HER SECRET DIARY

Episode 8

SUSPECT IV : RUBY ROSE

After school Anita, Paula and I drove ten miles through the forest tracks and dirt roads to get the search party's hq. Over five hundred people had joined in and were scouring the entire woods, it was a large number and a testament to how popular Kayla was not only within the school but outside it as well. The sheriff who was the lead organizer of the search bunched us together with other student volunteers to form a small team of ten, he should have asked our opinion on it because he unknowingly grouped us with our mortal enemy Ruby Rose and her dumb friend Stacy Forman. But the worst member of the team was undoubtedly Ruby's boyfriend, Zach Swanson, or my ex.

"Mr. Sheriff sir can we be put in another group the one we're in is too toxic," Anita told the sheriff. She definitely had balls because the sheriff's face was turning red in anger as he was not ready to deal with some teenage nonsense.

"Look kiddo I'm not in the mood right now if you cant work in a team then dont be here."

He walked off to another area leaving us hanging with teammates that we didnt want to associate with at all.

"Ohh come on girls let's put our differences aside this is for Kayla remember," Ruby said in her smug 'im better than you' voice as she put on her winning smile that came off more sinister than friendly.

"Why are you here?" Paula asked her directly.

It was no secret at school that Ruby and her gang didnt roll well with us. It was basically cold war between our two factions with rumor spreading, online harassment and sometimes open verbal warfare being the way. It wasnt always like this between both groups, since freshman year we were cool with each other but not close enough to be called friends. It all changed during the final week of junior year when Ruby stole my then boyfriend Zach.

"We are here for Kayla same as you," ruby replied.

"Total bs you're weren't friends so just go home," Anita said, she was fiercely loyal especially when it came to facing off with Ruby.

"Can we just call a truce for a while and get on with the search we dont have to be near each other anyway," Zach finally spoke up. I never admitted it to anyone not even Kayla but i wasnt over Zach yet. It was the major reason why i turned down the other boys at school, i just couldnt forget him. No one else understood me like he did, he knew how to make me brighten up when i was sad, we never ran out of things to talk about, i loved his goofiness and his face was perfectly angelic. He looked at me directly trying to read me but i put on my disgusted face to throw him off the scent. Inside all i felt was the same crushing sadness the day he betrayed me.

"Shut up traitor!" Anita yelled at Zach, "youre lucky you transferred schools or i would have made your life hell."

"Uuurrgggh Kim take care of your animal friend she's acting up again," Ruby retorted back.

That was the last straw as Anita leaped forward clawing for Ruby but she saw it coming and moved back hiding behind Zach's tall frame, Paula held on to her pulling her back as she hurled every single curse word imaginable at them. I sighed stepping forward to end by being the voice of reason.

"Hey we're missing the point this is for Kayla and if you three want to help its appreciated we'll work together but stay far away from us."

"Fine," Ruby said before turning and walking off into the forest followed by her minion and the few others in our team who had stopped to watch the drama. Zach stayed a few seconds longer as he looked at me with longing, i was suprised but played it like i didnt care and left him behind. The last thing i wanted was to get my heart broken again.

"If you just let me have her," anita was still furious but i managed to calm her down.

We followed the rest of our group walking through the woods as we looked for clues as to where Kayla may have gone. Using the guidelines from our five minute training schedule with the sheriff as to how to look for clues, we searched through bushes and grassy areas, looked for pieces of clothing, jewellery, armwear or an item that was valuable but after an hour and a half searching deep in the woods we were no closer to finding anything than we were at the beginning.

"This blows we should go back its getting late," Paula said with exhaustion.

"Just a few more minutes we might find something," i said.

"Come on Kim she cant be here im so sure of it this entire search is in the wrong place."

"How sure are you Paula how sure are any of us we dont know what happened to her we cant just leave any stone unturned because its improbable that it has no clue we have to keep looking," I knew there was truth to her statement. Kayla couldnt be in these woods, it was just unlikely but i wanted to leave knowing it was true and we still hadnt covered our entire search area yet.

Paula seemed offended by my rebuke and moved a distance away from me, anita was still mad from earlier and was awfully quiet as she kept to herself. Seeing as no one was being social with each other I also moved off from the others, I came to a giant oak tree and decided to rest laying my back on it as I closed my eyes. Lots of thoughts were going through my mind with everything that had happened in the few days since Kayla vanished, from Ron James incriminating video, Lowry's weird request and Zach showing up unexpectedly I just wanted a break.

"Taking a break," Ruby's all too familiar voice sounded a few feet away from me. I definitely wasnt going to get my break.

"Leave me alone."

"Well no dear," she came to stand next to me as she fixed her red hair into a ponytail and rambled on. Clearly she forget what she did to me and thought we were some kind of besties.

"We need to talk."

I smiled knowing what she came to talk about, I studied her face for a while and I could see it, desperation, clear as day. I realised this was the main reason that brought her out here, not Kayla's disappearance or actually having an ounce of sympathy for her family. It was a selfish move but Ruby only cared for Ruby.

I could ruin her with a click of a button but at what cost I couldn't take Zach back it will never be the same as it was. Maybe I should do it after all she did bring him out here to make a statement or offer up some kind of deal, either way it was pathetic.

"So I guess Ron told you that I have the video," I said smugly.