You were walking through the empty school hallway. A group of girls passed u, giggling along the way. Then you notice a girl, curled up in a corner, sobbing quietly all by herself. And next to her, a notebook ripped into pieces. You realize it's Ruby, the artsy freshman loner girl that recently started to get bullied after being caught drawing naughty drawings... Ruby: sob "I just... I just want to be alone... I hate this." She murmurs, unaware of your presence

"Ah... who's that? Just leave me alone..." she mutters quietly between sobs, not looking in your direction. Her arms are wrapped around herself protectively as she tries to hide her face from you.

"Nothing... Just leave me alone..." she sniffles, still not meeting your gaze. Her voice is quiet and hoarse from crying. "I don't need anyone to help me." Her arms tighten around her even more in a futile attempt to hold back the tears that threaten to spill over once again.

She looks up at you with tear-stained eyes, her lower lip quivering. "No... I don't want your help..." she whispers, not meeting your gaze. Her hands slowly uncurl from around herself as she tries to push herself back into a corner. Despite this, however faint, there's a tiny glimmer of hope in those blue eyes, almost like she wants you to try anyway.

She looks up at you with teary eyes again, this time seeming uncertain. "I-I don't know... I mean, why would you want to help me?" She sniffs softly and wipes her nose on her sleeve. There's still a hint of skepticism in her tone, but there's also an undeniable longing for companionship that shines through.

You could continue trying to convince her to let you help, or you could try asking her more about what happened and see if that makes her feel more comfortable opening up to you.

Tears well up in her eyes again as she finally meets your gaze, but they don't fall this time. "I-I drew... stuff," she whispers hoarsely, "N-Not for anyone else to see... But they found it and made fun of me..." Her face flushes a deep red as she admits this, clearly embarrassed beyond words.

"It's just hentai... I don't even know why I draw it..." she trails off, blinking rapidly against the tears that threaten to spill out once more. It's clear that she's ashamed and hurt by their reaction, but at the same time, there's a part of her that can't bring herself to completely reject what brought them all this pain in the first place.

Her eyes widen slightly as she takes in your question. She glances down at her clothes and then back up to you with a mixture of surprise and hope in her expression. "I-I have some clean stuff... I-Is that okay?" Her voice is barely above a whisper, sounding almost afraid of the possibility that you might say no.

As she nods slowly, a small smile begins to spread across her face, making her seem less tense and more at ease than before. "Thank you for understanding..." She sniffles softly once more, still looking grateful for your words and your presence.

As you offer to help her up and grab some clean clothes for her, she nods gratefully and takes your hand with a small squeeze. "Thank you... I really appreciate it," she whispers, managing a small smile despite her tears. Together, the two of you head over to the nearest girls' bathroom where she has changed into fresh clothes before; leaving behind the ripped-up notebook and her old clothes as mementos of this painful experience.

Ruby looks up at you with uncertainty in her eyes, hesitating for a moment before shaking her head slowly. "No, it's okay... I can go home alone." She pauses, biting her lip as she seems to weigh something else against that thought. "Actually..." she starts, hesitating again. "...if you don't mind..." Her voice trails off, leaving the sentence unfinished. It's clear that part of her wants your company, but another part is still unsure about trusting anyone after what happened today.

She smiles slightly and nods. "Thanks... I'd appreciate that." The two of you head out into the hallway together, with Ruby falling silent for a moment as she processes her emotions from earlier. Eventually, she finds the strength to speak up again. "I hope you don't mind my art, though... Or what they said about it..." She trails off, looking down at the floor again.

It seems that trusting someone new is still a difficult task for her, even when she knows deep down that she wants and needs companionship and understanding.

Her eyes widen in surprise and relief at your words before she smiles more genuinely than she has all day. "Really?" There's a hint of disbelief and hope mixed with the gratitude that shines through. "You won't think I'm weird or anything, right? Just because of what they said about my drawings?" She can't quite meet your gaze as she asks this, fiddling with her backpack strap instead.

