Author's note: So first off a big thanks to my first reviewer! You are awesome! I am happy you like it. Secondly thanks to my first favorite! You are also awesome! And thirdly thanks to everyone who has read this story! Now onto an apology. Sorry it took me so long to write this chapter. I ended up writing a ton of stuff for a story I will be publishing here at some point. Then I scrapped it and re wrote it. But yeah back to this. This chapter has some depressing stuff. I nearly cried while writing part of it. And I don't normally do the whole emotional thing. Also this chapter is a bit more Ruby focused. Also Neo makes an appearance. So that's cool.
Chapter 4 A Change is Coming
Simone stood in front of cinder. Emerald was right behind Simone. Mercury was again over by the door. "So Simone lets talk about what you can do for me." Cinder said smirking. Simone had no clue what Cinder wanted. "Simone I am sure you have money on you. I mean you live with you rich grandparents. Surely they must give you some?" Cinder asked watching Simone. Simone shook her head no. "Really now? Well wont hurt to check. Emerald." Cinder gave emerald a nod.
Emerald turned Simone around and started going through her pockets. Meanwhile Mercury went though her back pack. After a bit neither of them found any money. Simone fell to the ground feeling violated by the unwanted search of her person. Cinder sighed. "Well guess we will have to take something. Bring cash tomorrow. Or we tell the whole school about you." Cinder's expression was basically daring Simone to argue. Simone stood up slowly. As she looked over Mercury had he E-notepad. Simone was handed the rest of her stuff back minus her food again. "That will do fine Mercury." Cinder said as the three went into the school.
Simone cried silently as she walked to her first class. Simone felt her mind slipping into the dark places. Simone doubted she could make it through the day. When Simone reached the class room she did not even attempt to act normal. Simone just sat down in the seat next to Ruby. Simone was still holding herself. She was also shaking with tears still falling from her blue eyes. Ruby took one look at her and immediately stood up. Simone felt someone tap her shoulder when she looked over she saw Ruby.
Ruby grabbed Simone's arms gently and brought her to her feet. "Come on." Ruby said grabbing her's and Simone's bags with one arm. Ruby then lead Simone out of the room and down the hall. "You and me are gonna talk about this." Ruby said pulling Simone to Ozpin's door. Ruby knocked hard.
Ozpin opened the door. He moved to let them in when he saw Simone. "Ozpin would you mind letting me talk to her alone for a moment? I don't think she will talk with you around." Ruby said apologetically. Ozpin nodded and left the room. Ruby sat Simone down on the couch. Ruby looked in Simone's bag and pulled the girls lunch box out. "Empty." Ruby whispered to herself. "Simone who did this to you?" ruby asked staring at the smaller girl.
Simone just refused to look up at Ruby. Instead Simone hugged her legs to her chest. Ruby noticed there was no E-notepad in the bag. "Simone who took your notepad?" Ruby asked. Simone buried her face in her knee's. "Simone who did this to you?" Ruby demanded. Simone attempted to sign a response but her hands were to shaky. Ruby sighed and sat down next to her. Ruby pulled out a pencil and notebook handing them to Simone. Simone took them and wrote 'Can't tell you. I don't want you to hate me.' In big shaky letter's.
Ruby sighed. "I already know who did it... I was just hoping you would tell me..." Ruby said. There were not many in beacon who would do something like this. One group is already gone for the incident in the lunch room. The other was Cinder and her henchmen. Also Mercury is always interested in food. "I am gonna go confront the witch herself." Ruby said standing up. Before Simone could stop her Ruby was through the door. Ozpin came back in moments later. "What was all that about?" He asked looking at Simone. Simone felt like her world was coming crashing down.
Getting no response of any kind. Ozpin walked over and snapped his finger's in front of the girl who's breathing was getting progressively more rapid. Simone moments later passed out falling over. Ozpin went to his phone and called the nurse. "I need you to come get a student who has passed out in my office. I am pretty sure it was some kinda panic attack."
Ruby stormed into a class room just after classes began. "Hey what are you doing in here?" The teacher asked as Ruby went straight to Cinder and slammed her hand on her desk. "What the hell did you do to her Cinder?" Ruby shouted at Cinder. "Oh whoever do you mean? I haven't done anything." Cinder said mocking Ruby. "Cut the crap! We both know you are the only one who would harass the new girl so soon. I don't know what you got hanging over her head but this stops now!" Ruby demanded. Cinder started laughing.
