The lazy packet slipped from Ruby's hand, she had her eyes fluttered open as open and honest as any child. 'Fuck' blew out just as she realized the new objects swarming around her.

She dabbed her lips, lingering on the saltiness of the nachos that manifested in her mouth. She retracted her neck backward before clambering out of the bed and proceeding to the washroom which was outside of the room. Unalarmed, as her actions were, she stubbed her foot on the edge of a three-legged backless stool guarding the door.

"Double fuck! Just the start." Ruby lowered down, a bitter feeling bubbling in her insides.

The washroom was separate and small, but better than hers in every way. Ruby opened the tap and splashed a handful amount of mildly warm water on her face, water flecked onto the mirror. "Why does morning have to come so early? I miss my bed so much. But this place is also very human. I like it."

She opened a cupboard below the basin and retrieved a face towel, soaking her damp face in it. The next step was to get rid of that foul smell of nachos emitting from her mouth. Her eyes averted on the squeezed tube of toothpaste, endeavoring to search its better half through all the drawers. But got nothing.

Just in the middle of the crisis, a mousey knock on the door lessened the space between her eyebrows. Ruby pulled the door slightly and was greeted by Joseph who was already suited-booted, much to her shock. What was the time, by the way? Had it already been noon? Or maybe . . . eight, to speak in accordance to an officer goers schedule?"

"Guess, you will need this." He offered her a toothbrush, lifting his hand a little to give her easy access to it. Then she recalled, that she too, had working hands that could move up and down on her commands. A genuine smile climbed up on her face, as she took it from him.

"Thanks."

"Then, I shall see you at breakfast in five minutes." He smiled, sucking in a breath as he strolled back before allowing his eyes to travel for one last time across Ruby's face── and body.

"God, this promiscuous man. I should clean the brush thoroughly before using it. Can't risk my precious life over a petty toothbrush layered with cocaine," Ruby mumbled under her breath after clicking the lock harshly.

***

Ruby plopped on the couch as she saw Sarah opening the jar of oatmeal, and pouring hot milk into a utensil. "Need an extra pair of hands?" Ruby asked, jolting up from her seat, and jogging toward Sarah.

"Thanks, it's almost done. Tell me how was your night, did you sleep well?" Sarah asked over her shoulder while her lips lifted only to make the receptive smile back at her. Ruby thought, how could anyone not fall for such meekness?

"It was different. I felt alone," Ruby stated the truth. She missed Emily's prep talk and the habit of caressing her head before she penetrated to sleep. Emily took care of her as an elder sister, coping with her anger, knowing the knack of minimizing it at the same time. Ruby respected Emily a lot; she played the role of her mother in Ruby's life.

"Then, I should request Joseph to accompany you next time. At least you will be able to feel somebody's weight pressed against the mattress next to you, if not his mouth and hands on the working mode." Sarah winked at Ruby as she continued to stir the grains in the boiling ocean of milk.

Ruby chuckled and looked away. Joseph would never do that. He literally, needed to enroll himself in a good three months recreational program focusing on obliterating anger and, well, how to be humble toward women.

She doubted his reserved side as well. Either he was being exceptionally shy or mindfully creative. "Hey, Sarah just wants to know── does he live here alone? What work he does and why did he choose me──" She trod carefully, hoping to get all the answers.

"Morning everyone," Joseph interjected her line of questions. Sarah didn't notice his presence, so Ruby had to greet him back again. Her eyes trained on the bundle of papers he had held in his hands.

"What is this?" Ruby prompted.

"This . . . is the key material you need to be well versed with." His voice was tersely thick and commanding but he avoided any eye contact.

"Can I have a look at it?" As soon as she saw Sarah's face, she understood the seriousness of the conversation.

"Just a look--no. You have to memorize every line by heart. The trial and error method is not applicable here," he said blatantly. Those eyes were a dead giveaway. "Anyway, shall I read it for you?"

"No. I'll manage." She wrapped her fingers around the spine of the plastic folder expertly, a tad bit weighted as she peered at the black printed words dancing in the emptiness of the paper. If any teacher were to score it, they would've given full marks on the neatness of this project. It showed his deep concern.

"Name: Elizabeth Warner.
Born: 15 February 2000.
Elizabeth was the only daughter of Benjamin and Katherine Warner. She also had a younger brother," Ruby recited each line with 'errs' as she came across any hard word that her tongue didn't come to terms with. Sarah left everything and drew herself near Ruby. With keen interest just like how a child looks at his mother while she recites him bedtime stories, she gaped at Ruby.

She turned over a page and read the first line in a serif font, "Elizabeth's favorite color was dark pink." Ruby's reaction came flooding along which cut the silence in the air. "Eww! That color is just so bad."

A slight crease formed on Joseph's forehead which was scarcely noticeable unless you sit closer to him. He twiddled with his thumbs to disengage himself in any aggressive session.

"She was afraid of bugs, cause once her brother, Mark secretly put a butterfly in her underpants. Ever since that incident took place, Elizabeth dreaded wearing underpants," Ruby was reading the compendium in frivolity, flipping through the pages. By this time, Sarah mumbled something and vanished inside with careful foot movements.

Ruby stopped reading and whipped her head to follow where Sarah went and looked back at him. "Does anyone live on the upper floor?"

"Yes, I live there."

"No, I mean, along with you?"

"Nobody lives there except me."

Ruby opened her mouth wide and nodded promptly, knowing his answers would only come in constrained words. Just then her eyes fell on the pocket-sized kettle craved with argentine glass that sat at the center table. She took an instant fancy to this little showpiece. Her eyes were burning up. She wanted that. Her attention was seeded only there where he couldn't get by any means.

