we going?" Stacey can't keep the excitement in.
"We'll have to leave for the airport tomorrow morning!"
"Oh my word, I've got so much to do, I need to pack all my make-up and I need to tell all my friends. Bye Mum I'm going upstairs, I love you!" Stacey rushes upstairs. I know Stacey doesn't mean it, I've heard her pouring hatred out for her mother on the phone to her friends. She's only pretending as she's getting to go to New York.
"Honey, are you alright with it?" Aunt kisses Uncle on the cheek.
"Yeah, I'm perfectly fine with your visit/" Uncle winks at me, telling me he's got something in plan.
Stacey and Aunt left for the airport in a black cab, they've gone to New York for two whole weeks. The tickets arrived by special delivery at six o'clock in the morning. So, now the whole house is to me and Uncle. Uncle is very happy,
"Ruby." Uncle comes and sits nest to me on my bed while I complete some of my Geography homework.
"Yes Uncle," I look at him and see a mischievous smile on his face. "What are you up to?"
"You know you are supposed to have a sleepover this weekend, but you were trying to find an excuse to not have one, as your Aunt wouldn't agree. Well' you can have one now as your Aunt's not at home and I have no problem. What do you say?" I put my homework down on my old chest of drawers.
"Well' what can I say? It's a brilliant idea. But, what if Aunt finds out?" a large question mark is stamped on my forehead.
" Don't worry, she won't find out. I won't tell her and neither will you, so there's no way she can find out." H gives me one of his comforting hugs. I sit back up,
"But Uncle there's one more problem, I don't want to cause you any trouble but'" I hesitate.
"What's the matter?" He looks at me and soon realises that the problem is my room. My bedroom is awful and anyone would get embarrassed inviting their friends to a bedroom like mine. "I see, Ruby go and get your coat we're going shopping!"
We went to many shops and I got to choose my own wall paint colour, I chose sky blue. I got brand new beach furniture, beautiful carpet and new pair of curtains to match. Uncle and I worked together on my room and within three days my bedroom was completed. We're placing some finishing touches now like a couple of bean bags and things like teddy bears and flowers. We brought some photo frames and hung a picture of my and my Dad on the wall and a placed a picture of Mum on top of my dressing table. I find another photo frame in the box.
"Uncle, what shall I do with this third photo frame?"
"Oh, you can put it in your wardrobe and put a picture in it later." Uncle stands back to look at the finished bedroom while I place the extra frame into my new wardrobe.
"Uncle thank you so much, I love my bedroom!" I give Uncle a tight hug and a kiss.
"Anything for you my darling Ruby/" Uncle leaves me on my own to enjoy my bedroom. I think my bedroom is the best! I walk on top of the beautiful soft carpet towards my new chest of drawers and take out my diary, cheerfully I begin to write about my new bedroom.
Chapter Seven: My Sleepover
Finally, it's the day I've been waiting for, the day of my sleepover. Uncle and I have prepared everything: we're going to start off with something like a friendship circle where all get to say something or share something we've never told each other like something we're scared of etc. Then, Uncle is going to order us all a pizza and after that we are going to watch a movie, what kind of movie? Well, wait and see. The movie part is going to be awesome as it's all prepared like a cinema, the lights are going to be turned and there's going to be pop corn, cold drinks and sweets served by Uncle ' this was Uncle's idea and I think it's great. Ooops better be going someone's at the door.
Oh hi Hannah you look gorgeous in that pink dress," I open the door and see Hannah at the doorstep looking very pretty indeed.
"I know, anyway you don't look too bad yourself, but a touch of make up'"
"Yeah, I know what you're going to say' a touch of make up does every girl good, right?" I smile at her, Hannah has said this saying to me over a million times, but it never changes me' I just don't like wearing make up.
"Smart girl! Well'" Hannah looks atme signaling something, hoiweever I don't understand what she's trying to say. "This winter chill is freezing my legs."
"Oh I'm so sorry, please come in!" I move aside from the door. Realising what Hannah was signaling, and let Hannah come in.
"Thank you!" she enters my house. After a wait of about ten minutes the others finally joined us.
"So what's the plan for today?" Rachel asked sitting on our living room sofa. I tell my friends what uncle and I had decided.
