Riiiiiiiiing!

The bell blared through the halls and into every classroom. Teachers mid-sentence stopped and the relieved sighs of students were joined quickly by chatter and laughter as kids flooded the linoleum paved hallways.

"Uhg, that sucked. I hate Professor Oobleck's class" A young boy with light, curly brown hair let out a deeply stressed exhale. His fluffy fox tail dragging almost on the floor behind him. -Alan Skye, High School Junior, perpetually stressed-

"Alan, it wasn't that bad. At least he didn't spend the whole class getting distracted again." A bright smile and a soft voice, shining silver eyes brimming with optimism that captivated everyone that looked into them. With a cute black top with an artistic depiction of a rose on her back, white shorts with black thigh high socks, she was hard to miss. -Ruby Rose, High School Junior, Perfect Student-

"I wish he did, at least then we would have had less work, his pop quizzes are killer." Alan groaned, imagining his grade on the quiz. "It's easy for you to be confident, you always get good grades."

"We can study after class if you want? I have to return some books to the library before they're overdue anyway." Ruby knew that Oobleck's class wasn't the easiest, Alan struggled with the AP courses. But we've got to stick together, I want everyone to do well.

"Yeah, maybe, I'll have to see what Krystal says though, I think we need to be home early today." Alan looked exhausted, and the day was just half over.

"Well, maybe we could hang out this weekend and work on it, then get some ice cream while it's still warm." With a gentle pat on his shoulder, she tried to reassure him. "Only two days left until the weekend, we got this."

"Yeah… yeah! Bleh, it's been a month since summer vacation ended but my brain still wants to sleep in like I did all summer. Just need a bit more time to adjust I guess." Having finally been worn down by Ruby's bright and cheerful nature, all he could do was smile back at her.

"Hey, guys." Another boy spoke up, catching up to the pair as they walked towards the cafeteria. This was a shorter boy with lightly tanned skin, brown hair and olive green eyes. -Oscar Pine, High School Junior, Adopted Son of the Principle-

"How was your class?" Oscar grinned, his hands resting comfortably, interlocked behind his head.

"H-hey, Oscar!" Alan stuttered, his tail twitching subtly up and down. "It um, yeah, it sucked."

"I'd imagine, I can barely hack it Port's class, I could never do AP history, especially with Oobleck. I hear his class is killer." He smiled at his fortune, having no qualms with just getting by in regular classes.

"You're lucky, my parents would give me shit if I didn't take his class. Gotta live up to my sister's reputation, it's why I'm taking 4 AP classes and my GPA can't drop below 3.6. At least I got to choose my own clubs instead of doing the debate team with her." He was drained, mentally and physically and it showed.

"That's stupid, Krystal isn't a genius, she just loves academics, that's why she's so good at it. If you push yourself to do something you don't like, you won't be as good as someone just enjoying themselves. You should be focusing on what makes you happy." Ruby huffed, folding her arms over her chest in annoyance.

"Yeah well, tell that to my parents." Alan shrugged, knowing he was caught between a rock and a hard place.

"Tell what to our parents?" A girl's voice spoke up, soft but with an edge of displeasure. She was a taller girl with a fluffy fox tail and long brown hair and eyes identical to her little brother's. -Krystal Skye, Senior, Prodigy of the Debate Team.-

"Hey, Sis!" A cheerful girl with long golden hair and lilac eyes waved at the three underclassmen from down the hall. -Yang Xiao Long, High School Senior, Ruby's Protective Big Sister.-

"We've been waiting for you, you'd think our student council president would be less lackadaisical, Ruby." A smaller girl with white hair and a beautiful dress stood beside Yang looking pretty irritated. -Weiss Schnee, High School Senior, Rich Girl-

"It's not their fault our class is closer to the cafeteria." A girl with dark hair and amber eyes glued to a book mumbled, leaning against a locker while her cat ears twitched atop her head. -Blake Belladonna, High School Senior, Head of the School Paper-

"Hey! Don't start lunch without us, I'm starving!" A tall girl with long red hair tied in a ponytail was followed by an awkward blonde guy. They were both sweaty but the boy was way more out of breath. -Pyrrha Nikos, High School Senior, Star Athlete-

"P-Pyrrha… Just because we come from gym class… doesn't mean… we need to run back." The blonde boy nearly collapsed, wiping sweat from his face as he panted for breath. -Jaune Arc, High School Senior, Pyrrha's Boyfriend… Somehow-

"Thanks for waiting!" Ruby beamed, hurrying up with Alan and Oscar close behind. "I'm hungry! Let's go eat."

