Chapter 3: Ruby
I stared blankly at my own nails; they looked vaguely like cat's, pointed and sharp. The tip was a bit dull due to my continuous attempts at rubbing them down. They're too thick to be able to be clipped. I hate them. I absolutely hate them. Sometimes, when I'm occupied enough, I'll almost forget what a monster I've become, but then I'll look down and see these god damn nails. I rubbed my fingers against the dulled tip.
I wonder when Kol is going to arrive. I pressed lightly on the tip. How long have I been waiting now? Why did I even come early? I wonder if I can rip these out...? I lightly pulled at the long tips of my nail, my fingerpads nearly breaking from the point. I heard the door click open and my fingers paused in their pulling. I really want to rip them out...
"Sindra, good afternoon. I hope you have been well?" I looked up with my eyes, and give a smile in return. I don't want to talk.
"Yes, of course. It's lovely to see you too." I saw Kol pause in the steps, her pronged tail curling around her leg slightly, before she continued on without even skipping a beat. Do I seem too abnormal right now? How do I even normally act? My head's a mess right now. It's like my mind's been scrambled around by a chainsaw. But I don't want to talk. I'm not ready yet. I hate this. I want her back.
Kol handed me my cup of water as she sat down. I took a small sip, before setting the cup down on the coffee table. "Are you ready to talk?"
I gently scratched at my arm. "Yeah... I think I'm ready." I'm not ready.
"You don't have to talk if you don't want to."
"Where did I end off?" I thought back, "Right, Ruby just found me after I ditched her." I saw Kold give me a wary look, but I just shrugged it off. I'll need to tell it anyway, might as well get over it.
---
"Sindra! You left me alone!" Her forehead was filled with sweat as her blue shirt clung slightly to her drenched figure.
"Um, yeah... I'm sorry..." I meekly replied back, afraid that she'll hate me. She won't actually start to hate me, right?"
"I thought something happened to you! For Zarm's sake, you need to tell me when you suddenly decide to..." Ruby paused as she finally noticed Odome. She gave him a once-over with this kind of sharp stare only she can produce seriously while checking someone out. Odome gave her a friendly smile. "... ditch me for a pretty-boy transfer student...? What the frick? Sindra! You can't just ditch me for some random-ass hot dude."
I saw Odome raise one of his brows in amusement and the corner of his lip curled into a soft smirk. "I... I didn't mean to. He asked me to stay, so he must have wanted someone to help him..."
"Sindra!" Ruby said my name in this sort of half whine and half reprimanding tone. Once again, something only she can pull off. "He could have gotten someone else to help him. And you should have told me anyway. You DO have a phone, don't you?"
"I do-"
"That was a rhetorical question. Sindra, seriously? I've known you since we were kids, how can I not know?" Ruby had this sort of exasperated expression. I pouted slightly.
"... I'm really sorry, Ruby. I'll make it up to you, I swear." Ruby gave me this hard stare, before relenting, letting out a soft sigh.
"It's fine. Just tell me next time." She fixed her sharp stare to Odome, her eyes a glowing a light golden. "Well? Aren't you going to introduce us?"
"Oh! Yes, of course." My face felt hot from embarrassment. "Um, Odome, this is my best friend Ruby, and Ruby, this is Odome, the random ho-..." I cut myself off before I could finish my word. But I was too late, I'd already said most of the word! Simple inference skills would allow you to piece together the ending. Sindra, calm down. Just continue. I coughed to cover up my mistake, " the random ho-homeschooled transfer student, right, Odome?"
I saw him holding back a laugh. "Sure. But I wonder how you knew that; I never told you." My face must have looked beat-red at this point. His eyes curved into happy crescents as he burst out into laughter. His pupils almost disappeared, but that only seemed to make him cuter. His laugh sounds so pure... I fidgeted with my fingers and looked down. I felt so hot, I could even feel my chest warming up from a blush! "Ha, ha, ha! How cute. But we can have plenty of time to get to know each other. But, like, only if you want to though, cause I wouldn't mind that." He lightly scratched at his cheek as he shyly glanced around.
