Societa Oscura - Book cover

Societa Oscura

Ivy White

Chapter 4

RUBY

Never be fooled by what you see on the outside because on the inside it’s often a different story. —Kimmielovesyou//tumblr

“Oh.” She turns and looks at Kai.

“I thought that we were going out on a date, Ruby?” He raises his eyebrows at me, and I cuddle myself, feeling cold. “I’ve ordered some food, and it should be here any minute now.”

His dad approaches the door and crosses his arms over his chest, making me feel uncomfortable.

I nod my head and smile. “You’re right. Sorry. I got confused there for a moment.” I lie to keep the peace. My main goal is to get the hell out of here!

“Are you eating in the dining room?” his mom asks him, and he nods his head before grabbing my hand and guiding me back inside the house.

I want to retract my hand and run straight through the gates, but I know that is not a wise choice to make.

“I hope she’s the one,” I hear his mom say to his dad in the background as Kai pulls me through the house and to his dining room.

Walking through double-thick wooden doors, he points at a chair on the other side of the table, and I smile, taking a seat.

“So how has your night been?” he asks me, acting as if nothing has happened. I stare at him with wide eyes. Has he lost his mind?

“Erm.” I cannot come up with an answer to his question, playing with my fingers underneath the table. His mom knocks on the door before entering and placing food down on the table with a bottle of red wine.

“Enjoy your date night.” She smiles and sneaks out of the room happily, and I think she’s cute. Bless her. Considering the circumstances.

We both eat in silence, and I mean literal silence. I couldn’t speak a word, never mind a sentence.

As he walks me to the front door, and his mom and dad stand up in the big open-plan living room and walk over to us.

“How’s Ruby getting home?” Kai’s dad asks him, and he jingles his keys in his right hand.

“No. You’ve been drinking. I will get Mac to drop her off safely.” I thank him, and Kai turns, pulling me in for a hug as he smells my hair. I return the hug, and he smirks at me.

“I would love to do this again.”

Faking a smile, his dad intimidating me, and his mom watching with hope in her eyes, I respond, unsure. “Me too.” Kai is so creepy!

Turning on my heels, I follow his dad out of the house and to the blacked-out Jeep that’s sitting outside.

“It was nice meeting you, Ruby,” his dad tells me, and I climb inside the passenger side of the car.

“You too.”

Driving away from the house, I feel the tension disappear instantly, leaving me the most relaxed that I have been all night.

I couldn’t bear going out with him again. Never in a million years. Not after what I witnessed tonight. I couldn’t bear it.

***

Entering school the next day, I am balled up with nerves.

“So how was it?” Blake asks me, and I shrug my shoulders, refusing to answer his question. Melanie stares at me confused, and when the Darkness enters the hallway, I become timid.

Kai stares directly at me, our eyes meeting for a brief moment before I drop my gaze to the floor. I don’t like seeing him. He’s scared me off, and that never happens.

Kai is nothing but dangerous, and the fact that he keeps looking at me. That definitely doesn’t help. My body shivers.

“What the hell happened?” Blake stares between me and Kai, holding my shoulders and trying to get me to give him some information to process.

Kai and his group stop opposite us at the lockers, initiating a conversation between themselves. A place where they haven’t stood before, and now I feel even more discomfort.

I try to change the topic, but Blake is adamant that he wants to know the story of what happened.

When I lift my gaze, I see Kai staring directly at me as he leans up against the lockers, his black leather jacket making him appear even more of a badass than he already is.

He’s a killer, I think to myself, petrified of what else he could do.

“Ruby?” Blake tries again, but my eyes are fixed on Kai’s. He smirks at me, chewing a piece of gum. I turn to Blake and smile, trying to release some of the tension.

“Nothing. It’s okay.”

“Yeah. It looks like it.” He rolls his eyes, and the two most popular girls walk over to us. I try to walk away, but Lisa grabs my arm and swings me around to stare at her with Lola beside her.

“Ruby. Kai wants you, Melanie, and Blake to come to his party tonight. You up for coming?” they ask me, and I glance over at Kai who winks at me.

“No. Sorry, I’m busy tonight,” I tell them, and they shout over to Kai, “She can’t. Busy tonight.”

“Yeah, my ass she is,” he shouts back over, and pushes off his shoulder, walking over to us.

“What’s up, Ruby? I’m not that scary, am I?” He pushes his black hair back smoothly, and his three friends walk over, standing next to him with their arms crossed over their chests.

I shrug my shoulders and wipe my sweaty palms on my navy-blue jeans.

“No. I really am busy tonight.”

“Doing what exactly?” He raises his right eyebrow, watching me intently, and I try to think of a quick response to his question.

“Going out with my parents.”

“What’s their number? I will phone them and tell them that you’re coming to my dad’s conference tonight. My dad will confirm it. They will say yes.”

I shake my head. “No, it’s okay,” I say, and walk away from them.

Blake and Melanie catch up to me, and Blake holds my shoulders, stopping me by standing in my way.

“What happened, Ruby? Tell us. We need to know because the way that you responded just then isn’t you at all.”

I try to move to my left. “Nothing, it’s okay,” he shakes his head and lays his head down on my shoulder. I wrap my arms around him, smiling. “I’m fine, honestly.”

“No, you’re not. Please tell us.” Pushing past him and turning as I walk backward, I tell them to meet me in the library and I will give them all the gossip when they get there.

I carry on walking and feel an arm wrap around mine and spin me around.

“I advise you not to say a word.” I look up at Kai through fluttering eyelashes, and his gray eyes pierce through mine. I feel breathless as all the noise in the background disappears.

Nodding my head, I get out of his grip and away from him as quickly as I can.

I don’t feel good. He terrifies me!

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