✾

"I don't know what to do man." Julian sighs, rubbing his chin for a minute and pulling both sides of his jacket over his shirt. "I've been thinking about her lately. A lot."

"What lovebirds," I tease. "Do you even remember the party?"

"Bits and pieces. I remember thinking - no, I won't say exactly what I thought. Some naughty things. But she's not as shallow as she looks, that's the truth."

"You're absolutely lovesick," I scoff in disbelief. "You've never been like that with a girl before. Does she know how you feel or no?"

"Course not. And I'm not lovesick, you d*mn fool. How 'bout you and Goody Two-Shoes, eh? Being her savior Friday night?"

"I wasn't her savior, do*chebag. She would've been able to handle herself if she wasn't so drunk. Logan's just a lot of trouble. And she has a name, Julian."

The bell rings, the school's way of letting us know that school is starting. Julian and I contribute to the swarm of people heading inside of the building.

✾

When I'm sitting in Calculus, this time beside Iris, I notice her doodling in the margins and not really listening to what Mrs. Landers is saying. I decide to write a note like the little kid that I am, folding up a piece of paper after writing my note in it.

Pay attention, Princess

Not too much, but it's just for fun. I pass it on her desk, and her brown eyes move from her paper to mine. Her hand stops as she drops the pencil on the desk, taking my paper and unfolding it. She reads it, then jokingly narrows her eyes at me as I laugh. She scribbles something on it, then folds it back up and passes it back to me.

You're one to talk, passing notes and all. Are you only passing notes or are you passing the class as well? Just wondering

I shake my head in fake disappointment.

Believe it or not, I'm passing. Every single class, for that matter

A few moments later my phone vibrates and I pull it out to check it. It's notifying me that Ruby sent me a message. I unlock my phone and open the conversation.

Why, what happened?

Where are you at then

Ruby, remember what I said

Don't get in trouble again, go back to class

I promise it'll be fine, okay?

Because I just know it, and you believe me right?

You might not want to go back to class but it's better to do that and not get suspended

Mom said you were put on watch

Have the counselors tried talking to you?

Why not?

When I was your age and I needed a counselor they were really supportive. And they're not really like that once you get older

What do you mean?

You can always change that

I'm in the middle of typing my response when the teacher calls my name. "Pierce, off your phone."

"It's really important," I immediately state. "I promise I'll catch up, but I need to answer this."

She thinks for a minute, then nods and sighs. "I understand. You can go outside and take care of it but be back in here soon."

"Thanks Mrs. Landers."

I get out of the room and call my sister. She picks up after a couple of rings.

"Ruby," I start, "please go back to class. You don't want to get into these habits now because it doesn't get any better."

"You don't get it," she sniffles with a high-pitched, shaking voice. That's when it hits me she's been crying and I immediately soften my tone.

"Ruby, what happened?"

"I just - Can you just pick me up and I can tell you? I don't want to be here." I hear her sniffle again.

"I'm at my own school Ruby, I can't. I had to come out of my own class to call you."

"But I can't be here!" her voice breaks. She starts to cry some more but I shush her.

"Hey Ruby, I need you to listen, okay? Get through this day at school for me. I'll pick you up and you can spend the night regardless. But if you can just get through school today, I can get you ice cream and we can talk about everything. We have this week and next week, and that last week you get to go on your field trip and to the pool and then the school year is over."

"I just want to get out of here."

"Be tough for me today. Go back to class and show them you're not putting up with their bullsh- I mean, bull. Honestly Ruby, I'd rather you get in trouble for standing up to them over ditching class. Can you please do that?"

"Yeah," she uneasily agrees.

"Thank you. I'll see you after school, alright?"

"Okay."

✾

Julian and I are walking off campus for lunch before I hear, "Hey, hey! Pierce!" from behind us. I turn around, stopping Julian and looking at Sophie and Iris as they jog over to us.

"Hey," Iris says to me, catching her breath. "I just wanted to check and make sure everything was alright. You know, because of Calculus."

