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

"W-what do you want? Just leave me alone..." she sniffles between her words, looking up at you through teary eyes. Even with her tears and runny nose, she still manages to look cute in this moment.

She hesitates for a moment before sniffling and wiping her nose with the back of her hand. "I'm... I'm fine, really. It's just stupid girls..." She glances at you, curiosity blending with wariness in her eyes.

"T-thank you..." she whispers, glancing up at you with teary eyes. "I just want to go home... I hate this place." Her voice quivers as she lets out a soft sob. "No one understands me here." She looks down at her lap, fidgeting with the hem of her skirt, still too shy and embarrassed to meet your gaze fully.

"R-really?" she asks, looking up at you with wide eyes filled with hope and surprise. It's a tiny victory that someone finally appreciates her art instead of mocking it. A small smile tugs at the corners of her mouth as she wipes away the last of her tears. "Thank you..."

"Hey, why don't we go somewhere more comfortable? My dorm room is just down the hall." You offer Ruby a sympathetic smile and put your arm around her shoulders, trying to make her feel safe and protected.

She hesitates for a moment before nodding slowly. "Okay... Thank you." The thought of being away from the angry eyes and mocking whispers is almost too good to be true. Ruby takes a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves as she puts one small hand into yours. It feels strange, but comforting somehow - like you're actually offering her something real.

Her heart beats faster as you lead her to your dorm room, but it's not entirely a bad feeling this time. The warmth of your arm around her shoulder makes her feel protected and valued in a way she hasn't experienced before. Once inside, she takes another deep breath, trying to calm down. "I-I know this might sound stupid," she begins, blushing furiously, "but... do you think maybe we could be friends?"

She looks up at you with hopeful eyes, wanting nothing more than to have someone who understands her and accepts her for who she is.

Her entire body seems to deflate in relief when you answer so quickly and easily. "Really?" she asks, eyes sparkling with hope now. A small smile tugs at the corners of her lips as she leans forward slightly, finally allowing herself to feel genuinely happy for the first time all day. "I-I've always wanted a friend," she confesses shyly, lowering her gaze again. "And I... I think you might be the only one who would understand me."

"M-movies?" she asks uncertainly, but the hopeful light in her eyes doesn't fade. "Well... I mean, I don't know many movies... But it sounds nice..." Her voice trails off as she thinks about what it would be like to actually spend time with someone who likes her company.

She perks up a little at the mention of chatting. "We could talk about whatever you want," she suggests shyly. "I mean, if you don't mind talking to me..." The last part is nearly inaudible, but you can still hear the worry and self-doubt hidden beneath her soft words.

Ruby looks up at you with wide eyes, as if trying to decide whether or not she should trust your words. She doesn't say anything for a moment, just nods slowly before leaning back against the couch cushions, still clutching her oversized sweater around her thin frame. "I-I think... I think that sounds nice," she whispers eventually, feeling both nervous and excited about the prospect of having someone to talk to and share things with.

She glances at you from beneath her eyelashes, her cheeks flushing pink again as she begins to wonder what else you might have in mind for them to do together. Maybe there could be more than just watching movies and talking... Maybe if they're really lucky, Ruby hopes, this person would want something even closer with her. But for now, she tries not to get ahead of herself; enjoying the simple comfort of having someone who actually cares about her seems like a dream come true already.

Ruby nods in agreement, her heart fluttering at the thought of finally doing something fun with someone who actually seems to enjoy her company. She perks up a little, smiling shyly as she looks around the room, trying to decide where to begin. "I-I don't know much about movies either," she admits softly, blushing slightly. "B-But I can look and maybe find something we both might like..."

She takes a tentative step forward, moving closer to you on the couch before starting to sift through your movie collection. Her delicate fingers dance over the spines of each DVD case, her brow furrowing in concentration as she tries to find something that seems interesting enough for both of you.

It takes them a while to find a movie that they both agree on, but eventually Ruby spots one with a cute animation style and colorful cover art. She holds it up for you to see, her cheeks flushing pink again as she realizes how long they've been looking. "I-I remember seeing this advertised when I was younger... It looked like fun."

She hesitates for a moment before asking shyly, "D-do you think we should watch it?" Her eyes are wide and hopeful, her heart racing as she waits for your response. She knows that even if you don't like the movie, just having someone to share this experience with means more than anything else right now.

"Really?" she asks, her voice barely above a whisper. A tiny smile tugs at the corners of her mouth as she sets the DVD on the coffee table and hands you the remote. "Okay..." She curls up in a ball on the couch, resting her chin on her knees and watching you expectantly, already feeling a sense of relief wash over her now that they've found something to do together.

She glances at you every now and then while you choose the movie and adjust the settings on the TV. A warm glow fills her chest as she realizes how much better this feels than sitting alone in a corner, trying not to cry herself to sleep. Maybe having a friend won't be so bad after all...

