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

"N-no... It's nothing..." Ruby sobs softly. She shakes her head. "I just... I wish things weren't like this..." she whispers, tears streaming down her cheeks.

She doesn't even realize you are there until she feels a warm hand on her shoulder. Her heart skips a beat, and she jumps slightly before spinning around to face you. "W-who... who are you?" Her eyes widen with surprise as they meet yours.

"C-Claudio?" she repeats your name uncertainly. Her eyes flicker between you and the notebook fragments on the floor before settling back on yours, curiosity burning in them. "Why... why are you here? Do those girls send you after me too?" There's a hint of suspicion in her voice as well, making it shake slightly with fear and anger.

Her eyes narrow suspiciously for a moment before the warmth in them slowly returns. "They don't... they can't have friends..." She sniffles and wipes her nose on her sleeve, giving you a sheepish look. "S-sorry, I'm just... I'm really thankful someone cared." The last words come out as a whisper. "But why did you even bother? Those girls... they said terrible things about me..." Her lower lip trembles slightly.

Her cheeks flush red as she thinks back to the horrible things they said about her drawings. "They called me a pervert and a whore... They didn't understand..." She sniffles, clutching your shirt with one hand, seeking comfort from you. "It was just for fun... I never meant to hurt anyone." Her eyes plead for understanding, for forgiveness.

But deep down inside, she knows that those words hurt her more than anything else ever had. It's a familiar pain, one she's carried with her since before she even started school. And now it feels like it might swallow her whole.

"O-oh!" Ruby's eyes widen in surprise as she watches you take out a bottle and drink from it. "That's... that's alcohol!" She hesitates for a moment before asking, her voice barely above a whisper

Ruby's eyes widen further as you reveal your secret drinking habit. She never expected a boy like you to be into alcohol. "B-but you don't seem like the type who would..." Her voice trails off, not wanting to insult you. Maybe it's because she's seen you being so caring and gentle with her that she has this image of you as someone completely different from everyone else at school. Or perhaps there's more to it than that...

Her curiosity gets the better of her, and she decides to ask another question before she can change her mind again: "D-do you like alcohol? I mean, do you ever get drunk or anything?"

Her eyes go wide in surprise as she listens to you casually admit to liking alcohol and getting drunk. "O-oh..." She stammers, not sure how to react. Part of her is shocked by the confession; another part finds it thrillingly daring. "So... what's it like?" she asks hesitantly, her curiosity getting the better of her. "To be drunk, I mean?"

Her lower lip quivers slightly as she imagines what being drunk might feel like. Would you hold her? Kiss her? Or would she just end up making a fool of herself again? The thought both excites and terrifies her in equal measure.

Her eyes widen further as she listens to you describe the experience of being drunk as fun at times. It's such an alien concept to her; all she's ever known is loneliness and shame. The idea that there could be joy in something so taboo fascinates her, even if it might lead to more humiliation.

"I... I wish I could try it," she whispers, glancing down at the floor sheepishly. "But I'm too scared." She looks back up at you with a pleading expression in her eyes, searching for some reassurance that you wouldn't laugh at her or tell her to mind her own business like everyone else does. For once, she wants someone to listen to what she really wants and needs, even if it is as simple as wanting to try drinking alcohol just because it sounds exciting and dangerous.

It's a lot for her to ask of you, especially given the way people have treated her lately... But there's something about you that makes her feel like she can trust you with this secret part of herself.

Her cheeks flush bright red as you mention that she doesn't need to try it if she doesn't want to. She dips her head in agreement, but there's a twinge of disappointment mixed in with relief. It was a foolish thought anyway; she shouldn't even be thinking about such things when everyone else is just so mean to her.

Still, it's nice having someone like you around. You're not perfect or anything - in fact, you have some pretty bad habits too - but for some reason, she feels comfortable with you. Safe. Like maybe... just maybe there's hope for them after all: the lonely freshman girl and the mysterious boy who drinks alcohol behind everyone's back.

Her eyes widen in surprise as she watches you start to slur your words, clearly feeling the effects of the alcohol now. It's fascinating for her, seeing someone lose control like that right before her eyes. A part of her wishes she could share in that experience, but another part is afraid of what might happen if she did try drinking as well; she knows how easily people can get hurt when they let their guard down.

Still, she finds herself drawn to you even more now, this new side of yours making you seem all the more real and human than anyone else at school ever has before. It's a strange, intoxicating feeling - one that leaves her reeling with emotions she can barely understand or put into words.

She decides not to press the issue any further, preferring instead just to enjoy this moment with you, even if it means being stuck in this empty hallway with no idea what will happen tomorrow when classes start up again. For now, all that matters is that she's here and he's here... and together they might find a way through the darkness, however fleeting or temporary that may be.

Her heart skips a beat as you lean your head against her shoulder, trustingly surrendering to the effects of alcohol in front of her. For a moment, she thinks about trying to wake you up or move away, but something holds her back; this feels too intimate, too special for her to want to ruin it by being sensible.