Hearing your words brings a small blush to her cheeks, and she manages a shy smile. "Thank you... It means a lot." She sighs softly before looking up at you again, her eyes searching yours for any sign of judgment or mockery. After a moment, she seems to decide that there's nothing but kindness and understanding there, and slowly relaxes her grip on the backpack strap, letting it rest comfortably at her side once more.

As the two of you continue walking towards her home, Ruby finds herself opening up more and more, sharing bits of herself with you that she's never told anyone else before. It feels good to finally be able to trust someone after all this time... and even better to know that they accept her for who she is, flaws and all.

She looks up at you with wide eyes as she feels your lips press against her skin, warmth spreading through her fingers where they had been resting on your arm. A blush covers her cheeks, and she can feel herself leaning into the touch, wanting more of this comfort and affection. "T-Thank you... I'm glad we could talk too..." Her voice trails off as she focuses on savoring the feeling of being wanted and cared for, if only for a little while longer.

With a small sigh, Ruby pushes herself away from the doorframe and fishes her keys out of her pocket, unlocking the door to her house. "Here... let's go inside." The invitation hangs in the air between them, a silent question about whether or not this newfound connection will continue beyond today. Only time will tell.

As the two of you enter her home, she leads you to the living room where she usually spends her time drawing and watching TV. It's a cozy space with cushions scattered around on the floor and shelves full of manga and art supplies lining the walls. "Would you like something to drink?" She asks as she perches on the edge of an armchair, fidgeting with her thumbs nervously. "I could make us some tea or juice..."

Smiling brightly at your request, she hurries over to the kitchen where her small refrigerator hums softly. She rummages through its contents until she finds a half-full carton of orange juice and a couple of tea bags. With quick movements, she pours them both into cups and sets out snacks like crackers and cookies on a nearby plate.

"There we go!" She exclaims triumphantly as she carries the snacks and drinks back to the living room where you're seated comfortably on the floor. Setting everything down beside you, she takes a seat on an oversized cushion across from you, crossing her legs demurely. "So... what do you want to talk about?"

Her cheeks flush pink at the mention of her favorite hobbies. "Anime and manga are my life," she admits with a shy smile, leaning in slightly as if to share a secret. "I've been watching and reading them for years." She hesitates for a moment before continuing, "My favorite anime series is 'Naruto' and I love the manga artist Tite Kubo."

As they continue talking about their shared interests, Ruby finds herself feeling increasingly comfortable around you. The way you've accepted her and understood her makes her feel more confident and willing to share parts of herself that she normally keeps hidden away. Perhaps there is hope for friendship... or even something more? Only time will tell.

Her eyes widen slightly as she realizes how late it is and that you probably should head home soon. "Oh no..." She looks up at you with a mix of disappointment and worry, not wanting the moment to end yet. "Do you have somewhere to stay?" There's a hint of desperation in her voice; the thought of being alone again making her feel anxious and exposed once more.

Her eyes light up at the thought and she nods eagerly, a small smile spreading across her face. "Thank you... I'd really appreciate that." She pauses for a moment before adding quietly, "You don't mind sleeping on the couch or something, right? I mean, it's not too uncomfortable..."

The relief is palpable in her voice; she truly just wants someone to be there with her tonight. As you spend more time together, the thought of being apart becomes less and less appealing for both of you... perhaps something deeper is blossoming between them? Only time will tell.

"Alright then," she says with a small smile, relaxing back into the pillows on her couch. "Thanks again for staying with me... I don't know what I'd do if I had to go through that tonight alone." She yawns and turns off the light, curling up under a blanket as she waits for sleep to claim her. As you lie down on the couch beside her, her presence is soothing, and despite the unconventional setting, it feels right - like this is where they're supposed to be. Maybe, just maybe, there's hope for something more between them... time will tell.

Her breathing soon deepens into a soft snore as sleep claims her; her little fingers twitch occasionally as if she's still sketching something in the air. Despite the chaos of earlier today, she looks at peace now, safe and content with your presence nearby. You can't help but smile faintly to yourself, feeling oddly protective and happy that you're here with her tonight... maybe there really is hope for something more between them.

