Chapter 3: "The Warning,"

Chapter 3: "Warning,"

───── ❝ R U B Y F R I D A Y ' S P O V ❞ ────

The most ironic thing about your first impression of me—I looked like, 'butter would melt.'

Elders at my hometown always goes around saying that I had the most beautiful, angelic features, and an air of innocence that made me seem like the kind of person who would always be happy, giddy, and bubbly—a person that will brought glee. But as they got to know me, they would slowly realized that I am anything but innocent. I have a dark side. I have a sordid past. I have a history of all things miserable and morbid.

I was born into a world of light, but my past is one of the darkness. I keep it hidden from everyone, and even buried in the deepest depths of myself, because I don't want them to see the mess I've become. It's not because I care, it's because... I simply don't.

"You are fiercely intelligent and have a sharp tongue that can cut like a knife, Ruby." That's how my adoptive deceased grandmother describe me. I don't know where my sharp tongue came from, but it is one of my most prized assets. I use it to cut through any bullshits that comes in my way.

And, I couldn't agree at her more. Especially at these times where some nosy little freaks are trying to test the boundaries of my waters...

"Look, Stefan... a newbie. Seems like a lost child finally found it's way here in Wonderland, huh?"

"We'll be getting another weak kid in these four-walls-of-mayhem. Fuckin' great way to start this semester."

"Tsk. The Headmistress surely knows incredible ways on how to successfully drop a new playmate down here in our rabbit hole."

As I walked down through the building's corridor trying to familiarize myself through the safe and dangers lurking in the place, murmurs and taunts of the students rose from side to side and echoed in my ears.

Everywhere I looked, I could feel their stares on me. I can see and hear these freaks laughing their asses off, whispering and making assumptions about me— as if they think they know me, but they don't even know a single shit about me. It's frustrating, to say the least. I don't need these people judging me— I don't need their nosy butts in my life. I was not born to be judge by these ugly outcasts, anyways.

And so, I tried to ignore them, but the sound of their laughter followed me every fucking time. It felt like I am venturing through a maze, a treacherous place, but instead of monsters, it's full of shitty clowns and weirdos.

I can't escape their incessant and relentless chuckles, no matter how hard I try. They're everywhere, mocking me, making me feel small. It's like they're some kind of parasites that I badly want to crush between my fingers. Sounds crazy, but I am being honest here. I meant it when I think about these disturbing thoughts.

I can't help it; these chuckles are like some kind of torture that I can't shake. They're like a cancer that I can't cure, and I'm starting to think that they're purposefully trying to drive me crazy. It's like they're enjoying making me feel this way, like they're some kind of twisted cosmic joke. But it's not funny. I want to screw them all.

Sighing heavily over and over again, I continued to walked down the velvet-themed aisle, and look for the Headmistress' office amidst of circus that's happening to me right now. I have more important matters to lurk upon into, anyways. I had been waiting for a few hours now for the Headmistress to come to my room once again, because I remember that I still have many questions left for her about the messy and lazy thoughts I had when I was at the Crimson Gate-questions that I want her to personally answer. But so far, she had not shown any signs of coming back so I decided to take action.

And so, no matter how irked I feel, I gritted my teeth and tried to calm myself down. I can't lose my mind this early. Besides, I can avenge in nighttime preferably, right? I'm a night owl so murdering them while darkness crowns the earth, won't be a hard thing.

Not kidding aside... I was a bit irritated, yeah. So, I tried to relax and let my petty anger go. I knew it would pass eventually. I just had to calm down and wait for their chuckles and teasing to pass. With it, like a witch, I tried to chant my inner flames.

Ignore them, Ruby...

Ignore them, Ruby...

Ignore—

"Dude, she smells like a delicate flower. Indeed a girl. Hella' wondering if she can survive the storm here."

Fuck. I take it back. I can't possibly ignore this one.