"So let's get the sleepover started|!" we all shout, as I finish telling them about the plan and lead them to my bedroom. I seem to see a great night coming up'
"Wow!" Vicky gasps as we all enter my bedroom, she jumps onto one of the bean bags.
"You never told us you had such a great bedroom," Sarah picks up the teddy bear that was lying on my bed.
"I never thought it was necessary." I reply.
"Are they your Mum and Dad?" Hannah questions looking at the photo frames.
"Yes, they are!" I walk towards the photo frame next to Hannah and all the others join in with me.
"You're Mum's very pretty," Hannah looks at me "That's where you get your beautiful eyes from."
"Thank you!" I hold the photo of Mum in my hand.
"You're Dad's very handsome too," Sarah adds.
"Thank you again!" all of us hold hands.
"You must miss them," Vicky, hard to believe, seems to be a little upset.
"Yes, I do miss them. I miss them so much sometimes that I cry," a tear rolls down my cheek, we have a big friendship hug, which comforts me. We didn't make a friendship circle and talk about things like fears etc like we'd decided instead, all me friends let me talk about the pleasant moments I'd spent with my Dad when I was younger. They asked me questions which I was happy to answer, it was so nice to be able to talk about the time I spent with Dad.
The first part of the sleepover did not go according to plan, but Uncle did order a pizza, which we enjoyed with some of Vicky's jokes and funny stories.
"A very large, old building was being torn down in Chicago to make rooms for a new skyscraper, due to its proximity to other buildings it could not be imploded and had to be dismantled floor by floor. While working on the 49th floor, two construction workers found a skeleton in a small closet behind the elevator shaft and decided that they should call the police. When the police arrived they directed them to the closet and showed them the skeleton fully clothed and standing upright. They said, "This could be Jimmy Hoffa or somebody really important." Two days went by and the construction workers couldn't stand it anymore, they had to know who they had found. The called the police and said, "We are the two guys who found the skeleton in the closet and we want to know if it was Jimmy Hoffa or somebody important." The police said, "It's not Jimmy Hoffa, but it was somebody kind of important."
"Well who was it?"
"The 1956 Blonde National Hide-and-Seek Champion." We all burst out laughing.
"Why are you all laughing? I'm sorry but I didn't get the joke." Hannah is a little confused.
"Rachel can you explain, I can't stop laughing!" Vicky's on the floor laughing uncontrollably and she was the one who told us the joke.
"Well'" Rachel begins to explain. "You have heard that blondes are known to be dumb."
"Hey what do you mean?" Hannah is a little angry, as she's a blonde herself.
"Just listen!" Rachel continues to explain. "The Skeleton was of 1965 Blonde National Hide-an-Seek Champion, which means there was a blonde in 1965 and was so dumb that when no one found her she stayed in her hiding place and eventually dies there."
"Oh I get it now, but I still don't find it funny," Hannah just continues eating her pizza slice and Vicky has finally stopped laughing. The pizza had finished and it's nearly nine o'clock and I decide it's the right time to start the movie.
"What kind of movie is it, please tell me' please!" Vicky begs me to tell her.
"You'll have to wait and see it's a surprise!" I grin.
"You know I don't like surprises," Vicky is very eager to know, she absolutely loves movies.
"Just get on the sofa," Rachel pulls Vicky onto the sofa. All of us five friends are squashed together on one sofa. Suddenly the light turns off and Uncle enters the room, and in a spooky voice reveals the name of the movie.
"The movie you five gorgeous girls are going to watch it called' The Doom" he gives a wicked cackle and inserts the video.
"Oh no!" Hannah is already scared.
Be quiet! I love horror movies." Vicky shushes Hannah while Sarah, Rachel and I remain quiet. About half an hour into the movie while it's still calm, Uncle enters the room with the snacks.
"Pop corn!" Vicky grabs the pot of pop corn, Sarah reaches our for a cold drink and I pick out a handful of sweets for Rachel and me to share.
"Miss. Hannah would you like anything?" Uncle whispers, offering Hannah to pick up anything from the snack tray.
"N' N' No' I'm' al' al' alright, thank you!" Hannah is too scared to even speak. With a brilliant service Uncle leaves the room. The movie it at the climax point all of our eyes are stuck to the TV, Hannah closes her eyes, she can't bare it any longer and then'
"Aaaaaaahhhh!!!" the movie has become too much for all of us, even Vicky who was acting brave. Uncle has to come and stop the film and we all sigh for relief.
