45 Is this her world?

The book shoved into Ruby's arms was surprisingly light. Its weight barely held any as it could be seen with naked eyes how thin the book was. The cover was screaming in terror about the basic of most basic knowledge related to acting, which was perfect for newbies even dummies would understand.

She wasn't sure the reason behind giving this book as a reference, after all, she had confidence in her brain that a normal book would do. Doubts of being teased hung in the back of her mind, suspicious of Lily who may make fun of her. She took a quick glance at Lily's proud stance, but couldn't exactly grasp any traces of jokes.

Even so, it wouldn't lessen the intensity of her glaring, peeved eyes sending daggers at Lily. The book almost went flying across the room as Ruby's patience wore out. It wasn't like today was a particularly good day for her and she had to get ruthlessly told about having no dream, unintentionally poking her sore spot.

First of all, why does she need someone to care for what she wants to do?

The book was crumpled to a mess in her hand that was slightly shaking. In addition, Ruby's expression was dark enough to compete with the face of an angry brown bear.

If there was a dialog box on top of her head, words of curses might have flooding in it.

Erin got up from the hard floor and scooted over to Ruby's side, wanting to comfort her fellow comrade. "Quick, say yes and she'll go away."

Ruby: "...."

Whatever. She will keep it for the time being.

As soon as she had made a decision, Ruby laid back to sleep. The wrinkled book was thrown to the edge of the bed like a piece of trash. However, Lily had no thoughts of reprimanding Ruby whose temper had been deeply rooted in her mind.

Things such as this can't be rushed.

---

The next morning Ruby passed through the hallway, she could feel the blatant gazes lingering on her back no matter where she went. There are even some people who took pictures of her sneakily.

Ruby didn't think much. However, the second she felt a camera lens pointing at her, she would deliberately lift her chin a few degrees higher and shot a disdainful look along with a cold snort. It was downright arrogant, arousing most of Crystal's loyal admirers' animosity. Not only that, Ruby left a bad taste on those who previously pity her circumstances, rewriting their perception of her own accord.

"What the hell? Did she think she had what it takes to be that cocky?"

"Just let her be. Lest she can't flaunt her arrogance again once she got out of Heather's door."

"Do you think they will keep Crystal than her?"

"Why not? If it was me, I would certainly do the same. Try and imagine which one is more loveable and shining, isn't that talking about Crystal?"

"Hey, hey. Aren't you biased?"

"Pfft, come on. The world is biased."

"True. I also think the same. Even if she was kidnapped, in the end, it was Crystal who was brought up from childhood to this day. The feeling's different."

One of the girls whispering asked in an unconvinced tone, "But... Is Ruby really going to get kicked out? She didn't do anything wrong right?"

"Huh?"

"Right.."

"I don't know?"

"Well, isn't it supposed to happen though?"

Ruby whose hearing is as sharp as a predator, scoffed softly listening to them. It seems like the influence of the female lead is still active whether Crystal's around or not.

Her fair hands were folded on the desk and she was preparing to steal some sleep, lowering her head to dove in between her comfortable arms, when a thundering voice blasted apart the roof of the class. "Nonsense! Those who think it was fair for Ruby to withdraw from her own family are society garbage!"

The movement of her dropping head halted midway. The eyes ogling at the rough surface of the desk were squinted lazily like a satiated cat.

The owner of this rude way of talking must be the same girl who haunted Ruby's sleep last night.

Erin tugged at Lily from behind. "Lily, could you tone it down a bit? Your voice can be heard throughout the hallway.."

Lily pretended not to hear, raising her hand towards an inconspicuous seat not far from them, and said heavily, "Can't you see how devastated Ruby is?!"

Ruby stiffened, mimicking a rock when she realized she had somehow entered their range. The corner of her lips twitched uncontrollably. Indeed, she looked like she was hit hard by her pose. But, to say 'devastated', was very unlikely.

She deeply wondered whether to continue lying down on her arms or just stop halfway like this.

Suddenly the swarm of people watching parted ways to the side, giving way to Zin and Zayn. "What's with all the fuss?"