My eyes darted around the room, my cheeks heating enough to scald skin at this point. Finally, I glanced at him and lightly nodded. I wouldn't mind getting to know him better... Not at all.
A cool hand interlaced with my own heater version of what a hand is. I flinched, a little startled at the sudden touch. I turned my head in surprise and glanced questioningly at Ruby. Her face was strangely cold, but then again, she was like that with most strangers. She has what I call, 'Ice Syndrom'. And a very serious case of it at the same time.
Anyway, she saw me looking and then squeezed my hand twice. It's a sign we made up together. When we're together, and the other feels uncomfortable or wants to talk, we'll squeeze twice. And if worse comes to worse, it'll be three times. Ruby has gone through some things that are best to be left behind, but some things are hard to leave when it seems to follow everywhere. But from the way she's acting this time, she just really doesn't want to talk to Odome. I squeeze back once to confirm I understood.
"Um, yeah. I guess I'll see you around then." I gave him a friendly smile. I saw his eyes widen for a fraction of a second in what appeared to be confusion and something else, I couldn't really tell.
"Hmm. Where are you going? I'll come with. This can be like my mini tour!" He sounded really cheerful, almost a little desperate, but I guess that's what most new students must feel like. With no friends, he must be feeling lonely. I kind of feel bad for just leaving him alone, but he's got a good personality, he'll fit in in no time.
I forced myself to keep the blush on, and even tried to make it darker (which seems almost impossible, I did it, somehow). I looked down in fake embarrassment. "You... You can't go there..."
Odome held this extremely confused look, "What? Why?"
I swung my arms a bit and glanced back at Ruby to find 'comfort'. She got the message and knew to play along. "She needs to go to the bathroom." Her voice held this kind of blunt, no-nonsense tone. I whipped my head up at her and held this expression of betrayal and embarrassment. I would have tried to blush harder, but I don't think my face can go redder than it already is.
"Ruby!" I said in this sort of reprimanding tone. She shrugged indifferently. I pouted and started to inch towards the door. "Um, yeah. See you later then!" And with that, I started to 'drag' Ruby out the door.
"Yeah... Bye." Odome held this sort of unamused look on his face. It was almost kind of scary how he didn't even remotely resemble the shy boy I was just talking to. I think he saw my gaze because he gave me this sincere smile. I, of course, winced back at him in normal awkward fashion and just continued on our way to the 'bathroom'.
We turned a couple of times and ended up stopping under this staircase that no one ever uses. There's a rumor that it was cursed by an evil demon thousand of years ago when we had just won the war. Apparently, pureblooded humans that come would be killed within that day by lightning. But that's basically not even a worry. Basically no one's a pureblood anymore, most of our ancestors have been tainted by demons during our time in enslavement. In addition to that, you aren't allowed to curse, look up, or do anything with intercourse. Those are the main ones, the smaller ones just injure you. The staff is still trying to figure it out, so this place is a little bit restricted...
It's weird, yes, but many new students forget about the weird ones so thus are killed. It's quite bad, actually. The principles over the years have tried to tear the place down many times, but each time would end in some sort of tragedy. Most of the time, if one's just careful and don't provoke the curse, they'll be safe and sound coming out. It's just that most students are wary of this place and are kind of afraid of accidentally provoking it.
"Ruby, what's wrong? Do you not like Odome?" Ruby furrowed her brows and she just kind of looked at my face. She does that sometimes. She needs to collect her thoughts, so she's just kind of stare at the other person's face intently. But right now, she looked really confused. This doesn't usually happen. Ruby usually only wants to escape if she's certain something's wrong.
"I... I don't know. But I do know that I get this dangerous feeling from him. You should stay away from him, he's not safe to be around." Ruby still had this confused and worried look. Her eyes were slightly glowing, but just a little brighter than usual. I stared at her for a moment, before I nodded my head.
