The Things I Love About You

Jay And The ABCD g**g

The morning was crisp, clear and calm as Ruby walked along the pavement towards the classroom. She enjoyed the feel of the gentle breeze on her skin and smiled to herself although her first class for the day was history and she hate history Nothing was more pleasant than being alive to see a new dawn with the beautiful clean air.

Ruby narrowed her eyes as she saw him. It was him and that means he has also arrived. Ruby hasten her pace and caught up with him, she tapped him on his shoulder.

Jay turned and saw Ruby behind him. She was wearing a chenille azure roll neck long-sleeved sweater and navy blue bermuda shorts with trainers on her feet. Her auburn hair was styled in side braid and fell to her shoulders in fly away curls.

"Hi, good morning", She said fondly. Her emerald green eyes were gleaming lightly.

"Hi", Jay respond quietly. Her voice was light and the colours in her chubby cheeks made her face glow. She seem so bouncy and bright that morning especially with her charming smile.

He cast her a demure smile and shove his hands into his sweater pocket. "Any problem?"

"Actually, I saw you just arrived and decided to say hi". Ruby said gently as they stood there in the corridor.

Jay was looking smart and handsome in his zip-up sweater and jeans.

"Are you attending the History class?" Ruby asked.

"No, I have got a art class now". Jay told her.

"Oh, it's okay. See yer around". Ruby waved at him but he was already gone. It was evident he wanted to be anywhere but not here. She shook her head and walked ahead to her class.

Anastasia was surprised to see Ruby chatting with a spec wearing boy. He was really handsome with nice bob and typical male virility. She hasn't seen him around school that much and suspected he was a new student. Anastasia smile quietly as she watched his retreating back and walked away.

•••••••••••••••••••

"Are you ready?" Erika asked as she came to stand beside Ruby.

"Almost", Ruby respond as she wore the other pair of her leg warmer and looked up.

She stood tall and got the orange-brown ball into her arms. Her long wavy auburn hair in ponytail and cascading in ringlet down her shoulders.

"I was wondering if we had a game next week". Erika inquired as they walked out of the changing room.

"I would ask coach about it". Ruby said and Erika nodded. They strolled to the basketball court where their other teammates were waiting.

Ruby shook hands with the girls and they began the practise.

•••••••••••••••••

It was not a surprise that the Peyton house was pleasantly quite that afternoon. Brian, Kent and Avery has gone to the games arcade, Logan was taking a nap and Jay was laying on his bed deep in thought while Gage was on his assignment.

Jay has finished working on his assignments and lay on the bed, his soft pillow underneath him. He was thinking about Ruby. The girl with emerald green eyes and auburn curly hair that always fall to her shoulders and a beautiful smile.

She was always lively and always coming around him to start a conversation. She was also sporty and seems intelligent but he was wondering why she wanted to be his friend. His mind was busy and his brain calculating.

Jay couldn't comprehend why she was friendly with him. She seems so curious and also innocent and this things about her intrigue him. He wanted to know more but he seems useless.

Jay sighed and shook his head to stop thinking about her and push her image from his eyes. He dug his fingers into his short raven ink-blue hair and tried to relax. There was a lot on his mind, someone called his name. The bed depress as a another weight sat on it and spring back to it normal size.

"Jay, can you help me solve this problem?" Gage asked. He has his mathematics textbook and book with him.

"What's it?" Jay sat up and gave a small smile. Of course, he knew Gage has problems with arithmetic and has always ask for help, particularly Jay. The two boys were really close.

"It's a mathematics assignment, can you please help me". Gage inquired, his tone pleadingly.

"Here, lemme see". Jay stretched out his hand and took the book. "You really should concentrate on your arithmetics calculation". Jay reached for his glasses and worn them.

"You reminds me of a professor in college". Gage chuckled. His brown manes falling to his face like bangs. He gave Jay a pen and Jay accept.

"Really?" Jay look up shortly and return to the book before him. "You are working on Cube".

"Yes". Gage nodded and shift his position, now sitting shoulder to shoulder on the bed.

"The cube of 5 (5³) is 125 (5×5×5=125). Likewise, 10 cubed is 1000". Jay explained as his hand holding the pen move in writing.

"Wow! what about this". Gage pointed at another question, a smile appearing on his lips. "Can you work on it?"

"Yeah, the cube root of 64 (³√64) is 4 (4×4×4=64)".

