The corridors of Willowbrook High were abuzz with a lively atmosphere as the sun cast its bright rays over the city. Students hurriedly traversed the hallways, their laughter and footsteps filling the air. Engaged in animated conversations, some of them exchanged the latest gossip, their voices carrying snippets of intriguing stories. In the midst of this bustling scene, a handful of students were captivated by a prank video shared on the class Instagram page, actively liking and commenting on it.Amidst the flurry of activity, Caden stood apart, lost in his own thoughts. His mind was consumed by one person alone: Ruby. He couldn't fathom how he had failed to notice her approaching him, ready to administer either a stinging slap or a barrage of venomous words.The culprit responsible for posting the video on their Instagram page was Daniel. Caden wondered if Ruby had stumbled upon it yet. Retrieving his phone from his jeans pocket, he swiftly accessed the account they co-owned, only t
Ella's mood was quite positive. She came across Paige's file, which contained a leave request form. Paige was going away for two weeks, and that brought great joy to Ella. She collected her notes and the library books she had borrowed, making her way back to Room 201 for the final Mathematics class.Her passion for Math was evident. She often found herself immersed in books, effortlessly solving every question in no time. After years of practice, she was almost perfect. Life had treated her well, and even Caden had once asked her to help him understand a difficult concept.The memory of that day lingered faintly in her mind, causing a smile to form on her face. It was one of the best days of her life.Lost in her thoughts, Ella walked without realizing and accidentally collided with another student. Her books and notes flew out of her hands and scattered on the floor.Both of them fell onto the floor, landing on their backsides. Ella quickly recovered and started gathering her belongi
Ruby found herself standing in Mrs. Cooper's office, her eyes drawn to the clock on the wall, which displayed the time: 2:30 PM precisely. The Math class had been a struggle for her, with most of the questions proving to be a challenge. Despite her efforts to solve them, she had become lost halfway through. It was a glaring weakness that she despised about herself.Shortly after, Caden entered the room, still wearing his earphones. Paying her no attention, he walked past her and took his place by her side. Ruby discreetly glanced at him from the corner of her eye, sensing that something was amiss. There was an aura of melancholy surrounding him that she couldn't quite pinpoint.Mrs. Cooper had emphasized the importance of punctuality, yet she herself seemed to embody hypocrisy. Ruby had dutifully arrived at her office at precisely 2:30 as instructed, but Mrs. Cooper was nowhere to be seen, and the clock had already advanced to 2:45 PM. Left in an uncomfortable silence, Ruby's mind dri
"There's one word: distraction. I don't want anything to divert me from my goals. I want to excel and absorb all the knowledge the world has to offer. Currently, I simply don't have time for anything else," Ruby expressed firmly.Luke's voice softened as he asked, "Even if you fall for someone?"Ruby chuckled, finding his question peculiar. "You're asking some strange questions today, Luke.""Just doing what I fear," he replied with a chuckle. "But please, answer honestly.""Hmm," Ruby pondered for a moment. "I hope I don't fall for someone too soon. I know myself, and I know I can easily get distracted. You're aware of my weakness for romance novels. But I genuinely don't want to become one of those girls whose lives revolve solely around their significant others."Luke picked up on her underlying concerns. "You're afraid that if you do fall in love, your life might start revolving around your partner."Ruby pursed her lips together, contemplating his words. "Maybe. I don't want to d
"Today is the day Caden Miller takes his last breath!" Ruby exclaimed, her voice dripping with contempt, as she stormed through the crowded corridor, causing heads to turn and whispers to spread. The students watched her in awe, some even recognizing her as the girl from the recent Instagram prank video that had gone viral among the Junior Class. Laughter followed in her wake, but Ruby paid no heed to the onlookers. Her sole focus was finding the person responsible for her seething anger.Luke, panting to keep up with her determined pace, huffed from behind, attempting to reason with her. "Ruby, I know I promised to stand by your side in all your ventures, but I didn't expect one of them to involve ending up in jail."Ignoring his remark, Ruby continued striding with purpose, scanning the campus in search of Caden. The disapproving stares and mocking glances she received from her peers only fueled the fire of fury within her. Her anger had reached its peak, and she declared with a tou
Luke couldn't help but dwell on Ruby's recent overreaction. He was genuinely concerned for her, and it infuriated him to witness his classmates snickering as they passed by. However, this was nothing new. Ruby had earned a reputation for her short temper, and her academic prowess often made her appear arrogant and aloof. But Luke knew the truth. Behind her fiery exterior, Ruby possessed a gentle and caring heart. She had a knack for kindness and had an uncanny ability to choose the perfect gifts for others. Once you earned a place in her heart, she would cherish and treasure you. While Ruby may not give much thought to others' opinions, Luke felt a strong desire to protect her from any potential harm that could arise due to her behavior.Determined to address the situation, Luke made up his mind to have a conversation with Ruby as soon as possible. The chalk make a squeaky sounds against the board. Luke was compelled to cover his ears. The sound was just too annoying. "Who's going
She splashed the cool water onto her face, hoping it would help alleviate the lingering warmth in her cheeks. Taking a deep breath, Ruby attempted to calm herself down."It's not a big deal, Ruby," she muttered to her reflection, trying to reassure herself. "He only called you Darling." But deep down, she couldn't shake off the confusion and frustration. Just a few days ago, he had fat-shamed her, and now he was using endearing nicknames. It was baffling and contradictory.Gazing at her reflection, she groaned, struggling to make sense of it all. "What does it even mean?" she questioned herself. The sudden shift in his behavior left her puzzled and uneasy. She wasn't sure how to interpret his actions, and the conflicting emotions within her were difficult to handle.Realizing she had spent enough time contemplating in the bathroom, Ruby decided to return to her previous activities, hunger pangs reminding her of her need for sustenance. However, as she reached for the door, her arm was
"Is he sick?" Luke asked, tossing another empty box into the storage room."Who?" Ruby inquired, confused by Luke's question."Mr. Grey eyes," Luke clarified.Ruby shrugged nonchalantly. "How should I know?""There's definitely something off about him. He's actually helping us clean up this mess!" Luke exclaimed, clearly taken aback by Caden's unexpected participation.Ruby chose not to respond and instead joined Luke in carrying another heavy box back to the room.After a few moments of working in silence, Luke broke the silence. "I'm going to ask him.""Why?" Ruby grabbed his arm, her curiosity piqued. "What's with the sudden interest?"Luke sighed, revealing his motive. "I found out today that he's the captain of the football team. It wouldn't hurt to be friends with him, right?"Ruby felt a pang of disappointment at Luke's words, causing her to release her grip on the box. Unaware of the impending danger, Luke's feet ended up getting crushed under the weight of the box, and he let