She accepted the gift, feeling a swirl and mix of feelings inside of her.

I know this because how could Draya not be feeling that when accepting a gift from her party crashing ex? Also because of the kind of person Ruby was. Although not all bad I had more reasons to dislike Ruby, too many to overlook and too many for me to like Ruby. I didn’t hate her, but I didn’t like her either. However, I was able to tolerate her.

I watch as Draya reaches into the bag and pulls out a box made of light colored wood, carved on the front were the words ‘she believed she could and so she did’, the lid of the box had a butterfly carved into it with yellow topaz inlaid into its wings. There was a little post-it note on the corner that simply said ‘open’. Draya opened the box to reveal an antique hairbrush, comb and mirror. Draya looks up at Ruby. “Thank you, Ruby, I really like and appreciate this gift.”

Ruby just shrugged. “Yeah well, I always did think you had nice hair so why not give you something nice to take care of it with?…Your welcome.”

An awkward silence began to fill the space until Brian broke it. “Ok so its cake time.” he said. Half the lights were turned off and a chorus of happy birthday was ringing out around the room as Hallie and Tracy carried the cake over to the table Draya was seated at, the candles aglow. There were two number candles a 1 and 8 surrounded by a circle of 16 pink and white striped birthday candles. Draya closed her eyes for a few moments making a wish and then blew out every single candle and everyone clapped.

“Well, I should probably go now…Happy Birthday Draya.” Ruby said then turned and left. Celeste started making trips in and out of the barn taking Draya’s gifts out to the car. While the guests mingled and ate cake, I help Celeste take the rest to the gifts out to the car only to discover that Ruby was still there leaning against her covetable car with the top down considering how it was unseasonably warm today. Tessa who was sitting in the backseat was casting her a concerned look. Ruby’s eyes are down cast and her arms crossed across her chest. She seems upset, not angry upset but sad or something close to it. I felt a uncomfortable twinge in my stomach damn me and my sympathetic bleeding heart. I couldn’t believe I was actually feeling sorry for Ruby of all people, but I had always been a compassionate person. Even as a child, it was just in my nature. I was only ever truly cruel if in the defense of someone I care about, but seeing her look so dejected I wanted to do something to make her feel maybe just a little better. I could at the very least bring her out some cake. I go back into the barn and retrieve two paper plates each with a large slice of cake on it then grab a plastic fork for each and some extra napkins before making my way outside.

Ruby was no longer leaning against her car, but was now in the back seat with Tessa sitting in her lap and they were kissing passionately. Ruby was running her nails down Tessa’s back while Tessa had her hands in Ruby’s hair and the moaning noises both girls were making made me feel like I had walked in on something dirty. “Seriously? You two couldn’t wait till you got home to do that?” I asked with exasperation.

They pull away from each other guilty and Ruby looks at me with a glare clearly annoyed that I had interrupted, but it was Tessa who spoke “I was cheering Ruby up.”

“I see.” I said.

“What do you want?” Ruby asked.

“I brought you both some cake.” I say walking closer and handing them each a plate with the cake on it.

They both took a plate. Tessa started eating the cake right away like an eager child, but Ruby looked at me with suspicion “What’s the catch?”

“There is no catch I’m just being nice that’s all.”

Ruby threw her head back and laughed. “Why would you want to be nice to me? I’m Draya’s ex or did you suffer a temporary lapse in memory?”

“You haven’t done anything to warrant me being hostile… yet anyway. You did party crash, but no harm no foul and you gave Draya a lovely gift that I know she likes a lot and after she blew out her candles on her cake you did leave the party as you said you would so I have no reason not to be nice to you, however this is not because I like you.”

Ruby laughed again. “She-Ra reference I like it. You are odd though; you are either very wise or very stupid I’m just not sure which yet.”

“Nether I am just kind and Draya says I am watching She-Ra way too much if I am starting to quote it.”

“Maybe. How far in the series are you?"

“We just finished watching episode three of season three?”

“Oh, so getting to the good part?”

“Don’t tell me anything I don’t want any spoilers”

“No worries my lips are sealed. It’s nice of you to do this for Draya. We never celebrated birthdays when we were together, but then again, we didn’t last very long either. Didn’t even make it to the one year mark. Also, after a while it starts to get a bit pointless; eternal life and all...you’ll see what I mean one day.”

“What do you mean?”

“Oh, she hasn’t discussed it with you? The two of you seem so committed I assumed you would have discussed it.”

“What are you talking about Ruby?”

“It’s nothing, I’m just surprised she hasn’t suggested turning you yet.”

“Turning me as in…?

“Into a vampire of course” Ruby said and honestly, I expected this would be the answer and no Draya and I never had discussed it. I was not sure if I really wanted to admit this fact to Ruby. but I also couldn’t see how I could deny it at this point. I think Ruby knew it too a sort of dark delight and knowing intelligence shining her jade green eyes and a sly smirk on her face as she began to eat her cake.

“Sarah…Sarah…” I was saved from this moment and conversation by someone calling to me from the barn.

“Well, seems I am needed for something so I am afraid I must go.” I say.

“Thanks for the cake.” I hear Tessa call as I jog away.

When I return to the barn, I discover that it was Hallie calling me. “There you are, you were out there a long time what were you doing?”

“Just having a chat with Ruby.”

“That redhead that gave Draya the hairbrush set? Who is she anyway?

“Yeah, she’s just an old flame of Draya’s… it’s a long story.”

“And one you are definitely telling me later.”

“Gossip.”

“And proud of it.”

As sun set gave way to dusk, and dusk gave way into night the party slowly dwindled down to an end and as fun as the party was, I was looking forward to some alone time with Draya.

I retrieved the clothing box that contained the set of lingerie from Hailie’s car before climbing into the passenger seat of the thunderbird where Draya was already waiting for me.

For some reason the whole way back all I could seem to think about is conversation I had with Ruby. I don’t know why it was bothering me so much, but questions began to form in my mind like, why hadn’t Draya and I discussed it yet? I mean yeah ok we have only been together for 6 months but still that’s half a year. You would think that the conversation would have come up by now and since she hasn’t brought it up yet does she even plan to talk about it? We had said we were all in when we got back together, and this is a conversation that would fall under the all in umbrella. I wasn’t even sure how I would respond. I mean on the one hand I do want to spend forever with Draya, but on the other hand I was just now beginning to realize just what forever meant. One thing was for certain this is a conversation that needs to happen sooner rather than later.

EHE END Story continues in The Conversation

Another late night edit so sorry for any spelling, grammar, or punctuation errors.

I had a lot of fun writing this and hope you enjoyed it, if so let me know with some feed back.

Thank you💜🖤😃