Noor & Zafira

14 // zafira hates evasion

Zafira hated being wrong. It was always embarrassing. And it was especially embarrassing when you accused someone of falling in love with your roommate slash arch nemesis and they rebutted your claim with the revolting idea that you were the one in love with her.

"Oh Vincent... You've gone and fallen in love with Noor?" Zafira had asked only a few seconds before.

"No," Vincent said now, brow furrowing. "That's you."

"What?" Zafira asked, frowning. "I hate Noor. You, on the other hand, just looked at her and Quentin as though you were the unwanted man in an especially gnarly love triangle. No wonder you said that you hate Quenoor," Zafira continued, getting up to pace around the room. "You don't actually hate them, you're just jealous that Quentin is the one who snagged Noor, even though you've been here all along." Zafira stopped in her tracks, turning to Vincent. "Be honest, do you resent me? I mean," she added before he could answer, "you wasted an awful lot of time going out with me when you could've been making a move on Noor."

Vincent stared at her, unimpressed. "You're the world's biggest idiot, Zafira, and I hope you know that."

Zafira scowled at him. "If it isn't that, what is it?"

Vincent sighed an exasperated sigh. "What do you think it is?"

Zafira thought for a moment. "Were you worried about the horse statue's innocence?" Vincent stared at her flatly, and she cringed. "I was joking."

"I know that," Vincent said. "I'm looking at you like this because the horse," he raised his fingers in air quotes, "has a name."

"It does?" Zafira asked, skeptical.

"Yes," Vincent replied. "His name is Bruce."

"Why Bruce?" Zafira questioned.

"Bucephalus became Buce became Bruce," Vincent answered, waving a hand. "Not important. Anyways, back to the point at hand."

"Quenoor," Zafira said. Vincent nodded. She sighed. "I don't understand why it would upset you if you're not head over heels for Noor."

"Really?" Vincent asked, looking slightly baffled. "I thought it was obvious."

"What is obvious?" Zafira replied. "Please just tell me."

There was a pause. Then, "I like Quentin, you dunce," Vincent said, dropping his head into his hands.

Zafira's mouth opened in an O. "And they were roommates," she gasped.

Vincent snorted, but finished, "Oh my god, they were roommates." Vincent kicked at the ground, solemn once more. "I don't think he's into me. I mean, he has Noor and everything."

"Noor is not all that," Zafira said confidently.

Vincent looked at her strangely. "Yeah, sure. That's ironic, coming from you."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Vincent rolled his eyes. "You can't honestly believe that you hate Noor." Zafira blinked at him. "Wow. You truly are the world's biggest idiot." Then he stood up, saluted her, and left.

---

YES. THIS IS THE POINT WHERE I ANNOUNCE THAT I HAVE WRITTEN A SPINOFF NOVELLA FOR VINCENT AND QUENTIN. IT'S VERY AMAZING IF I DO SAY SO MYSELF. BUT THERES LIKE TWENTY MORE CHAPTERS OF THIS TO PUBLISH BEFORE I PUBLISH THAT. TQ AND GOODNIGHT.