I grumbled to myself, my arms crossed. I knew I should have been more patient, but the irritation was getting the better of me. I tried to take a breath once more, to calm down, but who am I kidding. I am Ruby Fridays, and this is my kind of turf.

I turn to face the person who had spoken, my waters boiling over, "What did you say?" I asked, my voice laced with anger. The man before me looked confused for a moment, but his expression changed in an instant when he met my gaze. He does not look like he wants to back down either.

He just stands there, hands in his pockets, leaning on his locker while wearing a playful grin, "What? Bees got into your ears? I said, you're looking too weak to be able to withstand and play with us, beauty."

His words surprisingly didn't sting, perhaps because it's not true. Except for the beauty part, tho. But I still won't back down. I stand my ground, and met his gazes with a blank stare. It's been years since someone has said something like that to me, and that someone certainly met the reapers on hell in the very same day.

If I counted it right, all the one's that's been calling me weak because I'm a girl, didn't got the chance to shone lights through their skin the next day.

And a person like him will not be an exception to those list. I'm not going to let him get away with this. We are both in a battle for control, and I am not going to let him win.

Gritting my teeth, I take a step towards him, my fury dangerously ticking off the clock, "I'm not a delicate flower, and I'm sure as hell... I don't need someone trying to tell me that kind of bullshit. So, fuck off before I let my thorns bleed your ass."

I'm not going to let them push me around in my very first day on this institution, and I'm not going to let them bully me like I'm some kind of fragile flower out there in a garden full of ethereal madness. I'm going to be who I am, and I'm going to do what I want. And, that includes standing up to these people who think they know better than me. I don't need them, and I sure as hell don't need to hear their taunts.

We stand there, looking each other, neither of us backing down.

He then grinned but his darkening eyes stay glued on me, "Feisty. But, sorry honey... that attitude aren't the only one's that will save you in this hell. You're the one who needs to fuck off."

I scoffed, biting the insides of my cheeks in burning annoyance. I'm getting really close to losing my temper now. This jerk, who the hell is he to warn me and tell me to fuck off?

"Thanks, but I'm not some scared little girl who needs someone to tell her what to do. Besides—"

I was about to give this jerk a piece of my mind, and I was about to roll my tongue in the most hideous way I know to pay this jerk a lesson. But even before I could continue my words, some annoying bitch cut me off, "He's right, newbie. Consider this as your warning. Go back to your place before the games begin."

She was clearly not going to let me get a word in edgewise. I could feel the anger mounting in my gut, but I tried to tamp it down. And although irritated, creases formed at my forehead. I was partly taken aback by what she said. Games?

As I stared at her while confusion was evidently plastered onto my face, I saw a grin spread across her lips, and I knew right there that she was enjoying my confusion. I know then right there that something's wrong. And although I was irritated, I couldn't help but be intrigued by her statement. I wanted to know more. As Ruby that I am, I was determined to quench my thirsts of curiosity.

So, I took a step closer to her, my peculiarity and fury boiling inside of me, "What games are you talking about?" I demanded. "What are you trying to say?"

But bitch only laughed, shaking her head. She stepped closer, her eyes flashing with malicious glee. "You don't know, do you? Poor angel, I guess you're indeed clueless on what kind of hell you're standing right now."

I stepped back, my heart racing. I didn't know what to say. I'd never felt so confused before. The Headmistress clearly said this was a safe place for me, but all of the students are saying otherwise-that I was in for a tough time. I honestly don't know what to believe, and the frustrations was making my skin crawl.

Another girl took a step closer to me, her eyes cold and calculating, "You're seemingly too naive to survive in here. If I were you, I will run for my life."

The other students said almost the exact same things, but I was left here standing, my thoughts all over the place. My consciousness are getting hazy every single fucking time they open their mouths. I want to scream, yet I want to stay away from the noise of their crowd. I want to ask further, but it seems like my lips couldn't just do the talking.

