“That is too cute, Ruby,” Ben said once she told him Zac asked her to his Prom.
“I know. But I can’t buy a dress by Saturday,” she told him looking through his
CD’s while she layed on his bed. “Plus, I have like, no money.”
“Well wear what you wore to Prom when we went together,” he said laying down
next to her.
Ruby scrunched up her nose. “I don’t like that dress anymore.”
“What about that red dress Holly wore, remember?”
“Oh yeah,” she smiled. “The strapless one?”
“Yeah. That’d look hot on you,” he told her.
“Hm, that’s an option,” she said. “I’ll see if she’ll let me borrow it.”
*******************************
“So let me get this straight,” Ansley said sitting outside with Zac and his friends
during lunch period. “Ruby dumps you, and then comes back to Tulsa, and you just take
her right back?”
“She didn’t dump me,” Zac reasoned. “It wasn’t the right time for a relationship in
her life.”
“Right,” Ansley said skeptically. “So basically, she can walk all over you but then
go back to you whenever she wants?”
“It’s not like that, Ans,” Zac said pulling off the tab from his Coke can. “Don’t
worry about it.”
“I do worry about it because you’re my friend,” Ansley said. “It’s not fair to you
for her to jerk you around like that.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” he told her. “She came home and
she apoligized and she understands what she wants now. So we’re okay.”
“And you just take her right back?” She asked.
“Chill out Ans,” Will said throwing a grape at her.
“Yeah, I did take her back. And you know why?” Zac asked standing up dusting
off the back of his shorts. “Because I never stopped loving her. Why would I run away
from an opportunity to get back together with her?”
“Because she’s gonna dump you again,” Ansley said. “Because she knows she
can.”
Zac shook his head. “What’s your deal? I don’t want you in the limo with all of
us if you’re gonna act like this around her.”
“Well then maybe me and Jay won’t go with you guys,” she said.
“Come on,” Jay said joining the conversation. “Forget about all of it and let’s just
have fun. We’re Seniors, let’s not fight over stupid shit.”
“Well if Ansley would grow up and mind her own business,” Zac said tossing his
can in the trash. “You’ve met Ruby like, once. You don’t even know her.”
“I know that she dumped a great guy like you,” she said.
“Don’t worry about that, okay? Just be cool,” Zac said sitting back down on the
grass.
“Yeah, it’ll be fun,” Will said wrapping his arm around Ansley’s shoulders.
“Ruby’s cool. Plus she’s 21, she can buy us all alcohol.”
Zac laughed. “Hey, I haven’t asked her about that yet,” he said.
Ansley sighed and leaned forward to give Zac a hug. “I’m sorry. I’ll be nice,” she
promised.
“Okay,” Zac said hugging her back. “You better.”
“I’ve never seen you so worked up over a girl,” she grinned.
************************************
“You’re gonna let me win, right?” Ruby asked before shooting the basketball in
Zac’s driveway one night.
“I might not have to,” he said watching as she scored two more points.
“So what’s the bet on this game?” She asked dribbling the ball in front of him.
“Let’s see,” he said wiping his sweaty forehead with his arm. “First one to 20
points gets oral sex.”
“We always do that one,” she laughed. “And you always win.”
“I think you just lose on purpose so you can give me a blow job,” he teased. “You
know you like it.”
“Shut up,” she laughed throwing the ball at his chest.
“Hey thanks,” he said catching it. He shot the ball and scored another basket.
“That makes 8 for me.”
“I want a different bet,” she said retreiving the ball. “How about if I win, you
don’t wear any underwear at Prom,” she suggested.
Zac laughed. “It’s a rented tux, I don’t think so.”
“Fine, we’ll do the oral sex bet,” she said. “Except I’m winning this time.”
“We’ll see,” he watched as she scored another two points to tie the game. “I
might have to start playing for real.”
“Go ahead,” she said as he guarded her.
“Hey what color’s your dress?” He asked.
“Why?”
“Because I’m supposed to know,” he told her trying to steal the ball.
“Guess,” she said jumping to shoot the ball. She missed and he got it.
“Red.”
“Yep,” she said.
“Perfect,” he said scoring another basket.
“Why?”
“Just because,” he smiled.
****************************************
Ruby won the basketball game and Zac held up his end of the deal later that night.
She ended up staying the night in his bed once again and he left early the next morning for
school. When she woke up she saw a note lying on Zac’s pillow. He usually left notes
before he left for school but this was one a little different.
I have a mission for you. Follow the clues and at the end, you’ll find a present
from me. Now, look inside the case of my favorite CD and follow the next clue... love
you.
Ruby raised one of her eyebrows and looked around the room wondering what he
was up to. She ran her fingers through her hair and made her way out of bed to go take a
shower. She remembered to bring a few clothes with her to Zac’s house so she had
something to change into.
After she got ready, she went over to Zac’s CD’s and scanned down the row to his
Beatles CD, Abby Road. She opened it and found a small piece of paper inside.
“I knew it,” she smiled to herself when she picked the right CD.
That was an easy one. Now find my favorite thing in the whole world - it’s in my
room.
Ruby put the CD back and went over to his guitar - nothing. “Hmm,” she thought
putting her hands on her hips and looking around his room. She walked over to his
nightstand and picked up a picture he had of her. She flipped it over and there was
another clue taped to the back.
Aww, I’m so sweet. Now go downstairs and look inside my favorite box of
cereal... good luck.
She went downstairs and wandered into the kitchen. She opened the cupboard
where they kept all the cereal and saw about 6 different boxes for everyone. She knew his
favorite was Lucky Charms and picked it out. Inside was another clue.
Wow you’re good. Now let’s see if you remember this. You were 19, I was 16, it
was summer. Remember that summer? Go back to the spot where we had our very first
kiss and you’ll find something you’re missing.
Ruby smiled to herself and stuck the paper in the pocket of her navy blue shorts
before putting the cereal back. “Oh my gosh. Zac you’re crazy,” she said letting herself
out of the house. She jogged across the street to her house and went around to the
backyard. She walked through the grass and spotted a pool float in the water underneath
the diving board. “What the hell?” She whispered going over to the pool. When she got
close enough and found a small black box sitting on the float. She bent down and picked
it up. Inside were the earrings, necklace, and the ring she had given back to him after they
broke up along with another clue.
You gave these back to me but now it’s time you keep them for good. Wear them
on Saturday to let me know we belong together. I love you forever. Zac.
Chapter 7
