It was like he was waiting for someone to ask him to calm down, so that he could act upon his instincts. Lee threw his own guitar onto the sand and ran towards Ruby who was walking ahead with Laksh. He pulled her guitar out of her hands in a swift move, and broke it over his knee into two pieces.

Needless to say, Ruby and Lee had finally broken up.

After watching her guitar being broken, Ruby first lunged forward and slapped Lee right on his left cheek. Then she returned to the hotel room, packed her bags, and had immediately left back to college. Laksh had tried to stop her from leaving, outside the hotel but in vain.

When Laksh, Lee and Sara had returned to their room that night, they found that Ruby had poured bathroom cleaner into the contents of Lee's bag, cleaning his clothes among other things.

In spite of this unforeseen circumstances, Lee, Sara and Laksh had, however, stayed for the rest of the surf festival. Lee was ecstatic as he could play his guitar everyday without Ruby trying to put him down, though Sara and Laksh didn't want to hear him play anymore.

After they had returned to college, things were far from how it had been before. For a whole week, there was no news from Ruby. Everyone had started noticing the absence of one person from the group. And since it was Ruby who was missing, everyone automatically assumed that Lee and Ruby had in fact broken up. Lee strongly coming onto random girls may have also aided in confirming this speculation.

Laksh had tried to get hold of Ruby, but Ruby had never responded.

"Good," said Lee, "Kick her out of the group."

Laksh was lying on her stomach on the grass, while Lee lay on his back. Sara sat on a towel, leaning her back against a tree, reading a book.

"Don't be an idiot Lee," Laksh said going through the pictures she took at the festival, wondering which ones to post in her social media account.

"Yeah. She'll be back soon. Instead, we should kick you out for what you did," said Sara as she flipped a page in her book. "I really doubt if she'll return until he apologizes and fixes her guitar," Laksh pouted.

Lee cackled. He said, "That's never going to happen." He rolled into his stomach and looked at Sara. He remembered something she had said while at the beach and said, "I don't understand how you can be so calm about creating a clone of yourself."

"She is not a clone. She is an original. I just want to help perfect her," replied Sara, not taking her eyes off the book.

"You mean like a project. Playing Clueless are you? You'll regret it once she backstabs you and turns out to be more perfect than you are," said Lee.

Sara stiffened and Lee noticed the change. He continued, "She has fans without even trying. She had fans even before you began working your magic on her. I had known her before we had officially met her. Why do you think I paid her so much attention the minute she came to me that first night at the party?"

Laksh was listening carefully to his words. Sara was too, but she continued hiding her face behind her book. Lee continued, "Unlike you, she is talented as well, as both of you have been rubbing on my face."

He paused for effect. He knew Sara was intently listening to him, though she was pretending not to. He said, "I can imagine already. Ruby Rose. Perfect, just like Sara. Only, just a little better."

"That's enough. Stop irritating her," Laksh interjected as Lee rolled to his side, laughing.

As Sara walked to her class, Lee's words still fresh on her mind, she heard someone call her from behind. Already in a hurry, as she was late for class, Sara didn't want to waste any more time. Hence she ignored the call, and increased the pace of her steps.

Suddenly someone jumped in front of her. In a white knee length skirt and peach blouse, a girl stood in front of her. She put out her hand holding a book. Sara recognized her as one of Ruby's old friends though she couldn't recollect the name.

"Hi Sara," said the girl. Ruby just stared at her. The girl continued, "We have met before. I'm Hannah."

Sara showed no signs of recognition. Hannah continued, "This is Ruby's. She had forgotten it in our room when she had vacated. I haven't seen her much on campus. Can you give it to her?" She asked.

"I haven't seen her for a few days either. So, just keep it with you. Surely she attends her classes?" Sara asked.

"No idea. We are in different departments. I wondered, since she is your friend, you could pass it on," the girl replied. Sara had already forgotten her name again.

"Friend. Right," Sara took the book from her and nodded with a fake smile. Clearly, Lee's words had affected her even though she denied it.