"Are you alright?" Uncle asks us looking at out scared faces.
"Yes, we're perfectly fine!" Vicky struggles to say. After a while we all calm down.
"Sir, are you sure this move was suitable for our age? I mean we all got very scared." Rachel seems a little concerned.
"Scared! Uuh, I'm not scared of anything." Vicky tries to put on a brave face but fails.
"I know let's have a game of Hide-and-Seek! That'll chase away the fear from our mind." Sarah is excited as she loves this game.
"Keep the joke of the Champion Blonde Hide-and Seeker in mind, especially you Hannah, as we don't want it coming true, do we?" Vicky giggles.
"Yeah, whatever!" Hannah pulls a face.
The game went very well, apart from the fact that Sarah is acting a bit weird after the game. I don't know if the others have noticed it, but I certainly have. We all fall asleep very quickly as we lie down, because we has a very tiring but wonderful day.
Chapter Eight: Revealed
All my friends have left saying that they had a great time. The house is quite an abominable state especially after the game of Hide-and-Seek we played last night. Uncle and I are tiding the house up.
"You and your friends seemed to have had a great time!" Uncle brushes some popcorn out of the sofa.
"Yes we had a great time, thanks to you," I pick up a sweet remaining from yesterday's movie.
"It was nothing, I enjoyed it myself especially the movie part," we both laugh together.
"I'll go upstairs and clean my bedroom, okay?" I inform Uncle, making my way towards the door.
"Yes, that's perfectly fine, I'll manage here," Uncle continues brushing and humming his favourite tune.
Upstairs, I can't really concentrate on the tiding, my mind is thinking about Sarah. What made Sarah change her mood after the Hide-and-Seek game? She seemed to be a little upset, I must have done or said something wrong as always. As my mind is ion a world of many questions, I am interrupted by a phone call and Uncle receives it.
"It's for you, Ruby!" Uncle calls from downstairs.
"Me?" I ask myself. "I'm coming Uncle!" I shout from my bedroom. I take the call and realise Sarah's on the other side.
"Oh' hi Sarah! I wasn't expecting a call from you, is everything alright?" I feel a bit nervous about what the response might be because of the way Sarah was acting yesterday.
"I can't speak to you on the phone, I need to meet you." Sarah sounds upset and a little angry.
"Sarah, are you alright? You don't sound too good," I begin to feel very worried.
"I need to meet you." Whatever the matter is it sounds really urgent. "I need to meet you as soon as possible!" I've never heard Sarah sound so serious.
"My house is a total mess, what about your house? Can we meet at your house?" I ask really nervously, wanting to know what the matter is.
"Yes, that's perfectly fine, Mum and Dad won't be coming back till late." Sarah's voice seems to make me feel as though she wants to cry.
"I'll be there in half an hour," inside I can feel that I need to go to Sarah and comfort her. What could the matter be?
I'm here at last, I knock on the door and Sarah opens it. She speaks no word and her eyes are red after what I think is a lot of crying. She walks into her living room silently and I join her sitting on the leather sofa. Suddenly, Sarah bursts our crying,
"Sarah," I giver her a hug to comfort her. "Sarah, what's the matter, whay are you crying?" She sits up on the sofa, wiping her tears.
"I'm not a good fried." I don't seem to understand what Sarah mean.
"What do you mean you're not a good friend? You're my best friend!" I put my arm around her.
"I'm not, I'm not a good friend that's why you don't think I am capable of knowing your secrets. I'm not a true friend that's why you don't share things with me. You deserve someone far better than me." Sarah begins to cry again and I hug her.
"What do you mean? Sarah honestly I feel lucky to have a friend like you, there's nothing that I hide from you. I just can't imagine life without you as a friend, you're like my sister." A tear rolls down my cheek.
"Then why don't you share your problems with me, I promise I will be there to comfort you," Sarah wipers her nose with a tissue paper.
"But I don't have any problems that I need to share. I live with a wonderful family, I have brilliant friends like you, what more could I want?" I smile, but seeing Sarah makes me cry as well. Sarah gets up from the sofa and walks towards the chest of drawers in the corner of the room and pulls something out.
