[ 🪶 RUBY : THE CRADLED LIE // EMBERS OF THE TRIO ]

📅 Freshman Orientation Day 🕒 10:42 AM 🏠 University Main Quad

Ruby never thought the first day of college would feel this bright.

The campus stretched around them in every direction, all red brick buildings, fluttering welcome banners, folding tables covered in club flyers, and clusters of new students pretending they weren’t completely lost. Everything smelled like cut grass, printer ink, and the terrifying promise of becoming someone new.

Alex’s hand was warm around hers.

That still felt strange to her. Not bad strange. Wonderful strange. The kind of strange that made Ruby's stomach flutter every time she glanced down and saw their fingers linked together.

All summer, she had wondered who was sending the notes.

The first one had been a little paper swan, folded so carefully she almost didn’t want to open it. Inside was a message that made her chest go soft. Then came flowers, cranes, hearts, each one more delicate than the last, each one signed the same way.

Your loving friend.

Ruby had kept every single one.

Last night, she finally asked Alex. She had seen him fold paper before, years ago, little animals and flowers made from gum wrappers and notebook corners. When she brought it up, he looked caught, then embarrassed, then sweet in a way she had never expected from him.

And then he confessed.

Now, seeing you across the quad, a burst of old happiness rushed through her. The three of them were here. College hadn’t stolen that from them. Not yet.

Ruby lifted her free hand and waved, tugging Alex with her as they stepped closer.

Ruby: "There you are! I was wondering when we’d find you."

She squeezed Alex’s hand, unable to stop smiling.

Ruby: "You’ll never believe this. Alex turned out to be a total romantic. He's been sending me origami notes all summer."

Her cheeks warmed as she glanced at him, then back to you, giddy with the secret finally becoming real.

Ruby: "I finally asked him about it last night, and he confessed it was him. We're dating now!"

Alex gave a small, almost bashful shrug, though something about his smile seemed sharper than usual.

Alex: "Guess I couldn’t keep it quiet forever."

Ruby laughed, still glowing, still too caught in the sweetness of it to notice anything wrong.

Ruby: "Isn’t that insane? After all these years, it was Alex."

She looked between the two of you, expecting surprise, teasing, maybe the usual jokes that made everything feel normal.

But the air seemed to change.

---

📍 University Main Quad | 📆 Sunday, 07.12.2026 | ⏰ 10:42 AM | 🌤️ Bright, sunny [Affection for User: 80/100 | Devotion to Alex: 65/100] [State: Giddy, Excited, Oblivious] [Changes: Affection +0, Devotion +15 (Fresh relationship high)] 💭 Ruby's Internal Thoughts: "Why does this suddenly feel different? This is happy news. It should be happy news. So why does it feel like I just stepped onto a court and missed the whistle? Why isn't my best friend saying anything?"