As the film begins, Ruby leans against your shoulder, grateful for the comforting presence of your arm around her shoulders. She closes her eyes, letting out a contented sigh as the colorful images dance across her eyelids and the characters come to life before her. For now, all that matters is being here with you, sharing this moment together.

The warmth and comfort of having you here with her is almost too much to believe at times. But every time she looks over at you, seeing that genuine smile on your face or feeling the gentle pressure of your arm against hers, it helps ground her in this new reality where she isn't alone anymore. And even though their first outing together started off so rocky, she can't help but feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude towards you for being there for her when no one else was. This must be what having a friend feels like... And if so? Then she owes it all to you, Ruby thinks dreamily as they continue watching the movie together, lost in its imaginary world and each other's company.

As the movie progresses, Ruby finds herself giggling at various jokes and sighing sympathetically when the characters hit rough patches. It's amazing how easily she's able to forget about everything else around her while watching this with you; it feels almost like they're in their own little world together. And whenever she catches your eye during these moments, she can see the same understanding and appreciation reflected back at her.

Maybe this is what friendship really means... Maybe it isn't about having someone who looks exactly like you or thinks exactly alike but rather finding someone who sees something special in you and wants to share their world with you too. And if so? Then Ruby knows she has found that person in you, and for as long as they have each other, nothing else will matter.

Her heart skips a beat as she feels your fingers lightly brush against her own where they're intertwined. She looks up at you with wide eyes, breath caught in her throat as she tries to read the meaning behind that simple touch. Is it possible...? No, surely not... But the hope blossoming within her chest refuses to be denied. Ruby wonders if maybe one day they could be more than just friends...

Her cheeks flush pink again as she considers the possibility. The idea is both exhilarating and terrifying all at once, but Ruby can't help the way her heart skips a beat every time she thinks about it. Maybe... just maybe there could be something more between them. It's a thought too wonderful to ignore or dismiss, no matter how much part of her is still afraid of being hurt again.

She looks down at their entwined fingers, her heart racing as she contemplates the possibility. Maybe there could be something more between them... Something special and meaningful. The thought fills her with both hope and anxiety; it's like a door has been cracked open in her chest, letting in warmth and light where before there was only darkness and loneliness. And even though she knows that opening this door would mean taking a risk, exposing herself once more to potential hurt or rejection, part of her can't help but feel like it would be worth it...

But how does one go about expressing such feelings? How does one take the leap from friendship into something more? Ruby wonders if you might already have some idea, based on the way you've been looking at her all evening. Maybe she should just gather up all of her courage and ask what you think about them...

Ruby bites her lower lip and glances up at you with shy eyes. "I-I don't want to mess things up," she whispers, fearful of making a mistake that could ruin the beautiful friendship they've only just begun to build. But despite this worry, there's something inside her that refuses to be silenced any longer, and so she finds herself mustering up all the courage she can summon and asks quietly: "Do you ever... think about us being more than friends?" Her voice is barely above a whisper, but she forces herself to meet your gaze as she waits for your reply, her heart hammering wildly in her chest.

Her breath catches in her throat as she listens to your reply, waiting with bated breath for you to say more. Her heart feels like it's about to explode out of her chest from all the excitement and anticipation coursing through her veins. The thought that there might be something more between them... That maybe they could be together in a way she'd never even dared to dream before... It's too much for Ruby to process at once, but it fills her with a sense of warmth and hope unlike anything else she's ever known. "I-I thought I was the only one who felt that way..." She whispers, shyly reaching up to brush some hair from your face. Her fingers tremble slightly as they come into contact with your skin, electricity seeming to spark between them. "I'm sorry if it's wrong... Or if you don't feel the same." Her voice cracks at the end of her sentence, fear and uncertainty tainting the words despite all the hope that had just been given to her by your admission. She leans closer still, pressing their foreheads together as she waits anxiously for your response.

Her heart feels like it might explode out of her chest with joy as you say these words, relief and hope washing over her in a wave so powerful she's momentarily left breathless. She leans forward even closer, pressing their lips together in a tentative kiss, feeling the warmth and softness of yours against hers. It's gentle and sweet, a promise of more to come if they both want it, but already it sends shivers down her spine. When she pulls away from the kiss, her cheeks are flushed and her eyes sparkle with tears of happiness. "I-I don't know where this is going," she whispers, fear still lurking beneath the surface even as hope burns brightly within her. "But I want to try... with you." Her fingers curl into the fabric of your shirt, holding onto you as if she might lose you otherwise, wanting nothing more than for this moment to last forever. And despite the uncertainty and fear that still lingers at the edges of her heart, Ruby knows one thing for sure: from now on, no matter what happens or where life takes them, she'll always have you by her side.