"This is awesome! Jay, you are indeed a maths genius". Gage gushed, hyper excited.

Jay laughed, a soft laugh of amusement. Gage was really impressed, the twelve year old boy was just in seventh grade. He was the youngest of the Peyton foster kids.

"Thanks Jay". Gage beamed.

"It has been a pleasure". Jay return the smile and his sapphire eyes gleaming with amusement.

•••••••••••••••••

It was lunch time at Kim Lance High and student were in the cafeteria, eating, talking and laughing with friends and classmates.

Ruby is sitting on a table with Erika and Ava eating lunch and discussing in hushed tones.

"I really don't like this cucumber sandwich". Ava complained.

"Huh...that's your choice. I'm satisfied with my strawberry shortcake, strawberry tart and hot dogs". Erika smirked at Ava.

"Ham and cheese sandwich would have been better or preferably chicken-breast sandwich". Ava make a face and reached for a taco and the petit four in front of Ruby.

"Hey, don't make away with what's mine". Ruby said as she took her chocolate wafers and cheeseburger. Her mouth stuffed with fried chicken and steak.

"Nothing can beat key lime pie, Twinkies, S'mores and San Francisco sourdough bread". Ava told them eating the Taco and enjoying the taste.

"Shush, what about Frito pie, jambalaya, Nachos and waldof salad". Erika swallowed a piece of strawberry tart in her mouth. "Come on".

"Hey, chocolate chip cookies are the best". Ruby interpolated.

"What of Oreo cookies?" Ava rejoined and choked on a petit four. She quickly gulp down water.

Erika burst out laughing. "Food caught your tongue".

"Girls, enough with the food talk. We don't want someone dying in here". Ruby said smiling at Ava.

"You can say that again". Erika nodded her head and Ava mutter a curse at them.

As Ruby open her Coca Cola and sip, her eyes caught sight of Jay. He was sitting four tables away and alone. His table was the closet to the window and he seem to be engrossed in his food as he tuck into the pasta made with fried noodles and chicken nuggets. Her eyes didn't leave him even as she lowered her can and place it on the table. She watched quietly how his mouth moved in mastication.

The ABCD g**g entered the cafeteria and strolled casually to where Jay sat alone. The four boys flock around his table as if they has been good old friends and Ruby watched, intensely, even when she couldn't hear what the boys were saying to him. Something made her feel danger, those four boys were ruthless and despicable. She didn't even want to think about them.

The ABCD g**g soon leave him and went to a vacant table, Ruby could see the shadows of anger in Jay face. She has seen him said something to the g**g too, his voice has been low so she hasn't heard.

"Excuse girls, I want to see Jay". Ruby said getting up.

"Jay?" Ava asked, her arced eyebrow raised.

"He's Jason Peyton, the boy wearing specs over there. I'll be right back". Ruby told them and moved her feet towards her destination.

Jay didn't even look up until she cast a shadow over his table and pull the chair opposite him.

"Hi..." Ruby began haltingly and Jay looked up briefly into the depths of her green eyes.

"Hi", he respond and continue to sip his drink. It was a cold orange-lemon squash in a tall glass.

"I saw Cameron and his g**g talking to you, are you guys friends?" Ruby asked trying not to squirm in her sit.

"No". That was his short reply.

"I see", Ruby tuck a strand of her hair behind her ear to stop the awkward moment. "Hope there's not a problem with you and them, they can be really deleterous".

"Thanks for the concern, Ruby, I'm fine and it's nothing". Jay voice was dead, not an ounce of emotion.

"It's okay", Ruby stood up and tried to to pout. This guy was being really difficult, as straight face as ever. "I'll leave you to your lunch. Have a good day". She strained a smile and walked back to her friends.

"Spill everything out, Ruby, what's on with you and him?" Ava nod her head towards Jay direction. The boy still has his head bent over his drink, as if trying to hide away from the world.

"Dunno, just classmates". Ruby shrugged.

"Not even friends?" Erika squinted her eyes, imploring at Ruby.

"Stop it girls, I'm being serious. Now, let finish up these food. I've a Calculus class later". Ruby bite into her cheeseburger.

"I remember vividly that you don't like Calculus". Erika stage whisper.

"And Algebra". Ava added and Ruby gave them the I-am-gonna-kill-you-girls kind of look.