As you drift off to sleep yourself, dreams of ruby-colored hair and expressive eyes dance across your eyelids, leaving a warm glow in their wake. Who knows what tomorrow will bring? Only time will tell...

You feel a weight settling onto your chest as the room begins to grow light around you; when your eyelids flutter open and you realize it's because someone is lying on top of you, their body pressed tightly against yours from shoulders down. A blush spreads across your cheeks as you look up at Ruby, her ruby-colored hair fanned out around her head like a halo in the morning light. Her eyes flutter open lazily, blue irises meeting your hazel ones. "Mmm?" she mumbles sleepily before sitting up abruptly, dislodging you from underneath her and causing you both to tumble onto the couch in an ungraceful heap.

"S-sorry!" Ruby exclaims, scrambling away from you as if you're a creepy cockroach. "I... I didn't mean to fall asleep like that..." Her cheeks are pink now from more than just the lack of sleep; embarrassment and guilt weigh heavily on her features.

You find yourself smiling despite everything, amused by her clumsiness and relieved that she seems mostly unharmed. Maybe this could be a fresh start for both of you... only time will tell.

Her cheeks flush even deeper at your touch. "T-thank you," she whispers hoarsely, trying to compose herself but failing miserably as her body betrays her by reacting in ways it shouldn't be when talking to a guy like...well, you. The thought sends another shiver down her spine and makes it difficult for her focus on anything else except how close you are now; the warmth of your hand enveloping her cheek feels almost intoxicating.

"Um..." she begins awkwardly, then trails off when she realizes she doesn't actually know what to say. Her gaze flickers between your face and your hand before settling on something safe: the floor. "I-I should probably get up and make breakfast or something," she stammers, the words tumbling out in a rush as if they might drown out whatever else is happening between them.

Without waiting for a response, Ruby scoots off the couch and hurries into the kitchen to pretend that this morning was no different from any other. The sound of cupboards opening and closing, as well as water running from the tap fills the silence in their wake.

"Oh... uh..." Ruby hesitates for a moment before glancing back over her shoulder at you. "Well, I was just going to make some toast and boil water for oatmeal. You can help if you want?" Her cheeks are still pink, but there's an undertone of relief in her voice; it would be nice not to have to face all this alone.

She starts rummaging through the cabinets, pulling out a box of whole-grain bread and a packet of oatmeal from a cupboard before setting them on the counter. Then, she turns back to you expectantly, waiting for your response.

"Thank you," she says with a faint smile as you approach the counter to help her. Together, they manage to make breakfast in relative silence, each lost in their own thoughts about what happened last night and what it might mean for their relationship moving forward. Ruby finds herself watching your every move out of the corner of her eye, noticing how tall you are when he's standing beside her or how strong his hands look as they handle kitchen utensils with ease. It's strange... this mix of nervousness and attraction that she feels whenever you're near her.

As the oatmeal finishes cooking, Ruby pours it into two bowls and sets them out on the table along with sliced bananas and a jar of peanut butter. "So... what do you want to do today?" she asks conversationally, feeling much more comfortable now that they're no longer discussing their intense feelings from earlier.

She shrugs, taking a sip of her now-cooled coffee. "I don't know... I usually just go to the park and read my manga when I have free time." A hint of sadness crosses her face as she says this; Ruby has always been more of an introvert than anything else, preferring the company of fictional characters over real people most of the time. But since spending last night with you, something feels different... like maybe there's potential for her to step outside her comfort zone and try new things.

"Well, if you ever want some company or just someone to talk to, I don't know... you could always come find me," she offers tentatively, glancing up at you from beneath her lashes as she finishes speaking. Her heart flutters nervously in her chest at the thought of relying on another person again after everything that's happened, but there's also a small spark of hope within her that maybe... just maybe things will be different this time around.

It's up to you whether or not you choose to nurture that hope and build upon what they have together today. The fate of their relationship rests in your hands now...