We are standing outside Ruth's house which is not just a house... It's a freaking mansion... There aren't any other houses nearby in the neighbourhood and it's all just so beautiful and calm.
I am dreading this robbery. What if we got caught?
Why do you always focus on the negatives, Jennifer?
It's a common human nature. I can't help it!
"You ready?" Zack asked keeping his hand on my shoulder. I looked at him and nodded.
According to our plan, Ruth, Zack and I, will enter the mansion through Ruth's bedroom window, using a ladder. The necklace is in her dad's room but she doesn't know where exactly in the room it is. Max is still at home because he needs to rest. And Damien and Liam were to keep the butler distracted.
"Jennifer?! Are you even coming?!" Zack whisper yelled at me. I looked up to see that the two of them were already up in Ruth's room while I am still standing down here.
I quickly climbed up the ladder, not even daring to look down because I know if I do, I'll definitely scream and fall down.
So I, very carefully, climbed up the ladder and landed in Ruth's room. I flew my arms up in the air and whispered a low "Yay".
I looked around to see Ruth's bedroom and it was beautiful! It was simple but it was just perfect.
Just then we heard the doorbell. It was Damien and Liam. I hope they do their work well.
"Dad's usually not home during this time of the day. The gardener and a few servants are at leave. It's just our butler, cook and probably 3 maids in the house. We have to be careful guys." Ruth said while I was wiping the sweat off my forehead.
Zack looked amused and it pissed me off.
"Why are you so happy?" I snapped at him.
"I've done this before... Many times." Zack shrugged.
This guy and his confidence!
"Dad's room is downstairs so please be careful."
We tiptoed down the stairs and I saw a glimpse of the butler and the boys talking. Looks like they're doing good.
Ruth led us to her dad's room and all this while I was trying not to make any noise at all.
By the time we reached her dad's room, I was drenched in sweat. Two of the maids were in the kitchen, busy in their own talks. Just as Ruth opened the door to the room, we saw a maid cleaning something up. And...
She saw us.
Great.
Her eyes widened and just as she was about to say something, Ruth placed her finger on her lips, telling the maid to keep quiet. We quickly entered the room and Ruth locked the door.
"What are you doing miss? Where have you been? It's great that you are back. I need to inform your father-"
"No!" Ruth shook her head.
"But why not?" The maid asked.
"First you tell me, what are you doing in my father's room?" Ruth raised a suspiscious eyebrow.
We noticed some pieces of a broken vase lying near the bed.
"You broke dad's favourite vase?!" Ruth's eyes widened.
"Please, miss. Don't tell your father else he'll fire me." The maid pleaded.
I saw Ruth smirking. Zack quickly got his phone out of his pocket and clicked the pictures of the broken vase and the maid holding a few pieces of it. The maid looked horrified.
Ruth's smirk widened.
"Martha, if you don't want me to tell father about this, promise me that you'll not tell him about me either. I know you need money for your husband's heart operation so-"
"I'll not tell him anything. Please miss, trust me." Martha begged Ruth and I didn't feel good to use someone's weakness against them like this.
This poor woman was working so hard to get money and here we are, stealing a necklace for it.
"Don't worry, I won't. Just go out. We need to find something here." Martha obliged and left the room.
"And also, keep Jenny and Stacy away from this room." Ruth added before Martha disappeared from our sight.
"Zack, you search in these drawers while Jennifer, you search in the closet. I'll look in this cupboard."
We all got to work and I made sure not to make the closet look like it had been searched.
There was a blue box behind some clothes and I took it out. I opened it to find a beautiful diamond necklace in it.
"I found it!"
"Shhhh" They both said in unison.
"Sorry." I apologised.
Ruth took the necklace out of my hands and kept it in the small bag she was carrying.
I kept the box in its place and closed the closet. Zack opened the room door to see if the coast was clear. "Let's go." He whispered.
We tiptoed up the staircase and noticed that the main door was closed. The butler wasn't there anymore. I was getting more and more nervous with each step I took.
When we reached the end of the staircase, Ruth and Zack ran towards her room while I nearly tripped. I led out a low yelp but quickly covered my mouth.
As I was climbing down the ladder, lost in my own thoughts about what we've just done, my foot slipped. I lost my balance on the ladder and flailed my arms to reach it again but missed. I closed my eyes shut and waited for the ground to hit me but the impact never came.
I felt strong arms wrap around me and the person stumbled a few steps back. I opened my eyes to stare into Zack's light brown eyes.
He had caught me. Oh thank you so much!
I thought I would die.
He was staring intently at me for a few seconds before dropping me on the ground. "Ouch! What did you do that for?" I glared at him while he just laughed.
We sat down in the car and drove home. "Did you get it?" Liam asked.