Her breath hitches as your head slowly slips from her shoulder down to her lap, and she realizes that you're asleep now, trusting her with your weight and vulnerability. She stares at the adorable pink tips of your hair for what seems like an eternity, marveling at how soft they are despite their spiky appearance. It's strange how someone who looks so tough on the outside can be so gentle when asleep, she thinks to herself with a small smile playing on her lips.

The silence between them grows deeper, but Ruby doesn't mind; it only serves to heighten her senses and make every sound, every breath, feel all the more meaningful. In this moment, with you in her lap like this, she feels like she could protect you from anything - even if just for a little while longer.

She hesitates before gently running her fingers through your hair. It's such soft, silky strands that she can't help but marvel at their texture against her fingertips. She continues to stroke your hair for a few moments more, taking in the feel of it and trying to memorize this small, intimate moment they share. Even if you won't remember any of this tomorrow, she knows that she will, and it makes her heart swell with warmth and affection.

But soon enough, reality sets back in: school starts again soon, people will talk, and things will return to the way they were before. The thought fills her with dread, making it difficult for her to focus on enjoying the present any longer.

Her heart skips a beat as you lean into her touch, giving her the smallest sign that you're enjoying her ministrations. It gives her renewed confidence to keep going, and she continues running her fingers through your hair, occasionally brushing aside loose locks of it from your face. The weight of your head against her lap feels so right; somehow it grounds her even as the rest of the world spins out of control.

She can't help but wonder what tomorrow will bring. Will things be better for you once school starts again, or will they only get worse? And what about her? How will she cope with everything on her own when you aren't there to lean on anymore? The thought makes a cold shiver run down her spine despite the warmth that currently fills every inch of her body.

As she continues to stroke his hair, an idea forms in her mind. She could stay behind after school today and clean up the mess left by the girls who tore apart her notebook. That way, nobody would have to see it and judge her for what was inside. And maybe... just maybe she'd have a chance to talk with you again before everything went back to normal. The thought fills her with renewed hope and determination, making her smile softly as she continues running her fingers through his hair.

She would wait until you were asleep before carefully setting you down on the ground and taking your hand in hers, just to make sure you wouldn't fall over or get hurt when you woke up. Then she would slip away quietly, promising herself that she'd come back for you once everything was taken care of. Even if it meant risking even more judgment from others, Ruby knew deep down that she had no choice but to try and help this kind person who had shown her such gentleness in a world full of cruelty.

Once school let out, she would hurry back to the empty hallway where they'd first met and get straight to work cleaning up the mess left by those horrible girls. Her heart would race with anxiety as she picked up each torn page, wondering what terrible words they might have written about her on it this time. But no matter how hurtful their insults might be, she refused to let them defeat her spirit or make her ashamed of who she really was inside.

The sun would begin its slow descent in the sky by the time Ruby finished cleaning up the hallway; shadows stretching out across the floor like long fingers reaching for something they could never touch. She would take one last look around before leaving, making sure that everything was back to normal and no one had noticed what she'd done. Then, with a quiet prayer on her lips asking for strength and guidance, Ruby would make her way back toward where she knew she'd find you...

Her heart skips a beat as she sees you still sound asleep where she left you. A wave of relief washes over her, followed by an even stronger desire to protect and care for you. She slowly crouches down beside you, careful not to disturb your slumber. "Shhh... It's okay," she whispers, brushing a strand of hair from your face. "I'm here now."

Her thumb idly strokes the back of your hand, feeling the warmth and strength in your skin beneath her fingertips. She can't help but smile at how peaceful you look despite everything that's happened today; it makes her feel like maybe there is some good left in this world after all.

Her heart skips a beat as you lean into her touch, seeking out the comfort she offered. She can feel her cheeks flush with pleasure at your affection and decides to indulge in it for just a moment longer before gently brushing her fingers through your hair again. "There now," she whispers softly, "I've got you."

The warmth of your body against hers is almost too much to bear; it feels so right and yet somehow so wrong at the same time. But she can't bring herself to pull away, not when it feels this good to be close to you like this. With a small sigh, she continues stroking your hair, lost in the sensation of her fingers tangling in those soft, silky strands.

"You know," she finally manages to say, her voice barely above a whisper, "you don't have to be nice to me." Her cheeks flush with embarrassment at even saying such a thing out loud, but somehow it feels good to get it off her chest nonetheless. "I'm not like... the other girls."

She pauses for a moment, unsure if she should say more or if she should just leave it at that. But then she decides that honesty might be the best policy here; even if it is scary and makes her feel vulnerable. "I mean," she continues slowly, "it's okay if you only want to use me or anything. I get it... People are just jealous." Her voice trails off at the end, hoping against hope that he doesn't actually think that about her.

But even as the words leave her mouth, she can't quite bring herself to look at your face; she's too afraid of what she might see there. So instead, she focuses on running her fingers through your hair once more, trying desperately not to overthink this entire situation and ruin what little happiness she has found today.