Chapter 1: The boy next house
The Lysander and Elias houses were not two houses.
At least, not to Ruby.
For as long as she could remember, there was no fence between their compounds. Her mother, Jessica, would shout, "Ruby! Go return Elias's pot!" and her father, Lysander, would be in the Elias living room watching football with Elias as if he lived there.
Summer meant one house. Christmas meant one house. If there was food in one kitchen, there were children in both.
And there was always Conrad.
Conrad Elias was one year older than her. One year taller. One year more serious about everything.
When Ruby was ten, she followed him everywhere. When she was fourteen, she fought with him over the TV remote every evening.
When she was sixteen, something shifted.
It was during Naomi's birth year. Kate Elias was heavily pregnant, and the whole house was anxious. Ruby had come over after school to help. She was in the kitchen trying to make tea and failing, and Conrad walked in.
He didn't say anything. He just took the kettle from her hand because she was holding it wrong. Their fingers brushed.
And for the first time in sixteen years of knowing him, Ruby's heart did a strange, loud thing.
She looked up at him. He was seventeen now, his shoulders broader from school basketball, his voice deeper.
"You're going to burn yourself," he said quietly.
Ruby laughed to cover the nervousness in her chest. "Since when do you care?"
He didn't answer. He just looked at her for a second too long, then dropped his eyes and left the kitchen.
That night, in his room, Conrad stared at the ceiling and realized something that terrified him.
He loved Ruby Lysander.
Not as the little sister who stole his comic books. Not as Lysander's daughter.
As a girl. As _his_ girl.
But how do you tell a girl who has called you "brother" since she learned to talk that you want to kiss her?
So he said nothing.
He started avoiding her a little. Sitting farther away during family dinners. Not teasing her anymore.
Ruby noticed. Of course she noticed.
And so did Jennifer.
Jennifer was Ruby's best friend since primary three, and she had liked Conrad since JSS2. She watched how Conrad's eyes followed Ruby around the compound that summer.
That summer when Kate finally gave birth to Naomi, and everyone was celebrating, Jennifer stood in the corner and felt something ugly and green grow in her chest.
She didn't know then that her jealousy would one day make her walk away on graduation night.
She didn't know that a kiss was coming that would end everything.
