The morning sun, which had felt so warm moments ago, suddenly felt cold as Ruby stepped out of her apartment. Standing there, arms crossed and blocking the narrow hallway, was Mrs. Jane. The landlord's face was set in a permanent scowl, her eyes scanning Ruby's worn-out shoes with open disdain.
Ruby froze, her hand still on the doorknob. "Heading somewhere?" Mrs. Jane asked, her voice like sandpaper.
"Good morning, Mrs. Jane," Ruby managed, trying to keep her voice steady.
"I guess my money is ready," the woman snapped, not wasting a second on pleasantries. "Or are you finally preparing to move out of my property?"
Ruby felt a familiar sting of panic in her chest. "But... I told you I'd have it by Saturday. I just need two more days."
Mrs. Jane stepped closer, her shadow looming over Ruby. "It's my house. I can come anytime I want. I only gave you grace because you have no parents, but I've tried enough. You think you can just pay whenever you feel like it? We are in Thursday! Saturday is a lifetime away in my books."
"I know, I'm sorry," Ruby whispered, looking at the floor.
"Listen to me," Mrs. Jane hissed, poking a finger toward Ruby's shoulder. "I'll come get my money on Saturday. If not, you are leaving. You get that? If you can't afford a shelter, why don't you just go sleep on the street? It's free there."
The door slammed in the hallway as the woman marched away, leaving Ruby standing in the silence of her own failure.
The next day, the weight of the world felt too heavy to carry alone. Ruby found herself standing in front of Helen'sapartment. Helen was her oldest friend, the one person who usually understood the struggle. Ruby knocked, desperate for a cup of coffee and a kind word.
The door swung open, but it wasn't Helen.
Jack stood there, shirtless and looking far too comfortable. His eyes widened when he saw Ruby, but they didn't fill with guilt—they filled with annoyance.
"What are you doing here?" Jack asked, his voice harsh.
From inside the apartment, Helen's voice drifted out. "Huh? Someone's here?" She appeared behind Jack, wearing a silk robe that Ruby recognized—it was a gift Ruby had saved up for months to buy her. "Ruby? It's you... what are you doing here?"
Ruby's hands clenched into tight fists at her sides, her nails digging into her palms. The "classy" interior of Helen's flat suddenly felt suffocating. "Well... I just came to see you," Ruby said, her voice trembling. "But why is Jack here?"
Helen looked at the floor, then at Jack, then back to Ruby. "Ahh... we are dating now."
The words were a physical blow. "Oh," Ruby breathed, the pieces of the last few months finally clicking into place. "Is that why you haven't been picking up my calls lately? Since when, Helen?"
"Ruby, I can explain—" Helen started, reaching out.
"Since when did you guys start dating?" Ruby demanded, her voice rising.
Jack stepped forward, shielding Helen. "Why does it matter to you? We broke up five months ago. Move on."
"So the 'new person' you said you found..." Ruby looked at Jack, then at her best friend. "The main reason we broke up... was because of Helen?"
"Yes," Jack said bluntly.
"Hey, shut up!" Helen snapped at Jack, finally looking panicked. "Listen, Ruby, it's not what you think—"
"I don't know why you're even friends with this kind of person anyway," Jack interrupted, looking at Ruby with pure venom. "I bet she came here to seek your help again, didn't she? Always begging for something. Aren't I right, huh?"
Ruby felt the tears threatening to spill, but she refused to let them fall in front of him. She took a step back, her expression hardening into a mask of cold fury.
"I'll be going," Ruby said, her voice surprisingly calm. "And Jack? Weren't you the one leaching off me for a year? Even though you knew exactly how broke I am, you let me pay for your meals while you were out with her. I just can't believe you're dating my ex, Helen... after all the horrible things you said about him behind his back."
Ruby didn't wait for a response. She turned and walked away, the sound of her own footsteps echoing the rhythm of her breaking heart.