"Woo, sub-par food and dirty tables…" Blake cheered facetiously, putting up a fist a few inches above her head while still reading her book.

"That's the spirit!" Ruby and Yang cheered enthusiastically at the same time.

"I feel so sorry for you peasants, I brought food from home, made by our head chef. I suppose I could share some of it since they made quite a lot. I have to watch my figure and all." Weiss shrugged with a playful grin, everyone knowing she always brought extra for her friends.

"Weiss!" Jaune and Blake both nearly tackled her to the ground. "You're the best!"

"Well, that was a quick one-eighty…" Ruby giggled at her sister. "But um, since you offered…"

"I heard we're having pizza today, so like… it'll be edible-ish." Oscar shrugged.

"Well, it's definitely better than the meatloaf last week." Alan shuttered just thinking about it, remembering his sensitive digestive system throwing a tantrum after eating it.

"Food is food, you have to keep your calories up along with balanced nutrition to help keep our bodies growing healthily." Pyrrha smiled, imparting some of her elegant maturity to her friends… all except Jaune and Yang who Weiss had just managed to slip away from.

"Hey, I'm on the weight-lifting team, I know all about nutrition." Yang flexed, showing off her huge biceps that could squish Jaune's head like a dumb, terrified blonde egg.

"Mmmm…" Blake hummed hungrily, her eyes pulled from her book by Yang's toned muscles.

"Uh-oh, looks like something's got Blake's appetite going." Ruby giggled, knowing all about Blake's affinity for risque scenarios.

"She's not hungry, she's thirsty." Weiss rolled her eyes with a tone so done with the situation, they thought for a moment she would pull a spray bottle on the cat faunus.

"Um, shouldn't we get going. I mean… we're the only ones still here." Alan gestured to the now stunningly empty hallway.

"Oh no! Our table might be taken by some hooligans!" Weiss snapped to attention and quickly walked down the hall, doing everything in her power not to burst into a sprint.

"She does realize that she doesn't own the table… right?" Oscar raised an eyebrow, watching the heiress rush towards the cafeteria.

"I can never tell with that girl." Yang just resigned herself to Weiss'... big personality, with a sign. "Come on, let's go before she threatens to sue someone for taking her seat."

"Sounds like a good time." Blake closed her book, finally pushing herself off the lockers.

"Yeah, I'm starving." Krystal smiled, looking excited as though somehow she was about to go into battle.

"Cool it, not everything's a competition." Alan shook his head, not even sure what his sister was possible thinking she would win at lunch.

"Alright, team! Let's move out!" With Ruby's powerful declaration, the whole squad moved down the hall, more than anything, all of them eager for the free time to just sit and talk with each other."

"Uhg... " Weiss groaned, slumped over the table that she occupied alone. "What took you guys so long?"

"Um, we had to get our food, and we weren't losing our shit over someone taking a table that's exactly like every other one." Krystal sat beside Wess, a dangerous combination of competitive egos.

"Hey, pizza looks pretty good today, want some Weiss?" Ruby smiled, sitting beside her vice president.

"Ew, I'm good thanks. Where's everyone else?" Weiss looked around, only seeing the two girls with her.

"Still in line, except for Jaune, he went to the bathroom I think." Ruby shrugged, opening her back of chips.

"Hey, that reminds me!" Weiss began, her eyes looking around the cafeteria before continuing. "You know that girl?"

"You're gonna need to be a little more specific." Krystal deadpanned, not waiting for everyone else to jump right into her main course.

"You know, that little one that's always getting into fights? Red hair, side braid, dark purple eyes?" Weiss turned her head, looking for said girl.

"Wait, you mean Thistle?" Ruby suddenly stopped eating, a worried frown coming to her face.