She was thinking hard as to how she could get him swept away in some other task while she slid it into her pocket.

"Don't know where I kept it. It was a plain ring." Ruby got on her feet, touching the absence of the ring on her finger and looking perplexed.

Suddenly there was a breach in the serious atmosphere.

"Are you sure you were having one?" Joseph rose, taller by two complete heads.

She didn't look into his eyes. "Yes. Of course, my friend gifted it to me and I always wear it." Then, Ruby trudged toward the sofa and began searching for it by lifting the cushions. "I sat here last night."

Joseph joined in with her and looked in the direction of the door.

She glued her head on the carpet and looked beneath the sofa. "Where are you?" She looked over her shoulder and before he could take a turn, she grabbed the shiny piece and shoved it inside her coat pocket.

Breath.

Fine. It's in her custody now.

"Did you get it?" he asked from behind.

"Ah, it wasn't expensive. Just a plain simple ring." She faked a laugh and swing the conversation away from the search. "Thanks for helping me."

"I'll ask Sarah to fi-"

"Not a biggie. Let's get back to Elizabeth Warner. That's more important. Although, she and the underpants incident is so gross. I literally would have knocked her out if only I were her mother," she commented imperviously, crossing her legs as she ensconced on the high chair across the kitchen counter. She got carried away as she read the rest of the matter with growing amusement, exasperation, and rage.

Joseph gave her a steady stare. He forbore to say anything, for he was mentally counting on the number of chances he was giving her to stop making fun of the matter and get all serious.

"On 15 Feb 2004, a tragic car accident occurred due to which we lost Benjamin Warner and his daughter, leaving Katherine Warner who had survived with minor chest injuries. While her father died on the spot, Elizabeth's body was nowhere to be found. That incident also took away the life of their─"

"Stop. Skip this part." Joseph waved his hand nervously and his breath quickened.

Ruby was confused, nodding while turning over the page. But why did he want her to skip reading that part?

"Elizabeth was used to getting what she wanted and her stubbornness was also responsible for that incident somewhere. Mr Benjamin would've never left the mansion if it wasn't for the insistence of his wife and daughter's wish to go to the butterfly garden on that stormy day." Ruby breathed out, bringing out the point of differences between Elizabeth and herself.

"Acting like a fucking bitch. I would have never gone out of my blanket in that weather," Ruby joked, dismissing the man's assiduous efforts in consolidating various facts about the the-then-present girl.

"Get up! Get up from here!" Suddenly Joseph's voice grew louder and louder causing Sarah to trample down the stairs.

"What happened, Joseph? Why are you shouting at her like that?" Sarah's brows knitted as she retraced her steps.

"This girl." He threw a tight hand in Ruby's direction, looking away. "Why did I even choose this pleb in the first place? I'm regretting my decision," he barked, and Ruby squeezed shut her eyes at the proximity.

"Stop right there, Joseph. You are scaring her."

"She's finding it bloody funny, like it's a travesty, Sarah! How can I trust her and expect to get the right results from her?!" Even the loose chain of words in his breath sounded like a curse from a devil, "She's so second-rated."

"Joseph, you can talk to her nicely as well. Sound professional, why are you threatening her?" Sarah yelled in the pressed tone and tried playing a peacemaker.

Joseph pushed Sarah aside and grabbed Ruby's shoulders harshly; he shook her while gritting his teeth. "Listen to me, you are capable of doing nothing. Mark my words. You will bring dishonor to your body, your brains, and to anyone who is in touch with you!"

For several seconds, Ruby just stared at him, silence could be heard at the moment.

"Yes, I agree. I may not be capable of hurting others ─ of making pots of black money, and of fooling a mother who hasn't seen her daughter in fifteen years or so," Ruby admitted truthfully, in one breath.

She continued, breaking free from his grasp, "You think this will make you look like a whip-smart guy? But the reality says that you are a fucking crackpot who wants to sit on the bank vaults of his mistress. At least hang in there for two minutes and look around. Just see how lucky enough you have been to own a nice roof to protect you from the rain. You aren't ripped out of food, clothes, and respect. I pity you for craving more money," Ruby hissed and stopped right at his face, ceasing to fire questions at him with her chin reaching out for the sky. "You have spent half a lifetime working for her, must I remind you."

"Thanks for opening my eyes and disregarding every second of these fifteen years of hard work I've been putting in. Now," He landed his face closer to hers. "Don't show me this face of yours. I can't afford to waste my time dealing with an ill-bred girl like you," his words laced with poison.

"I don't want to waste my single breath either talking to a cheater like you," Ruby retaliated with the same energy as his.

Sarah felt like opening the orange six-spoke umbrella kept on the sofa to protect herself from the stormy bluster of heated counterattacks from both sides.

"I was in dire need of money. I thought I could leave that rotting place and change my fate by working for someone who would pay me for my talent. But I was so wrong. Thankfully, now I know what I've to do," Ruby hauled before picking up the folder that had slipped from her hands amidst what he shook her a few moments ago.

She turned around and found the matchstick box that sat on the side table.

Ruby lit the matchstick and brought it dangerously closer to the folder. "As I said, I'll never do this. Now I hope this makes sense." She tilted her face before setting the file on fire.

She walked away confidently, muttering a trail of profanity lowly. He proceeded quickly to clutch her forearm and dug his hand into her coat pocket. "This should return to its rightful place."

She jerked away from his hand and breezed through the passage.

"Ruby, stop!" Sarah ran after her.

Joseph stopped her by raising a hand adjacent to her abdomen as he stated, "I shall not hear her name again. Got it!"

Word count - 2180

a/n; Aishh... a bad start!