Joseph loosened up his tie as he waded out of both── wild and calm tides. His head started spinning and his feet fell heavily. The wet soil caked around his feet. He paused for a minute and crouched to reduce the pressure gushing into his nerves. Lifting his head in despair, he saw her standing and offering him his phone.

"Joseph. Thanks for letting me use it." Her sweet voice brought forward a dilemma for him. He was dithering about what should he do next, give her a tight hug because she had shown up or altercate like always? Joseph was never built to deal with choices so he knew what face to put up.

"You──" His eyes grew bigger, chagrined. Ruby bit her lip and took a long stride sideways tremulously. His eyes shot up to Sarah and Anshuman's. They were holding two bottles of beer with crumbled brown paper wrapped around them.

"Surprise!" they said in unison.

"What are you people doing here?" Joseph asked, dumbfounded. He searched their faces and turned to look at Ruby. "Oh, so your nagging and blabbering to have my phone by dint of buying you an ice cream was to go against my will. Still, you don't realize you are playing with danger."

Ruby repented at her devilment.

"Looks like you people will never get on good terms with each other. Even if you two survive to the last day on earth." Anshuman tsked, shaking his head.

"We shall get going then? It's an eye-soring experience to watch you people fight all the time. Worst than watching a TV program where at least the hero kisses the heroine after a big conflict."

Anshuman chuckled. "At times like this, I feel like the luckiest man in the entire world."

"And I feel like the luckiest girl." Sarah fanned herself and clutched his arm with the same hand. "We don't fight like them. And will never ever."

Ruby was at a loss for words, wondering if they were a match made in hell. Really. Should she forget about them? About Joseph Holden. No way!

Joseph recounted how excited Ruby was for the whole time she was in the car. He somewhere thought he was responsible for throwing her in a downbeat mood. After all, he did know Ruby, and her attachment with Sarah and Anshuman─ and with every person, she meets up with, was so much important to her as she didn't have any friends.

"Wait!" Joseph gaped at Ruby sneakily and suddenly felt the need to be a good sport. He engulfed Anshuman in a side hug. "Anshuman, it's been a while since we talked to each other properly. Is everything going well with your work?" Meanwhile, he handed her the cardigan which she wore immediately with no ifs and buts. "And you wear this, it's cold." His caring side couldn't be shrouded by anything; it was, therefore, proved once again.

She launched herself at Sarah for a bone-breaking hug. Hence, both of them crashed into the soggy sand. They couldn't stop laughing with Sarah lying on top of Ruby. The girls squealed in each other's embrace and Joseph was inarticulate after swelling in happiness.

"Give them some time. Sarah must have missed her like thousand times." Joseph lifted the bottle from his friend's hand and motioned him to come with him.

"And Ruby as well," Anshuman corrected him and groaned with a passionate sneer. "Tell me what's the hot skinny between you and her?"

Joseph pouted and looked sideways.

Anshuman questioned a little smile etched up his lips. "You are smiling, man. There's something that you are trying to hide. What's that thing?"

Joseph refused to say anything and clipped his jaunty shoes (well, now, old, because the soles were completely infested with small sand particles) between his thumb and index finger, and booze before deciding to stroll barefooted. Anshuman's vigilant eyes caught the classic leather material.

"Nice shoes, by the way. Did she notice?"

"Who?" Joseph canted his head at him.

"Tell me clearly if there is any other girl in your life besides Ruby?"

Joseph rolled his eyes as he deserted on the same spot, blatantly unconvinced with the thunderclouds and storms ensuing in his chest.

"One has to learn underwater diving to understand her." He stared down at the dark lines carved on the plains of his palm. "And I like to distance myself from water; it's dangerous."

"Just choose a way to express your feelings to her?" Anshuman fixated his gaze on him after he had quaffed sourly. "Remember, there are many lanes you could pick to reach home, but there is only one shortest route. So, decide who's your home."

