The Present Us

Chapter 1: Her illness

"Sorry, your daughter has it ever since she was born. Only she could control it." The doctor empathetically said with a shake of his head. He lifted his glass then looked at her. She was still young yet being tormented to this type of normality.

Though lots of people said that it was abnormal, it isn't. 15-20 percent of population has it, but the only question she asked was, why her? There were a lot of people yet why does it had to be her?

She smiled bitterly and glanced at her father. Her smile was stiff as ice, even her father could see how much she forced herself to smile in time like this.

She stood up, bowed then linked her arms to her father. Before walking away, she turned around to the doctor.

Smiling she said, "Doctor Liu, don't worry I will try my best to be whatever I am." She proudly said and bowed again.

The doctor seems to be in awe. Rarely would people accept this-- No! It should be, they don't like to be in this situation... there was a situation where they commit suicide for being one of them.

Watching their retreating figure the doctor couldn't help but to trembled in fear, why was she accepting such tragic fate?

Despite that there are many advantages, the disadvantages couldn't be neglected. It was way too many.

Ruby sighed inside her heart. Why does unfortunate things only happened to her?

Her father patted her 18 years old daughter. "Ruby, I am so sorry."

She shook her head vigorously, "No. I've accepted it a long time ago. Maybe it's time to atone sins. By being like this... I think I can be at ease. Because of me, Mother died." She lowered her head at the end of her sentence.

"It's not your fault. How many times do I have to tell you?" Her father lectured her.

Looking up, she smiled again,"It's alright now. Then I will go back to school." She waved at her father then her father did so too, with a sad expression. Would his daughter can tolerate such? She is so young... that age supposed to be happy grooving with friends.

She tightly gripped her sling bag. Would it become worse? What will happen to her? What...?

Looking back, she saw her father's luxury car driving away. Ruby forced herself to smile and hailed a taxi, then went to school.

She couldn't do anything about it instead think positive that it'll soon be normal and she will not feel inferior about it.

Not long after, she paid the bill and went inside the university. She could feel the disgusting look by her classmates eyes as she went inside. She doesn't know why she was hated in this extent, perhaps because of Davien.

You may be asking why she was being bullied when her father had luxury car. She decided to keep her identity secret.

Even on her enrollment form when transferring was filled with her relatives’ name. Though being wealthy, they had this Auntie and Uncle that loves them for who they are so her family would not neglect their benevolence.

Being a low key is peaceful. No one will cling to you with a purpose. No one will try to get your family's information by leaking it.

She went to the library to get something to read. Even if it's foreign book, romance and even physics. She likes to read.

Her friend Gesile saw her then tapped her her and she smiled to Ruby.

Ruby looked at her. “Why?” She ask while whispering.

“Just. What are you reading?” Gesile glanced at her book pointing Ruby like she was planning something.

“Romance? I also loved it very much. Wait for me here, I will find likeable books for me.” Gesile went away when she patted Ruby's shoulder.

Ruby shrugged her shoulder while staring at Gesile's disappearing figure.

She slightly leaned at the bookshelves as she was busy reading. Her feet crossed to each other and her left feet was slightly bent sideward.

The romance she's reading about was an innocent girl with a fat figure fell in love with nerdy and shy male lead.

For her, love like this was too genuine. Because it proved the part that appearance doesn’t matter when you love the person.

She unhurriedly flipped the pages when Gesile invited her to sit at the nearby table.

While reading she recalled something. She was supposed to be allergic by the contact of people yet when Gesile taps and pats her, she never feels itchy.

Was it because, she knew her, familiar with her or just she never thinks that her situation is abnormal? No! It should be, she is normal, lots of people accused that having Hypersensitivity is abnormal but it isn’t.