Chapter 26: Hardwork lost

The light from the window was dim as the sun had begun to set. Ruelle stood by her drawers, her brows knitting in frustration. Hailey, standing behind her, suggested,

“Maybe you put it somewhere else?”

“No,” Ruelle responded, shaking her head, her voice laced with quiet certainty.

She had tucked the scarf inside this very drawer before leaving for class. She was sure of it. Her eyes scanned the room once more. The scarf was gone. And with it, the sense of accomplishment and personal victory that had come from knitting it. It wasn’t just the scarf—it was her time, her effort, and her hope.

Her mind raced back to the only possibility that made sense. Her roommate. She was the one who had access to this room. Not to mention the trouble she had caused before, which was enough to make Ruelle suspect her.

“I should check with June,” Ruelle whispered to herself, almost reluctantly. She didn’t want to accuse anyone without proof. Especially not someone she had to live with.

Hailey crossed her arms, her frown deepening as she replied, “It wouldn’t surprise me if she took it.”

With only the two of them there, they began to search, pulling open drawers and rifling through cupboards. Ruelle’s movements became more frantic as the seconds passed, lifting the mattress, checking every hidden corner as though the scarf might be hiding, waiting to be found.

The door creaked open behind them, and both Ruelle and Hailey paused. June stood in the doorway, her arms crossed. “What do you think you are doing, touching my things?” she demanded, her eyes narrowing with suspicion

Ruelle straightened, and explained, “My scarf is missing. Have you seen it?”

“You thought I took it? Why on earth would I want your silly little scarf?” June rolled her eyes as she stepped into the room, and said, “So, naturally, I’m the thief because I’m your roommate? Please. If I wanted something from you, trust me, it wouldn’t be that cheap piece of fabric.”

There was no point in escalating things, not without proof. Instead, Ruelle tried to keep her calm and replied, “No one’s accusing you. I’m just asking if you’ve seen it.”

June scoffed, tossing her hair over her shoulder. “I haven’t. And honestly, it sounds like you’re just looking for someone to blame. I already had a bad day thanks to that stupid assignment. Now, why don’t you step away from my things, since you’ve already gone through them and found nothing?”

With those words, June picked up something from her cupboard and left the room. Hailey muttered,

“She’s lying through her teeth, isn’t she?” and then sighed as if remembering something. “I will go inform Tess about you not being able to sell the scarf… Will you be fine?”

Ruelle nodded, “Go ahead. I will be fine.” As Hailey left, she sat down on the edge of her bed, staring blankly at the wall.

She knew there was no use moping. She reached into her drawer where she kept her knitting supplies and headed to an empty classroom to start over. And though fuelled by determination, her hands trembled as she tried to focus on the intricate motions, flying faster than usual, the yarn slipping between her fingers in a blur of motion. The emotions that had been building inside her all day—the frustration, the helplessness—threatened to spill over. The familiar prickle of her eyes threatened to break through again.

The classroom was eerily quiet, except for the sharp click of the knitting needles.

“Any more force and those needles might start a fire,” a voice teased softly, carrying an easy warmth that filled the empty room.

Ruelle’s head snapped up, startled by the sudden presence.

“Mr. S,” she murmured, quickly trying to stand, but Dane waved his hand in a casual motion, telling her to remain seated. His blond hair gleamed faintly in the lantern’s soft glow, while the edges of his lips curled into that permanent half-smile that never quite revealed what he was really thinking.

“I didn’t mean to disturb,” she said, her voice a little too quick, realising how noisy her knitting had been in the quiet classroom.

Dane chuckled lightly, a sound that was low and smooth. He replied, “No disturbance. Actually, it’s kind of refreshing to see someone this dedicated, even if it does sound like you’re trying to burn the place down. It seems like you skipped dinner.”

“I wasn’t really hungry,” Ruelle replied, the hesitation in her voice betraying her inner state. “And I thought… I could use some time alone.”

“Funny, that sounds like someone I know,” Dane murmured, his voice so soft it almost seemed like he wasn’t speaking to her at all. He shifted, his expression returning to its usual lightness as he asked, “How’s Sexton treating you? I heard about your practice session. Getting the hang of things yet?”

Ruelle blinked, thinking about the earlier chaos. She responded, “I suppose… though it was a bit like chickens playing with knives. Waiting for someone to get beheaded,” before quickly realising how blunt her words were. Her face flushed as she stammered, “I didn’t mean it like that…”

Dane laughed, a genuine sound that was both easy and knowing. His gaze flickered to her earlier trembling hands that had now calmed down. He hummed, “I appreciate the honesty. Most people try to dress things up to make them sound better. But I get it—Sexton can feel like a headless chicken. Like everyone’s trying to get to you, but that is what makes things exciting about it for us.”

“Only for vampires. And some humans,” Ruelle stated with a frown.

His voice then softened, losing some of the playful edge as he said, “You know it’s easy to lose sight of the big picture when things feel… overwhelming. It’s like looking through a keyhole and only seeing the worst parts. But the funny thing about setbacks is that they are rarely the end of the story. You need to push through and be fearless.”

To Ruelle, there was something strangely soothing about the way he spoke. He had a presence that seemed to fill the room without being overbearing. She offered a small smile, one that didn’t quite reach her eyes.

“You’re probably right,” she said, though a part of her still felt tangled in the emotions of the day. “Thank you for talking to me, Mr. S.”

“It’s nothing,” Dane waved his hand and for a second it felt like he wanted to say something else. But then he said, “I enjoy giving people advice, though I rarely apply to myself. Well, I’ll leave you to your work now,” and left.

The next evening, Ruelle and Hailey walked in the corridor, while the latter mentioned the jobs available at Sexton. Ruelle realised there was no way out of not working for the Elites. As they approached the main corridor, they spotted June, who walked confidently ahead with a stack of books in her arms.

“Is she running an early morning errand?” Hailey commented.

But as June walked past Ruelle, a smug smile playing on her lips, something caught Ruelle’s eye. Her gaze fell on the top book in June’s arms and she said to her friend, “That isn’t a senior’s book. It looks like one that belongs to our year.”

A sudden realisation dawned on Ruelle, and without a second thought, she started running.

“Ruelle, wait!” Hailey called after her, unsure of what happened but quickly following.

As Ruelle ran through the corridors, one after another, her eyes darted between the students. She passed through the halls and other spots she knew the Elites usually liked to gather. Then her feet came to a halt, breathless, as her eyes landed on something unmistakable.

Her scarf was wrapped around the neck of the vampiress, Alanna. The person who had bullied her and Hailey.

Beside her, Hailey caught up and took note of the sight in front of them.

“Ruelle, don’t. It’s a bad idea. You remember what happened last time. They ripped our sleeves and laughed like we were nothing.”

Ruelle hesitated, her fingers brushing the sleeve of her own blouse as the memory resurfaced—the mocking sneers, the torn fabric, the humiliation. Hailey wasn’t wrong. But as her eyes locked onto the scarf—her scarf—the anger in her chest flared into a burning resolve. They were in public, she reminded herself. The grand hall was bustling with students and faculty, a place where Alanna couldn’t simply lash out without consequence.

“I need to know,” Ruelle whispered, before stepping forward with unwavering determination, walking directly towards the group.

“Ruelle…!” Hailey whispered urgently from behind her, a bead of sweat forming on her brow.

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