Zayn walked in carrying a bag of snacks and a bouquet to the class, making everyone stare at him weirdly. He looked around and turned back their weird gaze with a confused expression. He looked down at his gifts and snarled, "Have you never seen a gift before?"

Afterward, he huffed before grabbing the closest student to ask. "Anyway. Did you see Ruby?"

The student didn't dare to look Zayn in the eyes. "That's..."

Zin caught the odd atmosphere drifting in the class. His eyes narrowed as he saw Lily's stretched hand. Following the directions, Zin found Ruby and her downhearted posture. His gaze instantly chilled as he poked Zayn.

Zayn twisted a little from the poking. He abruptly turned around facing Zin only to see his brother's restrained anger.

Zin steadily muttered, "Has my eyesight turned bad, or do I see my sister getting bullied?"

"Who dares?!" Zayn raged as his roar echoed in the classroom.

Ruby dearly wished to put her palm on her face. Now, even her eyelids also twitched and a faint headache crept up.

Don't complicate the already f*cked-up situation!

Why can't everyone leave her alone? Ruby thought her head was about to be bald from being stressed out of her mind.

She wanted to say a word or two, but something clicked in her mind.

Ohh.

Zayn rushed to Lily in no time. His usual arrogant young master vibe was erased as anger was the only one left on his expression. He thought Lily was persecuting Ruby and isolating her from the rest of the students because there was no one on Ruby's side. While Zayn charges forward to the center, Zin closed in the distance to Ruby.

"Ruby, are you okay?"

Ruby tried to draw a picture of a caged little sparrow longing for freedom in her mind. The hapless raging desire to flap its flabby wings through the rain, below the sunshine, hopping on the autumn wind or spiraling on the sparkly sky blue of spring, even getting discouraged from the stormy snow is okay, as long as the little sparrow could tweet happily from the bottom of its heart.

A moment later, a low, heartrending sniffle cut the substance particles in the air, swooshing razor-sharply into their eardrums, racing straight through the underway of their flowing blood to the dead end of the heart's most significant point.

Ba-thump.... Ba-thump... Ba-thump....

Zin, Zayn, Lily, and Erin's felt a whole different feeling. Their heartbeat slowed down matching the rhythm of Ruby's sniffles. Nobody could dare imagine what had happened in that short period of time for Ruby to let out this kind of sad soul cry.

Zin was trembling as his sight was beginning to blur. The person in front of him was near, yet seemed far, as though they were separated by a glass barrier. He can see her, but he can't destroy the glass for fear it would also break the young girl on the other side.

He doesn't want to break her into pieces when the glass had already cracked into millions of web spiders.

Oh no. It was an open secret that a twin's feeling was connected one way or another.

If what Zin felt the most was the barrier, then for Zayn it was the sea of darkness surrounding them.

The land, the sky, the underground, or the horizon linking the ties of the world, were all pitch black. So dark and gruesome, so hard to breathe and too malicious to live on.

Is this her world?

Srkkk

"Sniff.."

Ruby got up from her seat and dashed out of the class.

Yes.

It was the classic running away from the scene heartbreakingly.

Ruby left the whole class stunned by her unexpected move. Zin almost chased after her but was unconfident that he had the qualification to do so.

Zayn's magma exploded. "What have you done to her? Do you think I wouldn't touch a woman?! I'll hold you responsible for every little thing you did."

Erin coughed, squirming uncomfortably in her place. He wasn't wrong to do that, however, the person being targeted wasn't right either.

His accusation irked Lily. "I didn't want to be told that by you! Especially for someone who brings snacks and a bouquet to his little sister. Is Ruby your little sister or girlfriend? Are you socially inept, you dork?!"

Zayn: "You!"

Lily: "You!"

One of the girls who asked about Ruby's fault for almost getting kicked out, questioned for the second time, "Does anybody notice the difference of Ruby's arrogant side and her previous sad look?"

Sadly, nobody cared for her crucial question.

Ruby ran out blindly till she stopped at a quiet place. Ruby took a breather on the bench near the department building while she dazedly watched the spotless white clouds treading slowly on the vast sky. Her hands fumbled inside her bag and fished out a wrinkly-looking book. She stared for a while, then her long fingers tapped the surface before uncovering the book page for pages.

It was rather useful.