Ruth showed him the necklace and Liam gasped. "Wow. That's beautiful!" he exclaimed.
"There is a problem though." Zack said. "What is it?" Damien asked.
"A maid saw us."
"WHA-"
"Relax. Martha is a good woman. She keeps her promises. There's nothing to worry about." Ruth said before Liam could complete.
We stopped at a jewellery store before going home to exchange the necklace for money. Zack and Damien went inside. The shop owner was their friend and he had exchanged many stolen jewellery for money with them before.
***
"Finally!" Max yelled in triumph. "We got the 10 million dollars!"
"11 actually." I said.
The necklace was worth 5 million dollars.
"What are we going to do with the extra 1 million?" Max frowned.
"We'll keep it, what else." Ruth deadpanned at him.
"Right."
"We are meowlionaires now!" Max cheered.
We had a little celebration amongst the 6 of us. Damien looked happy as ever and my heart was doing a happy dance inside my chest seeing him so content.
Through out the night, he kept thanking me and Ruth. Everyone was just so happy.
We all went to sleep at 3 a.m. and when I woke up the next day, I found that Damien and Zack had already left to get Celine.
So now that Celine would be back, will these boys kick you out?
"Of course not! How can you even think that, Jennifer?!" Max scolded me with furrowed eyebrows.
I asked him if they will kick me and Ruth out of the house now that they got the money.
Ruth was glaring at Liam who kept saying that they would never do that while Max was frowning at me.
"Sorry, it's just that.. It's.. Difficult for me to trust people." I said looking down.
"Its okay, I understand that, Jen. But I will never leave you alone ever again. How could I?! You literally saved my life! You are my sister!" Max said as he hugged me.
***
The sound of loud laughters reached us as they entered.
I got up from the couch with Ruth standing beside me.
Zack, followed by Damien and... Celine walked in.
If I thought she looked beautiful in that picture, she looks like an angel in real life.
Her eyes were a lighter shade of blue than mine and her blonde curls looked so soft and maintained. She had such soft and pretty features that accentuated her beauty.
I felt so insecure.
Ruth, however, looked confident as ever. She had long red hair and brown eyes which always seemed to burn with a fire inside them. A few freckles were adorning her face and her confidence always spoke volumes.
She is beautiful too.
You are beautiful too, Jennifer. Why don't you see it?
"Welcome back, Celine!" Max yelled as he pulled her in a tight embrace.
"Max, let me go. I can't breathe." Celine laughed.
God, even her voice is so angelic.
What is not perfect about this girl?!
"I don't like her." Ruth whispered to me.
"You don't even know her yet." I whispered back.
"I don't need to know her to know that she's a bitch. Trust me, Jen. I can read people." Ruth stared into my eyes.
Maybe she's not so perfect, after all.
Liam greeted Celine as well and she kept smiling throughout the whole interaction.
Her gaze then landed on Ruth and me.
She gave us a confused look.
"Celine, this is Jennifer and Ruth. It's because of them that I am able to get you back." Damien told Celine as he gave an adorable smile to me.
To Ruth too.
Whatever.
"Oh! thank you so much, Jennifer, Ruth." Celine smiled at us.
I gave her a small smile too.
Ruth, however, didn't react. If anything, her face hardened.
"I am going to get us some ice creams! Liam come!" Max said before dragging Liam away.
Damien came towards us and gave a small hug to both Ruth and me.
I melted in his touch and warm embrace. My cheeks blushed and I couldn't help but smile like a fool, until Ruth pinched my arm and my smile fell.
Celine didn't look as happy to See this gesture of Damien's towards us.
"I missed you so much, baby." She said and wrapped her arms around Damien's neck, who pulled her closer to his chest as the both of them kissed.
Damien kissed Celine and he looked so happy. They looked so happy. Like a perfect couple. They seemed to completely ignore the rest of us as they kissed.
My heart seem to have shattered into two pieces. I looked away from them as my eyes welled up.
Without saying anything to anyone, I quietly walked out of the house because I didn't want anyone to see the stupid heartbroken look on my stupid face.
I told you, Jennifer. I told you that you'll just end up getting hurt.
Please, shut up.
Ruth came running behind me and immediately pulled me in a hug.
Being in her comforting embrace just made me break down.
"No, Jen. You will not cry for a guy. Stop!" Ruth said.
"Did they see me walk away?" I asked her in a wavering voice.
"No, only Zack did. But he didn't ask me anything. Those two were just busy sticking their tongues down each other's throat."
Ruth kept scolding me, telling me to stop crying for a guy.
"If you have to cry because of a guy, then that guy isn't for you, Jen. He should be the reason of your happiness, not your tears."
I shouldn't cry for him. I knew that he loved Celine. I knew that. I shouldn't have liked him. It's my fault.
I had to love a guy who already loves someone else. It is my fault!