Umber In Level 8

+Chapter Four+

I walked across the Foxfire atrium before school the next day.

"Umber!" It was Ruy. Good. Maybe he felt some shame after talking to that other girl. "How could you do that with Dorky Trix? I thought we were dating!"

"You were talking to that other girl." I shrugged in an attempt to play it cool. "It was just a kiss!"

"Just a kiss! I was talking with another girl and you kissed another guy for payback?" Ruy wailed. "This isn't okay!"

"An eye for an eye, am I right?" I shrugged.

"More like an eyelash for an eye!"

"Deal with it, Ruy. We're over."

"No! I don't deal with it! This 'thing' with Dorky Trix ends now!"

"Sorry, Ruy. You'll just have to deal with me being with Dorky Trix now."

Don't judge: I did not like Dorky Trix. Ew. But acting hard to get works sometimes.

Ruy clenched his jaw. I took that as a temporary farewell.

"Bye!" I started to walk off.

"Umber!" Ruy screamed after me. "No!" I walked a bit faster. Ruy was starting to scare me.

"Get back here!" Ruy ran after me.

"AHHHH!" I screamed, taking off my high-heels so I could run faster.

"Umber!" Ruy cried, still running. "Your feet look even nicer without the heels on!"

Now he was getting really desperate. And people were staring. I couldn't have this destroy my reputation.

"You're grosser than Dorky Trix!" I yelled over my shoulder.

"What? I thought you liked Dorky Trix." Ruy stopped in his tracks, looking confused.

"I thought you liked me too." Dorky Trix's hurt voice told me.

+++

"I was told that that you were running around school without shoes on–breaking Foxfire Code 91213–while yelling hurtful things at those around you." Dame Alina stopped her pacing to glare at me. [A/N: Based off my guess for Umber's age range, I think Dame Alina would probably be principal.]

"I was not!" I crossed my arms defiantly. "I was yelling at Ruy. And it was totally innocent."

"Regardless, we can not have this kind of energy at this school. If I want Alden Vacker to have a good impression on me–I mean, in order to ensure the stability of the other prodigies, we cannot allow this behavior to continue. If I see this nature continuing in you, Umber, I'm afraid I'll need to send you to the Council and see what they decide to do with you. Maybe you'd succeed better as a Wayward in Exillium.

I paled. "No! You can't do that!"

Dame Alina smiled coldly. "You're not one to tell me what I can and can't do, Umber. Though I'm afraid you're safe–for now. But if I hear one word about your behavior..." Dame Alina flicked her hand. "You can go back to study hall now, Umber."

I gulped and half-ran out of the office, praying Ruy wasn't prowling around the halls this time of day. The last thing I needed was to be face-to-face with him right now. And no, not in that way.

Half the class snickered as I walked into the silent study hall. What? It's not my fault that my shoes are so loud.

"Nothing to see here," I grumbled. "Go away." "You get in trouble for what happened with Ruy, Umber?" Someone called as I passed by.

"Yeah, I can't believe she broke up with him." Another person murmured.

"None of your business!" I yelled into the crowd, which perhaps ruined my chances of going partially unnoticed. But I didn't care. I needed to set things right. And set right they would be.