'What the fuck just happened, Minty?' Rufus all but growled.
He was so confused. He had come in here to pick up Kainene but had met both girls looking like they were about to start tearing out each other's hair.
Then Araminta had said that thing about being Kainene's boyfriend. He had been in shock. But good shock. He was ecstatic that Kainene had called him that.
Her boyfriend.
He had considered asking her out properly and had asked some of his friends if that was cool. They had laughed at him derisively stating that no one did that anymore. People just started relationships without having to be formal. He had asked how he was then supposed to know the date of him and Kainene's anniversary and they had replied that the both of them could pick a date. In fact, one of them, Paddy had snorted so loudly, Rufus had cringed in embarrassment. Now he wished wholeheartedly that he had not listened to them. He was not a hundred percent sure, but he had a feeling this whole girlfriend/boyfriend thing was the cause of Kainene's displeasure with him.
He asked again, 'Minty, what just happened? Why does Kainene have to even prove that she's my girlfriend?'
Araminta just laughed as she sat back down and smoothed her short denim skirt over her toothpick like legs, 'Oh you don't have to worry about that anymore. She's obviously been set right about being your girlfriend. Poor deluded girl. But you did lead her on quite a bit you know. Making her think she was important. Ha!'
Rufus just stared at her like she had two heads. Her tinkling laughter slowly faded as she saw Rufus' look of abject disgust.
'What is it? I simply told her the truth.' She wailed petulantly, rolling her eyes as she did so.
Rufus stared at her with one eyebrow raised, his jaws ticking as he held unto his rapidly rising temper, 'And what exactly is the truth, Araminta?'
At that point, Araminta realised that she had made a grave mistake. Rufus had never called her by her full name. Ever.
She swallowed audibly as she threw a panicked look at a white-faced Heather. 'I just...I mean, we kinna had a little argument. About her being your girlfriend. But she was the one who started it! I was just having a conversation with Heather about her being on the wrong side of the tracks and she blew it out of proportion.'
Rufus nearly fainted at the statement Araminta had just made. He knew Kainene was a bit finicky about where she came from. Every time they joked and laughed and Kainene said something that, to her, was 'un-posh', a scared look always came into her eyes. As if she were afraid Rufus would mock her. But he didn't care about it. About anything. He did not care if English was not even her first language. He loved her plain and simple.
'You did what!?' He all but roared.
Araminta shrunk back into her chair in fear, 'I'm sorry. I truly am. I didn't know you really liked her like that. I mean, she's a good dancer and she's...pretty I guess, but I thought you were just...'
'What?' He said so quietly that Araminta nearly did not hear him, 'You thought I was just what? Fucking her? And you told her this, didn't you? You ganged up on her with that silly little sidekick of yours...do you know what that's called? It's bullying. I can't...' He broke off and clenched his jaw, running both hands through his hair as he stared above her head. 'I can't even look at you right now. It's all your mother's fault. Filling your head with such nonsense about class and propriety and bollocks. I can't believe I once considered you my cute little, if sometimes spoilt sister. I am so ashamed of you right now...you disgust me.'
Araminta gave a little cry at the venom that filled his voice with those last three words, 'Rufus...'
'Don't!' He raised a hand as if he could visibly stop his name from coming out of her poisonous lips. 'Don't even...just stay away from me. Stay the fuck away. You just hurt my girlfriend...yes my girlfriend. Someone I already love so much that I'm even thinking of marriage. You hurt her, and now she's upset with me. I just hope she forgives me. Because if she doesn't, I will never forgive you. I promise you.'
With that he walked out, almost stumbling as he ran his hand down in his face; grieving as if all was already lost.
***
'This is like the hundredth time he's called, Nens. Just pick up the phone.' Lorna said as she lay across her bed staring at the obstinate girl sitting by her room window.
Kainene just shook her head. She had told Lorna all that had happened and Lorna had been justifiably outraged, saying that she knew a couple of hoodlums who lived in Hiatt Baker and who would not hesitate to rough a girl up. Just one phone call from her and the rest was history. Kainene had laughed at this reluctantly, but it did not matter. What mattered was that Rufus had not backed her up. Had not replied that he was indeed her boyfriend. She had been made to look like a complete fool, and all in front of the worst person – Araminta. She groaned out loud as she remembered all that Minty had said to her. They had all been unbelievably rude and hurtful, but at the end of the day, true. She was not like them. She was not even like Lorna, yet they were best friends. Maybe Lorna would get tired of her once they all got back to their real lives. She forced herself to get rid of these thoughts as she could not even bear them.
She looked down at the phone again as it rang and this time she picked it up and said tiredly, 'What is it, Rufus?'
Rufus's voice, awash with relief blared in her ear, 'Oh my God, Nens. Thank God you picked up. Are you okay? Are you at home?'