My anger starts to dissipate, replaced by an unfamiliar feeling of vulnerability. I have never felt this way before. I don't know what's happening to me, but I don't like it.

"Hey—" I was about to grab the bitch's hair before she could walk away, but my wrist was suddenly suspended in the mid air when someone caught it and held onto it. It was then that I noticed a guy standing in front of me, holding my hands so tightly I thought it was going to snap. His eyes were cold, his face unreadable.

Great, another guy. Just great.

He was, well, different from all others. He has that unique face, not perhaps in the conventional sense, but he had that appearance which could make him stand out in the crowd. He was fair, almost pale white. His unfathomable, blue eyes contrasted exceptionally with his black toned hair. His eyes were as deep and expressive, where you could get lost if you stared long enough. His face had that faraway look in it, which cannot be described in words.

"Killian..." I heard the students whispered. But, my gazes stayed rooted onto him.

I don't know but it suddenly felt like he was the kind of guy that got into my bones, that spoke to me of golden times before he'd said a word.

Yet, above all... I was seriously starting to panic, his grip on me was so tight that it was starting to hurt. I was over frantic that I could feel the fear and panic welling up inside me as his grip on me tightened. I could feel the emptiness in his eyes as he looked down at me. I didn't know what was happening, but I knew that I was in another trouble.

I struggled against his hold, but it was useless. When I almost loose his grip on me and break free, he suddenly started to walk away, dragging me together with his steps. The crowd that were oppressing me earlier started to make way for us when he paved in their center. I looked back at them, astonished that they would just let him walk away with me. By then, it passed by my mind that this was a clear sign that perhaps he was in charge. Who the heck was this guy?

I was starting to feel numbness in my back, so I unconsciously let him tug me away and didn't said anything while we're running hand in hand. But then when I realized he was going to drag me further to a dark aisle, that's when my responses started to kick in.

"Wait, what the fuck are you doing?!" I yelled, trying to break free from his grip. But it was too late. He had me tugged into the place, and I had no idea what he planned to do with me. I briefly considered screaming for help, but the thought of my courageousness made me hold back. Right, I'm not used asking for help, wasn't I?

He then pulled me into a corner in the alleyway and I could feel the cold, hard floor against my feet and back. He was getting closer and closer, and I could hear his breathing heavy and fast. Then, all of a sudden, his grip loosened and I was able to take a step back, promptly gasping for air.

"Wha—" I was about to confront him, but when he took a step forward with his eyes still cold while pushing me against the wall, I could feel the tension that I have never felt before.

I momentarily stopped blinking and weirdly held my breath when he positioned his face inches from mine. I could feel his hot breath on my face and I could smell his cologne. He was so close to me and I couldn't move. I didn't know what to say or do, so I just stood there, frozen.

"Look, woman... whatever the Headmistress had told you... that was all a lie. You don't know what you're getting yourself into. This is not a place for new beginnings. This is the end. You're not safe here."

His voice was gruff and his eyes darkening with emotions that I can't distinguished, bore into me. I could feel the disdain and dark aura emanating from him, and it made me feel threatened. I didn't back down, though. I stood my ground and refused to be intimidated.

I secretly scoffed and held my head high in accordance with him, "I am capable of handling myself, and I don't need any validation to know that. I'm not a child, and I don't need a safe haven. All I need is a place to hide and stay."

I glared at him, trying to give back the same intensity of his stares, as if saying that I don't need his shitty words to scare me off. That I can take care of myself.

He seemed to take the lack of response as a challenge not until he stepped closer, his eyes scanned my features intensely, as if looking for something and just then his voice dropped low, "Don't ignore our warnings, woman. If you do... just remember that your fairytale ends here."

Suddenly, he took a step back, his face cold and distant also backing off from me. And with that, he walked away, leaving me alone in the dark, confused and nothing left to say.

━━━━━━･❪ ❁ ❫ ･━━━━━━

T O B E C O N T I N U E D...