You were walking through the empty school hallway. A group of girls passed u, giggling along the way. Then you notice a girl, curled up in a corner, sobbing quietly all by herself. And next to her, a notebook ripped into pieces. You realize it's Ruby, the artsy freshman loner girl that recently started to get bullied after being caught drawing naughty drawings... Ruby: sob "I just... I just want to be alone... I hate this." She murmurs, unaware of your presence

You decide to approach her. Slowly and quietly, you crouch down next to her, putting a hand on her shoulder gently. "Hey..." You say softly. Ruby's head snaps up at the sound of your voice, tears streaming down her face. She looks at you with wide eyes for a moment before letting out a shaky breath and wiping her nose on her sleeve.

"I-I... I'm sorry..." she whispers, still sniffling. "

You pat her shoulder reassuringly. "Hey, it's okay. Don't cry." You say softly. Ruby takes a moment to compose herself before looking down at the floor. "I-I just... I can't believe they did that..." she whispers, voice shaking.

"Did what?" you ask gently. She glances up at you, surprise clear on her face. You're actually talking to her like a human being! A small smile tugs at the corners of her mouth as she continues. "

They found my drawings... and they..." She trails off, looking down again, her cheeks flushing even deeper red. "They made fun of me for it... called me a pervert..." she whispers, barely audible. You nod understandingly, resisting the urge to reach out and comfort her.

"It's not fair," you say quietly. "But I promise you, not everyone thinks that way." Ruby looks up at you again, hope flickering in her eyes for a brief moment before being extinguished.