Ruby

"I will see you in New York, then?" Alexander asks. "Yeah." I say. He smiles, I smile back. "Let's go, Ruby." Louisa calls. I look at her and then back at him. "I gotta go." I say. He nods. I turn to leave. "Hey, Ruby?" He calls. I look at him. "Thanks for inviting me. I had a lot of fun." He says. I nod with a smile. I get into the car's passenger seat. Louisa beside me starts the car. I look back at mom and dad. Mom is sleeping on dad's shoulder. Dad is looking out the window. This doesn't look like the family I have always know. Not even close.

"Who is that Alexander Titan, then?" Louisa asks, her gaze focused on the road. "He's my new boss at work." I say. "Who brings their boss to a friend's wedding, Rub?" She says. I smile slowly. "He's sort of my friend as well." I say. "Friend, eh?" She says. "Look at you being the true Canadian, you were born to be." I say, changing the subject. She chuckles. "You got anyone, then?" I ask. "He's still a friend. I sort of have something for him." She says. "And you're not actually trying to kiss him?" I joke. "Ha ha." She says, sarcastically. Louisa has became much more mature, since Peter's death. "No for real, what's his name?" I ask. "Felix." She says. "Oh, nice. He's a sophomore too?" I ask. "No, he's a joiner." She says. "I would like to meet him, then." I say. "Come to Canada one day and then you can meet him." She says with a chuckle. I chuckle along.

My room looks just the same as I left it, five years ago. I know it sucks that I haven't came home since then. But, I couldn't just handle it. Everything reminds me of how it happened. Everything reminds me of either Peter or Tobias. I take off the dress and slide into a pair of shorts and an oversized hoodie. I lay in bed.

"Don't you think this is odd?"

His words flash through my mind. I get out of bed after trying to sleep. I walk out of the room. Beside my room is Louisa's room. The door is shut. I wonder if she's asleep. Right in front of hers is Peter's. I stare at the door. I slowly walk towards the door. I touch the doorknob. It's dusty. I turn it open. The room is dark. I flick the light switch open. The room comes into focus. His little bed is laying there. His toys just as he left them are scattered around the floor. His sketchbook is on his desk with crayons around it. I sit in his bed. Everything is covered in dust. It looks as if no one has entered this room since he died. Everything is just as he left it. My chest burns. Hot tears fill up my eyes. I hug myself as I cry silently. I am the reason Peter is dead. If I hadn't rode him to his house. If I didn't go that day to Tobias's place. If his father never met me. Maybe just maybe Peter would have been alive, today. My silent cries turn to sobs.

"Ruby?" Louisa's voice is close. I look at her through my blurry eyes. "Oh god." She wraps her arms around me. I cry into her shoulder. "It's all my fault, Lou. All of it." I sob, feeling my throat as it burns. "No, Ruby, no. You didn't do any of this. It just was his fate. Peter was meant to die that night." She says, rubbing my back, slowly as she holds me. "But, it's not fair." I cry. "I know, Rub. I know." She whispers, squeezing my shoulder.

I toss and turn in the tiny bed. I sit up straight. The room is empty. The sunlight is trying to get inside through the blue with teddy bears curtains. I rub my eyes as a yawn escapes my mouth. I get out of the bed. I leave Peter's room, shutting the door behind me. I walk downstairs. I enter the kitchen. Mom is making waffles and scrambled eggs. "Oh, merry Christmas, dear." She says as soon as she sees me. I smile. "Merry Christmas." I say as I walk to the oven. I cook the scrambled eggs as she makes the waffles. Her hair is made into a messy braid. Streaks of white run through her dark hair. "Look at that!" Louisa says, entering the kitchen. "Good morning to you, too." Mom says. "Merry Christmas, mom." Lou says, kissing mom's cheek. Mom smiles. "Merry Christmas, Rub." She says, hugging me from the back. "Merry Christmas, Lou." I say, smiling.

"Look at my girls." Dad enters the kitchen as well. I watch him as he kisses mom. I smile at them. "Music is needed for this great moment." Louisa says as she turns on 90s music on her phone. Dad takes mom's hand between his and they start dancing. We both watch them as they laugh. "Miss Ruby?" Louisa offers me her hand. I look at her with a smile. The four of us dance to the music with happiness. This is the happiest I have seen my family since Peter left us.

"Not this one, dad!" Lou says as dad places his hand on the wrong circle on the twister game carpet. "I am sure it is. Right, Ruby?" He asks. "I don't think so." I say with a chuckle. "Spin it, mom." Lou says as she's fighting for dear life to not fall. "Alright alright." Mom says. I watch her spin, with one arm and leg in the air. "Put your other arm on the yellow one, Ruby." Mom says. "You're so gonna lose." Lou says. I extend my arm underneath Louisa's back to reach the yellow spot without losing my balance. "Oh no!" "Watch out!" Mom and dad call as I lose my balance and fall on my stomach, pulling Louisa on top of me. We laugh as she gets off me. "Losers!" Dad points at us as we lay side by side laughing.