Butterfly's Affection

Shallow’ Depths

“Being able to find someone, you click naturally, is the best feeling ever. You feel like you’ve been best friends your whole life. It feels you’re coming home. You’re so comfortable with them. Maybe that’s soulmate is. Not someone who shares every single thing in common with you, but someone who feels like home.” -sss Reflections

Ruby came across Jade’s path in their Senior High School year. Ruby was a transferee. At first glance, she may seem cold on the outside but she’s a totally timid girl, she liked to look tough like a hermit crab. With that set of piercing eyes makes you back your way but the undeniable beauty she possessed was definitely alluring.

No one in the room dared to make contact with Ruby, she’s notoriously known for being a badass hence was kick out from her previous school for a known reason she keeps it to herself.

In Ruby’s teenage years, sure she does love to wear an all-black outfit, from her raven long hair, skirts, shirts, shorts, pants, and boots even her socks were in dark colors and that just compliments her pale skin even more.

She’s like a gothic-wannabe minus the smudged mascara and the thick eyeliner, in fact, her bare face is beguiling which makes her look naïve yet there’s something off with her that terrifies most of the students in the campus. That just works out well for Ruby.

Not the case for Jade though, a senior and a committee of peace and order when she heard reports of Ruby’s name. She heard some good and some bad stuff of Ruby’s act, indeed the raven-haired had fierce eyes and has a sexy vibe, Jade had seen it for herself from apart since Junior’s quarter was on the lower ground of the building.

Jade also heard Ruby often cut classes and sneaks out from the campus, although they don’t wear Uniforms, it is against the campus dress code to wear full black for it is originally believed to wear at funerals. Despite the girl’s improper misconduct, her grades were quite impressive.

In fact, Ruby has a lot of potentials.

Not to mention among Jade’s block mates she’s curious about the walking rule breaker. The younger girl intrigues her and she couldn’t fathom where such interests came from. It’s just one day she can’t get the thought of Ruby on her head. Ruby had been the main talk of the campus because of her badass personality and its incredible choice of clothing.

If Jade isn’t wrong of her assumption, Ruby is a fashion icon or perhaps does modeling but mostly showcases black clothes, black items.

‘Maybe this is just Ruby’s way to get attention? Or perhaps to rebel. From what? Nor who?’ Jade usually isn’t the type to pry and stick her nose on other people’s business but Ruby is a different case because as a committee of peace and order in the campus it is her duty to comply and surge the campus protocols and make sure every student follows its set of rules.

But who is she fooling really? It’s just an excuse to know more about Ruby or to get to know her better?

Jade is a warm person and has a kind soul, and a happy go lucky girl, most of the time people enjoy her company, she’s so fun to be around, she spread laughter anywhere she goes, she does silly things too to look silly because it’s her way to make the people around her happy. She’s like a ray of sunshine and the life of the party.

It bothers her whenever she sees Ruby, the girl’s face is devoid of any emotion it felt like the younger girl hasn’t smiled or laughed for years. Or maybe she’s exaggerating, needless to say, she’s determined to tame the rule breaker and turn its dull life into a colorful and fun one.

At that certain point, Ruby wasn’t aware of Jade’s existence, to her everybody is just passing her by and she wants everybody to avoid her. She reckons, life is better off that way.

But that isn’t the motto of Jade, she believes, people are social animals and we live by keeping in touch with people.

One fateful day had come along during the campus week fair, a petite girl is currently seeking for her whereabouts, away from the loud crowd, a series of excited students. Her feet made its way to the upper part of their building which is prohibited for students unless they belong to clubs or organizations.

Upon her arrival to the rooftop there’s a warning note that says, ‘keep out, no students allowed’ she shrugs it off and still pushes her way through the steel door, from up there Ruby saw the entire campus but what mesmerized her more is the beauty of clouds above her, it was a bright day indeed a perfect moment to capture it, she can’t help but be lost in the ethereal, soft and comforting clouds of the limitless skies.

She was so engrossed on capturing its every angle not even aware there’s also a presence of another girl not until she saw her in the rearview of her camera, she badly wants to press the shutter but Ruby felt her every muscle stiffens as her breath hitch, not because of fear or discomfort but because she thought there’s an angel two meters away from her, absorbing as well the refreshing vibe of the bright welkin above.

While the raven-haired girl is lost in a haze of appreciating the beauty in front of her, eyes no longer set on the pure clouds. The brunette girl is gazing as well into the relaxing view above. When she suddenly heard a shutter of a camera, Jade turns her head on the left side. She caught a glimpse of a shadow and follows it as her sight goes upward and what’s waiting for her to see is a pair of cat eyes that’s been haunting her at night in her dreams.

‘This must be some sort of a joke. This unexpected event isn’t even in the best possible ways I imagined of Ruby and I's encounter. I’m not prepared at all.’ Jade thought.

