Lock and Key (novel)
After her drug and alcohol addicted mother abandons her, child services forces 17-year-old Ruby Cooper to move in with her sister, Cora, who had left for college when Ruby was young. Ruby is upset about this arrangement and continues to wear the key to her old home on a chain around her neck. After learning she will be transferring to a new high school, Ruby attempts to run away but is found out. Nate Cross, Jamie and Cora's next-door neighbor, covers for her. Over the span of the story, Ruby slowly becomes closer to Nate.
Ruby Sparks
After talking with Harry about what he has been doing, Calvin intends to write Ruby back to her normal self, but the wording he uses leaves her confused. Ruby fights with Calvin once more and he attempts to cheer her up by taking her along to a party hosted by author Langdon Tharp. At the party, Calvin leaves Ruby and talks with people about his still-unfinished manuscript. He also runs into his ex-girlfriend Lila, and they have a heated argument in which Lila accuses Calvin of being uninterested in anyone outside of himself. Meanwhile, Langdon finding Ruby alone flirts with her, convincing her to strip to her underwear and join him in the pool. Calvin finds them just as she is stepping into the pool. Furious and humiliated, he drives Ruby home.