"I know everything," she hands me something.
"My diary!" I gasp.
"I'm sorry, I know you shouldn't read other's diaries, but when I read about how you are treated by your Aunt and Stacey I couldn't help it, I had to know everything. I found it yesterday in your room while we were playing Hide-and-Seek. I read a bit of it and brought it home to read the rest." I begin to cry. "Why Ruby? Why? Why didn't you share your pain with you friends, why didn't you share it with me? Isn't that what friends are for? They are there to support each other through thick and thin. You gave your friends the easy job to go through the thin with you and left the thick to go through yourself." Sarah and I hold hands tightly.
"I'm sorry!" I cry and we hug each other for quite a long time.
"I want to be there for you when you need someone to talk to, I want to support you and be a true friend. Promise me that from now on you will share everything with me, not only your happiness but your problems and pain as well." Sarah picks up my diary and places it on the table. "Promise me, from now on I will be your diary, you will pour out your pains to me. Promise me Ruby!"
"I promise," even though I am crying I feel a sense of happiness within me, it's as though God has sent me an angel in the form of Sarah to support me and be there for me at all times.
Days pass by, we go back to school and Aunt and Stacey return from New York. There was an argument for a few days about my room, but it has settled now. My diary is locked away in the cupboard and as I'd promised, I share everything with Sarah. I'm going to take Sarah to my hideout today, let's see what she thinks.
"Wow!" Sarah gasps as she sees the tree house. "I've always wanted a hideout. Your hideout is superb!"
"Not mine but ours, this hideout is ours now. Sarah apart from me you're the only one who knows about this place, so please don't tell anyone else.
"I won't, trust me!" Sarah continues admiring the tree house. "Yes as last I've got a hideout, thank you so much!"
"It's nothing, that's what best friends are for ' to share everything, right?" I wink at Sarah.
"Right!" Sarah smiles back at me.
Chapter Nine: Goodbye
Rachel is quite a suspicious person and soon begins to suspect that there's something going on between me and Sarah. Rachel tries her level best to find out, but she just can't. She even gets Hannah and Vicky to join in with her, however she fails her attempt to find out what the matter is. Then one day Sarah and I have a long thought together at the tree house.
"Do you think we should tell the others about what we're hiding from them?" I ask Sarah deep in thought.
"I don't really know," Sarah sits beside me.
"You know how you felt when you found out from my diary, at least if I tell the other they won't be upset." I look at Sarah.
"What do you mean?" Sarah seems a bit confused.
"I mean wouldn't you have preferred it if I had told you about my problems myself rather than you having to find out yourself?"
"Yes, I would've actually, it would've made me feel good as though I can help someone, you would've been proving to me that I'm a good friend." Sarah smiles and there's a few moments of silence while Sarah and I think.
"I think I should tell as they are my good friends," I look at Sarah asking for her opinion.
"I think you're probably right!" We both stand up to come out of our secret hideout. After climbing down we look up at it,
"But, this hideout will remain a secret between us two, the best of friends. This hideout is only for the two of us." I hold Sarah's hand and together we along the path.
Sarah and I had decided that we'd tell the other about the things going on, after school as we are breaking up early. The plan is that I won't tell anyone at home that we're breaking up early so they'll assume I'm at school when actually, all of us five friends are going to be at Sarah's house discussing some serious things. Everything went according to plan, we all met at Sarah's house and discussed everything, Rachel, Hannah and Vicky understood and we had a long conversation together.
I'm at home now and can hear Aunt talking to someone on the phone, she sounds really upset. After a short while she puts the phone down and all I can hear now is the sound of her mourning.
"Aunt what's the matter?" I walk into the kitchen.
"Where were you? I went to your school and found out that you broke up early today." Aunt began to cry even more, "Ruby, something terrible has happened." I sit down on the chair beside her.
"Aunt what's happened? Aunt what has happened, please tell me?" I begin to get worried now.
"Your Uncle'" Aunt is unable to tell me something serious, but I need to know.
"Aunt please tell me, what's happened to Uncle?" Some bad things come to my mind.
