I wasn't sure if i could keep up with the lie, i was nervous that the two outcomes wouldn't be good.
If Inna believed it, i will feel guilty and it won't be long until i pay the price.
If Inna found out... I think I won't like being ignored by her.
In the middle of this thought, we got interrupted heavily, by another schoolmate that apparently witnessed what i did.
"Inna.. she's lying to you.. hah, you have no idea how despicable she is."
"What—what are you doing.."
A worrying silence from Inna, making me angrier and angrier about this person who's trying to ruin my plan.
"If it wasn't something that isn't serious i wouldn't say anything, but she's literally lying to you, those papers don't belong to her... They are teacher's!"
At that moment, i was almost sure that my plan was ruined and that the jig is up.
But in a rare event, i wanted to get out of this trying to manupilate her and whatever she saw.
"Humph, is that so? how was i able to do that exactly, there's no way teacher would accept to hand them to me, please Raya if you want to talk to Inna wait until our session is over."
That should made her feel unwanted in the room which will cause her to leave.
"That's impossible, your sessions need to stop, I can't believe Inna would hangout with someone like you—"
"Anna... That's enough."
Inna was calm and gave very cold responses, she got up with her face all calm expressing nothing.
"Ruby, think about this very carefully and be honest to me... Are these papers really yours?"
I felt like our relationship was on the line, at least in my end, Inna is smart and I can't just easily lie to her.
But the thing is, I wasn't thinking about the fact that i would be lying to her, i was simply shifting those feelings towards Anna.
How should I deal with her.
(...)
Ana was a very regular student, she doesn't stand out too much, she doesn't talk to other classmates, only when it's necessary.
The teachers don't have a problem with her, matter of fact some of them like her, she never caused problems, always listens, and she always act as a serious student.
Lately i noticed that I come across her way too often, ever since i made the contract with Inna.
So after the accident my best guess is that she's trying to push Inna away from me just like Miss Elin.
Now looking back at the situation, i should've come out clean and told Inna the truth, because i didn't know how much trouble would Ana cause to me.
But at the moment, there was nothing i wanted more than Inna praising and Ana to be gone.
So i continued to fight over her without any intention of claiming my wrong doing.
"I dare her to bring anything that would incriminate me, if she's really think I'm fraud... I worked hard on it Inna, i put it on our relationship."
Denying and attacking, that was my strategy for the situation, all for the sake of getting Inna's praises.
Inna's smiled and calmly responded.
"... I told you that i if you do the assignment right i would praise you, if you failed i would punish and ignore you. BUT if you lie to me..."
Inna stopped. She grabbed the symbolic cat and started moving it around like a chess pawn.
"Lying was a very serious act, the most extreme punishments were used against those liars."
"So if i find out you lied to me Ruby, you'd be working heavy from now on without any reward until the end of the year, those conditions might be hard to meet so you're going to be dismissed, do you understand girly?"
"Understood, i hate liars too."
Ana looked like very upset.
"You still haven't gotten away yet, i will not rest Inna until you'll stop hanging out with that w***—"
Those words might have struck a nerve at Inna, because she immediately got up.
She started approaching Ana, standing next to each other Inna was towering her.
"Nobody talks down on my student, nobody can say a bad word to my student... Don't make me even more mad and just leave."
"I-i didn't mean it... I'm sorry... I'm so sorry."
Ana then stepped back and left.
It's not a familiar thing for me to see someone standing up for me, which made feel even worse because i didn't do that assignment as she asked and i lied about it.
That experience was very confusing at the time intense.
Not only by the fact that i almost got caught, but because i never been in environment so out of my understanding.
I get called by all sorts of words, but here i felt like i was protected, not the sort protection i usually seek when I'm out and about, but a protection from a bigger thing, it was like touching my soul.
"Now where were we... Oh right, it's time for a reward."
"Yes! I've been waiting for this moment for a long time, I'm so excited!"
"Hehe—hmph... you did a good job Ruby, as your tutor I'm so proud of you, you really surprised me, i couldn't be more prouder of what you've become. Ruby, you deserve my deepest gratitudes, thank you so much i—"
"... It's okay, you can touch me, please."
"Ah, it's okay, i-i think I'll leave it for another day."
"Whaaat, you promised i would get the ultimate praising service didn't you!."
Inna smiled. She thought for some time before she spoke again.
"Praises and rewards supposed to motivate us to do our jobs and duties, but we forget to appreciate the time we spent doing those duties, so by the end everything gets cancelled out by that reward."
"This shouldn't be the case, rewards are temporary, but what really settles is the experience and the memories, don't forget that Ruby, be careful."
"...Huh!! oh—"
A satisfying, well timed, head pull to her belly, just revealed a whole wider side of our relationship, which made me hug her waist back.
(...)
The sense of satisfaction was euphoric, i was happy the whole time. Me and Inna were in a great mood until the moment we got separated.
I was thinking about it walking out of school, could this really lead us somewhere better, could i finally get my life together... And then suddenly, all i saw was black.