Chapter 8 — Cafeteria Humiliation

Ruby tried to forget the moment.

Kai didn’t.

By the time lunch rolled around, Ruby was exhausted from dodging him in every hallway. She felt like a mouse living in a school filled with very large, very smug cats.

She stepped into the cafeteria clutching her tray, eyes scanning the room for one single safe place to sit.

Zara spotted her first.

“Ruby! Over here!”

She waved with a bright smile.

Ruby exhaled with relief and started walking toward her. Zara was kind, sweet, and actually warned her about Brielle yesterday. She felt safe there.

But halfway to the table, Ruby’s stomach dropped.

Because sitting right behind Zara…

Kai.

Beautiful, infuriating Kai Kingston.

Leaning back in his chair.

Laughing with his friends.

Eyes flicking upward—catching hers like a magnet.

Ruby froze.

Zara mouthed, It’s okay, but Ruby wasn’t sure.

She gathered her courage and kept walking.

One step.

Two.

Three.

Almost there.

Then—

A shoulder brushed against hers.

Hard.

Ruby wobbled—but didn’t fall.

Kai had stood up from his chair.

Right into her path.

“Oh—sorry,” he said, voice dripping with sarcasm.

“Didn’t see you there.”

Ruby’s chest tightened. “Move.”

Kai didn’t.

His friends had all turned now, watching like they were front-row at a live show.

Brielle smirked behind them, arms crossed.

Zara stood too. “Kai, seriously? Not today.”

Kai ignored her.

Ruby took a step to go around him.

He took the same step.

“Are you following me, Princess?” he asked.

“I’m trying to get to my seat,” she snapped.

“Funny. I thought you liked running.”

The cafeteria chuckled.

Ruby gripped her tray tighter. “Just—move.”

Kai glanced down at the tray in her hands.

Then up at her eyes.

And Ruby knew instantly.

He was planning something.

“Kai,” Zara warned. “Don’t.”

He smiled lazily. “I’m not doing anything.”

But he did do something.

He nudged Ruby’s tray.

Barely.

Just enough.

The tray slipped from her hands.

Time slowed as her lunch—spaghetti, salad, juice—splattered across the floor…

…her shoes…

…and her shirt.

Gasps echoed through the cafeteria.

Ruby’s breath left her in one sharp exhale.

Someone burst out laughing.

Then another.

And another.

Within seconds, the whole cafeteria buzzed with laughter.

Ruby’s cheeks burned. Her vision blurred.

She stepped back, swallowing hard.

Kai’s friends laughed the loudest.

Brielle actually clapped.

Zara rushed forward. “Ruby—are you okay? Oh my God—come on, it’s fine, we can get napkins—”

Ruby couldn’t breathe.

She couldn’t think.

And Kai—

Kai wasn’t laughing.

He wasn’t smirking.

He wasn’t even blinking.

He just stood there.

Perfectly still.

Jaw clenched, eyes locked on her.

Ruby turned and ran.

---

The Empty Hallway

Ruby crashed through the cafeteria doors and stumbled into the hallway.

She leaned against the lockers, sliding down until she sat on the cold floor.

Her hands shook. Her chest ached.

Why did this keep happening?

Why her?

Why did Kai have to make everything worse?

A door opened at the end of the hallway. Footsteps.

Ruby stiffened, wiping her face with her sleeve.

Zara knelt beside her. “Hey. Hey, Ruby, breathe. Please breathe.”

Ruby shook her head. “Why does he hate me?”

Zara sighed softly. “He doesn’t. Kai just… he has issues.”

“That’s not an excuse.”

“No. It’s not.” Zara handed her some tissues. “But you didn’t deserve that. At all.”

Ruby closed her eyes. Her voice broke. “Everyone laughed.”

“Not everyone.”

Ruby opened her eyes.

Zara hesitated. “Kai didn’t.”

Ruby blinked. “What?”

“I know it sounds weird. But after it happened…” Zara frowned. “He froze. Like he didn’t expect it to happen that badly.”

Ruby shook her head. “I don’t care what he expected. I’m done. I’m so done.”

She stood slowly.

“I’m going to clean up. Then I’m staying far away from him.”

But as she walked down the hallway, Zara’s voice followed her:

“He was watching you, Ruby. The whole time you ran out.”

Ruby didn’t turn around.

She didn’t want to know what that meant.

But the image lingered in her mind anyway:

Kai standing in the cafeteria,

not laughing,

not smiling,

just staring after her—

Like something was wrong.

---

Later — A Silent Moment

After cleaning herself up in the bathroom, Ruby stepped outside for air.

It was quiet.

Too quiet.

She leaned against the wall, finally letting her shoulders drop.

Then—

A shadow moved behind her.

Ruby stiffened.

No.

No, no, no.

She turned slowly.

Kai stood a few feet away.

His expression unreadable.

His hands in his pockets.

His eyes on her.

Ruby’s heart pounded.

“What do you want?” she whispered.

Kai opened his mouth—

But before he could speak, someone called from the distance:

“Kingston! Let’s go, bro!”

Kai didn’t move.

He kept staring at Ruby like he wanted to say something but couldn’t.

Ruby took a small step back.

Kai noticed.

His jaw tightened.

He exhaled once, sharp and frustrated, then turned around and walked away.

Ruby waited until he disappeared.

Only then did she let herself breathe again.