Rue

12. Acceptance

Rue blinks a lot of times as she wakes up, adjusting to the lighting of her room. She wonders how she had got back to her room when James's face comes into view.

"Hey, you're awake." He smiles at her.

"Yeah. What happened?" She tries to recall last night. Everything comes rushing back to her and she holds her aching head with her two hands. "Owh." 'Chaol. Where's Chaol?'

"Are you okay?" James comes sitting beside her.

"I'm alright. No one was hurt right?" Rue asks.

"Huh?" He massages her shoulders.

"I mean, the group fight didn't happen, did it?" Rue didn't ask him to take his hands off her. She is too tired to care, and his massaging skills are also too good for her to say no.

"No, all thanks to you." He replies.

She turns around to look at his expression, to see whether his statement was sarcastic or not. It is not.

"How long was I knocked out?" Rue asks.

"The whole night? It's already 11am in the morning." James smirks.

"Goodness me!" Rue exclaimed. "I'm too late for school! And you, what are you doing here? Skipping class?"

"Obviously. Just for you." He laughs at her fluster.

"You shouldn't, you know." She scowls. "By the way, where's Chaol?"

"And you shouldn't scowl." He winks at her. "He went to school, leaving me here with this nuisance."

"How dare you call me that?" Rue throws a pillow at James.

"Whoa... Chill..." James chuckles, teasing her.

"Here you go!" He says suddenly, throwing another pillow at her and surprising her.

Thus a pillow fight starts, and it goes on for around ten minutes with James and Rue producing so much noise she is sure their neighbours would've came to shout at them if it isn't school time.

"Might I remind you that her blood pressure is low? And you guys play like she is 100 percent healthy!" Kate barges into the room, shouting.

James scoffs at Kate saying, "So what?"

Kate's expression immediately turned into a smile and she starts laughing.

"Okay I give up. And Rue, don't look so serious!" She says to Rue who is sitting there being silent, probably because of Kate's outburst.

"Okay." Rue smiles. "I thought you really were mad at me and James. Do I really have low blood pressure?"

"Yes!" James and Kate answer at the same time.
Rue bursts into laughter even though there's nothing really funny about it. Both of them look at her quizzically.

"We took you to the doctor you know. Yesterday when you fainted, you pretty much shocked everyone and so the group fight didn't happen, saviour." Kate smiles and sits down beside her. "Have some rest. I didn't wake you up today because-"

"-today should be your holiday." James finishes Kate's sentence.

"And so we decided to name you," Kate pauses for a dramatic effect before both James and Kate says,"Saviour!!"

"Now I'll have to go. Get some rest. I only came back to make sure James does his job. Still have some classes." Kate winks at her and waves goodbye.

"Hey! I did take care of her!" Exclaims James indignantly.

"Yup you did. And now you aren't." Kate says bluntly, and sticks out her tongue at him.

Rue can't help laughing at their actions, especially James who quirks up his expression into an innocent one.

"I have to go too. We'll take your assignments for you, stay safe." James says as he stands up, leaving a dent in the matress.

"Okay. Au revoir." Rue says to both of her friends.

"What's that?" Kate asks while James replies, "Au revoir." at the same time.

"It's goodbye, Katie." Rue grins and waves at her.

Then they are off to goodness knows where in the campus, closing the door behind them, leaving Rue behind.

She can't help but feel lonely that instant when the door closes.

Her thoughts goes to dwell on Chaol. She feels a pang of jealousy when she remembers the girl named Rhianna, the girl last night. 'And he doesn't come and ask me whether I am okay, unlike James. He didn't stay either, not even as a friend, but went to school...'

She sighs. 'It's okay. He's not mine. Never will be. Get done with the questions and now, sleep.'

***

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