Rude Ruby

10: Guidance Office

Watch your thoughts, they become your words: 10 | Guidance Office

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Days after...

I sighed, hoping for patience, but it didn't help. Aoike's been trailing me all day, chattering about Cross and counseling—even though she was furious with him just yesterday.

After the leaked footage, everyone's been avoiding me, which is fine. Less attention is exactly what I want. Mr. Pedran is nowhere to be found, with Sir Agassi filling in for him, and Chanel Oberlin hasn't shown up yet.

I thought she'd make an appearance, considering all my trouble here at the school started with her.

"Uh, Ruby?" Aoike called again, undeterred. If she pokes me one more time, I swear I'll lose it. "Ruby... I'm here, notice me."

Will she still follow me if I grasp her jaw and separate her chin from her skull?

Tsk.

"Ruby—"

"What?" I grunted.

"Are you just going to stay silent, or do you really not care?" she asked, for what felt like the hundredth time.

"Silence doesn't mean I don't care," I shot back.

She looked up at me, clearing her throat. "It just seems like the leaked footage doesn't bother you. You could at least file a complaint with the Dean's office. Or even think about suing Sir Pedran."

That's not all I can do... "I don't feel like doing any of that," I replied.

"But what about you? You're hurt—you should take action," she insisted.

"What about me?" I muttered, half to myself. "I do care, I just... prefer to stay quiet. I'm not in the mood to complain. Same way I'm not in the mood to talk right now."

She didn't back down, though, and I stopped, sighing. "Look, I appreciate your concern, but right now, I need some space. I'm tired, and I don't need more stress."

I noticed her look falter, but I couldn't force myself to care. She then drew a calm breath. "I'm sorry, but I only told you to go to the guidance office because Gael was there. If you'd listened, you wouldn't be so annoyed with me now."

It's the second time I've seen her upset. "Guidance office?"

Ah! that makes sense. Akane once mentioned that just hearing about counseling can trigger my automatic resistance, especially if it catches me off guard or feels intrusive.

It's like my mind shuts down, and I end up feeling irritated without even meaning to. That explain my irritation right now.

Another version of hell I wish didn't exist, huh? I have enough torture of counselling sessions back in Citadel.

As I reluctantly followed Aoike to the guidance office, a stream of curses echoed in my mind. I couldn't help but worry about the potential consequences and the kind of punishment I might be subjected to.

It made me question whether guidance offices handle such situations differently from one institution to another.

Do this place do, torture? Or do they all compel you to break and split every mirror of your personalities? That's even more exhausting!

I thought I'd left one torment behind, only to find myself facing another. The idea of stepping into this place was as daunting as confessing sins in a scorching church.