Sophie and Julian are awkward for a moment before they start a conversation between themselves. Checking to make sure it's just Iris and I talking, I look over at the two before I look back at Iris. "Yeah, Ruby's having a lot of trouble with school. She was hiding in the bathroom and was crying because she wanted me to pick her up."

Iris's face fell with empathy. "Oh my gosh, what happened? That's just terrible."

"I don't know, she didn't tell me. But she's coming over and spending the night again after school tonight and we're gonna talk about it."

"Is it okay if I come over still or...?"

"Yeah, it's fine. She always gets excited when she sees you. If anything it'll make her feel better."

"Poor Ruby."

✾

I can't believe I looked at Iris on Saturday the way I did. It was definitely something I hadn't done before, what I thought when I looked at her. What if I really could fall in love, and what if she was the one who stuck around? God, as if we were a couple of people that were completely in fate's hands, and as if I was meant for... that sort of thing. Truth is, she's the kind of girl that every guy would want. She's the strong girl who's pretty as h*ll, who's real smart, too. Almost unreal.

And to think that I thought that when she was playing with a man she made out of sticks and grass.

Except now, I'm determined to know the name of the boy who was making my little sister feel so sh*tty, and how to get him to stop. After Ruby gets in the car, we talk about it. A little boy with the name Dallas, is who it is, getting all his friends to gang up on my little sister. Ruby says she's told the teacher countless times but the teacher thinks she's pretty much just pinning the blame on others so she'll look better herself. God help that teacher if I ever see her.

By the time I get to the house Iris is waiting and gives a big smile to Ruby. "Ruby!" she cheers enthusiastically. "How was school?"

"I hate it," Ruby says with a low voice (at least for her). Sincere, of course. I open the door for them to come in and as they walk in, Ruby says, "I want to speak to you Iris. But not Pierce. Just me and Iris."

"Okay." I put my hands up in defense. Iris raises her eyebrows as she looks down at Ruby and chuckles.

"We'll go into Pierce's room. Pierce, stay out here."

She goes into my room and takes Iris there after grabbing her wrist. Iris's hoodie almost covers her denim shorts she's wearing with her combat boots. It took me by surprise when she wore shorts today, but I wouldn't be opposed if she did it more often. It was a pleasant surprise, if anything.

I know I shouldn't go and try to listen in on what the two could be saying. I know I shouldn't, and yet I'm still tempted. I could get away with it, sure... I mean, after all, what was the real harm, right?

Quietly, I sneak up to the edge of my door and put my ear to it and listen for either one of their voices.

"I have bruises," Ruby states clearly. "And... I'll show them to you, but you have to promise not to laugh."

"Why would I laugh?" Iris asks. There's silence for a little bit, and then Iris says, "Ruby, who did this to you?"

"It was me," Ruby mumbles, just loud enough where I can barely make out the words. This is enough to make my eyes widen, because my mom has no clue but this is an issue that needs addressed. "I got mad at me. And I thought you would know because I saw once, your legs. Well, I didn't see your legs, but the jeans are tight so I saw the shape of your scars. Are they deep?"

I blink a few times, surprised at three things. First, how poor Ruby has been giving herself bruises; second, how observant Ruby is; and third, that Iris has scars. Before Iris says anything, the silent gap where I assume she's thinking of an appropriate reply, I think to myself, I hope she's wrong and they're really just stretch marks.

"They seem deeper than they are," Iris lets out a deep sigh. "Hypertrophic, is the kind of scar they are. That's a kind of scar that tries to heal and overdoes it, making it look raised and kind of purple or red."

"Can... I see?" There was silence for another moment, before Ruby gasped. "That looks painful! Why do those ones look so new?"

"It didn't feel painful when I did it," Iris says, carefully avoiding Ruby's question. "In the moment I just... I don't think, I guess. I don't know, not all stuff I should be telling you. But I do know where you're coming from, Ruby. But you can't keep doing this to yourself. I'm sorry."

"I just wanted to show you because I don't know who to talk to."

"I don't know, I think you should tell your brother. He's very understanding and he wants what's best for you."

"I know, but it's just hard I guess. I don't know why."

"We should probably go back out-"

And that's my signal to step away from the door so they can't tell I was there.

✾