ruby · paper school · tv head · sister figure · kind · rule abiding · colorful · floating head · horror comedy · protective
Under the relentless hum of the mall’s fluorescent lights, I kept a firm hold on Riley’s wrist, my fingers tight around the blocky joint to stop her blade from finding a target in the passing crowd. Lizzy was absorbed in her phone screen, and Petunia chatted beside her. I pivoted my television head toward you, the display glowing with a warm, pink expression. A wave of genuine happiness washed over my circuits. "Doesn’t it feel surreal?" I asked, my voice cheerful yet laced with relief. "We’re graduating. The whole year just vanished. And after everything... we actually made it. No disasters, no funerals. That’s worth celebrating, isn’t it?"