"You Uncle, he met with an accident and he's in hospital. The doctors say there's not much hope of him surviving." I am speechless. I just can't believe what Aunt has just said. No way! Uncle can't be serious, it's just an accident and Uncle will be back home in a couple of days. My heart doesn't believe a word Aunt said, but my mind thinks something else.
Aunt and I go to the hospital straight away to see Uncle.
"Could we see him?" Aunt asks a nurse passing by.
"Yes you may, but one at a time." The nurse replies.
"I'll go and see him first," Aunt walks towards the door of Uncle's room. Outside in the waiting area I am desperate to go in and see Uncle, I was to assure myself that he's alright. After a long fifteen to twenty minutes Aunt comes out crying and I go in to see Uncle. I walk in slowly unaware of what I might see. As I enter Uncle turns his head gently towards me. I begin to cry, his face and arm is covered in bandages and he has sore marks on his skin. It's so awful to see Uncle in this state, I sit down beside him and he smiles at me.
"Why are crying?" he asks me quietly. I hold his hand gently as he has sore marks and I'm scared of causing him any more pain.
"Uncle, I love you!" I cry. "I know you'll become better soon and then we'll live happily ever after."
"No Ruby, you know that's not true and so do I, I know I don't have much time left." He takes a large breath.
"Uncle please don't say that, I love you and you're the closes to me. You promised me that you would always be there for me, so who will I talk to when I need someone? You can't go!" I get up and gently kiss him.
"I'm sure there's someone you can talk to." Uncle takes a few large breaths, I begin to feel scared now.
"Uncle! Uncle!" I call out to him scared of losing him.
"Remember Ruby I have always loved you!" He begins to struggle to breath, I cry out for help. "Goodbye Ruby!" Slowly, slowly his eyes close.
"Goodbye Uncle," I put my head on the bed and cry and cry again.
Uncle's funeral is next week, I still can't forget the last moments he spent with me. Unfortunately, Stacey couldn't talk to her Father, when she reached the hospital he had already passed away. I've got my black dress ready for the funeral, I want everything to go right and I want everyone attending the funeral to know how much I loved my Uncle. Finally, it the day of the funeral and I see some unknown people. At the Church I see Uncle lying in his coffin as though he's just sleeping and I just sit there staring at him. Aunt stands up first to say her part and then Stacey gets up and gives her speech about a wonderful father, nearly everyone is in tears. Then, it's my turn and I get up and walk to the front to talk about my brilliant Uncle.
"My Uncle, I love him more than I love anyone else. I lost my parents as a child, so my Uncle was my parent for me. H supported me through my bad times and gave me courage to keep my head high. He always chased away my tears and wiped a smile on my face." I look up and see everyone nearly crying then I close my eyes. "When I close my eyes it never seems that Uncle is no longer with me. I feel him beside me. I feel his gentle touch and tender love." Then I whisper to the silent air, "Uncle, I love you!" I walk back to my seat passing people unable from stopping their tears. I look at Uncle lying there innocently and a tear rolls down my cheek.
A year has passed by since Uncle has died, however every night I feel him beside me. The love I contain for him in my heart will never erase and I'm sure about that. I cry many times when I need more than the sense of Uncle, when I need Uncle here with me himself. That extra photo frame that we had brought now holds a picture of Uncle, with his warm smile and it's placed on my bed side table. I go to school as normal, but sometimes I have to be excused and then later I meet up with Sarah at the tree house and out my sorrow with her.
"You do know you're causing great sorrow for your Uncle?" Sarah hugs me.
"Why would I cause sorrow for Uncle?" I asked Sarah wiping my tears away.
"Your Uncle is looking at you from up there," Sarah points at the sky. "He looks at you crying for him and that causes him pain. Your Uncle has always wanted to see you happy, hasn't he?" I nod in agreement. "Then don't cry the happier you are the happier your Uncle will be." Sarah smile at me. From that day onwards I have never cried, I just think fo the pleasant time we Uncle and I spent together. However, I do cry when Aunt hits me, my friends have got me over the fact that I am the cause of being beaten. They say no one deserves to be beaten. But, sometimes Aunt can't control herself after the death of Uncle Aunt has started to get high blood pressure and she takes her anger out on me. I know Uncle is no longer with me to share my pain, but my friends know everything now and so I can share my pain and problems with them.
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