"Sarah, Sarah, Sarah, I've missed you so much. I even told Joseph to deliver the message that I missed your hundred-on-hundred-rated cheese sandwiches like crazy. Once I ordered the kitchen cooks to make the same sandwich. But, but, but, they couldn't beat your score," she spoke breathlessly and choked on the saliva. Sarah giggled and patted her back.

"Easy, easy. Ruby, I'm not going anywhere."

"How is Joseph's mother? Are you giving her the medicines? She's not locked herself up in the room again, tell me? Is Joseph taking good care of her?"

Sarah raised a hand and simultaneously placed it on her chest. "For starters, take a deep breath in and then release it out like this."

Ruby tilted her head back as though, she had just realized how far her concern for his family lies. She was not only in love with Joseph but his family which only comprised his mother also had been an integral part of her life. Ruby pushed her with both the hands just like how best friends tease when one rants about their boyfriend. Sarah just happened to regain her position.

"What?"

"Speak up Sarah," Ruby whined.

"Okay. Stephanie is not on medicines that's good news for sure. But there is something you'd be amazed to know. She's going out for grocery shopping and also very active these days."

"That's good to hear. You don't know how badly I want to meet her. But frankly speaking, I don't miss her that much. I have met someone who's nearly as old as her." Ruby pressed her lips with a slight frown.

"Who?"

"Katherine Warner─ I mean my so-called mother." Ruby corrected the introductory line, pointing at herself.

"Oh. That's good then."

"Sarah! It's not like how you are perceiving things. Joseph wants me to..." At that moment as her hands filled the pockets of her cardigan, it brushed against the bunch of those burdensome keys that Mrs. Warner gave her as a reward. "...he wants these keys."

Sarah inspected it. "They don't look like car keys──"

"Sarah, these are Mrs Warner's locker keys. Joseph had burned his sweat and blood for me to get these keys one day." Ruby changed her position and sat in a way that her knees sunk into the moist sand. Her uneasiness was breaking through her fumbling hand movements.

"W-Why do you think Joseph wants them?" She asked horrified.

"He lured me because of the money we could get after this embezzlement, and of course took straight advantage of my mirroring looks with that of Elizabeth's. But never disclosed his interest in this game." She nudged Sarah. Ruby muttered surreptitiously, pushing back her tears, "I know he's not a bad guy, rather he's intensely private and mysterious."

"Um...Ruby, I know it's a hard choice. But you can't have the best of both worlds; it's a rule." Sarah's voice was firm which helped Ruby to make up her mind; it was either Joseph or Mrs. Warner. Now she had to decide then and there if she wanted to end it here or carry on forward.

"Katherine Warner cares for me as if I was born out of her own womb. She has never questioned my identity or tried digging for more information about my past, where have I been all this time, nothing. She blindly trusts me. She trusts a deceiver." Suddenly, Ruby burst into tears at the dilemma gnawing the ability to be conclusive. "She's crazy, fucking overprotective about me."

"Ruby, stop crying. It's none of your fault─"

"It's my fault, Sarah. It has been my fault from the very beginning. I was immature and never thought about how it felt to hurt someone's sentiments. For God's sake! She's old. I can't do this to her. My moral values have not died as yet." She cupped her knee while endeavoring to get up. She paced toward the water with fervor and tossed the bunch of keys in it.

The keys were gone. The end of a minute part of all problems.

Leaping to her feet, Sarah ran after her. "Ruby! What the hell did you just do? How are you going to answer both of them? How would you face Joseph, I'm trembling just by the thought of it?"

"Even if it calls a third world war. I'll confront it by myself," she stated rigidly and whipped her head as she saw two dark figures inching closer to them from a distance slowly.

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Her heart weighed more than her body's. Not because she was running with a turtle-like speed, but, because she had to inform Joseph that she had consigned the keys to the beach.

Only she knew how she had spent last night paraphrasing her repudiation in the least explosive form; it jangled her nerves. The sun smiled at her. Ruby cowered down to tighten her shoelaces.

Shortly, she ingressed through the foyer and as Joseph's husky voice drifted into her ears, she followed it. Joseph progressed toward her after handing over the file to the man he was talking to. "Do run this idea by the vice president of J. S corporations before the confirmation and email the details to Mrs Arabella asked soon as possible."

