John didn't have the energy to tell her the condition Ruby was actually in, and if she'd ever make it back to college. The thought itself made his heart feel heavy in his chest.

He glanced through the list quickly before it caught his eye. One name among the student volunteers was Laxmi Ramachandran. 

After failing last time at his first phone call attempt, John knew that he had to take drastic measures now if he had to convince Laksh to meet him.

He had called her again after parting with Prof. Nancy. "I know about you using weeds and I know you arrange it for kids in your college. You know this is a serious offense. I have proof from a reliable source regarding this and I have it recorded and stored in my phone. If you do not agree to meet me, my fingers might just slip and I might accidentally send it to Prof. Nancy. Now, you may take your decision." He had lied.

Lakshmi had come with Sara to meet John. It seemed like she didn't want to go alone to meet a stranger. She had asked Lee too to accompany her but he had flat out refused. He just didn't care or may be was probably too scared to admit.

Now, sitting around the circular table, John waited for the girls to say something. And the girls waited for John to ask. He noticed the difference in appearance of both the girls. Sara seemed haughty and unapproachable, her designer clothes and air of superiority made her stand out. She was easily spotted from any distance. Lakshmi, however, had a cute cheerful face. One would automatically smile if you meet her eyes.

"I understand you were Ruby's friends. I don't know if you know but she has been in an accident and is... not doing well." John said slowly.

Lakshmi's face assumed an expression of concern. "Ruby has been in an accident?" She asked.

"Yes. On the night of April 17th, last Saturday."

John didn't know if he had imagined it, but he felt Lakshmi stiffen in her seat, a bit. "That's awful..." She trailed off.

"Do you perhaps know where she was that night? Or whom she was with?" Asked John.

"Not really. We don't know what she has been up to in the past few months. And honestly, we don't really care." It was Sara who replied apathetically. Her attitude of indifference bothered John.

"But Ruby was your best friend," said John, as his finger stopped tapping the surface of the table. "Who told you this?" Sara asked with a smirk.

"Hannah and Maya. They were-"

"I remember them," Sara interrupted him and continued, "Ruby was friends with them just before she came to us. We practically saved that girl from those useless excuses she used to call 'her friends'. But unfortunately for us, at the end, she turned out to be just like them. If not worse."

John was taken aback.

"Sara!" Lakshmi tried to hush her friend.

"Ms. Lakshmi-"

"Please call me Laksh, John. Nobody calls me Lakshmi," Lakshmi corrected John who had turned to her, feeling that she in fact may be a better choice to have a conversation.

John breathed in and said, "Laksh," Lakshmi nodded, "Was Ruby not friends with you?"

"She was but-"

"Then what do you mean she was just like them? What happened then?"

"I don't know if I should tell you..."

"Trust me, anything you say will not shock me more than I have been in the past two days," John said, waiting eagerly and trying to convince the girls to tell him the truth.

Laksh stole a glance from Sara and then looked away. Looking hesitant to respond, she bit her lip nervously and sighed. But Sara spoke first, "Alright. I'll tell you..."

It was the night of the first party of their second year. Not the actual first party, but it was the first thing that could actually be labelled as a 'party'. The ones prior were absolute garbage that Sara had walked in and left the room in under a minute. There was music, alcohol, people who admired Sara and some side business stuff.

Sara was perched on top of the table in the dining room of somebody's house along with Lee, both of them flanking Laksh. Laksh was giggly as usual, like she usually gets when even a little bit of alcohol enters her body, and Lee swerved his half empty bottle of beer in his hand feeling obviously bored. He was quite opposite to Laksh in this matter and would need more than just one bottle to get his high.

"I'm not even motivated to drink another beer. That is how much this party sucks," he said.

"I like this party," said Laksh, enjoying a little bit too much, if you ask Sara.

A few minutes later into the party, Sara saw two girls make their way to them through the busy crowd. They introduced themselves as Ruby and the one with the very generic name. Sara couldn't even register the second girl's face.

Sara watched Ruby though. Slim, long brown messy hair, a pointed nose and a small happy pointed face. Suddenly Lee had found the party interesting. It was clear that he had taken an instant liking to this girl. The two were subtly touching each other's arm or playing with the other's hair. Sara smirked.

The girl with the generic name however was trying desperately to get the attention of Lee and Laksh. She was trying Sara to get to notice her too, but gave up quickly. Though Laksh engaged in a small conversation with her, always trying to create an image among juniors, Sara completely ignored this girl. The girl was desperately trying to engage in conversation with Lee too. But Lee was too busy with Ruby.

Sara always hated the ones that tried too hard. So obvious. So pathetic. She rolled her eyes as she took a sip from her bottle.

After testing Sara's patience for the following few minutes, the girl kept her empty bottle at one end of the dining table. She said a small, "Excuse me," and finally walked away. Of course, with two beers down her throat she'd have to use the loo. Sara wondered why she wasn't high yet.

Was her tolerance level that high?

Grabbing her chance, Sara jumped off the wooden table.

"Let's head upstairs. I have to show you guys something," she said as she turned on her heels. Laksh followed without question. Lee turned to Ruby, "Come on!"

Ruby shrugged and smiled. They climbed the stairs and followed Sara.

Sara led them to a room that was a bit less crowded. The lights were dimmed, light smoke filled the room and the air condition was on at high to cover up the heat. It was too cold now. Music from the speaker downstairs was muffled as soon as the door closed behind them. Ruby looked around with the innocent eyes of a deer. She was surrounded by total strangers who sat on whatever flat surface that was available in the room. But when the strangers saw Sara, including a couple that was making out, got off the bed and made space for her.

"Don't worry. I got you," said Lee placing his hand on the small of her back. Sara sat on the bed, leaning against the headboard. She gestured Ruby to sit down, who followed her command instantly.

"So, how are you finding our little college, Ruby?" asked Sara, flipping her long hair to one side and slightly bouncing her shoulders.

"Not that good to be honest. There are a lot of assignments and a lot of work to be done. The professors are all nice, except this one Prof. Sloan. Yeah he hates me," Ruby said, skipping between the three who watched her.

Sara clicked her tongue and said, "I meant boys. How about boys? Anyone good in your department?"

"There are a few cute ones but I couldn't find anyone that caught my attention."

"That's sad," Sara made a sad face, pouting her lips.

"I know a cute one," Laksh said as she raised an eyebrow and glanced at Lee. Lee chuckled as he fell back onto the bed behind Ruby.

"You are cute. Hangout with us. I'll tell you everything that there is to know about May Flower," Sara proposed.

"Cool! Okay!" Ruby exclaimed.

"Cute," Lee commented from the back.

"And by the way it's a very good choice that you decided not to do the stuff," Sara leaned in and whispered, "It rots your brain."

Ruby glanced around and saw the people around her lost in a daze.

"It's okay," Laksh said as she winked at Ruby.

"Have you guys never tried?" she asked innocently.

"We have but I feel it's better to control others than be controlled by something so insignificant," said Sara.

"It's a whole new experience, to be honest," said Laksh.

"I want to try it some day," said Ruby.

"Stick around and we can try it together some time," Lee said from behind her.

He raised himself on an elbow and put forward his phone. He said, "Having said that, can I have your number?"

Laksh oohed loudly and Sara saw Ruby turn, well, ruby.