Uncharted bonds

Ch-3 (unwanted attention)

The boy who consistently slept in class was Kerin, while the one responsible for creating this scene was named Eddy. Kerin seemed unfazed by the commotion as if such incidents were commonplace to him. The girl involved was also known to him, adding an extra layer of familiarity to the situation. My intention was not to create a scene and draw everyone's attention; I simply needed to exit the classroom.

Frustration welled up within me as Eddy retorted with audacious insolence. It was a behavior I could hardly tolerate, and I was ready to voice my thoughts when Kate's cousin, who I later learned was named Jamie, intervened. He managed to defuse the situation, offering an apology on Eddy's behalf and calming him down. My initial inclination was to leave quietly, but as I began to exit the class, Eddy's voice cut through the air. 'Who the hell are you, by the way?' he called out. I paused, a mixture of disbelief and determination welling up inside me. I turned and replied, 'Are you asking for my name? Well then, it's Ruby. R. U. B. Y.' With that, I left the classroom, the echo of my words lingering behind.

After the incident, things settled back to normal, but my group and I managed to capture the attention of many boys in the class. We all seemed to share a similar fearless attitude, raising our voices against inconvenience. In a matter of days, I began to learn the names of some of my classmates.

Interestingly, I discovered that Jamie's best friend had a longstanding crush on Kate. It turned out they had been in the same school from the very beginning, yet he had never openly expressed his feelings for her. Nevertheless, his affection was quite evident through his constant debates and playful teasing. It was amusing to witness, and perhaps his way of expressing his emotions.

Initially, I had no insight into his feelings or character. We inadvertently found ourselves engaged in minor exchanges – not quite arguments, but I found myself speaking up on Kate's behalf. This interaction seemed to become a trend.

One day, as we all sat in class, Jamie and his friend occupied the bench behind us. A playful water bottle from their bench hit Kate, and she voiced her frustration, 'Don't you have any manners?' Assuming that Jamie's friend was responsible, his pride was hurt. He responded with an assertive 'Yes, I don't have any manners.' Jamie, seated beside him, remained silent, caught between allegiances. I felt compelled to support my friend and countered, 'If you lack manners, then why not learn some?' He retorted with a nonchalant 'I don't want to.' I shot back, 'Then maybe you should learn to stay at home.' His irritation escalated, and he retorted, 'I'm not saying anything to her because of you, Jamie.' His cryptic statement left me puzzled, but he soon left the scene. Kate, visibly pleased with the outcome, exclaimed, 'That's my girl!' Jamie, sitting nearby, seemed to be hiding a smile of his own.