Ruby's feelings were a mess.

She was angry, she felt betrayed, she was sad. And she had all kinds of feelings she didn't quite understand.

When Aurora told her to go, she almost cried. She almost cried! Which made her feel even more frustrated.

"That annoying blue girl," Ruby thought. "What's wrong with her? Isn't she said she likes me?"

Again, her heart hurt. Why did thinking about her make her heart feel so painful?

After the talk they had before class, she become weird. She couldn't concentrate in class, she randomly blushed when she looked at Aurora, and she got flustered when their gaze met.

Ruby was out of breath after running for a while. She looked back, but nobody followed her.

Ruby bit her lips. "Traitor."

She felt like crying again. She leaned against the wall and let her legs fall. Her skirt would be dirty sitting on the floor, but she didn't care.

Aurora.

At first, she was just a random girl who could use light magic. Ruby didn't really care.

Only when she saw Aurora have bad relationships with Nova, she started to be interested. She might be a potential ally. So she went to her and offered her friendship.

That should be all. They were only friends for convenience.

They're friends now, so she worried when she almost got hurt badly when she dueled with Nova.

She was annoyed when Aurora was hiding her speed from her.

She hates her book-reading hobby.

Still, even if they started to be close, it's just friendship. After all, she loved Finnick.

The first time she broke down and cried in front of Aurora, deep down she had already given up. Finnick couldn't be reached. Everything was pointless. That's why she cried, wasn't it?

Ruby stared at her hand. She still remembered how warm Aurora's body was when she hugged her, trying to calm her.

At that time, all she could do was cry.

So embarrassing.

"Ruby?" a voice called out.

She looked back and saw the blue girl. That stupid blue girl was staring at her.

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"What happened?" Aurora rushed to her in panic. "Are you hurt?"

Ruby couldn't answer.

Pain in her chest. Why was she happy when Aurora was worried about her?

"Can you wake up?" Aurora asked. "Should I look for help?"

"No," Ruby finally managed to talk. "No, I'm fine."

"Really? Don't force yourself. If you're hurt somewhere, just tell me."

"You're the one who hurt me, stupid," Ruby murmured.

"What?" Aurora asked.

"Nothing. I'm fine," Ruby said as she stood up. "Stop touching me," she slapped Aurora's hand that was holding her.

"Oh, sorry," Aurora said, looking sad.

Looking at Aurora's sad face, Ruby's anger evaporated.

"No, it's fine," Ruby said. "I just... Feel annoyed. Somehow."

"Sorry for telling you to go first," Aurora said.

"It's fine. I don't care." She lied, starting to walk.

"Come on, I'm really sorry," Aurora said, following her.

"I said I don't care," Ruby repeated.

"Then why are you avoiding looking at me?" Aurora asked.

"No reason."

"Come on, look at me," Aurora said.

"Enough!" Ruby said. "I don't want to talk about it anymore."

After that, whatever Aurora said, Ruby just ignored her.

***

That afternoon, Ruby came to the practice area again. She stared at Finnick, the big guy, who was swinging his sword again and again.

She didn't really want to see him, especially when he was with Nova. They annoyed her. But she felt like she needed to do it, to figure out her own feelings.

Looking at his face, something just didn't click anymore.

It's not like she didn't like him anymore, it still hurt to see him interact with Nova. But something just didn't sit right with her.

Suddenly, Aurora's face flashed in her mind.

She quickly shook her head. "Stop thinking about her," she thought to herself. "That stupid blue girl."

"Are you stressed because they're together?" a boy's voice came from her side.

Ruby turned her head to him, annoyed. "Do you need something, prince?"

"No need to be hostile," Casper smiled. "I just want to talk a little."

"Well, I don't," Ruby replied.

The prince laughed. "You're quite interesting."

She snorted, looking back at Finnick and Nova.

"You said I'm interesting," Ruby said. "But what about yourself? You're weird."

The prince smiled, amused. "This is the first time someone has called me weird. Why is that?"

"What else then?" Ruby said. "You see your fiance flirting with another guy, and all you do is smile stupidly."

"You're quite sharp with your words," Casper said.

"Well, I'm sorry then," Ruby said, not seeming to care.

"It's quite alright," he said. "Actually, that's rather refreshing. I'm tired of listening to people praising me when they didn't really mean it."

"So you like being badmouthed? You're really weird then," Ruby said.

The prince just laughed. "Anyway, to answer your question, I definitely don't like her talking with other guys. I'm not just smiling stupidly. It's just... I don't feel right limiting her."

"Wow," Ruby said. "You're the type that will get cheated on a lot."

"Don't say that," Casper said, finally looking unhappy. "If she goes overboard, I will get angry too. I just don't feel like interfering with all little things."

That's what he considers as a little thing? Ruby thought.

"You feel safe just because she's your fiance, huh?" Ruby said.

That's hit the nail. The prince smiled and said, "Probably."

But that doesn't mean someone can't steal her from you.

Ruby want to tell him, but refrained from saying it. Instead, she said, "And anyway, I have a complaint to you."

"Yes?"

"Why don't you do something when your fiance keeps bullying Aurora?" Ruby asked.

"That's... just friendly rivalry," Casper said.

She stared at him. "You don't really believe that, do you?"

The prince winced, her stare stabbed him like a dagger.

"Well, fine," Casper sighed. "She did have some animosity toward Aurora but I can't just jump in between them. They must have some history."

"That's just your assumption," Ruby said. "The first day when your fiance said disrespectful things to her, it was their first time meeting. Isn't she just jealous because Aurora has light magic element? After all, it's more rare than her darkness magic."

"I do admit that's possible," the prince said. "But that's out of character for her. That's not how she usually acts. I mean, she lost at making potions last time, right? But she didn't do anything toward Marina or Oliver."

"Oh, I don't know," Ruby said. "Probably because she didn't care about making potions?"

The prince struggled to find an answer.

"Okay," he said. "That might be true, but..."

"You're just going to defend her no matter what she does, huh?" Ruby said, looked upset. "Is that really the right thing to do as the future king of this kingdom?"

"Ah, you got me there," Casper smiled, in pain. "I'm sorry, but I just don't want to make her angry. I don't want to make her hate me."

Ruby just couldn't understand it. How could an annoying girl like Nova make him act like this?

"I guess she's really important to you, huh?" Ruby said.

The prince nodded.

"Yeah, I feel like she's the only ally I have," Casper replied weakly.

Ruby stared at him as he looked at Nova. She had heard about the second prince, the genius everyone was talking about. She had never really thought about it, but their situation must be worse than the rumors, if he feels like nobody is on his side except Nova.

She wondered how it feels to have a little brother who surpasses you in everything.

She already felt bad about herself because of all her weaknesses, but it must be worse when people keep comparing you with other people, especially with someone who is younger than you.

***