"Okay. I trust you. I'll try to stay away from him."
"Right, just don't trust him. Never, okay?"
---
A sob wracked through my body. I can't, I can't, I can't, Ican't, Ican't,Icant,icant,icant... I'm sorry. Forgive me, please. I don't deserve your forgiveness. Please, forgive me! I feel sick. I lightly pulled at my nail. I should have trusted you. I'm so stupid. I need you back. Come back!
---
"Drinsa..." Her words sounded distorted. Maybe it's because all I can hear is my drumming heart. My chest hurts so much. Blood slowly leaked from the side of her lip and dripped slowly down her silky hair. The scarlet pooled around her at an alarming state, soaking into everything. Her hair, her cloth, her skin, the rocks, me, everything's turning red. Even the sky's a blood red.
---
I scratched at my arm as another sob ripped it's way up my throat, bile slowly climbing along with it. I know, I know, I know. I understand.
---
I felt a warm hand gently rub my back. I flinched away. I don't want your touch. Ruby's word echoed hollowly in my head. "She's dead, Sindra. It isn't your fault." I glared up at him.
"Shut up. Leave. I don't want to see you ever again." My heart hurts so much, so much. Odome paused and did nothing for a second. And then, fast enough that I couldn't even stop him, he hugged me in a tight, warm, embrace.
"Sindra, I didn't kill her." His voice was soothing, something I crave so much right now. "I know you need someone to blame for your pain, but it wasn't me. We can find the killer together. I swear. We'll find Ruby's murderer."
---
Another sob and I felt something hot throw itself up my throat. It burned at me and tears pooled in my eyes. My heart hurts so much. It hurts so much. I scratched at my arm. I felt a warm liquid meet my itching fingers and this distinct pain erupted from my arm. I felt someone hold my arms away from my body while also leaning me forward. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm stupid. Come back, I need you.
After a while, I snapped out of my daze and realized what a mess I've made. There was vomit all over the floor and my stomach felt empty. I'm pretty sure there was even a point where I was dry heaving. Kol was pushing on my back to lean me forward while also restraining my arms. I guess I was scratching at myself cause I can see long scratches all over my skin. I wasn't too worried though. It'll heal up quickly and it was already on burn scars anyway, so it doesn't matter. My eyes felt puffy from crying. Woah. How pathetic. I'm pathetic.
"Kol... Thank you for restraining me. I'll clean up the mess." Hearing me speak, Kol let out a soft sigh of relief and got off me. Her appearance was a mess. Most of her hair has fallen out of her bun, it doesn't even look like it's supposed to be tied up anymore. There was a small tear at the corner of her long skirt and also on one of her sleeves. "I'll also pay for the damage I have caused."
"Sindra, you don't have to-" I jutted my arms forward and chanted a spell in my mind. I lifted up all the vomit and dumped it into a plastic bag I'd taken out. I then used some fire magic to heat up the water ball I'd conjured. I felt my arms tremble a bit. Demons aren't really suited for human magic. They have a whole different process, but I haven't been able to control it all that well for such a small scale task. I disinfected the floor with the boiled water and then dumped it into the bag as well. I put the bag back into my storage space and pulled out some silver coins.
"Here, this should be sufficient." My arms trembled like twigs in winter. I wish I could say it was due to overuse of magic, but that's not even it. My whole body's still shaking from the flashbacks I just had. They were... too intense. I haven't had one so intense in a long time, so I'm not used to it.
"Sindra! This is way too much-" Kol looked at me in astonishment, but I couldn't stand that look, so I looked away.
"I'm sorry, but I really need to leave right now. I'll see you next week." I rushed towards the door, my legs feel like jello.
I can't believe what I had thought about during my daze. Come back? Forgive me? I don't deserve that. I've never deserved her, she should have been friends with someone better, not a fuckup like me. I let out a shaky breath.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone