Luna's Descent

suspicious or not

Ruby got a text from Jeremy, her boyfriend.

Hey babe, I’ve got basketball practice, the text read.

She quickly typed back, *Would you like me to come and watch?

*No, don’t worry about it. You need to rest, and it’s gonna be a long practice,* Jeremy replied.

Ruby sighed, feeling a little disappointed. It had been a while since they'd spent time together, but she figured he was busy with his commitments. Just as she was about to put her phone away, Mitchell, her best friend, tugged at her sleeve.

“Ruby, I have to go home early. I feel kinda sick,” Mitchell said, her voice sounding weaker than usual.

Ruby immediately placed a hand on Mitchell’s forehead, her eyes filled with concern. "Are you fine? Do you need me to come with you?"

Mitchell shook her head lightly. “I’m fine, really. What about your man?”

"Oh, Jeremy’s having basketball practice," Ruby replied, her tone slightly flat. "I was thinking of going, but he said it's going to be a long one, so I’ll just head home."

“Okay,” Mitchell murmured, her voice distant as they made their way to the bus stop.

They boarded the bus, and as it rolled along the city streets, Ruby couldn’t help but feel something was off. She checked her phone again, hoping for another message from Jeremy, but her inbox was still empty. *He must have already started practice*, she thought, trying to push the nagging feeling aside.

"I'm so tired," Ruby groaned, leaning back in her seat. "I hate math, and I can’t believe there’s a test tomorrow."

Mitchell didn’t respond. Instead, she was typing away on her phone, her eyes glued to the screen.

Ruby raised an eyebrow. "Who's the new guy?" she teased, trying to lighten the mood between them.

Mitchell quickly hid her phone, looking flustered. "Nobody important, and... not a guy," she stammered, clearly trying to avoid the topic.

Ruby pouted, eyeing her suspiciously. “You’re stammering. That means you're hiding something."

Mitchell forced a smile and shook her head. "It’s really no one, trust me. Gosh, I have a headache," she muttered, rubbing her temples.

Ruby stared at her for a moment, feeling the familiar unease grow. Something about Mitchell’s behavior seemed off, but she didn’t want to push it, especially if her best friend wasn’t feeling well. Maybe Mitchell was just having a bad day, like everyone does sometimes.

“Oh, it’s my stop,” Mitchell said, getting up suddenly.

Ruby sighed. "I miss when we lived on the same street," she said, her voice wistful.

"Me too," Mitchell replied with a soft smile. "Byee, b***h!" she called out playfully as she stepped off the bus.

Ruby waved back, "See you tomorrow!"

As Mitchell disappeared into the crowd, Ruby plugged in her headphones and let the music drown out the thoughts spinning in her head. She stared out the bus window, watching the city blur by in the fading afternoon light. The gentle hum of the bus engine, the rhythm of the music, and the familiar sights of the neighborhood should have soothed her. But something still nagged at her.

She looked down at the seat next to her, and that’s when she saw it—Mitchell’s math notebook. Ruby blinked in surprise. She must’ve dropped it when she came in. Damn, Ruby thought to herself. The math test tomorrow was a big deal, and she knew Mitchell would need the notes to study.

"I’ll get off at the next stop and head back to her place," Ruby mumbled to herself, knowing she couldn’t just leave it behind. Even though she'd have to backtrack, it wasn’t too far, and she knew how important this test was for both of them. Besides, returning the notebook might give her an excuse to check on Mitchell and make sure she was okay.

Ruby hit the button for the next stop and hopped off the bus. As she waited for the next one heading in the opposite direction, she couldn't shake the strange feeling that something more was going on with Mitchell. Her best friend had been acting a little weird lately, and while Ruby tried to brush it off, her instincts told her it was something more than just a headache or stress from school.

Finally, the bus arrived, and she boarded, making her way back toward Mitchell's stop. The bus ride felt longer than usual, and her mind wandered back to Jeremy. He hadn’t responded to her text, which wasn’t too unusual during practice, but with everything else going on, it added to her growing sense of unease. Why do I feel like something’s off with everyone today? Ruby wondered, frowning at her reflection in the window.

When the bus reached Mitchell’s stop, Ruby got off and started walking toward her friend’s house, clutching the notebook tightly in her hand. The streets were quiet, with only a few people walking by and the faint sound of cars in the distance. As she approached Mitchell’s house, Ruby noticed something odd. The lights were off. Usually, by this time, Mitchell’s mom would be home, and the house would be lit up, especially if Mitchell wasn’t feeling well.

Ruby hesitated at the gate, debating whether she should knock or just leave the notebook in the mailbox. But something pushed her forward, a gnawing curiosity or perhaps a need to make sure her friend was truly okay.

She rang the doorbell and waited. No answer. She rang it again, and after what felt like an eternity, the door creaked open just a crack.

Mitchell stood there, her face pale and her eyes red, as if she’d been crying. "Ruby, what are you doing here?" she asked, her voice hoarse.

Ruby held up the notebook. "You dropped this on the bus. I figured you’d need it for the test tomorrow."

"Oh… thanks," Mitchell said, taking the notebook without looking Ruby in the eye.

"Are you okay?" Ruby asked, her concern growing. "You don’t look so good. Is something wrong?"

Mitchell shook her head, but her expression betrayed her. "It’s nothing. Just a lot on my mind, you know?"

Ruby frowned, sensing that Mitchell wasn’t telling the whole truth. But before she could press further, Mitchell forced a smile. "Thanks again for the notebook. I’ll see you at school tomorrow, okay?"

Ruby nodded slowly, still unsure, but decided not to push her friend any further. "Okay. Just... take care, alright?"

As she walked away, Ruby couldn't shake the feeling that something bigger was going on. Between Jeremy being distant and Mitchell acting strangely, her mind was buzzing with unanswered questions.

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