"RUBY, DARIUS!! Are any of you in here? I can see your stacks, so I know you, Darius hasn't come ba….Huuuu…..How did this happen?"
"Apple, I'm so glad to see you."
"Where's Ruby?"
"She's in the kitchen, crying."
"Why is it that everytime I see you two together for more than a minute, one of you is hurting the other?"
"No, nothing like that. Pika and Kodkod were fighting and Kodkod spilled sparse noodles over Rubys new shirt."
"The same one you bought for her?"
"Yes, now shh. Help me divide these baskets up. We only need ten more baskets for the ones Ruby dropped."
"Well, how did that happen?"
"Can you please stop asking questions and help us? It would mean a lot to me and Ruby."
"Of course, but you should still go check up on her."
"I will...later."
"Ok. You put the baskets in the cars, I'll divide the remainders up."
"Thank you."
"So, how's Ruby?"
"She's fine, I guess."
"You guess? Notice anything?"
"Umm….she's a girl."
"And….."
"She's beautiful. But she's not my brother nor ever will replace him, so stop it."
"Darius, of course she's not your brother. She never will be since she is a girl and he is a guy, but give it a chance. I'm sure you've fought with your older brother one or two times before his death."
"Nope, never. Besides, I was too young to know what fighting was."
"Keep telling yourself that, and maybe you'll believe it."
"Hey, are you almost done?"
"Finished. Let's lock and load. I'll go get Ruby."
"But shouldn't I be talkng to her?"
"Darius, you have done nothing but talk. Finish the race. Get first, I don't care. Ruby needs someone else besides you in her head."
"Yeah, maybe you're right. Be careful."
"I'll be fine. You are the one needing to be careful."
"Hello? I thought it over, Darius, and…?"
"Hello, Ruby. Glad you are feeling better."
"Where's Darius, and where are all the Baskets?"
"Darius took them all, so that I can take you home."
"Why couldn't he take me home?"
"I told him best if I did. Come on, Little lady."
"Who you calling, Little? I am bigger and older."
"Actually, for now I am older. Here, have some Oatmeal. Heated it up real fast before you came out. Will warm your spirits."
"Thanks for trying to make me smile, and bringing Darius and I together, but we are both too different."
"Sometimes different is what you need. I feel you have made a lot of enemies whether intentional or unintentional thanks to your rumours. Best you show people you can change, but the right type of change."
"And you feel Darius is the right change? He hardly even knows me."
"It's either Darius, Xy, or Adryan, and I already have my thoughts on them."