Ruby couldn't muster up the courage to look into his jet-black eyes. A lump rose in her throat as his breathing rate quickened. The sound was loud enough to bore holes in her eardrums. She was afraid that he had actually seen her throwing the keys. She began, "Joseph...I have something impor..."

"What time is it now?" He asked, crossing his arms. The stern look on his face added more to her fear.

"I-It is..." her voice trailed off as she caught a glimpse of Mrs Warner standing behind Joseph. She was within earshot range, so that meant, every word uttered by Joseph would automatically be heard by Mrs. Warner. And if accidentally spilled the beans on their plan...

A rill of sweat ran down her forehead.

Joseph pursed his lips, checking the time on his wristwatch. He nodded his head full of attitude. "It's eight twenty-five. Normal people usually have their breakfast at this time and prepare to go to work, which in your case can be an exception. And don't go out jogging forcefully."

"Ah...I'll remember that."

"And what have I taught you, huh?" His eyebrows knitted and he held his palm up. "It is essential to protect oneself from the attacks of germs, which is why one should always take a bath with warm water after doing any physical activity."

"Okay, then I shall get going. Good morning Mrs. Warner." She scurried away quickly, offering a smile that was returned equally by Mrs Warner.

Joseph whirled around with a slightly surprised expression. Before he could cover himself up, she filled in.

"Be it impolite Mark or bubbly Elizabeth; It's so good to see how you teach them things in their own way. Your method manifests how easily it can be done." Mrs Warner appreciated Joseph's efforts and seemed a little lost in her parenthood crisis. "I failed very badly on a mother's front. Mark still hates me. But I don't want El to do the same thing."

A compressed smile shaped his lips. "As I see things, she has handled the media with dignified maturity which should be appraised."

"She's a blessing." Mrs Warner countered with a nod and swiftly notified Joseph. "I'm starting with a sorry in advance for sounding too formal. Today you have to be here at sharp seven. Bring your friends along. I want Elizabeth to know that she is being accepted and loved by everyone."

"Alright, I'll be there. It will be a remarkable evening, I'm sure about it."

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Ruby waddled to her room. She had grasped the doorknob and before she could push the door back, Tasher called her name, "Elizabeth!"

"What are you doing here?" Tasher nearly jumped, hearing her heated words.

"I've been waiting here for around an hour."

"Around my bedroom, you mean to say." Ruby glared.

"Yes...around your bedroom," he began stammering. His eyes narrowed and his upper lip curled cruelly. "Why are you acting like this?"

"Next time, if you want to meet me. Think of a better place." She warned him and pivoted on her heels to her room.

Tasher froze at the place. His anger boiled when Mark joined the scene and his thunderous claps drilled his eardrums.

"Excellent try. Entering into a girl's bedroom first and then in her life." Mark pretended to have a big laugh.

"What is your problem?"

"Take a wild guess."

"Probably trying to hit on her─on your sister if I'm not wrong?" Tasher spurted with a tinge of shamelessness. A mere inches distance lying between their red faces. "She for sure has sexy confidence."

"Shut the crap. You better keep your dirty tricks outside of this mansion.
Don't even come near her. She's not an easy fuck."

"Ew. That jealousy surely does signal that you are something more than─ just─ her brother." Tasher bit back, sticking out his tongue. "Did you accidentally play your brother's card to sleep next to her?"

Mark bit his lower lip and contained his smile. "She is seeing someone."

"Who?" His sharp gaze was demanding an answer.

"You will find that soon," Mark said and marched in the opposite direction.

Tasher raked his brains, who could that man possibly be? Memories came flooding back when her voice rang inside his head 'Next time if you want to meet me. Think of a better place'.

"You have insulted me, Elizabeth. Now get ready to pay the price, and that too in your very bedroom," Tasher spoke densely through gritted teeth.

Word count - 2220

a/n; Revenge time for Tasher Heads up! There are lotta things coming up in the next chapter.

Are you excited to go to her party?