"Yeah! Her…" Weiss said her like she was talking about some kind of evil villain. "Well, I heard that she beat up two kids in the bathroom earlier today! Apparently, it was so bad that one of them went home."

"Yeah, I've heard a lot of rumors about that kid too. She's trouble, I heard she just came back from suspension not even two weeks ago." Krystal joined in the gossip fun.

"Wait, two weeks ago? Um, are you sure she wasn't maybe out for some other reason?" Ruby smiled awkwardly, but they continued.

"Pssh, when isn't that girl suspended? She's a menace." Weiss spoke firmly. "If my father knew I went to school with ruffians like her, he'd have a fit."

"Hey girls!" Three new faces joined their little group, the one that greeted them was a cute girl with long, wavy blue hair and sparkly blue eyes. -Ocean Vasilias, High School Junior, Singing Sensation-

"Whacha talk'n about, sounds juicy." A boy with short, bright blonde hair and a money's tail leaned against their table, interjecting himself into the conversation without hesitation. -Sun Wukong, High School Senior, Class Clown just for Kicks-

"Sun, chill out, try to be cool. Eh-hem, ladies." A very handom boy with short blue hair, holding a striking resemblance to Ocean. The two half-siblings were obviously close but enjoyed getting on each other's nerves too. -Neptune Vasilias, High School Senior, Minus 50 water resistance-

"Wait, where's your boyfriend, Ocean? Rare to see you out of class and not joined at the hip almost." Ruby smiled playfully but fondly at her friend.

"Scarlet went and got kept after class for something." She was less than thrilled about this but took her seat with the gang regardless.

"Eh-hem, as I was saying, that Thistle girl is trouble." Weiss continued indignantly. "I would stay away from her at all costs."

"Oh shit, yeah, I actually saw one of the kids she beat up today." Sun slapped his hand on the table, looking like he was about to tell a horror story around a campfire. "It was bad, this girl had her nose broken and then another kid, this boy, stepped in to try and help her, she kicked his ass too."

"Dude, I heard she threatened both kids and their families to keep them from saying anything, that's why she didn't get in trouble." Neptune looked genuinely scared.

"Okay, that's enough." Ruby's sudden change in demeanor to stern and disappointed instantly got the attention of the entire table. "You should all know better than to spread unsubstantiated rumors like this."

"Ruby's right, we don't really know what happened." Ocean frowned. "Still, there's no doubt that Thistle gets in trouble a lot."

"Look! There she is over there, on that small table by herself, everyone is too afraid to even sit near her. What does that tell you?" Weiss narrowed her eyes at the tiny girl across the cafeteria before quickly looking away when her target looked up.

"Okay, that's enough," Ruby growled, standing up from her seat with burning determination and protectiveness. "I'm going to talk to her."

"Whoa! I know you're way too kind for your own good but this is crazy." Weiss insisted, grabbing Ruby's wrist to try and keep her from running off. "She'd pound your face in without a second thought."

"I'm going." As hard and firm as her namesake, Ruby's voice forced Weiss to back down. Without waiting another moment, she walked towards the other side of the cafeteria.

"Well, at least if she dies, I get to become president…" Weiss sighed, taking a sip of her tea.

Meanwhile, Ruby navigated through the throngs of students, keeping her eyes on the small girl eating alone. She was even shorter than Ruby, with a purple hoodie way too big for her tied around her waist and a cheap, worn out sleeveless white top underneath. Her hair was a beautiful bright red, short and shoulder length, but tied in a braid hanging down in front of her ear on just one side.

"Hey," Ruby spoke softly and warmly, standing beside Thistle with a gentle smile.

"Hey…" The tiny girl responded, her voice was awkward and her big, expressive soft purple eyes kept darting away from Ruby's silver. -Thistle, High School Junior, Troublemaker-

"I heard… you got into another fight." Her smile faded as she took a side right beside the girl.

"Those assholes had it coming. The girl was following me and when we got into the bathroom, she pushed me, so I pushed her back. She ran out and then the guy got the great idea to come into the girl's bathroom after me… so I kicked his ass." She shrugged, but Ruby could tell she was less than happy about the rumors reaching her.