"You must really like her to come charging in here. Alright did you know she used to cut herself? Or how about how the cut on her throat? Did you know she did that to herself? Oh and her sister hung herself. I am sure that is not all. But it is certainly enough to make her crack. Thanks for giving me a reason to tell everyone." Cinder whispered daring Ruby to hit her. Ruby backed off and left the room. The teacher got back to class annoyed. As Ruby walked she was even angrier then when she had left Simone's side.
When she got back to Ozpin's office she found it empty. Ruby started to worry when she saw a note on the inside of the door. 'She fainted took her to nurses office. She will likely be going home shortly.' Ruby crumpled the note up and tossed it in the trash.
By lunch time Ruby had heard all kinds of nasty rumors about Simone. Ruby sat down with her friends who all looked at the clearly angry Ruby. "Ruby what happened and how the hell has so many rumor's suddenly sprung up about Simone?" Yang asked having no doubt Ruby knew how this happened. "Cinder that's how. I confronted her in her class today. She had some sensitive information on Simone and is now spreading it around the school. I may have just fucked up big time. I just couldn't sit back while Simone was being tormented..." Ruby started to cry a little towards the end.
Everyone at the table share a long look at each other. "Well that just means we have to do everything we can to stop this rumor mill. We also have to make Cinder regret messing with Simone." Blake said standing up. "Now we should probably find that mute who sometimes hangs around Cinder. She is not to bad. Likely was not involved in this one. May help us take Cinder down." Pyrrha said. "Plus if not we can still likely make her steer clear from this one." Yang added confidently. Ruby blew her nose into a napkin. "Alright we need to help our friend and finally take Cinder down a peg or two." Ruby said with determination. "Or twelve." Nora said jumping up and heading out with Ren close behind her.
They all broke off into pairs except Ruby who went solo. Yang and Blake were the ones to find Neo though."Hey Neo we need to talk with you." Blake said as Yang put her hands on the small mute's shoulder's. They lead Neo back to there usual table after texting the other pairs. Neo was terrified the blonde was gonna beat her up. For her involvement in a few incidents last year.
Neo was sat at the table as they waited for the rest. Which did not take long. "So Neo do you know what Cinder just did today?" Yang asked once everyone arrived. Neo frowned and nodded slowly. Neo then signed 'But I am not helping her with this. My only involvement was telling Cinder about the scar on her throat. I did not think she would do this.' Ruby frowned. "Well it should have been obvious Neo. Cinder does not have even a shred of kindness." Ruby said with all the venom the normally sweet and innocent girl could muster. Neo hung her head low.
"If you want to prove to us you are not involved you could help us against Cinder. You should know about something we could use against her by now." Blake said staring at the small girl. Neo stared down for a bit then looked up slowly and signed. 'Well during lunch she is usually by the side of the school. That is where she has been taking people to talk lately. Also she keep's a record of everything she knows about everyone. As well as strategy's to use the info against them. But she always has that on her or hidden. I don't know where she hide's it. Seem's to be on school though.' Ruby nods. "Alright apparently Cinder keeps a book full of the secrets she has on people and how she plans to use the secrets. She hides it somewhere on school. No clue where." Everyone nodded it was clear that's what they needed.
The group sat and ate while coming up with a strategy. Neo decided to sit with them and help them. Neo knew Cinder would be pissed but Neo was tired of Cinder always finding ways to be worse.
Simone was still laying in bed her grandparents had given up on getting her out of her bed. "Simone we cant help you if you wont talk to us." Louis said as his daughter who acted like he did not even exist. Simone knew if she looked at him she would only see her uncle. Simone felt like all the progress she had made was destroyed in just a few short days. All she saw when she closed her eyes was her uncle and all the things he would do. All the beatings and worse the time's he would force Simone to hurt herself or someone else...
After her dad left Simone slowly got out of bed and dragged herself to the bathroom looking in the mirror. Simone did not like what she saw in the mirror. Simone stared at herself in her reflection. After a bit Simone punched the mirror shattering it. Simone then looked at her bloodied hand sadly. Simone knew her grandparents would be sad to see what she just did. Simone cried holding her hurt hand as her father rushed in. Louis sighed and backed out of the room.
