The Alcoholic [01]

“Ruby! Ruby! Come on I know you are here, I’m not stupid.” Ruby heard her sister’s yells and ignored her. She wasn’t in the mood for her yells and rants. She already had a horrible head ache. It pounded against her head and made her feel terribly sick. Ruby looked out onto the sun rise just above the ocean and smiled to herself, what a beautiful morning.

The sand was cool on her legs and the waves were calm this morning which was normal. This beach rarely had waves and when it did they were no more than a meter high. Ruby liked this, it was easy to swim in and she didn’t have to fight her way back in if something went wrong.

The water soothed her headache so she listened to it. Ruby lay down and sighed. Just listen to the water curling up onto the sand she thought. Surprisingly it actually worked; the pounding began to slow down.

Ruby watched the seagulls fly around in the sky looking for the best place to eat food. This made her laugh, crazy sea gulls begging people for food. Food, she thought. Her stomach grumbled and she lifted her head and sat again.

This made her want to vomit. Ruby was too hung over for food. She already threw up everything she had eaten from the past two days. Ruby thought if she ate anything else it wouldn’t stay down very long.

“Ruby, RUBY!” Ugh Meg was close to finding her now; she could hear her loud footsteps. This made the pounding go faster.

Ruby thought if she moved she could have much more time to herself, but then again her sister would find her anyway so what was the point? She dug her feet into the sand and sighed yet again. This sighing thing really was becoming a habit, thought Ruby to herself.

She heard her sister’s footsteps coming towards her now and knew it was time to be found.

“Meg I’m here.” She stated as if it was obvious. She didn’t bother getting up for her; instead she simply turned her head to see her beautiful older sister staring at her with her hands on her hips. Her long golden curly locks flew with the morning breeze and her red and white shirt stuck to her skin as well as her black skinny jeans. The only thing that was out of place was her green thongs.

Ruby laughed to herself and turned her eyes back to the sunrise.

Obviously Meg didn’t find any part of this funny. She marched right over to Ruby and placed her hands back on her hips and looked down at her younger sister.

“Where the bloody hell were you, Ruby?” Meg spoke in an angered tone.

Ruby picked up the stick next to her and threw it. It landed three meters away with the sand blowing up behind it. “Does it really matter?” She asked casually.

“Does it matter? Does it MATTER?” Meg furiously yelled. “Are you serious? You’re out getting drunk with all your loser friends while I have to cover for you and make up excuses and all the rest. So yes it does matter because I do not want my sister to die of alcohol poisoning thanks. I want a healthy sister, a happy sister, one who at least tries to live life. But I guess you just don’t care!”

Ruby put her head between her knees and sighed. “I guess I don’t, sorry ‘bout that.”

Meg looked like she was ready to kill her sister, revive her than do it again. “Oh you’re sorry are you?”

Ruby smiled than looked up at her sister, who happened to be standing in the sunlight, Ruby squinted to see her clearly without hurting her own eyes. “Actually if you want me to be truthful, no I’m not. As you said I just don’t give a damn.” Ruby picked up some sand and let it run through her fingers to reach the ground again.

“Fine, you know what fine! So what did you do last night, go on be truthful about that one then.” Meg looked pissed but this amused Ruby.

“What do you think big sister? I got pissed just like you said I would do. But of course you know everything about my life don’t you? You know what it’s like to be compared to your smarted, beautifully talented older sister now wouldn’t you? Tell me Meg what the fuck would you know?”

Meg looked stunned so Ruby just rolled her eyes and looked over her other shoulder to see a few other birds flying around a rubbish bin. One bird went in, picked up a box of old hot chips and flew off to the tallest tree with it, a few other birds following behind it.

“Alright, fine fair enough. Even I know that bothers you but it isn’t an excuse Ruby, you were out drinking, again! If Mum or Dad ever find out about this you are dead. They love you so much, why are you doing this to them, to me?!” Meg placed her hands by her sides and sighed.

Ruby smiled and looked at her sister. “Are you seriously asking me this Meg?” She put on her angered tone and glared at her sister. “Mum and Dad don’t love us! They don’t even know us, they’re too busy having meetings in the dining room or going to work or working at home. We never see them anymore, the only person that is close to being our parent is Maria and we don’t see her that often anymore. So yeah I really don’t give a damn.”

Meg stood there for a while just taking it all in. It was true, she thought. All of it, their parents never saw them. When they did they barely talked to Ruby, only Meg. It was all true. Meg sighed and calmly walked over to Ruby and sat down.

“Ruby? I know what you said is true but I still love you and I would love it if you came home. Please, for me?” Meg grabbed her sister’s hand and held it in her own.

Ruby turned to her sister. “Sure, but promise me one thing.”

Meg smiled, “Anything for my baby sister.”

Ruby sighed and looked into Meg’s eyes, all seriousness gone from her eyes. “You will never, ever turn your back on me. No matter what you hear, no matter what I become, no matter who you love. Will you promise always to love me, to always stay on my side through the tough and easy stages of my life?”

Meg smiled and pulled her little sister into her chest, silently laughing. “Ruby when have I ever turned my back on you? Of course I will always be there for you, through the rough and through the easy parts of your life. If I ever had a lover that you didn’t like I would dump him, he would not be worth it. No lover is worth it if my baby sister does not love him too.”

Ruby smiled and hugged her sister tight. “I’ll always remember this moment you know. For when I’m sad and when you do go against it I can remind you.”

Meg smiled to and patted her hair. “You remind me as much as you can, for I will always remember this too. But Ruby?”

“Yes Meg?” She replied.

“If we don’t get home soon Mum and Dad will figure out you were out last night.” Meg stated.

“Ah shit.” Ruby sighed.