"I'm sorry, did you talk to the teachers ab-"

"Nope." Thistle said bluntly, leaning back with her knees under the table keeping her from falling off her little stool attached to the table. "Didn't matter, both of them were too scared to rat so I'm in the clear."

"Well, at least you're not in trouble again." Ruby gave a heavy exhale, releasing the built of tension that had grown in her chest since Weiss told her about the rumor. "You sound like you're doing better, by the way, that flu did a number on you."

"Uhg! Yeah, I was stuck at home for two weeks, it was somehow even more miserable than being stuck here… well, I guess you're not so bad." Once again, all Thistle could do was look awkwardly away.

"You know, there a rumor that you were suspended those two weeks." Ruby giggled, prodding Thistle's side with her elbow.

"Pff, good, can't go letting people think some stupid cold knocked me on my ass." She smiled, it was more bitter than sweet, but it was progress.

"Don't worry, I didn't reveal your superhero weakness." Ruby felt happy, her smile was so bright and genuine, but still… Something feels off.

"Thanks for keeping my secret, can't let my high school enemies using the bio-chem lab to create a super virus or some shit." Slowly, the bitter was leaving her grin as she loosened up around Ruby.

"Hey, why don't you come and sit with me and my friends? I promise none of them bite… except for Weiss… with words." Ruby placed her hand softly on Thistle's shoulder as she continued. "You don't need to be eating all alone you know."

"Look, Ruby…" Thistle's warmth and light faded to a bleak visage as she shoved Ruby's touch off of her.

"Just because we're dating doesn't mean you need to include me in everything you do." Thistle looked angry, but more than that, Ruby could see sadness underneath the bitterness. -Thistle, High School Junior, Ruby's First Girlfriend-

"I- I know, but I-"

"I'll… I'll talk to you later. I have to go." Without another word, without even picking up her tray, Thistle left, with Ruby now sitting alone, distraught and hurt.

Why does she do that? Ruby found herself thinking as she walked back to her friends. I know she's not trying to be mean, that isn't like her. I know she likes me, or at least… I think she does. So why does it feel like she's always pushing me away? We've been dating for over a month now, but it doesn't feel like she's let me in at all.

"Hey! There you are, Sis! Oh, you do not look good. Did it go that badly?" Yang's words barely reached her sister as the class president sat down.

"I- oh, um, no, it's fine." Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she took her seat back beside Weiss. "I offered to let her sit with us but she um, I guess she had other things to do."

"Like beat up a kid for their lunch money." Weiss wasn't any more forgiving after seeing Ruby come back looking so hurt.

"It's not your fault, even if she had interest in hanging out with us at all, she probably wouldn't." Weiss continued. "It would hurt her street cred, or whatever it's called."

"Yeah, being seen with us might hurt her reputation." Krystal agreed, nodding with conviction. "She's a lost cause, I'd leave her alone."

Ruby dipped her head, keeping quieter than usual while her friends laughed and talked, the subject changing so many times no one could keep up but they were all happy anyway… except for Ruby.

'Is that really true? Is she keeping me at a distance because she's embarrassed of me? I mean, she asked me to keep us dating a secret, I didn't think much of it at the time, but what if that's really it? I- I don't know what to do, maybe I could talk to Yang, she's dating… someone? I think? She's been really quiet about it, that's not like her. No, I think I'm on my own this time. The only thing I can do is…'

"I need to talk to her." Ruby's whisper was barely audible to her, so none of her friends heard, but just saying it out loud gave her a kind of relief she couldn't quite explain.

Remedial Math. Easily Thistle's least favorite class. The room was cramped, smelled like shit, hot as fuck because it was over eighty degrees and the AC was broken, and to top it all off, one of the dirty windows was cracked and patched with duct tape.

The equipment wasn't any better; textbooks that barely held themselves together, profanities carved into the desks a pencil sharpener with blades so dull you couldn't cut a marshmallow with them and a teacher who hated being there just as much as the kids.

"Any day now…" The muttered under his breath. He was an unkempt guy with short black hair and always seeming hungover. Thistle didn't actually mind him so much, he was a decent teacher but he lost all his fucks by the final quarter of the class. -Qrow Branwen, Remedial Math Teacher, Now in Bourbon Scented-

Diiiiing!

