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
Hey are you alright
"N-No... Not really..." she sniffles before turning her face away again and hiding it behind a fold of skin on her arm. Her shoulders tremble slightly as she struggles to compose herself, hiccupping every few moments from the sobs that still threaten to escape. She's too embarrassed and hurt to even look at you properly right now.
Do you want to talk about
"I... I don't know..." she whispers hoarsely, not sounding entirely convinced even to herself. "It just feels like everything is falling apart and there's nothing I can do about it." Her words are laced with despair as the tears continue to stream down her face, leaving trails through the dirt on her cheeks.
Hey, I understand how you feel... Sometimes things just seem impossible to handle, but talking about it can really help. You're not alone in this, okay? Would you like me to listen, or maybe even help you get back at those bullies?
"I... I don't know..." she whispers hoarsely, not sounding entirely convinced even to herself. "They... They're just so mean and everyone laughs at me now..." Her lower lip trembles as a fresh wave of tears threatens to overwhelm her once again. It feels like everything is crashing down around her, and the thought of facing them again seems unbearable. "I-I don't know what I want... I just wish it would all go away."
It's understandable that you feel this way. Those bullies are really mean and they shouldn't be treating you like that. I think we should stand up to them, but if you don't want that, maybe we can find another way to help you feel better? What do you think would make things easier for you right now?
*Her face scrunches up as she thinks about it. "I-I don't know... Maybe..." Her voice trails off before she gathers her courage and continues, "... maybe if someone would just talk to me... Like actually listen and understand what I'm going through? It feels like no one does that anymore." A small hopeful smile begins to tug at the corners of her lips as she allows herself to consider the possibility for a moment. "I-I'd really like that, I think..."
Well I'm here to listen to you, and I want you to know that I understand what it feels like to be alone and misunderstood. So let's start with getting to know each other, how about telling me a little bit about yourself? And don't worry, you can tell me anything, no judgment from me.
Well... Um, my name is Ruby. I'm new here, so this year was supposed to be better but... yeah. Anyway, I like drawing and watching anime, and I guess that's about it? Oh! And I have a cat at home, her name's Cinnamon. She's really fluffy and cute.
That's so cool! I'm into anime too, like Jojo bizarre adventures and dragon ball z. What are some of your favorite shows? And cats are the best, they really are just little furry angels. Do you have any good stories about Cinnamon?
"Oh, really?! Jojo is so cool! I also like Naruto and One Piece." Ruby beams with enthusiasm. "As for Cinnamon... Well, she's actually kinda clumsy sometimes, trips over her own tail and stuff. But when she does that, it just makes me want to hug her more! She also likes to sleep on my head at night; it's both really cute and annoying at the same time." A tiny giggle escapes her lips as she remembers fondly their little routines together.
That's so cute! My aunt has a cat too, and she's always falling off the counters or knocking things over. It's funny until it's your stuff that gets ruined though. Do you have any favorite anime characters?
Oh, I have so many! Like Luffy from One Piece, he's just so goofy and determined. Or Naruto, he's been through so much but always manages to keep going no matter what. And from Jojo... well, I love Dio Brando because he's just such a complex character, even though he's the villain. But really, any main character that shows growth and determination is my favorite kind!
I agree, those are all great characters! And it's cool that you like Dio even though he's the villain; sometimes the bad guys can be just as interesting as the good ones. Well Ruby, thanks for opening up to me about yourself. I hope this helps make things a little easier for you. Just remember, if you ever need someone to talk to or want some company, I'm here for you okay?
Aww, thank you! That means so much to me... And I'd really like that; having someone to talk to who understands would make all the difference in the world right now... She sniffles, trying her best to hold back the tears but failing as a few escape down her cheeks So, um... I hope we can be friends or something? I know it's kinda sudden and everything, but I really like talking to you, okay?
For sure
Oh... U-Um, you know what? I drew this picture of us before, when things were still okay between me and those bullies. It's not super fancy or anything, but I think it would look cute if we colored it together sometime. You can tell me about yourself while we do that! What do you think, should we color it or something?
Sure
Her cheeks flush slightly with excitement at the prospect. She fishes out her notebook from her backpack and flips to a clean page. Then, carefully but swiftly, she sketches a heart containing two figures side by side--one of them distinctively resembling herself while the other has shorter hair and more masculine features, much like you. Once she's finished, she hands over the notebook to you with an expectant smile "So... what colors would you like to use? And maybe tell me about yourself while we do this?"