"Did you buy her the guitar then?" asked the girl, "Did you also get her that job at the restaurant?"

"What?" Sara was confused at the rapid questions.

The girl pulled out her phone, and showed Sara a video. It was the video of Ruby performing that night at the restaurant. "Someone had taken a video and now it's low key viral in college," she said, "Everyone has been watching it since morning. Everyone has been looking for her. No one knew she could sing or play an instrument for that matter."

Sara breathed out, taking in all the information. Now she had to admit that she could not ignore how Lee had certainly got to her.

"So you really don't know where she is?" The girl asked again.

Sara swept back her long hair and said before she walked away, "I haven't seen her in over a week. She had disappeared from the surf festival. I honestly don't know where she is or whom she is with."

The lecture that usually ran for an hour and a half seemed longer that day. Sara couldn't stop thinking about how she could let Lee, that idiot, get to her. And for the love of god, still couldn't remember that irritating girl's name, who had triggered her. She couldn't pay attention to what Tom was saying either, and she was sure that he must have been saying something very important.

After the lecture, she had descended the stairs in the class with Laksh and Lee. They were about to leave, when Tom summoned them. Feeling puzzled, they approached him.

He asked, "Where is Ruby?"

The three exchanged curious glances. This was the first time that Tom had ever enquired about Ruby to them.

"Why? Anything serious?" asked Sara.

"I have been trying to get to her but she has been missing from college," he replied.

"Trying to get to her? Why?" Sara asked again.

"Well," Tom said, "I wanted to tell her that I have been considering her request, and I'm thinking about getting her the scholarship this year."

"WHAT?" Laksh's voice came out a bit too loud.

Sara could understand why Laksh reacted so. She had been trying very hard to get her hands on that scholarship. Apart from studying hard, she got herself elected as the Student Body President and she has been discussing this with Tom for a long time too. She knew that if Tom intervenes, he can get her that scholarship.

"To Ruby?" Laksh gave a nervous laugh, "But scholarship is given to the top scorers, and she isn't one."

"Don't be so petty Ms. Lakshmi. Scholarship is given to those who deserve it, not just based on your marks. You heard how difficult her life is. How her single dad raised her. She told me last week that she works part time now, to meet her bills. Apart from Prof. Sloan's subject, she has scored extremely well in most of her exams. She deserves it," Tom said in a calm voice.

"When you see her, tell her to call me as soon as possible," he said before he walked out of the classroom, leaving three baffled students behind.

Lee and Sara silently watched Laksh. After Tom had walked out of the lecture hall, Laksh seemed to go into a daze. Sara and Lee exchanged glances, waiting for Laksh to speak first. Lee lost his patience and took full advantage of the situation.

"That b*** stole your scholarship right under your nose. You should have never mentioned it in front of her."

Lee turned to Sara and said, "Did you hear what Tom said? He said that she had told him last week about her desperate situation. Last week. While you two were trying to call her, she was off stealing your scholarship."

He continued.

"She wanted to escape from her boring old liabilities. She wanted popular friends and a popular boyfriend. Don't you get it even now? She has been using us!"

Sara pursed her lips as she watched Lee go berserk. She knew Ruby was smart. She had admitted it herself. Had this girl really crossed them?

"You-" Lee continued talking to Sara, "-wanted to create a perfect creature like yourself out of her. You wanted her to be as smart as you. Guess what, she is actually smarter than you. You said she was better than me. Guess what, she is better than you too."

"Shut up Lee," mumbled Laksh as she rubbed her temples with her thumbs.

Lee turned to her immediately, "While you worked your ass off, that backstabbing b**ch swooped in and gained sympathy with her sad story to Tom."

Turning to Sara again, he said, "And the funny thing is, you were the one who introduced him to her! And she is still in the group!"

"WILL YOU JUST FU**IN SHUT UP!?" Sara yelled with frustration. Anger, resentment and irritation boiled within her. She let out a breath and said her final decision, "Fine. She is out."