"Alright, get the heck out of here, don't break anything or anyone on your way out." He opened a magazine and left it at that.

Thistle and about a dozen other flunkies flocked out of the room, filing into the hallway with all the good normal students.

I hate this shit. She growled to herself, stuffing her hands into her shorts' pockets. Her scowl was enough to deter just about anybody given her reputation. Well, anybody but that weird, crazy girl. Ruby…

Her expression softened as she thought back to lunch. Was I too harsh? Damn it, my life would have been so much more simple if she never asked me out. Why does that smile of hers have to be so irresistible… I wish we were in class together. She seems like the type of person who smiles a lot in class.

"Hey." A growling voice ripped her from her thoughts as she came to a dead stop in front of a rather large and muscular blonde.

"What do you want?" She glared down the girl, she knew who it was. Only a few things Ruby's sister could want, and I don't want to deal with any of them.

"What did you say to my sister?" Yang kept her voice and expression tame to not draw attention, but her intense lilac eyes said it all.

"I don't know who your sister is and I don't give a shit. Leave me alone." She tried to walk around Yang, but the larger girl simple stepped in her way.

"She talked to you at lunch, ever since, she hasn't been herself. That's my little sister, so I'm only going to ask you one more time. What did you do to her?" It took all the self-control Yang had to not bear her teeth and push the smaller girl against the wall.

"Back off, I don't know what you're talking about." With that, Thistle shoved Yang aside with surprising strength and began to walk away, begging silently for Yang to leave her alone.

"Get back here!" A firm hand pulled her by her shoulder.

In an instant, Thistle broke Yang's grip and turned to face her, the little girl's fists balled up and her eyes an inferno of rage and pain… until an image of Ruby flashed through her mind.

With the image of those sad silver eyes burned into her brain, all Thistle could do was let her body relax while her gaze went dull with sorrow.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Please, I don't know Ruby. Just leave me alone." Through hazy eyes, Thistle turned and sprinted down the hall, leaving Yang standing all alone.

At first, she was confused, her hand falling limply to her side until she realized. I never said Ruby's name. I guess Ruby could have introduced herself, but that wouldn't explain why that Thistle girl looked like she was about to cry.

"Fuck." Thistle huffed under her breath after she was sufficiently far from Yang, so full of rage and guilt and confusion that all she wanted to do was lash out. '\I'm going to fuck up the next person that fucks with m-

Slam!

Suddenly, it was pitch black and Thistle felt someone gripping arm after pulling her into some kind of janitor's closet.

"You wanna fight!" She growled, rearing back her fist despite having no idea where to punch.

"No, I don't."

That voice… it snuffed out all of Thistle's anger in an instant.

"Ruby? Is that you?" Complete confusion overwhelmed her as strained her eyes in vain, until a phone light illuminated the small closet, and reflected off of pure silver eyes.

"Hey, I'm sorry for being so rough, I um… I couldn't think of any other way to get out alone." She tried to smile, rubbing the back of her head bashfully, but her face was just too laden with sadness.

"Huh, I didn't peg you for someone into this kind of thing, but I guess I could-"

"Stop it. I'm not here to joke around. We need to talk about us and I can't keep waiting all day just for you to run off again." Now, the little Rose' determination flared.

"Oh… I don't think I like that sound of any of that." Her heart was already pounding with fear and anxiety. She could feel her fight or flight response kicking in, she wanted to run, to break down the door and run away. Why do I fuck everything up?

"Why- why do you keep pushing me away?" Her voice wavered as she held back the tears shimmering in her mirrored eyes.

"Ruby…"

"I like you, I really do. I know we haven't been dating that long, but even so, I feel like you've been keeping me at arm's length since we met." Weeks of emotional turmoil was finally finding an outlet and Ruby was making the most of every moment, her beautiful eyes not letting Thistle's break away for even a moment. Her phone was shaking with her hand as it squeezed it so tight Ruby felt it might break.

"Are- are you embarrassed by me?" Those words left Ruby, each so painful that her voice was all be inaudible by the time she finished.