Louis hated how his brother ruined his daughter's. He hated how he made it so every time Simone looked at him she would see his brother. Louis felt useless unable to comfort his only remaining daughter. Louis went to the room he had been staying in so as to not make things worse. While there he pulled out the alcohol he had under his bed and started drinking.
Lilly was picking bits of mirror from Simone's hand. When she finished she used some disinfectant then bandaged the hand up. Simone just sat on the couch silently crying. 'There is no way Ruby doesn't hate me. Cinder has probably already told the whole school...' Simone was not sure why Ruby hating her filled her with pain and sorrow. Simone was starting to feel like she did the night she attempted to kill herself. The night after her sister died when her uncle pushed her down a flight of stairs. Simone had tried to kill herself in the hospital room. Smashed a window and took a piece of glass to her own throat. 'Should have waited... I don't plan to make that mistake this time.' Simone thought to herself.
Simone had a piece of mirror. Now all she had to do was go to school. She was watched to closely at home.
Ruby and her friends had met up before classes and spied on Cinder. They knew if they watched long enough they should be able to find this book. Ruby sat in class as Simone came in and took a seat. Ruby assumed Simone was gonna be staying home today. But here she was in class. Ruby was relieved to see the girl but something seemed off. Simone ignored class and had bandages on her right hand. When class ended Simone immediately fled to her next class.
Ruby had been trying to talk to Simone. But Simone did everything she could to not be near Ruby. When lunch rolled around Ruby followed Simone into a bathroom in one of the side halls that was not used much. When Ruby peeked in Simone was holding a piece of a mirror. Simone was slowly raising it to her throat. Ruby stared in shock for a moment before rushing in and smacking the piece of mirror out of Simone's hand. Simone was shocked and backed away falling over in the process.
Ruby had tears in her eye's. "Don't you dare try that again Simone!" Ruby yelled at her through tears. Simone just stared shocked. "Simone I don't care how many reason's you have to want this all to end. I refuse to let you give in. I don't want to say good bye to you. I don't want to say good bye to another friend. I cant go through that again." Ruby said full on crying now. Ruby had fallen onto the ground half way through. Simone looked away feeling guilty for some reason.
"I am gonna do everything I can to give you reasons to keep on going." Ruby said slowly standing up and wiping her tears away. "I refuse to sit back while you fall apart. I can't let you give up so easily." Ruby said as she pulled Simone up. "Now you are gonna come with me and we are gonna eat lunch. I am not letting you out of my sight." Ruby said holding Simone's hand as she led the girl to there usual table.
When they got there everyone was shocked. They could all tell the both of them were just crying. Also Simone had not put her choker back on. "So she really did try to..." Yang started but trailed off as Ruby sat Simone down and took a seat next to her. "Yes Yang that one was true but shut up about the rumors right now." Ruby said angry and sad pulling out her lunch. "Simone take this cookie. There plus one reason. A baked treat everyday." Ruby said with no room to argue.
Simone took a bite of the cookie crying guilty tears. 'How can she make me feel guilty, relieved, sad, and happy all at once? I don't get it...' Simone thought to herself. When she finished the cookie she looked down avoiding all the stares. "Uh what the heck happened?" Jaune asked and everyone looked at him. They had all clearly been wondering the same thing. "I am not gonna tell any of you. It was a private matter. Now lets just get back to eating lunch together. Oh plus 8 reasons. 7 friends and you get to eat lunch with them." Ruby said as she took a bite of the other cookie. Simone looked at the table like she doubted that was true. However everyone gave her a smile.
'I am not alone? They accept me? I cant remember the last time I had friends... I was forced to drive them away a long time ago...' Simone cried a bit to herself as she thought. Ruby wrapped her up in a hug. Simone cried into Ruby's shoulder's. "We are all here for you Simone right?" Ruby said looking to her friends. "Right" They all said in confirmation.
Simone laid in her bed thinking about the events of the day. Simone went from fully prepared to take her own life. To trying to figure out what she felt for Ruby. Simone found her emotions vexing. She had spent the past 3 years in a state of depressing numbness. And now suddenly Ruby comes in and walks through Simone's shell. Simone just could not get her head around how. Till an idea Simone found utterly ridiculous came to mind. 'What if I like her? Like really like? Is it even okay to like another girl? What if she does not like me back?' Simone had no clue how to react to those thoughts. And Simone did not know of anyone she could talk to. Except maybe the school councilor. But Simone was not very comfortable around men.
End of Chapter