It may sound cliché but the older girl felt her heart stomped on and beat faster, the least she could do at the moment is to give her signature smile to the other girl in a slight awkward way.

Most of the time people care to return the sweet gesture of Jade’s charming smile but instead of a delightful expression from Ruby who was utterly confused, follows the same expression of Jade, her eyes go round in a frightened way as they’ve heard an old man’s humming and its heavy footsteps, by reflex Jade’s left-hand pulls the bewildered girl’s right wrist into the hidden part of the rooftop.

For a brief moment, both girls are calming themselves, Jade’s mind is still preoccupied with her latter thought, she’s been thinking really hard on how she could pull this off. If she doesn’t act today, she might miss the opportunity of befriending Ruby.

‘Ow, ouch’ Jade in her mindless state had been gripping the younger woman’s wrist, she instantly let go and at the same time apologized for it. Her hands are sweating excessively as her inside’s been in turmoil, ‘pull your acts together you fool’ reminded by her brain that’s been short-circuiting.

Why do I have to feel so distracted? She’s questioning herself a lot lately and even if the person who held the answers is beside her, the quest hasn’t even started yet, but she felt defeated already.

On the other hand, Ruby is at ease, her back laid flat against the wall and haven’t felt any discomfort, it seems odd for her though to find a mellow sensation around other people, around the taller girl.

Silence and the incessant breeze filled the open area, probably the janitor nor campus police from moments ago had left already and Ruby is about to leave too when Jade speaks up, `

“Hey, wait, I’d been meaning to ask you this, when’s the last time you c***k up a smile?” It’s the first thing that comes up to her mind and just after she had said all the words, Jade just wanted to disappear, it’s not even the right approach to open a conversation with a stranger, she just wished she complimented her first.

“I have the right to be curious right? By the way, nice outfit.” Jade quickly added. She might offend the girl in black at her first attempt but she didn’t expect to see amuse eyes looking at her way and pulled off a smirk.

Even if Ruby isn’t much of a sociable person, she isn’t socially inept. Well, it turned out interesting because she’s starting to enjoy talking to the rather strange girl.

“You haven’t missed it right? It was seconds ago.” The humor is settling in and Jade is glad she’s regaining composure now. “Wow! I feel blessed to see that smirk of yours but dear it wasn’t even a proper smile.” She teases. “Oh yeah? Show me then.”

In an instant, Jade showed her mesmerizing smile and Ruby can’t help but fell into a spell, it’s quite encouraging so she smiled back timidly to the other girl,

“By the way, I’m Ruby, nice to meet you stranger.” she lends out a hand, normally if it isn’t a fateful day, Ruby would’ve left this place even before the other girl notices her. She’s good at sneaking around, like a ninja or an assassin.

“It’s Jade, I’m a senior and a committee of peace and order” the brunette obliged with the same gesture. “What an irony, Am I in trouble for coming here?” The older girl nodded but the other girl is fast to think and argue back,

“Woah, wait, the warning states ‘no students allowed’ technically you’re a student too, so we’re in the same level of trouble.” Jade’s seemed to realize what’s she’s trying to point out since they just met, she’ll keep her mouth shut and let Ruby win. “Well then, I guess it’ll be our little secret so we’ll both be out of trouble no?”

“Sounds fair to me and thanks for keeping me company in the least expected event but the outcome was fun though, I had fun.”

For Jade, it might be a regular thing to get acquainted with a stranger but to Ruby, it’s like unlocking a new door, discovering a new place. She isn’t fond to easily open up with someone but with Jade, it feels she can tell her everything and not regret it.

Jade’s presence is comforting and it makes Ruby feel safe because she can feel the genuine and pure intention of the older girl. “Ruby? Does that mean we’re already friends right?” Like she’d mention, she can’t let an opportunity like this to pass. She just felt the impalpable connection in the air they breathe in.

Jade had read, it takes four minutes to tell you actually like someone. It didn’t even take a minute for her to decide she adores the other girl on the spot, she learned about its existence.

Ruby beams at her, Jade could tell the feeling is mutual.

“Actually, I better get going, you see I’m needed on the campus grand reporting to my duty but here I am getting fresh air, and then, I met you. Would you mind if I call you sometime? Watch movies, drink coffee just the mere definition of friends hanging out.” Jade’s out of breath by how fast she’d said all of that.

 “I don’t mind at all Jade, let me type in my digits. Thanks again and have a lovely afternoon strolling around the campus. I’ll probably stay here, watch the sunset.”

At that moment upon Jade’s departing, her decision to befriend Ruby just proves she’s right like it’s always had been meant to be like it’s the best thing that ever happened to the both of them.

It’s not just a door, it’s a chest of treasure that has been unlocked and both of them is the key, like a puzzle piece they complete each other.

Like that, Jade and Ruby just clicked. It’s like their souls were having an unspoken conversation.