"Why would-"

"Because you're tough and you like people being scared of you so they'll leave you alone. I'm just… me, I'm soft, and I get good grades, and I'm the student council president. I know we don't really make sense on paper, but after a month, I just thought… I don't know what I thought." Her tears were barely contained anymore, something hurt, something hurt a lot. Her first relationship and within a month, it hurt. I'm an idiot I guess…

"No, no…" As Thistle spoke, Ruby felt two small, warm hands embrace her own, holding them tight. "You've got it all wrong."

"W-what is it then?" Nothing else made sense, all Ruby was waiting for was for Thistle to just admit it. Then at least, I can- I don't know, recover? Is this how every relationship is? Yang always breezed through them without a problem, so why is this hurting so much?

"You're right."

Ruby felt her heart crack like glass.

"You're smart, you're funny, you're kind, you're so bright it's almost blinding and you-you're so beautiful it's unfair. You're not a loser like me." Despite how often Thistle called herself that, somehow, it hurt a lot more than usual.

"You have good friends, you're popular, you get good grades, you have a good reputation… you don't need to ruin it over some bad-girl fling or whatever this is." Now, Thistle felt her heartache, a pain so dull and cold she wanted to go back to the overheated remedial math room just to feel the warmth.

"Do you really think that's all this is?" Ruby's brain all but stopped working, her expectations so shattered that she needed time to be able to think straight again.

"What else would you see in me?"

What hurt Ruby more than anything, was the genuine certainty in Thistle's voice, in her face, in her eyes, she had no doubt that there was nothing in her worth her time.

"I… I need to go. I'm sorry." With that… she left the closest, stepping out into the empty hallway before rushing to her next class.

Ruby was left alone, standing there, hurt and confused. How could she think that? How can she not see what I see?

Out of nowhere, a wave of fierce determination burned away her sadness and hopelessness in an instant. Her silver eyes regained their shine and her heart felt like it was pumping pure strength through every vein.

"I'm going to prove her wrong!"

This is it. Ruby felt a level of anxiety and nerves she wasn't used to. For someone that had social anxiety growing up, her time at high school pretty much cured her, especially having to speak in front of a thousand students as their president.

With a deep breath, she looked up and the clock and gathered her books. Any second now.

Diiiiiing!

The bell rang and her nervous energy instantly spiked. She felt the urge to go back to her old nail biting habit as she took a deep breath and walked out of the classroom. She could feel lots of eyes on her, so much so that she held her books tight against her chest and wished she could disappear under a hoodie.

It was the end of the day. She wasn't sure how many people would actually show up to something so insignificant… until she got to her locker.

"Hey, there she is!" Yang grinned playfully. "So, you're dating someone huh?"

Behind Yang, all her other close friends and a good number of acquaintances were there, around her locker, all eagerly awaiting the announcement of who the Student Council President was dating. I bet Yang had something to do with this. I just wanted my close friends, I'm not sure I even know the names of some of these people.

"Ooh! It's Alan isn't it!" One girl guessed.

Ruby looked at Alan to see him blushing and trying to hide.

"No way, it's Oscar right!?" Another.

And Oscar immediately followed Alan's lead.

"Is it Jaune?" Asked another.

"No way, he's dating Pyrrha." Krystal corrected.

"You're kidding me!?" Three voices said simultaneously.

"Um, I'm right here." Jaune sighed, Pyrrha only laughing as she grabbed his arm.

"Okay…" Ruby smiled awkwardly, stepping back and considering using her top tier track team skills to bolt out of there before anyone could make her want to crawl in a hole even more. Until a flash of red and purple caught her attention from the corner of her eye.

Just as she predicted, Thistle was leaving from the entrance nearest her locker to meet up with her older brother.

"One sec! Sorry!" Ruby was gone in the next second, and quickly, she caught up with Thistle, grabbing her by the wrist before she even knew what was happening.

"Wh- Ruby, I really gotta go walk my brother to work so-"

"This'll just take a sec!" Without hesitation, Ruby moved her hand down from Thistle's wrist and to her hand, entwining their fingers. To Ruby's surprise, she felt Thistle's clasp around her's before she pulled the tiny girl away.

