I stand there and watch him sit on the couch full of a bunch of pillows in a plethora of colors in front of me. Tears prick in my eyes. "W-why did y-you do it?" I ask him as I start to cry. I'm glad he didn't run up to hug me yet because I'm mad at him for putting me and so many other people through his loss.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry Ruby. I never meant to do it. I truly never meant to. But I just couldn't take it. I-I felt like a mistake. Like a failure. A disappointment. Everything I lack I saw in everyone else. In the teachers, classmates, my parents, you. I just couldn't take it any longer. And now I'm a bigger disappointment aren't I? I couldn't even be strong enough to stay alive in the world. I'm so so so so so sorry Ruby. How could I do this?" He says and now he is sitting on the couch sobbing.
I run up to him and wrap my arms around his waist. I let him dig his head into my shoulder for a few minutes. "Hey, it's okay, I get it." I say. I start start stroking his back. He starts to hiccup so I pull away. I see him look up at me and I smile. "Honey, you aren't a mistake. Not even close. You should know by now that I love you just the way you are. You are very very very far from a mistake." I say and I feel my face heat up as I realize what I just said. "Sorry." I say and look down at my lap.
"Hey, hey, hey you have nothing to be sorry about," he says and now he's smiling so I smile back. "And ya know what, I love you too. Always have." Now he's blushing and my smile grows wider. I reach over and put my arms around his waist. Yay, happy hug for the first time since the incident.
🌼🌼🌼
What I didn't know about the room we were in was that is seemed like it was made for us. It had everything. A giant TV, unlimited food dispenser, a coffee maker, a gaming TV, and so much more. The room is giant. We just watched a movie and I fell asleep for a nap. I just woke up on Eli's shoulder. He has his arm around my waist limply laying there. He is just sitting there watching another movie without a care in the world. I mumble a "Hi." Before sitting up.
"Hi. How did you sleep?" He asks. I think I infected him with my smile. His hair is messed up and thrown wildly around his head. His sweatshirt loosely hangs around his torso.
I turn around and grab a blanket from on top of the couch and lay it over top of us. I lay my head back on his shoulder and snuggle into it. "I slept pretty good. How did you stay awake that whole time, how weren't you tired?" I ask him because I'm honestly confused. How does he stay up through multiple movies I just know he finished the one we were watching and is now watching another.
"I guess I'm just not tired. I did 'sleep' pretty long last night so I have no clue. This world I'm in maybe doesn't need much sleep. I mean I am dead aren't I?" He says and that also makes me confused.
"How am I here than? I am sitting on the couch next to you in this giant amazing room. How is it possible for me to walk straight through the mirror in my room? Hold on, follow me." I say and pull the blanket off of us. I stand up and walk over to the mirror that I came through here. He follows. "I'm gonna try putting my hand through the mirror. Then after I pull mine out if it works, try putting yours in. Maybe you can be alive again!" I say excitedly. I go to put my hand through the mirror and it slips right through into what I hope is my world of living. I pull my hand out and watch him start to try putting his through. His hand hits the mirror with a small thud. He pulls it back and I look at him. "What now?" I ask.
"I don't know. What time is it Ruby?" He asks.
I decide to take a look at my watch on my left wrist. 6:00 pm! I quickly shoot Eli a panicked look and he looks panicked once he sees me. "Eli, it's 6 'o clock! I gotta get back home my parents might just kill me!" I say quickly and swoop down to plant a small kiss on his cheek. "Bye, love you!" I say in a rush. I turn around after looking at the mirror. "Tomorrow?" I ask.
He smiles and says "Tomorrow. Bye, love you too." I give him a thumbs up before jumping through the mirror that just so happens to be larger than mine! How unfair!
I shake my head at the silly idea and open the door to my room and run down the stairs to ask my parents if dinner is done yet. I go into the kitchen to see my mom cooking at the stove. She hears me and turns around. She looks angry so I take a small step away. Underestimated. I take a large three foot step backwards. You don't want to see my mom when she's angry. Or when she's looking for trouble. "Where have you been?!" She asks. I didn't realize I was shaking before I put my hand down on the counter beside me.
"I've been in my room the whole time is everything okay?" I say and I feel so much angry tension. I decide to change my answer. "Okay, obviously everything isn't okay so I'm just gonna-" I motion to the door of the kitchen.
Before I even get to the doorway she says "Not so fast. Where were you really?"
And now I have a quick mental debate if I should tell her about Eli or not. Would she believe me? Maybe not. But it's worth a shot. "I was with Eli."