"Everyone… This is Thistle... and she… she's um-" Suddenly, all the embarrassment of what she was doing finally dawned on her, but instead of looking at the expressions on the faces of her friends, she instead looked to Thistle who just held her hand tighter with the most awkward expression on her face between a smile and a scowl while her cheeks lit up as red as her hair. She really was too cute.

"This is Thistle and she's my girlfriend." With that declaration, she pulled Thistle close and smiled, only catching a glimpse of their shocked faces before she focused her gaze on her sister, a trick she learned early on to deal with public speaking anxiety.

"R-Ruby… I um… over here… please." With her ability to form sentences gone, all Thistle could do from there was pull Ruby back away from her friends.

"Heh-heh, sorry, please don't be mad, there wasn't supposed to be that many people and-"

"Ruby, I told you what this would do to your reputation. I'm radioactive. I- I don't understand this at all." Thistle shook her head rapidly, trying to make sense of what just happened. "Why did you do that?"

"Because I don't need to be protected from you. You're my- you're my girlfriend if you still want to be. I don't want to stay at arm's length anymore. I'm serious about… seeing where this goes. I think you're special, so, if you want to see where this goes with me, that would make me really happy." Ruby chest felt tight, it was like asking Thistle out all over again. But in a way, that's kinda nice too.

"I- I um… I have to go. Vitali is waiting for me." Thistle stepped forward towards Ruby closing the gap, holding both of Ruby's hands in her own. "Ruby…"

"What is it?" She was beginning to panic, with the eyes of her friends at her back, and Thistle's unreadable voice and expression, the tension was getting to her worse than ever.

"Th- thank you. What you did, thanks for that." With those soft words, Thistle ran away, rushing towards the exit so frantically that she nearly fell. All the while, Ruby watched with a smile.

"You're welcome." She laughed softly to herself before turning around, only then remembering…

"Oh… um… heh-heh, so…" She laughed nervously, backing away slowly from the stunned expressions of her peers.

Well, at least school is going to be a lot more interesting… for the next eight months.

"Vitali!" Thistle shouted as she ran to catch up with her older brother. He looked a lot like her, but tall, muscular and intense. Though the two shared in their affinity for side braids.

"Took you long enough, I also had to leave without you." He smiled, messing up her oily hair. -Vitali, High School Senior, Works full time after class-

"I um, I got held up with something." It was out of her control, she could already feel her cheeks burning again.

"Oh yeah? I saw a bit of that. That girl you dragged you off, who was that, she looked familiar." His eyes drifted up towards the clear blue sky as he strained to remember.

"Uhg, she's your student council president, dumb-ass." Shaking her head in frustration, she walked in lockstep with him.

"Oh, right! So, what, you get in trouble with her or something?" He pulled a pack of cigarettes from her pocket and lit one up, taking in a deep drag of smoke.

"No! She… she's… she's my… girlfriend." Even with all the embarrassment and confusion she still felt, just saying that word while thinking of her… It makes me feel… so warm.

"What? No way, she's way too smart and popular and pretty to be getting involved with you." With a halfhearted snicker, he pulled his cigarette from his lips.

"Shut it, Vitali!" Thistle growled, punching his arm. "It's… it's the real deal. It's not a prank or a fling. I don't get it, but she really likes me. That makes me happy."

"Oh? Well then, congrats having a girlfriend with shit taste. She does know what happens to delicate flowers in category five hurricanes right?" He enjoyed getting a rise out of his little sister.

"At least I have a girlfriend and social life, you lonely prick," Thistle grumbled, pulling her phone from her pocket.

"Hey, since she's your girlfriend now, I, as your older brother, get to talk with her, you know, protecting you and shit." He looked tired, he was tired… but he enjoyed making his little sister smile.

"I don't know if I like the sound of that." She laughed, not looking up from her phone.

"Don't worry, I'll go easy on her."

But to that, Thistle didn't respond. Instead, she just smiled down at her phone, typing out a text.

'Sorry I had to rush out. It really meant a lot to me, what you did. I can't wait to see where this goes... with us.'

Special thanks to my good friend Elizabeth for letting me use her OC Ocean =^-^=